Ancient Egypt: Geography, Rulers, Religion, and Key Terms

Nile River

Life-giving river that enabled agriculture and transport

Black Land

Fertile soil left by Nile's flooding

Red Land

Barren desert surrounding Egypt, natural protection

Cataracts

Rapids in the Nile; barrier to the south

Nile Delta

Triangular region in Lower Egypt with fertile land

Upper Egypt

Southern part of the Nile Valley

Lower Egypt

Northern delta region

Western/Eastern Deserts

Provided protection from invasions

Mediterranean Sea

Northern border, enabled trade

Pharaoh

Divine ruler of Egypt, responsible for maintaining Ma'at

Ma'at

Cosmic order, balance, justice, and truth

Double Crown

Symbol of unified Upper and Lower Egypt

Bureaucracy

Administrative structure under the pharaoh

Nomarch

Local governor responsible for taxes and labor

Vizier

Chief advisor to the pharaoh

Old Kingdom

Period of pyramid building and centralization

Middle Kingdom

Period of reform, stability, and social welfare

New Kingdom

Period of imperial expansion and wealth

Dynasty

A line of hereditary rulers

Re (Ra)

Sun god, associated with pharaohs

Osiris

God of resurrection and judgment

Isis

Goddess of fertility and rebirth

Horus

Sky god, protector of the pharaoh

Aten

Sun disk god promoted by Akhenaten

Mummification

Preservation of the body for the afterlife

Book of the Dead

Funerary text guiding souls through the afterlife

Temples

Homes of the gods; centers of ritual life

Priests

Conducted rituals, managed temples

Hieroglyphics

Sacred picture-writing system

Papyrus

Plant-based writing material

Canons of Proportion

Artistic rules for idealized human figures

Reliefs

Carved or painted scenes on temple or tomb walls

Trade

Exchange of goods with Nubia, Kush, Near East

Barter Economy

No coinage; trade-based system

Artisans

Skilled workers who built tombs, temples, and art

Menes (Narmer)

United Upper and Lower Egypt (1st dynasty)

Khufu

Built the Great Pyramid at Giza

Ahmose I

Drove out Hyksos, began New Kingdom

Hatshepsut

Female pharaoh, promoted trade and building

Thutmosis III

Military pharaoh, expanded empire

Ramesses II

Long-reigning pharaoh, builder of temples, battled Hittites

Akhenaten

Introduced monotheism centered on Aten

Tutankhamun

Restored traditional polytheism

Kushite Pharaohs

Ruled as 25th dynasty from Nubia

Nubia

Southern region; early trade partner and later ruled Egypt

Kush

Kingdom in Nubia that adopted Egyptian culture

Meroë

Capital of Kushite kingdom, major trading hub

Sea Peoples

Contributed to collapse of the New Kingdom

Early Dynastic Period

c. 3100-2575 BCE Menes unites Egypt, start of dynastic rule

First Intermediate Period

c. 2125-2010 BCE Political fragmentation, weak pharaohs

Second Intermediate Period

c. 1630-1539 BCE Hyksos rule, intro of chariots & bronze weapons

Amarna Period

c. 1353-1336 BCE Akhenaten's monotheism (Aten)

Late Period

After 1069 BCE Decline, foreign rule by Libyans, Kushites, Persians, Greeks