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Ancient Egypt: Difference between revisions

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Ancient Egypt (view source)

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===Regions===
===Regions===
'''summary'''
Ancient Egypt was divided into two principal geographic regions:
Ancient Egypt was divided into two principal regions:
* Lower Egypt  
* Lower Egypt  
** = northern portion, consisting mostly of the Nile Delta
** = northern portion, consisting mostly of the Nile Delta
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** = southern portion, from the cataracts (waterfalls) to the Nile Delta
** = southern portion, from the cataracts (waterfalls) to the Nile Delta
** "upstream" thus "upper"
** "upstream" thus "upper"
* Click EXPAND for details on Upper and Lower Egypt:
* see below for details on geography and history of Lower and Upper Egypt
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
'''Lower Egypt'''
* = "lower" for downstream (northern portion of Egypt)
* = Nile Delta region
* called by Egyptians "Ta-Mehu" for "land of papyrus"
* topography mostly swampy grassland
** fertile land
* at the Delta, the Nile breaks into multiple rivers:
** Pliny the Elder (N.H. 5.11) identified seven branches (from east to west): the Pelusiac, the Tanitic, the Mendesian, the Phatnitic, the Sebennytic, the Bolbitine, and the Canopic (source: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Egypt Lower Egypt] Lower Egypt (wiki))
* flooding spreads across the Delta
* the Delta consisted of 20 nomes (pre-pharaonic independent kingdoms; see below for more on nomes)
* traditional capital = Memphis
** located at the "funnel" point of the Delta
* Lower Egypt crown = "Deshret" (red crown)
'''Upper Egypt'''
* = "upper" for upstream (southern portion of Egypt)
* = from cataracts to the Delta
* called by Egyptians "Ta Shemau" for "the land of reeds"
* consisted of 22 nomes
** traditional capitals = Hierakonpolis (Nekhen), Thinis, and Thebes
* Upper Egypt crown = "Hedjet" (white crown)
* Nubia and the Kush = regions South of Egypt
* Western Desert = arid desert with isolated oases that forms eastern portion of Libyan Desert
* Eastern Desert = arid and mountainous area that separates Nile Valley from the Red Sea
* Fayoum = large oasis just West of the Nile that was fed by the Nile during floods and with canals
* Sinai peninsula = arid land that bridges Africa and Asia to the east of the Nile Delta
</div>


===Natural Resources===
===Natural Resources===
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==Upper and Lower Egypt history==
==Upper and Lower Egypt overview ==
'''summary'''.
'''summary'''.
* traditionally Egypt is divided into two regions, as identified according to '''upstream''' (heading South) or '''downstream'''(heading North) along the Nile
* traditionally Egypt is divided into two regions, as identified according to '''upstream''' (heading South) or '''downstream'''(heading North) along the Nile
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** the origins of Egyptian culture, religion, and traditions came together during this formative period
** the origins of Egyptian culture, religion, and traditions came together during this formative period
=== Upper Egypt===
=== Upper Egypt===
* = upstream, i.e. to the <u>South</u>
* = "upper" for upstream (southern portion of Egypt)
* = from cataracts to the Delta
* = from [[cataracts]] to the entrance to the [[Nile Delta]]
* = from [[cataracts]] to the entrance to the [[Nile Delta]]
* Upper Egypt is narrow with smaller flood plain
* called by Egyptians "Ta Shemau" for "the land of reeds"
* Upper Egypt is more easily unified, and hard to conquer
* Upper Egypt is narrow with smaller flood plain than Lower Egypt
* originally divided into 22 nomes (districts)
* Upper Egypt is more easily unified, and harder to conquer than Lower Egypt
* original capital was Hierakonpolis ("Nekhen," Narmer's capital
* originally divided into 22 nomes (districts or regional kingdoms)
* later Thebes = central city of Upper Egypt
** traditional capitals = Hierakonpolis (Nekhen), Thinis, and Thebes
** Thebes = central city of Upper Egypt
* Upper Egypt crown = "Hedjet" (white crown)
 
===Lower Egypt===
===Lower Egypt===
* = downstream, i.e. to the <u>North</u>
* = "lower" for downstream (northern portion of Egypt)
* = the Delta region  
* = Nile Delta region
* = with Nile spreading out across large Delta, hard to control
* called by Egyptians "Ta-Mehu" for "land of papyrus"
* = with Nile spreading out across large Delta, easier to invade and conquer, harder to control than Upper Egypt
* topography mostly swampy grassland
* at the Delta, the Nile breaks into multiple rivers:
** Pliny the Elder (N.H. 5.11) identified seven branches (from east to west): the Pelusiac, the Tanitic, the Mendesian, the Phatnitic, the Sebennytic, the Bolbitine, and the Canopic (source: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Egypt Lower Egypt] Lower Egypt (wiki))
* Nile flooding spreads across the Delta
* extremely fertile land with huge farm production
* extremely fertile land with huge farm production
** originally divided into 22 nomes (districts)
* Lower Egypt originally consisted of 20 nomes
* traditional capital = Memphis
** located at the "funnel" point of the Delta
* Lower Egypt crown = "Deshret" (red crown)
 
