Category: Ancient Egypt

The experience of Ancient Egypt was one of the greatest at human history. So some designs in science, mathematics, architecture etc. It was because of Egypt’s timeline that Greece and Rome grew into strength then exhibited some affection. After all it would be entertaining to find these Pyramids which were the tallest structures in the timeline all the way to the dark ages. The Egyptians had a great influence on Greek art and architecture. The Greeks used their knowledge of geometry and geometry to create beautiful buildings. The Romans used geometric shapes and figures to create intricate designs. The Greeks also used geometric shapes and figures to create beautiful structures like temples and palaces. In this essay I will be discussing how Greece is influenced by ancient Egypt, and how they have influenced the Egyptian culture.

Greeks were the first civilization that developed from a small village called Thebes to an empire known as the polis. The city was founded by Alexander the great in 327 B.C. It is located at a location where the Greek city-states had been ruled for over 300 years. According to George Modelski, Thebes took nearly 40,000 inhabitants in 2000 BC (compared to 60,000 at Memphis, the largest city of this globe at this moment). By 1800 BC, this population of Memphis was down to around 30,000, giving Thebes the largest city in the empire at this moment. (George Modelski ,) Scholar Ian Morris calculated that by 1500 BC, Thebes may have produced to remain the largest metropolis in this globe, with the population of almost 75,000, the position which it held until about 900 BC, When its cost exceeded Nimrud( among others). (Ian Morris,) it is not surprising that the ancient Greeks were very interested in architecture.

They had a strong interest in building buildings and their own buildings. They also believed that the best way to build a building was through its use of natural materials such as wood, stone and metal. These materials were used for building structures and buildings. The Romans built many temples, palaces and other places where people could live.

Ancient Egyptian architecture is one of the most important aspects in Greek architecture because it was the first major influence on Greek architecture. Moving on to the second part of this essay I will discuss how ancient Egyptians constructed their cities. Aesthetic creation at Greece started at the prehistoric pre-Greek Cycladic and these Minoan cultures, both of which were influenced by local traditions and the creation of ancient Egypt. (www.digital.library.upenn.edu.) Greece’s city-states were very much based on religion and culture. Nevertheless, within the point Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC) campaigned against the Egyptians and took them back to the Sinai. And at 567 BC he went to battle with Pharaoh Amasis, and shortly occupied the empire itself. (history of Phoenicia-section IV.)

How Egyptian constructor there building is a matter of debate. Some believe that the pyramids in Egypt are built from stone, while others argue the construction of the pyramids was done by hand. The most important thing about these two buildings is that they both had a great amount of space for the pharaoh’s army. Egyptians used this space to build their temples and palaces, which were very large in size. The Egyptians also built many other structures such as tombs, temples and palaces.

Looking at Greece, Luxor is a great example of how the Greek civilization was built upon its own culture. The Greeks had a strong sense of their own culture and heritage. They believed that they could not be conquered by any other country. So they were very proud of their culture and traditions.

From about 650 on, the Greeks started to see Egypt regularly, and their reflection of these massive rock buildings there was the Genesis of the simple growth of significant building and sculpture in Greece. The first step in building was merely the replacement of wooden towers with crystal ones and the translation of the craft and ceramic composition shapes into stone equivalents. This provided the opportunity for the language of balance and shape, an expression that finally took the form of the design of development of the stone “ orders” of building.

The structure of ancient Egypt includes some of the most known constructions in this globe: The Great Pyramids of Giza and the synagogues in Thebes. Construction projects were organised and funded by the government for spiritual and ceremonial purposes, but also to strengthen the side-ranging state of the ruler. The ancient Egyptians were skillful builders; using only simple but powerful tools and sighting tools, designers would create huge stone structures with accuracy and precision that is even envied today. (Clarke, 1990)

Nubians) the list of their society here’s that representation of Ancient empire more photos of Ancient empire then let’s begin with the Funerary structure of these Ancient Egyptians There are 3 major kinds of Funeral Architecture/ structure in Ancient Egypt One, These great known pyramids Two, at those Mastabas and Three, at the common graves for royalty/Pharaoh for those royalties before the big pyramids were made, and distinguished Egyptians for ordinary Egyptians Architecture the very well known pyramids, These were made within from 2530- 2560 BC (3000+ workers). The tallest monument called this monument of Giza was for Pharaoh Khufu. The pyramid is located on the banks of river Euphrates.

Ice was created in Greece at Mycenaean minutes(c. 1400-1200 BC) usually in the form of little molded architectural items. A couple of pieces indicate, However, that maybe some vessel mirror also was created by the Egyptain method, though not in Egyptian forms. Additional Aegean-area ice of the point may have been imported from Egypt.Britannica .) Greek architecture was based on the idea of geometric shapes and lines, which were used to from the structure of buildings. These shapes are called cubists’ or cubic designs, and they were often made with stone. This style is still used today as well, although it has been replace by more modern styles such as mosaics.

In conclusion the Greeks had a great influence on Egypt’s architecture. The Romans built many temples and palaces that were very important to their culture, but they also had a huge impact on the Egyptian society. These temples were built for religious purposes, and they also had a large amount of statues and other objects that were placed in them. By looking onto the two architectural arts Egyptians and Greeks have a lot in common. Both civilizations had a strong belief in God and believed that he created everything in his image.

Who is the most powerful woman that comes to mind when you consider ancient Egypt?

Perhaps the first name that comes to mind is Cleopatra. Cleopatra was without a doubt a significant ruler admired by her people and feared by her adversaries. Even though ancient historians had negative things to say about her, we now know she was an intelligent woman.

However, she is not the most powerful. Nefertiti is a possibility, right? Her bust is the most well-known ancient Egyptian female figure. According to a new theory, she may have even been a Pharaoh. Nefertiti was a powerful woman, but the Egyptians despised her and her husband, Akhenaten. This is due to the fact that they converted ancient Egypt’s religion from polytheism to monotheism, with Aten as the sole god.

There was one Nile queen who possessed greater power than Cleopatra and Nefertiti.

She ruled as a Pharaoh, not a queen. She commissioned statues depicting her with a beard and male attire. Her reign paved the way for the expansion of the Egyptian Empire. She was known as Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut rivaled the legacy of any male Pharaoh in the construction of monumental structures. She made Egypt prosperous through shrewd diplomacy and the avoidance of wars. She was the most powerful female ruler in the history of Egypt.

Early years and ascent to power In 1507 B.C., Hatshepsut was born in the New Kingdom of Egypt to Pharaoh Thutmose I. She later revealed that her father had chosen her as his successor when she was a child because of their close relationship. This was a bold assertion, but the Pharaoh had grand designs for her. According to ancient Egyptian custom, Hatshepsut wed her half-brother Thutmose II. Thutmose II succeeded his father as Pharaoh following the death of Thutmose I.

The daughter of Hatshepsut and Thutmose II was named Neferure. The Pharaoh’s second son with his second wife, Iset, was named Thutmose III. Thutmose II passed away in 1479 BCE at the age of 31. Hatshepsut served as the queen regent for her stepson, who was only two years old at the time. After seven years as queen regent, Hatshepsut decided she enjoyed her position so much that she would become Pharaoh. However, as a woman, this would be challenging. Sobkneferu was the only other female Pharaoh before her. Although Egyptian queens wielded immense power, becoming a Pharaoh was an entirely different story.

To support her claims, Hatshepsut devised a plausible tale for the people to believe. She claimed to be the daughter of the god Amun, who entered her father’s body the night before her conception. Senenmut, one of Egypt’s finest architects, and her chief minister provided support for her claim. According to Egyptologists, the two were lovers who helped each other attain power.

To inspire confidence in her people, Hatshepsut commissioned statues depicting herself as a man. Her sculptures hid her breasts behind a Pharaoh-like beard and enormous muscles.

