Midterm 1

What are Red Land/Black Land?

Definition:

The desert area of the nile, and the nile valley

Details:

1.) Red Land - Spelled Deshret , east and west deserts

2.) Black Land - Spelled Kemet, rich agricultural plain

3.) The black land was composed of two lands, Ta Mehu, and Ta Shemaw

What is Upper/Lower Egypt?

Definition:

The two different regions of Egypt

Details:

1.) Upper Egypt is actually in the south

2.) Lower Egypt is the delta in the north

3.) The Ancient Egyptians considered the south as “Upper” and north as “Lower” because of the way the Nile river runs from south to north

What is Wadi Hammamat?

Definition:

A very well known Wadi (desert valley) where a very important quarry is located where royalty would often visit and obtain precious materials from

Details:

1.) It is approximately a 17-18 hour walk from the Nile River

2.) Many sarcophagi and statues were built using the material found in Wadi Hammamat

3.) 5 inscriptions left on the south face of the quarry were left from a single expedition

Who is Manetho?

Definition:

An Egyptian priest from the 3rd century

Details:

1.) Wrote the "The History of Egypt” in Greek

2.) Attempted to account for Egypt’s history with a kingslist

3.) His writings are only preserved in quotations and paraphrases

Kinglists

Definition:

Lists with the name of previous kings, dating to dynasties as early as Dynasty 1

Details:

1.) Palermo stone records Dynasties 1-5

2.) Some kinglists are found in temples, carved on the walls

3.) Names are written in hieroglyphics, and even included women

What is Maat_

Definition:

Balance

Details:

1.) One of the kings duties, to maintain balance

Naqada Culture

Definition:

A town in Upper Egypt next to the Nile

Details:

1.) Lots of pottery that changed between Naqada I,II, and II.

2.) Built structures such as maybe ceremonial complexes, which historians attempted to reconstruct

3.) The cemeteries in Naqada show that the processes of social stratification had developed

Umm el-Qaab at Abydos

Definition:

Excavation site where tombs were found

Details:

1.) Tomb U-j had 12 rooms with lots of items inside such as pottery, bones, and ivory objects

2.) Include 3 tombs from kings from Dynasty 0

3.) All of the tombs from the kings absolutely dwarfed Tomb U-j

Step Pyramid

Definition:

Pyramids built with rock, instead of mud that look like they have steps, 3rd dynasty

Details:

1.) Djoser (pharaoh) had one constructed so he would be buried when he passed away

2.) Had areas where offerings could be left

3.) Had an unfinished statue of Djoser inside

Sneferu

Definition:

A king from the 4th dynasty

Details:

1.) King Cheops and the Magician tell a frame narrative, where they talk about how he was bored and just had people entertain him

2.) Ordered for naked women to row him around to cure his boredom

3.) Also built pyramids during his time as king

Pyramid town of Giza

Definition:

Area where the Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, and Pyramid of Menkaure

Details:

1.) The pyramids were built in the 4th dynasty

2.) They all contained things very important to the kings, such as boats found in Khufu’s Great Pyramid

3.) Also included statues of the kings with the gods

Abusir Papyri

Definition:

no che

Details:

What are these figures

Definition:

Statue of Rahotep and his Wife Nefret, found in tomb chapel dating to the reign of Sneferu

Details:

1.) Rahotep is the son of the king Sneferu, with his wife known as the “King’s Acquaintance”

2.) They are depicted as two different skin tones, which was typical in this era of ancient egypt

3.) The statues are made of limestone

What is this?

Definition:

Stele of the Nubian Archer Nenu, Dynasty 9-10 from souther egypt

Details:

1.) Size difference shows how much more powerful the archer is compared to the rest of the people

2.) Similar to other steles, this one was found in a tomb

3.) There are multiple steles with nubian archers

What is this?

Definition:

Rosetta Stone, which contained three scripts in different languages, found in 1799, and dating to 196 BC

Details:

1.) The three languages are hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek

2.) Was used as the key to decipher hieroglyphics, especially by Thomas Young

3.) Weighed an astounding 762 kg