Egypt

Old Kingdom (c.2600-2200); Middle Kingdom (c. 2000-1600) and New Kingdom (c.

1500-1050) – historic periodization of ancient Egypt

Imhotep - The architect who developed the pyramid as a monumental construction; later

venerated almost like a god.

Saqqara – the site of the first Egyptian pyramidal tombs

Khufu – Egyptian pharaoh, famous for his huge pyramid 480 ft high, one of the Seven

Wonders of the ancient world

Khefren – Egyptian pharaoh, built one of the largest pyramids at Giza

Akhetaten – Horizon of Aten, the new capital founded by Akhenaten, part of the so-

called “Amarna Revolution,” an attempt to introduce a monotheistic religion centered on

the sun disc.

Hatshepsut (1472-1457) – Egyptian famous queen who ruled as a pharaoh and was

portrayed with male attributes in visual media

Thebes, Abydos and Memphis - Egypt cities

Hyksos – warrior people of the Near East who conquered Lower Egypt in the 18th c BC

Ramses II (1279-1213) – one of the most successful pharaohs and military leaders of the

New Kingdom

Battle of Kadesh (1275) – the first major battle where the armies of great kings fought

each other directly (Egyptians and Hittites). Both powers claimed the victory.

“Rosetta stone” – tri-lingual inscription used by 19th c. scholars to finally decipher

Egyptian hieroglyphic writing - had two types of signs – logograms (indicates a word

through meaning) and phonograms (indicate a word through sound). Hieroglyphic

writing was used on inscriptions and monuments and hieratic (cursive hieroglyphic) in

manuscripts. Demotic took over in the 7th c. (daily use writing as opposed to religious

and official) while in the Christian era Coptic developed (alphabet) which remained in

use until the 12th c.