People who lacked access to the Pharaoh believed that a man ruled Egypt! Hatshepsut may have seized the throne to prevent a rival family from seizing power from her dynasty, according to recent research. There is no doubt that the decisions she made during her reign benefited Egypt and cemented her legacy, despite the fact that we may question the legality of her power grab.

Relations diplomatic, peace, and prosperity. Hatshepsut had an easier time gaining support from the populace, but how could she convince the army that she was the true ruler? Campaigns were the lifeblood of soldiers and generals, and her father was renowned for enlarging Egypt’s borders and destroying its enemies. She dispatched a trade mission to Punt accompanied by soldiers. Historians believe Punt to have been a legendary kingdom in Somalia or Eritrea.

The trading mission from Egypt brought back exotic animals, frankincense, and myrrh trees. For the first time in Egypt’s history, foreign trees were imported. The frankincense trade revolutionized the ancient cosmetics market. Hatshepsut commanded the resin to be crushed and burned. The queen and other Egyptian royal women used burnt frankincense as eyeliners.

During her reign, her military also entered Canaan, although this is not well documented. Egypt’s economy improved as a result of the commercial expedition to Punt, allowing Hatshepsut to begin large-scale construction projects.

We associate the major Egyptian structures with male Pharaohs such as Djoser, Khufu, and Ramses II, among others. Hatshepsut demonstrated that a woman could achieve the same goals as her male predecessors by ordering the construction of two enormous twin obelisks outside the Temple of Karnak. One of them, the Lateran Obelisk, is located in Rome. It once weighed 450 tons and stood 105 feet tall, but deterioration over time has caused it to shrink.

She repaired the monuments at Karnak Temple that the Hyksos had damaged during their conquest of Egypt. She also commissioned a second enormous obelisk in Aswan, which would have been the largest in antiquity. It would have weighed 1200 tons and measured 137 feet in height, but it was never completed. She ruled for twenty-one years. The Egyptians adored her, but one man held a deep grudge against her.

Mummification, demise, and legacy. In 1927, Egyptologist Herbert Winlock discovered a statue of a Pharaoh that had been horribly mutilated. The royal emblem was severed from the forehead, the eyes were gouged out, and the skulls were crushed. This was not a grave robbery, but rather a premeditated attack.

The statues, to Winlock’s surprise, were those of Hatshepsut. Egyptologists later realized that her statues were destroyed by her stepson Thutmose III. According to historians, he was tired of waiting to become Pharaoh and believed he was the rightful ruler.

This despicable destruction by Thutmose may indicate that Hatshepsut’s death was the result of foul play. Archaeologists discovered her mummy in tomb number 60 in King’s Valley, rather than in her own grave, raising additional questions about her demise. The analysis of the mummy reveals rather intriguing details about her final days. Hatshepsut was obese and suffering from arthritis. She had oral health issues. She had an inflammatory skin disease and applied a benzopyrene-based skin lotion. As a carcinogen, benzopyrene caused her to develop bone cancer. Archaeologists discovered the lotion within her personal effects. Hatshepsut may have self-poisoned in an effort to relieve her itchy skin. She passed away at the age of 50 in 1458 B.C.

It was an ordinary 1820 day for Jean-Francois Chamoolillom, that was until he had cracked the code to finding many secrets, in Ancient Egypt. The knowledge that had been locked away now was open. That is how they found out about Ancient Egypt culture, Architecture, technology, events, and the environment. Reading this text will hopefully give you a bit more background and will help you understand Ancient Egypt.

Ancient Egypt Events

Early Dynastic and The Old KingdomThe Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom was the beginning of something great, Ancient Egypt. At this time, there were major events that really shaped Egypt to what it is known for today. This age was from 2950 BCE to 2150BCE. This time was marked with important events. Some of these events were the first pyramid (called the Pyramid of Djoser)– and the Sun God Re. I will talk about that and more in the following paragraphs below in the Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom subheadings.

The start of the Early Dynastic was the beginning of Ancient Egypt. Joshua J. Mark in his Ancient Egypt article helps my reasoning by stating “THE WRITTEN HISTORY OF EGYPT BEGINS BETWEEN 3400 AND 3200 BCE WHEN HIEROGLYPHIC SCRIPT IS DEVELOPED BY THE NAQADA CULTURE III.” He stated . Pharaoh Djoser was the first Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. His passion for architecture was beyond small therefore he decided to make the first pyramid and it was called the Djoser Pyramid. This happened near the end of the Early Dynastic (end of early dynastic:2575BCE).

At this time Egypt was split in two. This event resulted in the capital being right in the middle of the upper and lower Egypt.No matter how interesting the Early Dynastic was, you can not forget about the Old Kingdom and the events. The civilization was not split anymore. This age was from 2575-2150 BCE. One of these events was the beginning of the 4th Dynasty(“Dynasty: a line of hereditary rulers of a country.” Oxford Dictionary) as a result of this new dynasty, Khafre ( the Pharaoh) made a Pyramid and the Great Sphinx. These huge monuments were very important to the Egyptians. Similarly like how in this time period, there was a new god in the Egyptian religion that was important to the people of Ancient Egypt. This god was called “Sun God Re”. This was a time of peace, but with all good, there must be bad and this was true for the Old Kingdom, as a result of government problems the old kingdom came to an end. The Old Kingdom came to an end at 2150 BCE.

First Intermediate Period

According to Ducksters Educational Site ™, The First Intermediate Period was a time of sadness and grief. All the events were disappointing. The government broke as a result and similar to Egypt splitting back to two, This Period was a short one. It lasted from 2150 BCE to 1975BCE. [informational]

The Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period

Turns out Ancient Egypt was not over not just yet– Pharaoh Mentuhotep was to thank for that. He helped Egypt get up again. Because of this, The Pharaoh made a choice to move all the royal tombs to Memphis. In this time they started to use irrigation. Therefore the period was calm, peaceful and in my opinion, boring. This age ended in 1640BCE (1975-1640 BCE) [Cause and effect] Similarly, the Second Intermediate was like the first one, but with one good event. This event was the creation of the Chariots ( “a two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle used in ancient warfare and racing. From Oxford”). This Creation can lead to further travel. This invention will be important in the New Kingdom, differently, the rest was pretty dull. The dynasties ended. It was a time with relevant peace, but this period came to an end in 1520 BCE when it started shortly before in 1640 BCE.

The New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period

The New Kingdom was changed for Ancient Egypt this period. They did not focus on pyramids. Ancient Egypt was concentrating on land, also the Pharaoh changed the religion, similarly, the religion was changed again by the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Tutankhamun changed Ancient Egypt’s religion. Differently, the first woman to become Pharaoh became Pharaoh in this period. This Pharaoh’s name was Hatshepsut. This Age came to an end in 1075 BCE (and started in 1520 BCE). The Third Intermediate started in 1070 BCE and it was a painful time for Ancient Egypt. Egypt divided into two. Therefore Egypt’s army and the government got weaker and weaker. As a result, Ancient Egypt was conquered by the Assyrian Empire. This was the end of Egypt, at least for now.

Ancient Egypt Architecture

You might have been informed about Ancient Egypt’s high involvement with pyramids well then, you might not know involvement with high-quality information about these pyramids: Well, here you are in my Architecture Section to do just that, learn about the ancient Egyptian architecture. So in this section, you will be informed about the many Architectural monuments, houses, and more. First, let’s start with the reason you might have come here. Let’s talk about the pyramids. The first pyramid I would like to start with is the first pyramid ever. This pyramid was the Meidum Pyramid. This pyramid was made by Pharaoh Khafre. Next, we have the Djoser Pyramid. It was the tallest pyramid at its time standing at 204 feet. It had courtyards, living quarters with 40 acres. It was large.So what about the normal people the people with normal houses. Well, their houses were made from mud and brick. Stone was only used for temples and monuments. Such as the Khafra’s Great Sphinx.

