Ancient Egypt Part 1

Upper Egypt

area from the southern point of the Nile River Delta to the 1st cataract of the Nile River

Lower Egypt

land between Mediterranean Sea and edge of Nile Delta

Nile River

longest river in the world, created from the White Nile and Blue Nile

Nile River Delta

most fertile areas of ancient Egypt with many tributaries off the Nile River leading into the Mediterranean Sea

Sahara Desert

the largest hot desert in the world, located in Northern Africa

Eastern Desert

area between the Nile River and the Red Sea, location of many mineral mines

Western Desert

driest area of the Sahara Desert, called the "Red Land"

Memphis

an ancient city, the capital of the Old Kingdom

Thebes

an ancient city, the capital of the Middle and New Kingdoms

Red Sea

body of water to the east and trade route to the area of Punt to the south

Mediterranean Sea

body of water where the Nile River empties

Sinai Peninsula

triangular peninsula linking Africa with Asia; one of the only ways into ancient Egypt

cataract

waterfall; area of rapids and hard to navigate through

natural barrier

a physical feature that protects or hinders travel through or over

papyrus

a material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stem of a water plant, used for writing or painting on and also for making rope, sandals, and boats.

silt

fine sand, clay, or other material carried by running water and deposited as a sediment, especially in a channel or harbor

nomes

the forty two provinces of ancient Egypt

nomarchs

the chief magistrate of a nome in ancient Egyp

dynasty

a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a number of years

pyramid

Huge, triangular shaped burial tombs of Egyptian pharaohs built during the Old Kingdom

mummification

the preservation of dead bodies by embalming and wrapping them in cloth

Heiroglyphics

ancient Egyptian writing system using picture symbols for ideas or sounds

Pharaoh

A ruler of ancient Egypt

obelisk

a tall, pointed, four-sided pillar in ancient Egypt covered in hieroglyphs made from hard granite

polytheistic

Belief in many gods

Sphinx

A mythical Egyptian beast with the body of a lion and the head of a human.

cartouche

An oval shape inside which a pharaoh's name was inscribed in hieroglyphics. These are often seen on tomb walls.

Rosetta Stone

a huge stone slab inscribed with hieroglyphics, Greek, and a later form of Egyptian that allowed historians to understand Egyptian writing.

Menes

United upper and lower Egypt

Valley of the Kings

the burial places of the New Kingdom pharaohs