=== unification of Upper and Lower Egypt===
=== unification of Upper and Lower Egypt===
* the Pharaohs represented their rule of all Egypt by combining symbols for Upper ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedjet White Crown or "Hedjet"]) and Lower egypt ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deshret Red Crown or "deshret"]) into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pschent "Double Crown" or "Pschent"]
* pre-pharaonic or pre-dynastic Egypt = time of conquest as larger sections of the Nile became unified under strong leaders. 
** extensive irrigation, begun around 4,000 BC now becomes centralized and complex
** trade also motivated unification, which required agreement and standardization
* the Pharaohs represented their rule of all Egypt by combining symbols for Upper ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedjet White Crown or "Hedjet"]) and Lower Egypt ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deshret Red Crown or "deshret"]) into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pschent "Double Crown" or "Pschent"]
** for more see also the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmer_Palette "Narmer Palette"] which depicts Narmer's (also Menes?) unification of Upper and Lower Egypt approx. 3100 BC.  The palette is one of the earliest artifacts with [[hieroglyphic]] writing
** for more see also the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmer_Palette "Narmer Palette"] which depicts Narmer's (also Menes?) unification of Upper and Lower Egypt approx. 3100 BC.  The palette is one of the earliest artifacts with [[hieroglyphic]] writing
** see Menes & Narmer below
** see Menes & Narmer below
** see also myth of Osiris, Isis and Set below
** see also myth of Osiris, Isis and Set below
* conquest & standardization
 
** pre-pharaonic or pre-dynastic Egypt = time of conquest as larger sections of the Nile became unified under strong leaders. 
=== Other regions ===
** extensive irrigation, begun around 4,000 BC now becomes centralized and complex
* Nubia and the Kush = regions to the south of Egypt
** trade also motivated unification, which required agreement and standardization
* western desert = arid desert with isolated oases that forms eastern portion of Libyan Desert
* eastern desert = arid and mountainous area that separates Nile Valley from the Red Sea
* Fayoum = large oasis just West of the Nile that was fed by the Nile during floods and with canals
* Sinai peninsula = arid land that bridges Africa and Asia to the east of the Nile Delta
 
=== standardization in and of Egypt===
=== standardization in and of Egypt===
* trade = common weights, measures, and rules, and brings more discourse along the Nile
* trade = common weights, measures, and rules, and brings more discourse along the Nile
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** different gods combined to be a single god with Egyptian unity
** different gods combined to be a single god with Egyptian unity
** power of the priests asserted with claim to control the flooding of the Nile and standardization of gods, temples, etc.
** power of the priests asserted with claim to control the flooding of the Nile and standardization of gods, temples, etc.
* see this article [http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/hierakonpolis.htm Nekhen, Greek Hierakonpolis for good study of the pre-pharonic city of Nekhen]
* see article: [http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/hierakonpolis.htm Nekhen, Greek Hierakonpolis for good study of the pre-pharonic city of Nekhen]
 
* sources:
* sources:
** [http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Nile_Delta Nile Delta]
** [http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Nile_Delta Nile Delta]
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== Menes, Narmer & 1st Unification of Egypt ==
== Menes, Narmer & 1st Unification of Egypt ==


=== Menes ===
=== Menes & Narmer ===
* = mythological first king of unified Egypt  
* = mythological first king(s?) of unified Egypt  
* identified by Egyptian priest during the [[Ptolemaic]] or Greek period of Egypt in 300s BC
* identified by Egyptian priest during the [[Ptolemaic]] or Greek period of Egypt in 300s BC
* Menes was possibly just a reference to the ruler(s)
* Menes was possibly just a reference to the ruler(s)
** the name is from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manetho Manetho (wikipedia)], the ancient Greek historian of Egypt
** the name is from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manetho Manetho (wikipedia)], the ancient Greek historian of Egypt
 
* Narmer = a king referenced in archeological finds
=== Narmer ===
** likely the same as Menes
* = a king referenced in archeological finds
** associated with the god Horace
* likely the same as Menes
* associated with the god Horace
* we will refer to "Menes" as the same as "Narmer" hereout:
* we will refer to "Menes" as the same as "Narmer" hereout:
* Unified Egypt
click on EXPAND for more on Narmer & Menes as first rule of unified Egypt
** Menes = [[Upper Egypt]] king
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
** unified through conquest
* unified through conquest
** first capital = Memphis, near the junction of Upper and Lower Egypt
* first capital = Memphis, near the junction of Upper and Lower Egypt
*** unclear if Menes or one of his successors actually created Memphis
** unclear if Menes or one of his successors actually created Memphis
*** Memphis = important to control movement along the Nile
** Memphis = important to control movement along the Nile
*** myth of Menes that he was attacked by his own dogs while hunting  
** myth of Menes that he was attacked by his own dogs while hunting  
**** he escaped by riding the back of a crocodile across Lake Moeris (a water body of the Fayoum oasis where pharaohs liked to hunt)
*** he escaped by riding the back of a crocodile across Lake Moeris (a water body of the Fayoum oasis where pharaohs liked to hunt)
**** this myth may be seen as an allegory for conquest/ unification of Egypt (attacked by his own dogs = enemies from within Egypt; crocodile = his power and chosen by the gods)
*** this myth may be seen as an allegory for conquest/ unification of Egypt (attacked by his own dogs = enemies from within Egypt; crocodile = his power and chosen by the gods)
*** Menes was supposed to have been killed by a hippopotamus
*** Menes was supposed to have been killed by a hippopotamus
* Sources:
* Sources:
** [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menes Menes] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmer Narmer] (wikipedia)
** [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menes Menes] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narmer Narmer] (wikipedia)
 
</div>
[[File:Egypt_AbydosKinglistDrawing_wiki_sm.jpg|right|frame|Abydos King List with 76 pharaohs as found on the walls of the Temple of Seti, a New Kingdom pharaoh.  The list in incomplete and has certain pharaohs, such as Hatsepsut deliberately missing(wikipedia)]]
[[File:Egypt_AbydosKinglistDrawing_wiki_sm.jpg|right|frame|Abydos King List with 76 pharaohs as found on the walls of the Temple of Seti, a New Kingdom pharaoh.  The list in incomplete and has certain pharaohs, such as Hatsepsut deliberately missing(wikipedia)]]
</div>


==Pharaoh & Dynastic Periods==
==Pharaoh & Dynastic Periods==
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