Ancient Egypt Technology

Ancient Egypt is not only known for its artifacts but for its technological advancements created during the period. Ancient Egypt was a very advanced ancient civilization. Some of the advancements, the Ancient Egyptians had and the other civilizations didn’t have, were toothbrushes, toothpaste, and breath mints — which are very similar to the ones we have today–. This section will inform you more about the technology produced in the civilization of Ancient Egypt.One of the earliest inventions of the Ancient Egyptian’s time period was hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics was an early language that was developed by the early ancient Egyptians. Hieroglyphics was a language consisting of drawings that would tell about the moment. They would carve this on rocks or draw it on a Papyrus paper that they would make with paper. Speaking of paper, Egyptian’s would make ink of different colors that they would write on this Papyrus. Ancient Egyptians cared about appearance. They did not have the perfect white smiles that would be in movies but did care. Cared so much they made toothbrushes and used rocks, salt, mint, and dried iris for toothpaste. Supporting my reasoning [ on ancient Egyptians caring so much for appearance and hygiene]Joshua J. Mark a part-time Philosophy Professor Stated: “To cite only one example, the queen Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BCE) actually died from an abscess following a tooth extraction.” This concludes my reasoning on Ancient Egyptians caring about their appearance. This quote means that people cared so much about their appearance that a queen died to make her appearance better. Model of 14 Shaquille O’Neals the same height as a 100-foot obelisk.

Ancient Egyptian Culture

Ancient Egypt Culture was very strong and Joshua J. Mark in his article supports my idea, he declared: “THE MIDDLE KINGDOM OF EGYPT IS CONSIDERED ITS ‘CLASSICAL AGE’ WHEN ART & CULTURE REACHED GREAT HEIGHTS” Joshua supports by stating the middle kingdom culture was very big. For this reason, I will communicate. Their religion is quite interesting. First, they believe death is not the end: They would Preserve the Physical dead body but believe the soul is Immortal. Secondly, The Egyptians would keep their names a secret and only use their nicknames. They also believed in multiple gods. One of these gods was named Amun. The People of Egypt would ask for help through a hard time to Amun one example of this explained by Joshua J. Mark, “A famous example of this is when Ramesses II was surrounded by his enemies at the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BCE) and, calling upon the god Amun for aid, found the strength to fight his way through to safety.” Hieroglyphs were like the formal writing of Ancient Egypt but Egyptians did not make Hieroglyphs, it was passed down with trade from Mesopotamia. It was not easy to decode this writing. First, the writing used pictures as sounds. Secondly, there was no translation to anything we knew. Till the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, this stone helps a lot because it had the same text written in three languages (Hieroglyphics, Greek, and Dematic) and finally in 1820, Jean-Francois Chamoolillom crack the code. Comparing this to modern language is very interesting. Firstly Hieroglyphs are not a language you can speak. Secondly, the reason that separates Hieroglyphics from modern language is the fact that Hieroglyph is a language that has drawn symbols.As I stated many times Egyptians cared a lot about their appearance, I will tell you what the Egyptians wore: Men would wear a short skirt with bare feet or sandals, On the other hand the woman wore dresses barefoot or sandals. Both Genders wore makeup. All the clothing was white because of the heat.

Ancient Egypt environment

Ancient Egypt was only a thing because of the amazing environment. Archaeologists believe the first sediments took place near the Nile. the Nile river was a huge river that starts in the south of Sudan, but what made this river the choice for sediments. Well, one of the best parts of the Nile was the yearly flood. This was good because it took all the good black dirt that was in central Egypt and took it [ black dirt ] up to the Egyptians. This black dirt was great for framing grains and beans. This flood happened in summer or fall depending on the amount of rain that came from Ethiopia. It’s kind of funny knowing that one rock gave has the most knowledge on Ancient Egypt –but this was not true before Jean-Francois Chamoolillom found out what was written on the rock, so we thank him for his discovery and I thank you for your reading of my book.

Works Cited

1. Ancient Egypt Online. “Ancient Egyptian Obelisks.” Ancient Egyptian Obelisks, 23 Jan. 2020, www.ancient-egypt-online.com/obelisks.html.
2. Cartwright, Mark. “Rosetta Stone.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 20 Jan. 2020, www.ancient.eu/Rosetta_Stone/.
3. Ducksters Educational Site. “Ancient Egypt.” Ducksters Educational Site, 2020, www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_egyptian_timeline.php.
4. “Erecting an Obelisk: A Monument of Egyptian Grandeur.” The Great Courses Daily, 16 Dec. 2019, www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/erecting-an-obelisk/.
5. Lexico, and Oxford. “Chariot: Definition of Chariot by Lexico.” Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictionaries, www.lexico.com/en/definition/chariot.
6. Mark, Joshua J. “Ancient Egypt.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 21 Jan. 2020, www.ancient.eu/egypt/.
7. Mark, Joshua J. “Ancient Egyptian Architecture.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 20 Jan. 2020, www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Architecture/.
8. Mark, Joshua J. “Ancient Egyptian Culture.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 19 Jan. 2020, www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Culture/.
9. Mark, Joshua J. “Ancient Egyptian Writing.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 20 Jan. 2020, www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Writing/.
10. Scoville, Priscila. “Egyptian Hieroglyphs.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 19 Jan. 2020, www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Hieroglyphs/.
11. Scoville, Priscila. “Egyptian Hieroglyphs.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 22 Jan. 2020, www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Hieroglyphs/.
12. “Shaquille O’Neal.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Jan. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaquille_O%27Neal.Carr, Karen, and Dylan. “Egyptian Geography and Environment.” Quatr.us Study Guides, 27 Nov. 2018, quatr.us/egypt/environment-ancient-egypt.htm.

Section 1 (Single Artefact)

The Scorpion macehead, from the Horus temple at Hierakonpolis (Dynasty 0, Protodynastic period). Limestone.

You never noticed that interesting antique lamp in your relative’s house before… Thanks to your College studies, you are able to identify this object as the famous Scorpion macehead recently stolen from Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. Explain to her what the meaning and historical importance of the iconography is. Connect the iconography to the function of the object and its connection with Horus. Bonus: suggest a proper course of action.

Iconography means the description, classification, and explanation of the subject for the pieces of art, and the work originates from the Greek word “eikon,” which indicates the image or icon (Jan 72). The initial meaning of iconography is to comprehend and show the meaning behind the word. Simply put, iconography reflects the symbolism for the visual arts and the historical, cultural, as well as social meaning, need to be taken into consideration. In the beginning, iconography is considered as subjects that show the meaning and significance of history, but with time passing by, the primary significance has changed from symbolism to the use of being taken as evidence for the new research. Scorpion

Historically, iconography could be used to show the hidden meaning behind objects for a specific period. That is, the symbolic representations usually indicate a direct relationship with the objects (Jan 63). Take the historical subjects of Macehead as an example. It shows a king with the white crown to demonstrate in a full ritual, which means that the traditional ritual is crucial for Egyptians at that time. The bull’s tail, which is hung on the belt of the king, also indicates the power of the king. In addition, the multi-pedaled rosette indicates the social status of the king, for it was usually used by the ancient Egyptian kings at that time. As the front face has been shown, it is one of the reasons why the name Scorpion. High officers are accompanying King Scorpion, and the high officers also show his power and glamour. It could be seen that the iconography of King Scorpion has been used to show the power of the king, and it is crucial for historians to discover the meaning behind the object. This early Egyptian relic could be used as the iconic symbol of the mindset in ancient Egypt.

