Way of life Flashcards
What is a pharaoh?
King/Ruler of Ancient Egypt
Name the king of all gods.
Osiris
What is polytheism?
To believe in many gods (deities).
Explain the embalming process.
- The priests say prayers as a last attempt to revive the dead person.
- The body is washed and purified.
- The body is taken to the wabet, the embalmer’s workshop.
- They take out all the organs except the heart and store them in containers.
- They fill the body with a salt called Natron, and is left for 40 days.
- After the 40 days, the insides are filled with linen.
- The body is then wrapped in bandages with amulets and jewellery between the layers.
What do we call this embalming process today?
Mummification
What are amulets?
Objects that bring good luck or protection.
What happened to the mummy after the embalming process?
- After about 70 days, it was placed in a special decorated coffin.
- The coffin and other items (food, furniture, statues, gems) were put into the tomb.
- The last ritual called the “opening of the mouth” ceremony was performed by the priest.
- The tomb was then sealed.
What was the purpose of the “opening of the mouth” ceremony?
It was supposed to give the dead person the ability to speak and eat and have full use of his/her body in the Afterlife.
Why were items such as food, furniture and clothing put into the tomb?
It was thought it could be useful in the Afterlife.
Why do you think it took up to 70 days to bury certain people?
It took time to move all the furniture, clothing, food, statues, etc. into the tomb.
Why was the heart not removed during the embalming process?
The heart was weighed to see if the person was good or bad. It was thought to be useful in the Afterlife.
What are dynasties?
Families that rule a country for a long time.
Ancient Egypt’s history is divided into 3 periods. Name them.
Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom
Discuss the role of the pharaoh.
- He was the MOST POWERFUL person in Egypt.
- He was the POLITICAL and RELIGIOUS leader.
- He OWNED all the land.
- He collected TAXES.
- He made the LAWS.
- He DEFENDED Egypt against foreigners.
- He PROTECTED the land.
- He went to WAR when threatened.
- He represented the GODS on earth.
- He performed RITUALS and BUILT temples in honour of the gods.
Explain why the Egyptians thought the pharaoh was so powerful.
The pharaoh represented the gods on earth. The Egyptians thought that he was Horus, the falcon god, with his father, Osiris and his mother, Isis. They believed that when the pharaoh died, he would become one with Osiris.
How important was the pharaoh to the Egyptians? Give a reason why you think so.
Very important. He was the most powerful person in Egypt. The Egyptians built HUGE statues of the pharaoh in his honour.
How do you tell whether the pharaoh was alive or dead when the statue was built?
Alive = left foot of the statue would be forward Dead = both feet would be together
Why did the Egyptians need to develop an alphabet?
When they started trading, they needed to keep a record of what they bought and sold.
What was the name of their first picture writing?
Hieroglyphics
What did each picture stand for?
A sound or word.
What is hieroglyphics?
It is the first form of picture writing developed by the Egyptians. Each picture stood for a sound or word.
Name 3 materials they used to write on?
- Stone.
- Wet clay made into large squares.
- Paper made from reed (papyrus).
Explain how to make paper from papyrus.
- Reeds are cut into strips and laid out to dry.
- Strips are placed in a frame with their edges overlapping.
- They are then flattened with a hammer and pressed to make paper.
What are scribes?
People who do all the writing. They copied books and documents.
What new form of writing did scribes create?
Demotic script.
Why did scribes create Demotic script?
Hieroglyphics took a long time to write. They needed a faster way to write things down.
What was the name of the stone that was discovered to help read hieroglyphics?
Rosetta Stone
How did the Rosetta Stone help with reading hieroglyphics?
It had writing in Greek, Demotic and hieroglyphics. Scientists could read the Greek and Demotic writing and so figure out the meaning of the hieroglyphics.
What did the Egyptians use garlic for?
To prevent colds and flu.
What did the Egyptians use to ease arthritis?
Cumin seeds.
What did the Egyptians use to improve digestion?
Coriander.
What did the Egyptians use to treat wounds and prevent infections?
Honey.
What did the Egyptians use pomegranate for?
To treat parasitic worms in the intestines.
What did the Egyptians use to treat toothache and prevent pain?
Willow.
What did the Egyptians use mint for?
To treat sore stomachs.
What did the Egyptians use to prevent colds and flu?
Garlic.
What did the Egyptians use cumin seeds for?
To treat arthritis.
What did the Egyptians use coriander for?
To improve digestion.
What did the Egyptians use honey for?
To treat wounds and prevent infections.
What did the Egyptians use to treat parasitic worms in the intestines?
Pomegranate.
What did the Egyptians use willow for?
To treat toothache and prevent pain.
What did the Egyptians use to treat sore stomachs?
Mint.
What is gangrene?
Gangrene occurs when parts of the body decay from lack of blood.
What type of medicines did Egyptians use?
Natural healing herbs.
Name 2 similarities in roles between the pharaoh and our president?
- They are both political leaders.
2. They both make laws.
Name 2 differences in roles between the pharaoh and our president.
- The pharaoh owned all the land.
The president does not own all the land - land is owned by the people and government of our country. - The pharaoh represented the gods on earth.
The president represents the people of our country.
What did the Ancient Egyptians believe that had been at the beginning of history?
That all the gods and goddesses lived on the earth and ruled Egypt much the same way as the pharaohs were doing.
What was Ancient Egyptian civilisation based on?
Religion
How many gods and goddesses did they worship?
Over 2000
What was Ancient Egyptian religion based on?
Polytheism
Why did the Ancient Egyptians believe that is was important to worship these gods?
So life can could continue smoothly.
What was the gods and goddesses identified with?
Particular animals
What is immortality?
Living forever
Who was believed to be the sun-god/
Amen-Re
Why did the Ancient Egyptians build temples?
To honour their gods.
What did each city have built?
A temple for the god of that city.
Who was appointed at the temples?
Priests
What was their main duty?
To care for the gods and attend to their needs.
What other duties did the priests have/
- Funeral rites
- Teaching school
- Advising people on problems
What was the room at the end of the temple?
It was the holiest room, and it housed the statue of the god. only the priests were allowed in the room.
What did the priests have to do to the statue of the god?
- Wash it 3 times a day
- Rub it with oil
- Dress in clean clothes
- Decorate with jewellery
