vocab Flashcards
Papyrus
Paper that is made from a tall plant (reed) that grows in marshes along the Nile River.
Egyptian paper
Dynasty
Family of rulers
Hieroglyphics
Egyptian system of writing using pictures and symbols
Canopic Jars
Jars used by the ancient Egyptians during the mummification process to store and preserve the organs of their owner for the afterlife.
Book of the Dead
Collection of spells which helped the spirit reach the afterlife
Ka and Ba
Ka - identical twin of a person that appears after death (stays in the tomb)
Ba - spirit of dead person who flies out of tomb and visits family and the gods (must return to the tomb and Ka each night)
Afterlife
Belief of an amazing life after death. VERY important to Egyptian religion
Mummification
The process of preserving a dead body using oils and cloth/linen so it can be useful in the afterlife.
Sarcophagus
Stone coffin for mummies
Shadoof
Tool made of a pole with a bucket on one end and weight on the other. Used to help bring water to crops.
Nilometer
Instrument to measure the floodwaters in order to predict the Nile’s behavior
Vizier
High government official that helps the pharaoh run the government
Pharaoh
Part human, part god.
Ruler in Ancient Egypt
Sphinx
Creature with the body of a lion, most often with a human head
Old Kingdom
● Age of the pyramids
● Djoser created the first step pyramid. Government became
strong.
● The kingdom ended when nomarchs felt more important than Djoser and stopped listening to him, creating a weak government. This along with drought and famine created the
collapse.
Middle Kingdom
● Period of Reunification
● Mentuhotep II reunified Upper and Lower Egypt.
● Mentuhotep II wore the double crown of Egypt.
● Canal of the Pharaohs was built (Nile River - Red Sea)
● Improved art and literature
● Amenemhat III had strong army and government
● NO MORE PYRAMIDS
○ Built tombs into cliffs
● Pharaoh’s control began to weaken. Outside invaders, the Hyksos came in and took over
New Kingdom
● Golden Age
● It was a time of wealth, prosperity, and power. Gold was mined and pharaohs built many monuments to show their wealth and
power.
● King Ramses II, King Tut and Queen Hatshepsut ruled in this
time period.
● Conquered the most territory
● Ramses II created the world’s first peace treaty
● Wars, combined with severe drought and famine, caused unrest throughout Egypt. Corruption and internal fighting eventually ended the kingdom.