The iconography of the object from the perspective of symbolism indicates that it is used to be used as a peaceful ceremony based on an instrument of wars, for it the prehistorical times, maces were always used to indicate the symbols of authority. The piece of work could be used to record the power and authority of the king. Different objects for Macehead show that they could be used as evidence of research by historians in the Early Dynastic Period (David 14). For instance, the red and white crown means the double crown for the king, and it also indicated the supreme power of the king in ancient Egypt. The objects can be used by historians to conduct a study on how rituals and ceremonies are conducted in ancient Egypt, for the king was using a hoe to do a ceremony. Usually, the ancient Egyptian king gained their power by means of violence, and it shows that awe of common people towards the king.

Based on the research, it is found that the Scorpion macehead was found in the temple of Horus during the 19th century (David 15). Some scholars might consider King Scorpion was interpreted as the predecessor of King Horus Namer that was considered as the first king in the 1st Dynasty in ancient Egypt, for the king Scorpion was found in the temple of Horus. Since there are some similarities between the Scorpion and the facts about Namer, lots of scholars might conclude that King Scorpion was the predecessor of the royal family or the rival king in Egypt. But it seems that as the tomb of Scorpion is a little far away from Namer, it is hard to judge whether they have a direct relationship. But it could be confirmed that the Horus family and King Scorpion are classified as the royal family in ancient Egypt.

Section 2 (Assemblage)

The Sennuwy statue, profile and frontal view (originally from Asyut, Middle Egypt; Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12, 1971-1926 BCE). Diorite.

The recovery context of the Sennuwy statue: tumulus Tumulus K III, Kerma, Nubia; reconstruction view of the cemetery of Kerma (Classic Kerma period, 1750-1550 BCE)

You are an ancient Egyptian official making the case for the repatriation of this artifact from Nubia back to Asyut ca. 1400 BCE (ironic?). Explain why the statue ‘wants’ to be returned to its origin, focusing on its iconography, style, material/color, the identity and social status of the depicted and its originally intended function and context. Explain how the new location of the statue in the Kerma tumulus endows it with new meaning it did not previously have (be kind to the Kermans. After all they had a point).

The Sennuwy statue should be back from Nubia to Asyut, and the reason why the status wants to back to its origin could be explained from the perspectives of iconography, style, material/color, the identity and social status from the original text. The Sennuwy statue is considered as one of the most properly carved and beautifully proportioned. Sennuwy was the wife of a governor, and the statue reflected the beauty of women and the conditions of rebirth for ancient Egypt from the perspective of iconography (Maria 25). The statue was found in the south of Kerma in Nubia, but they were buried in the royal tombs of Nubia, which indicates that their statues must be removed. The statue shows the different roles such as the defensive roles, economic roles, as well as symbolic roles. It could be seen that the statue indicates that at that time, the military was reintroduced as the military system, and it is the reason why the statue attracts the attention of viewers. The idealized and the nice images reflect the images in the first half-century and the arts of the old Kingdom, which is the reason why it should be back to Asyut. It could be seen that Sennuwy was depicted as a graceful and elegant woman who attracts the attention of viewers. The woman was slender, and she sat nicely, which indicates the elegance and the courtesy of women from the upper class in ancient Egypt. Sennuwy sat on the solid, blocklike chair, and the woman put on her hand on the lap, and she was holding a blossom, which indicates rebirth. The statue was in the color of bronze, which reflects the advancement of Egyptian society. As it is mentioned above, as Sennuwy is the wife of a provincial governor who was placed in the non-royal tomb of the Middle Kingdom, it is suggested that she was from the upper class in ancient Egypt. The couple was buried in Asyut, which was the original place, and it is hoped the statue should be back to Asyut.

The new location has been endowed a significance meaning by Kerma tumulus that means the early civilization in the center of Kerma of Sudan, which indicates that the Sennuwy statue symbolized early civilization because of the beautiful carving. Kerma is also considered as the largest archaeological site where there are lots of graves and tombs that could be used as the research for contemporary historians (Maria 30). As the husband of Sennuwy was the nomarch in the 13th century in Egypt and the headquarter was in Asyut, it could be seen that the development of civilization in ancient times was already connected. Kerman played a significant role for historians to study the advanced civilization in ancient times, and it was known for the townsite and the metropolitan role. Besides, the cultural and historical significance for Kerma is also important. Later the new Kingdom of Egypt also controlled the city and Nubia, and lots of historical objects have moved from other places to Nubia. Except for the cultural status that the Sennuwy statue has represented, it also has the great significance of the continuity of civilization and culture. The moving of the statute indicates that one culture could be moved from one place to another place, and civilization could be spread. For example, the Sennuwy was moved from Asyut to Nubia; it also means the spread of civilization in ancient times. In ancient Kerma, there are lots of royal tombs, but as the Sennuwy statue was not from the royal family, it had the significance that the couple had lots of access to the fine arts, and the couple had power. Lots of kings were buried in Kerma, which means that Kerma had great symbolism for the royal family and people from the upper class.

1.0 Introduction

Historical spaces are significant as they allow individuals to thoroughly comprehend and make sense of current spaces. Kevin McCloud, a British designer states, “I cannot look at modern buildings without thinking of historical ones” (Brainy Quote, 2002). Ancient monumental spaces can be discerned from 2600 BCE in Egypt, where the first identified architect in history was located (Benge, 2017). Ancient Greece and Egypt invented practices, techniques, and more specifically, the underlining of the development of structures that can withstand the test of time. Deriving out of excessive manual constructions using local and natural materials for sacred spaces, to the development of present technologies and procedures, ancient landmarks still continue to influence modern structures through the conceptualization of the old and new. The purpose of this essay is to analyse the effects of ancient landmarks on modern spaces. It illustrates that the landmarks of archaic Greece and Egypt are consequential footprints in the history of architectural development throughout the world despite arising modern methodologies. Religious, cultural and geographical influences of ancient spaces of power will be analysed and compared to modern constructions.

2.0 Cultural & Religious Influences of Ancient Greece on Its Landmarks

One of the primary determinant on the formation of landmarks in ancient Greece is its cultural and religious beliefs that supplements further significance of the space. The civilization of ancient Greece surfaced during 800 B.C. when the Greek society was dominated by religion. In the book The Architecture of Ancient Greece by William Bell Dinsmoor, he explores the influences that shaped ancient Greek architecture and its origins. Dinsmoor explains that the religion was a combination of the worship of personified natural phenomena with that of deified heroes or ancestors worship (1975, p. 38). Moreover, within the 8th Century, a poet Homer Hesiod composed a poem called Theogony which explains how the gods and nature came to be (Paine, 2011, p. 25). The salient Greek gods such as Zeus, each embodied one of the forces of nature. Zeus was known to be the king of the gods that ruled earth and heaven, the god who produced storm, darkness and rain. Hencethe imaginative sentiments of the Greeks towards their gods has resulted in the practice of expressing the symbolic definitions, attributes and achievements of who they worshipped in marble or bronze sculptures (Dinsmoor & Anderson, 1975 p. 39) . Temples and sanctuaries devoted to Greek gods, as shown in Figure 1, weren’t built until these divinities were personified and embodied in statues of considerable sizes. For instance, there were no temples at Olympia, the home of Zeus, until 700 B.C. (Dinsmoor & Anderson, 1975, p. 40). It is apparent that the landmarks of archaic Greece were formed to be spaces of power that were shaped through cultural and religious beliefs, additionally, its geographic location is also as equally important.Figure 1: Olympian Zeus in the sculptured antique art of Quatremere de Quincy in Olympia’s main temple (Quincy, 1815). Statue being 12m high.

