Archaeology of the Land of the Pharaohs

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts from the lecture on the archaeology of ancient Egypt, focusing on the Old Kingdom and its associated art, architecture, religion, and societal structures.

Old Kingdom

A period in ancient Egypt from c. 2686 to 2181 BCE, characterized by a centralized government and monumental construction.

Mortuary Cult

State-organized religious practices focused on honoring and maintaining the dead, especially kings, through various rituals and offerings.

Vizier

The king’s deputy in administrative matters, often referred to as the chief official or prime minister in the Old Kingdom.

Nomarch

An administrative leader of a province or district in ancient Egypt, often from a powerful local family.

Corvée labour

Unpaid labor required by the state, typically for public works and projects.

Canon of Proportion

A system of proportion used in Old Kingdom art to maintain a standardized portrayal of human figures.

Sed Festival

A ritual celebrated after a king's 30 years of reign to renew their rule and symbolize continuity.

Benu

A mythological bird associated with the sun-god Ra, representing rebirth and the cycle of life in ancient Egyptian mythology.

Ka

The life force or spiritual double of a person in Egyptian belief, requiring sustenance through offerings.

Ba

The soul of an individual, depicted as a human-headed bird in art, believed to move between the world of the living and the afterlife.

Akh

The transformed spirit of a deceased individual, resulting from the reunion of ka and ba.

Pyramid Texts

A collection of ancient Egyptian religious texts inscribed in pyramids, containing spells and rituals for the deceased.

Royal Mortuary Temple

A temple adjacent to a pyramid used for the rituals associated with the deceased king’s mortuary cult.

False Door

A symbolic doorway in a tomb that served as a portal between the living and the dead, allowing offerings to the deceased.

Conspicuous Consumption

The practice of purchasing goods and services to publicly display wealth and social status.

Step Pyramid

An early type of pyramid with a series of flat platforms or steps, exemplified by the Step Pyramid of Djoser.

Royal Statuary

Statues representing a king, often used in tombs and temples as a means of preserving the king's identity and status.

Solar Temple

A temple dedicated to the sun god Ra, designed to symbolize the divine connection between the king and the sun.

Cenotaph

A tomb or monument erected in honor of a deceased person whose remains are elsewhere; often symbolic.