2.1 Geographic Influences of Ancient Greece on Landmarks

The geographic site of ancient Greece has impacted the way Greeks created their sacred spaces. Archaic Greeks produced some of the most distinctive spaces through the use of locally sourced materials. Temples were created of marble at Athens, and of limestone at Paestum and Corinth (Dinsmoor & Anderson, 1975, p. 8). Mainland Greece is composed of a vast array of high mountain peaks. The relation between the environment, the Greek race and their expression in art is identified through circumstances such as extensive prowess, the lightness and invigorating properties of their atmosphere; the clay, fine limestone, and marble; these and other similar sources affected the ancient Greek space designs. Furthermore, during the 6th century comes the rise of the Doric style, one of the three classical orders in which differ in shapes of columns and frieze were set down by ancient Greece [Figure 2]. The Doric temples were constructed in stone (Samuels, 2014 p. 10), encapsulating the gradual standardization of the order such as the Parthenon, a space of worship at the time [Figure 3]. They were usually built with soft limestone taken from various local quarries. However, on account of the scarcity of marble within the Dorian region; the limestone was covered with a fine coating of stucco to fill in the crevices of the limestone; secondly, to smooth and refine; thirdly to provide a suitable round to enrich in colour (Dinsmoor & Anderson, 1975 p. 70). The temples of the archaic Greek period possessed varied characteristics as different localities influenced the developments of the buildings as well as religious and cultural beliefs. This indicates the importance of its imprints in historical records, implying that spaces are derived from essential aspects of existence. Similarly, ancient Egypt has also influenced the history of architectural development.Figure 2: Column of the Temple of Athena Pronaea at Delphi (Dinsmoor, 1975 p. 73)

Figure 3: Athens: Parthenon, from the Northwest. (Dinsmoor, 1975 plate XXXVIII)

3.0 Cultural & Religious Influences of Ancient Egypt on Its Landmarks

Landmarks of ancient Egypt were also influenced by cultural and religious beliefs. Before paradigm shift, there was ancient Egypt which began in 3100 B.C, when culture was pervaded by religion. Egyptian religion in ancient times were identified as polytheistic. Society consisted of the gods, the Pharaohs and mankind (Baines & Malek, 1980 p. 210). In comparison to Greek gods, Egyptians deities had initially appeared in shape of animals and later assumed human form while retaining the head of animal (Smith & Simpson, 1998 p. 4). In the course of the old kingdom (2686 BC to 2181 BC), Egyptians began to construct pyramids as tombs for the Pharaohs and queens [Figure 4]. Temples were places of worship such as the Abu Simbel, temple of Ramesses II Dynasty XIX [Figure 5], with four colossal seated statues of Ramesses II on the facade, along with smaller standing statues of relatives by his legs as it was believed that an individual would not exist in the afterlife unless his/her image was in the form of statue (Teeter, 2011 p. 4). Additionally, temples are spaces where Egyptians performed rituals and practices in conjunction to the belief of reincarnation, death, and life after death. In the book, Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt, the author emphasized that “temples were the dramatic settings for the performance of the rituals essential for the maintenance of the cosmos which formed the main dialogue between the realms of human and god” (Teeter, 2011 p. 41). Most of these rituals took form of offerings from the king to the gods. Egyptian culture were manifestation of religious beliefs which shaped its buildings that functioned in the context of religion using its own geographic area as source.

3.1 Geographic Influences of ancient Greece on Landmarks

Despite the belief of ancient Egypt having been divided into two distinct geographical sections, the black land and the vast red land (Wilson, 1956 p. 8); these two sectors shaped the way ancient Egyptians developed and used their buildings. Ancient Egypt was located in North-Eastern Africa having hot, dry desert climate with minimum rainfall. It is also where the longest river in the world is located called the Nile River, a focal point of ancient Egypt (Baines & Malek, 1980 p. 14). The Nile River was a primary source for many survival and creative aspects in the ancient Egyptian culture as people could not live in the desert areas, west of the river. Although much of ancient life took place in the Nile Valley, the vast expanses of desert “red land” had valuable resources. Egyptians used resources they discovered in the desert areas such as gold, gemstones and salts. They also mined for large blocks of stone, including sandstone, limestone, basalt and granite (Waldron, 2015 p. 24). While domestic buildings were made of mud bricks from riverbanks, Ancient Egyptians used their discoveries of different stones to build structures of importance such as temples and pyramids that contained tombs including the three Giza pyramids [Figure 6]. Egyptians also discovered that the hot, arid land was an eminent place to preserve bodies of their rulers considering that the Nile River would cause destruction during flood season (Waldron, 2015 p. 24). Geography was a significant factor that allowed Egyptian society and culture to flourish. The natural resources [Figure 7] of the ancient Egyptian land shaped the types of buildings that enabled them to construct great tombs, temples and monuments. In like manner, landmarks from both ancient Greece and Egypt have shaped the modern approach in establishing the form of buildings.

Figure 4: The Step Pyramid of King Djoser, Dynasty III, at Sakkara. (Kemp, 1989 p. 71)

Figure 5: Abu Simbel, Temple of Ramesses II. Dynasty XIX. (Smith & Simpson, 1958 p. 209)

Figure 6: The three Pyramids of Giza of the 4th Dynasty. The shame of pyramid surfaced and created by King Sneferu, 2686 – 2667 BC. (Baines and Malek, 1980 p. 156).

4.0 Influences of Ancient Greece and Egypt on Modern Architecture

Landmarks from ancient Greece and Egypt are significant spaces as they have shaped the architectural evolution throughout different countries. Although has been thousands of years since these time periods. The religious, cultural and geographical influences that resulted in the making of significant spaces for gods and rulers within ancient Greece and Egypt has helped evolve the current design styles. Firstly, the religious spaces of ancient Greece introduced proportional design, columns, friezes and pediments with incorporation of sculptures which gives its style a unique character. Columns were used to create porches outside Greek temples (Samuels, 2014 p. 13). As mentioned prior, archaic Greeks developed the three orders. The photo below [Figure 8] shows the Ionic order being used on the White House in Washington DC. The Ionic order includes columns with bases, scrolled capitals and a solid sculpted or plane frieze (Dinsmoor, 1985 p. 125). Similar to ancient Greece landmarks, the Ionic order and colonnade is incorporated within space of power in the modern era. Secondly, ancient Egyptians constructed magnificent stone building as place to worship their gods and to contain tombs for their deceased rulers for preservation purposes – the pyramids and temples. The monumental structured spaces of ancient Egyptians have stimulated innumerable individuals including architects (Tyldesly, 2011). In particular, the form of pyramid have had great influence on modern architecture and can be seen in multiple distinguished structures like illustrated through the entrance to Louvre museum built in glass which emphasises the power of the space [Figure 9]. Corresponding to the ancient Egyptians pyramids, the Louvre hold significant evidence of the past as it displays over 35,000 masterpieces one of them being the Mona Lisa. It is evident that the landmarks of ancient Greece and Egypt have made a considerable impact in the modern world of architecture.

Figure 7: A photograph displaying the scale and materials sourced locally. It emphasises the durability and importance of the space. (Baines and Malek, 1980 p. 156).

Figure 9: Louvre Museum, Paris, with the pyramid entrance (Zelasko, n.d)

Figure 8: North front of the White House, c. 1800. (The White House Historical Association, 1860)

5.0 Conclusion

Having the knowledge and understanding of historic evidence allows individuals to critically analyse and evaluate different aspects of landmarks, potentially producing unique spaces. Landmarks from ancient Greece and Egypt were made for cultural and religious purposes that consisted worshipping gods in sacred spaces. Additionally, the geographical area of ancient Greece and Egypt played a substantial role in the forms and materials of their structures. Having the vast desert in ancient Egypt, Egyptians were able to preserve deceased rulers, whereas the landmarks in ancient Greece were located in mountain peaks which contained qualities of their environment. Spaces of power are often cultural, and at times religious symbols. Time periods, cities and cultures are known by their monumental spaces. While the current focus is on new development and buildings, spaces today still embrace qualities from the past. It is clear that the architectural history of ancient Greece and Egypt are influential to the modern period.

6.0 Reference List

1. Paine, M. (2011). Ancient Greece. Harpenden, England: Pocket Essentials. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
2. Quirke, S. (2014). Exploring Religion in Ancient Egypt, Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Retrieved from https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
3. Teeter, E. (2011). Religion and ritual in ancient Egypt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
4. Wilson, J. (1956). The culture of ancient Egypt (First Phoenix edition). Chicago, [Illinois]: The University of Chicago Press. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
5. Kevin McCloud Quotes. (2002). BrainyQuote.com, N/A. Retrieved From https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/kevin_mccloud_526571
6. Benge, A. V. (2017, September 26). The First Architect in History [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.theclassroom.com/the-first-architect-in-history-13654587.html
7. Tyldesley, Dr. J (2011, February 17). Ancient Egypt and the Modern World [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/egypt_importance_01.shtml
8. Dinsmoor, W., & Anderson, W. (1975). The architecture of ancient Greece: an account of its historic development (3rd revised ed.). London: Batsford. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
9. Smith, W., & Simpson, W. (1998). The art and architecture of ancient Egypt (Rev. with additions / by William Kelly Simpson.). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
10. Samuels, C. (2014). Technology in ancient Greece. New York, NY: Gareth Stevens Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
11. Waldron, M. (2015). Geography matters in ancient Egypt. London: Raintree. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
12. Kemp, B. (1989). Ancient Egypt : anatomy of a civilization. London: Routledge. Retrieved from https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
13. Baines, J., & Malek, J. (1980). Atlas of ancient Egypt. New York, N.Y: Facts on File Publications. Retrieved from https://www.library.qut.edu.au/

7.0 List of Figures

1. Figure 1
   1. Unknown, (n.d.). Statue of Zeus at Olympia. [Image]. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Zeus_at_Olympia
2. Figure 2
   1. Dinsmoor, W., & Anderson, W. (1975). Column of the Temple of Athena Pronaea at Delphi. Retrieved https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
3. Figure 3
   1. Dinsmoor, W., & Anderson, W. (1975). Athens: Parthenon, from the Northwest. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
4. Figure 4
   1. Kemp, B. (1989). The Step Pyramid of King Djoser, Dynasty III, at Sakkara, looking north-west. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
5. Figure 5
   1. Smith, W., & Simpson, W. (1998). Abu Simbel, Temple of Ramesses II. Dynasty XIX. Retrieved from https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
6. Figure 6
   1. Baines, J., & Malek, J. (1980). Giza. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
7. Figure 7
   1. Baines, J., & Malek, J. (1980). Norden, Travels in Egypt and Nubia. Retrieved From https://www.library.qut.edu.au/
8. Figure 8
   1. White House Historical Collection (1860). Architecture: 1790s-1840s. Retrieved From https://www.whitehousehistory.org/architecture-1790s-1840s
9. Figure 9
   1. Zelazko, A (n.d.). Louvre Museum | Facts, History, Collections, & Pyramid. Retrieved From https://www.britannica.com/topic/Louvre-Museum

What is an ancient civilisation?.

An historic civilisation is any complex human society strongly associated with agricultural development and urban organization and have certain characteristics of cultural and technological development. The word civilization comes from the Latin civilis, meaning civil, related to the Latin civis, meaning citizen, and civitas, meaning city or city-state. Civilizations are usually also characterized by an intricate social hierarchy, commonly structured according to specific skills such as farming, trading, or defending their settlements and ultimately the ruler.

Location

Egypt is located in the Nile Valley, the north east of Africa. Its origins lay in several chiefdoms in Upper Egypt, at Abydos and Hierakonpolis, which then spread northwards closer to Memphis and the Mediterranean. By 3000 BCE, the unified kingdom of Egypt occupied the entire Nile Valley north of a sequence of rapids referred to as the 1st Cataract (the other cataracts lay in a chain stretching south along the River Nile into present-day Sudan). At its greatest extent, in c. 1250 BCE, Ancient Egypt occupied the land in all directions from the Syrian coast in the north, to the Red Sea in the east, down the Nile Valley to Nubia in the south, and spreading west inland into the Lybian Desert. To the north is the Mediterranean Sea, and to the east the Red Sea. Egypt is separated from Libya and North Africa through the western desert, from Palestine and Israel with the aid of the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula, and from the facilities of populace in the Sudan by wilderness except alongside the narrow Nile River.

Political System

The authorities of ancient Egypt used to be a theocratic monarchy as the king ruled through a mandate from the gods, at the beginning was viewed as an intermediary between human beings and the divine, and used to be supposed to signify the gods’ will through the legal guidelines exceeded and insurance policies approved. A central government in Egypt is evident by means of c. 3150 BCE when King Narmer unified the country, but some shape of government existed prior to this date. The Scorpion Kings of the Predynastic Period in Egypt (c. 6000-3150 BCE) needless to say had a form of monarchial government, however exactly how it operated is not known. The Ancient Egyptian civilization produced the first authorities to rule a complete nation. The Sumerians , who had been the only different people to have a literate and city civilization by 3000 BCE, lived in small city-states, every numbering no greater than a few tens of thousand people. The unified kingdom of Egypt, on the different hand, included a whole united states of america thousands of square miles in dimension and with millions of inhabitants.

The Pharaoh is the ruler of Ancient Egypt, each politically and religiously. The Pharaoh held the title ‘Lord of the Two Lands’, meaning that he ruled all of Upper and Lower Egypt; and ‘High Priest of Every Temple’, that means that he represented all the gods on all the Earth. In Egyptian eyes, the pharaoh was once a god himself, who stood between heaven and earth. His non-public welfare and the welfare of the complete people had been certain tightly together. To help the Pharaoh in governing the land, a problematic organization of officials, scribes and overseers – the world’s first civil carrier – developed, bringing the reach of authorities down to the lowliest villager. Egypt used to be divided into nomes [ a territorial division in Egypt, which had been administrative regions (up to 42 of them). Each one of them is ruled by a nomarch. For much of Ancient Egypt’s history the Pharaoh was served by a powerful chief minister called a Vizier. He represented the Pharaoh in the administration of the land, treasury and legal system.

Jobs

Jobs included bakers, priests, noblemen, soldiers, farmers, merchants, fishermen, hunters, craftsmen, artists, and scribes. There were many professions in Ancient Egypt, most of which were inherited. For the most part, whatever job your father had, you had. People worked very hard in ancient Egypt. The biggest job of all was that of Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s job was to take care of his people. Pharaoh made laws, collected taxes, defended Egypt from invasion, and was the high priest. Pharaoh owned everything in ancient Egypt. The Pharaoh worked with administrators to finalise decisions and make laws. Bureaucrats, architects, engineers, and artists carried out building projects and the execution of policies, and the military leaders took care of defense and protection. The priests served the gods, and cared for the temple and the gods’ statues while doctors, dentists, astrologers, and exorcists handled directly with clients and their needs through their particular (and usually high-priced) skills in magic. In order to be able to be one of these professions, one had to be able to read and write and so first had to become a scribe. This job required many years of training, apprenticeship, and hard work in memorizing hieroglyphic symbols and practicing calligraphy. In general, the Egyptians seem to have felt pride in their work no matter their occupation. Everyone had something to contribute to the community, and no skills seem to have been considered non-essential. The potter who produced cups and bowls was as important to the community as the scribe, and the amulet-maker as vital as the pharmacist and, sometimes, as the doctor. Slaves in ancient Egypt came from many different ethnicities and served their masters in many different capacities according to their skills. Slaves in historic Egypt got here from many unique ethnicities and served their masters in many one-of-a-kind capacities according to their skills. Unskilled slaves have been used in the mines, as domestic help, and in other menial capacities but have been now not employed in virtually constructing tombs and monuments like the pyramids

Social status

Egyptian society was once once enormously stratified, and social popularity used to be expressly displayed. Farmers made up the bulk of the population, but agricultural produce used to be owned without delay by way of the usage of the state, temple, or noble family that owned the land. Artists and craftsmen had been of greater fame than farmers, on the other hand they have been also below kingdom control, working in the stores related to the temples and paid barring lengthen from the country treasury. Scribes and officers common the top class in historical Egypt, viewed as the ‘white kilt class’ in reference to the white linen clothes that served as a mark of their rank. The top classification prominently displayed their social repute in paintings and literature. Below it had been the priests, physicians, and engineers with specialized schooling in their field.

The historical Egyptians viewed guys and women, consisting of human beings from all social classes, as virtually equal beneath the law, and even the lowliest peasant was as soon as entitled to petition the vizier and his court for redress. Although slaves have been frequently used as indentured servants, they had been successful to buy and promote their servitude, work their way to freedom or nobility, and were commonly treated by means of ability of medical practitioner in the workplace. Both guys and female had the ideal to own and promote property, make contracts, marry and divorce, acquire inheritance, and pursue jail disputes in court. Women such as Hatshepsut and Cleopatra VII even grew to be pharaohs, while others wielded power as Divine Wives of Amun.

Culture

Music and dance were popular entertainments for those who may want to manage to pay for them. Early gadgets covered flutes and harps, while contraptions comparable to trumpets, oboes, and pipes developed later and grew to be popular. In the New Kingdom, the Egyptians performed on bells, cymbals, tambourines, drums, and imported lutes and lyres from Asia. The sistrum was once a rattle-like musical instrument that was once in particular vital in non secular ceremonies.

The historical Egyptians enjoyed a range of entertainment activities, together with games and music. Senet, a board recreation the place pieces moved in accordance to random chance, was once mainly popular from the earliest times; another comparable sport used to be then, which had a circular gaming board. “Hounds and Jackals” additionally recognized as fifty eight holes is some other example of board video games performed in historical Egypt. Juggling and ball video games had been famous with children, and wrestling is additionally documented in a tomb at Beni Hasan. The rich participants of historical Egyptian society loved hunting and boating as well.

Architecture

The architecture of historical Egypt consists of some of the most famous structures in the world: the Great Pyramids of Giza and the temples at Thebes. Building projects have been organized and funded with the resources of the nation for religious and commemorative purposes, but additionally to reinforce the wide-ranging electrical energy of the pharaoh. The historical Egyptians were expert builders; the use of solely simple however extraordinary tools and sighting instruments, architects must construct large stone buildings with brilliant accuracy and precision that is still envied today. The home dwellings of elite and regular Egyptians alike have been developed from perishable materials such as mud bricks and wood, and have no longer survived. Peasants lived in effortless homes, even as the palaces of the elite and the pharaoh have been greater elaborate structures.

The earliest preserved historical Egyptian temples, such as these at Giza, consist of single, enclosed halls with roof slabs supported by way of way of columns.

Religion

Egyptian religion was once an aggregate of beliefs and practices which, in the current day, would encompass Egyptian mythology, science, medicine, psychiatry, magic, spiritualism, herbology, as nicely as the modern-day perception of ‘religion’ as belief in a higher strength and an existence after death. Religion played a section in each factor of the lives of the historic Egyptians due to the fact existence on earth was considered as solely one part of an everlasting journey, and in order to continue that trip after death, one wished to stay a life helpful of continuance. Beliefs in the divine and in the afterlife had been ingrained in historic Egyptian civilization from its inception; pharaonic rule used to be based totally completely on the divine right of kings. The Egyptian pantheon used to be populated by the usage of gods who had supernatural powers and have been referred to as on for help or protection. However, the gods have been now no longer continuously seen as benevolent, and Egyptians believed they had to be appeased with offerings and prayers. Common residents ought to worship personal statues in their homes, and amulets presented safety in opposition to the forces of chaos. The Egyptians believed that each human beings used to be composed of physical and religious aspects or aspects. In addition to the body, each and every man or woman had a šwt (shadow), a ba (personality or soul), a ka (life-force), and a name

Architecture

The architecture of historical Egypt consists of some of the most famous structures in the world:

the Great Pyramids of Giza and the temples at Thebes. Building projects have been organized and funded with the resources of the nation for religious and commemorative purposes, but additionally to reinforce the wide-ranging electrical energy of the pharaoh. The historical Egyptians were expert builders; the use of solely simple however extraordinary tools and sighting instruments, architects must construct large stone buildings with brilliant accuracy and precision that is still envied today. The home dwellings of elite and regular Egyptians alike have been developed from perishable materials such as mud bricks and wood, and have no longer survived. Peasants lived in effortless homes, even as the palaces of the elite and the pharaoh have been greater elaborate structures.

The earliest preserved historical Egyptian temples, such as these at Giza, consist of single, enclosed halls with roof slabs supported by way of way of columns.

Inventions/achievements

The many achievements of the ancient Egyptians include the quarrying, surveying and construction techniques that supported the building of monumental pyramids, temples, and obelisks; a system of mathematics, a practical and effective system of medicine, irrigation systems and agricultural production techniques, the first known planked boats, Egyptian faience and glass technology, new forms of literature, and the earliest known peace treaty, made with the Hittites [an ancient group of Indo-Europeans]. Ancient Egypt has left a lasting heritance. Its art and architecture were broadly replicated and its antiquities carried off to everywhere in the world, even the far corners. Its monumental ruins have inspired the creativity of travelers and writers for thousands of years. A new-found respect for antiquities and excavations in the early modern period by Europeans and Egyptians led to the scientific investigation of Egyptian civilization and a greater appreciation of its cultural heritage.

Papyrus was only one of the technological advances of the ancient Egyptian culture. The Egyptians also created the ramp, lever and geometry for purposes of construction, and are well educated in mathematics and astronomy, improvements in irrigation and agriculture, shipbuilding and aerodynamics, the wheel (brought to Egypt by the Hyksos) and medicine. Glassworking, metallurgy and furniture were other advancements made by Ancient Egypt and Egyptian art and architecture are famous for clarity and beauty, for example, the Tower of Pisa. Personal hygiene and appearance were appraised, and the Egyptians bathed regularly and scented themselves with perfume and incense.

History

For many centuries, ancient Egypt was one of the most accomplished civilisations in the world. From the exquisite precision of the limestone pyramids structured in the Old Kingdom era through the militia defeats of the New Kindoma era, Egypt has a long reign of defeats, losses and advancements. The exact time and date that the early hominids arrived in Egypt are still unknown.

The civilisation’s first written inscripttions started around 5,200 years ago. The inscription written was about the early rulers of Ancient Egypt. These rulers include Iry-Hor, who, according to the recent translated inscriptions, founded the city, Memphis, which was Egypt’s capital for thousands of years. When and how Egypt was united are unrecognised and is still a matter of debate. In prehistoric times, Egypt’s climate was wetter than it is today. The weather in Egypt is generally warm in the winter, very hot in the summer and dry most of the year, with the exception of a rainy period in the winter that occurs mostly in the northern part of the country. This means that the now dry barren desrts were once lush and fertile.

Egypt’s history have been split into 30 [occasionally 31] dynasties. This custom was believed to have started with the Egyptian priest Manetho who lived during 300 B.C. His insights of Egypt’s history were kept by primeval Greek writers and, before the discovery of deciphering hieroglyphic writing, wre one of the only few detailed historical explanations scholars could read at the time. Modern-day scholars usually categorise these dynasties into distinct periods. Dynasties one and two dated back around 5,000 years and are called the ‘early dynastic’ or ‘archaic’ period. The first pharaoh of that dynasty was a ruler named Menes (or Narmer, as he is called in Greek). He lived over 5,000 years ago.

Ever of 4000 years, just a single lady was ever sufficiently intense, scholarly and sufficiently incredible to seize control of the royally honored position in China, known as Wu. This makes her special contrasted with her female partner the Cleopatra. Cleopatra was one of thirteen Queens to effortlessness the Egyptian crown. She was the first of her line to take the inconvenience to become familiar with the Egyptian dialect (Highet, 2011). From birth she had been distinguished as the girl of a God, Dionysis so she had the specialist of a Goddess. Unmistakably worry for inward strength of Egypt was one of the portraying components of Cleopatra’s reign; alongside the need for the smooth running of the economy. Egyptian rulers wore numerous crowns. The Deshret crown was a red crown that spoken to Lower-Egypt, The Hedjet crown was white and symbolized Upper-Egypt. The Pshent crown was worn by Queen Cleopatra and it was red and white, a joint crown illustrative of Upper and Lower Egypt. Queen Cleopatra’s total assets was around $96 billion; amid her reign Egypt’s economy was strong and independent (Highet, 2011). Neither Empress Wu or Cleopatra reigned over republics, they had ruler driven organizations. Amid Wu’s time ladies were not permitted to formally serve in government. The rising of ruler Wu to the royal position was shrewd and her standard was dictator. She murdered her sister and harmed her own mom. Before she was Empress she was a fancy woman to the Emperor, she bore the Emperor a tyke. One reliable day the Emperor’s fundamental spouse Empress Wang came to visit the imperial castle. Wu choked her very own newborn child and censured Empress Wang (McMahon, 2013). The Emperor trusted her story. Her ascent to control was out of line, she encircled her opponent for the position of royalty. Ruler Wang and her mom would then be tormented and executed.

The ascent of Cleopatra was simply to control; she was conceded the honored position in her dad’s will as he passed away. The name of Cleopatra implies wonder of the dad. Ptolemy XII was her dad, who was a relative of the military driving force known as one of the extraordinary commanders – Alexander. At the point when her dad kicked the bucket she was just eighteen and it was the standard to wed her more youthful sibling to guarantee rulership never leaves the illustrious family. Like Wu, Cleopatra was additionally savage and had relatives she considered a danger to her position of royalty killed. His sibling and Cleopatra progressed toward becoming adversaries and she was removed from Alexandria. She met J. Caesar when he came to Egypt and turned into his special lady (McMahon, 2013). Sovereign Wu had an incredible military ability, obliterating any individual who remained in her way and controlled over all of China with an iron clench hand for over 50 years. Her political choices were insightful. Cleopatra did battle with Ptolemy XIII, as his military confronted a snare he suffocated in the Nile River while attempting to escape. Cleopatra at that point turned into the sole leader of Egypt and pronounced her to be the Goddess. Cleopatra remarried her most youthful sibling and in the end requested his harming (Roller, 2010).

Under the standard of Wu the outskirts of China were extended north, south and west, she additionally didn’t lose any region picked up. She supervised the total victory of Korea. Both Cleopatra and Wu regulated numerous wars. Like Empress Wu, Cleopatra likewise gained a new area through military collusions and victories against the Ancient Persian Empire. Her most productive collusion was with one of her better half Mark Anthony (McMahon, 2013). Check Anthony matched the Persian Empire, he had a splendid military foundation and drove endeavors into Persian regions that appeared to be destined to fizzle. He required the military of Cleopatra. Amid a noteworthy intrusion of the kingdom, Anthony lost twenty-four thousand troopers to antagonistic climate and threatening ailments. He dwarfed the Persians however yet needed to withdraw. Cleopatra regarded to his call and met his military and she brought cash and dress for his troops. She later reestablished this endeavor and with her support he could gather a two-hundred thousand man armed force to crush Ancient Persia (Roller, 2010).

Amid her reign Wu rolled out numerous improvements, she amplified the common administration framework and made land changes. She separated expansive rural properties and redistributed the land to workers. This approach was intended to encourage the focal government by debilitating the impact of extensive landowners. It conveyed expanded income to the capital since the laborers who presently cultivated their very own properties could pay a lot of charges. At the point when the power was first took by Wu she submitted and announced her political plans for what’s to come. These arrangements required the decrease of horticultural tax collection, canceling mandatory work notwithstanding changing the guidelines of commitment to stop or forestall wars with different nations (Roller, 2010). Wu meant to constrain the military draft. She was all in for the progression of ladies. Under her standard ladies were enabled the benefit to request and start a separation. Wu additionally enabled ladies to pick up their legitimate legacies left to them by friends and family. When it came to instruction she was a virtuoso, she rebuilt Chinese characters and even made nine-adolescent recently thought of characters presently being used by the cutting edge Chinese. In spite of the times of brilliance and thriving for antiquated China the standard of Wu additionally had an oppressive clouded side. She built up mystery police whose employments were to quiet resistance to her standard any way they see fit. Nobody could get away from her hooks whether military chain of command or the normal subject. There’s no record in written history of Cleopatra being a domineering ruler, then again Wu was an oppressor. Both of these rulers weren’t manikins to different routines. Under Wu everybody needed to vie for administrative positions by taking tests, this training in the end prompted a researcher drove government with the ruler staying as head of state. The two ladies utilized their unmatched excellence to have their way with the illicit relationships (Highet, 2011). Wu kicked the bucket a serene passing from common causes at age eighty while Cleopatra passed on from suicide from the nibble of a venomous cobra. It was had faith in Egyptian folklore that passing from a Cobra nibble anchored everlasting status. After the demise of Cleopatra the Roman emperors came in to run Egypt, China’s domain remained unblemished for ages after the standard of Wu.

As it is apparent to everyone, if human beings and other living organisms born, grow and die, in order to survive, they need water, air, food, and as one of main necessities medicine. Since humans exist, they face different types of illnesses, pains, wounds and they search for solutions to these. In ancient Egypt, people used to have medical treatment that was learned from Ancient Mesopotamian civilization. But due to geographical changes and different living standards, they needed to develop and invent new methods of medicine. And also in Mesopotamia, writing was on clay tablets and during wars, some of them were destroyed and couldn’t be passed to other next civilizations. I think, therefore, Egyptians needed to create new treatment system in order to live healthy in inconvenient circumstances. They were successful in it but as first human beings, some Egyptian beliefs about healing were based on myths and there were spells and incantations. They had god of medicine and magic, and when something happens to individual, in their belief, this was due to lesson of god to that person. This was about their religious belief, but it doesn’t mean that only magicians treated people. They were teaching medicine as subject and education was seen as main transporter of development to next generations. Unlike some of magical treatment methods are still mysterious to us, but with the use of papyrus, they were able to pass their achievements in medicine to next civilizations such as Greece and Roman. They had invented proper medicine instruments for surgery and used mummifying after death. In this paper, I am going to investigate religious beliefs such as magical developments and treatment in medicine system of Egypt and how they achieved to improve themselves in the area of medication and understanding human body.

In ancient Egypt, people worshipped to one god, but there were different gods for various actions that happened in citizens’ life. When something happened them or they have a problem, they were approaching to specific god who they believed that would help them. Unlike other polytheistic religions, in Egypt, even for each part of body, there was appropriate god. I think it was one way of keeping people under control. Three types of healers were existing there for sick persons. First type was surgeons who had tentative techniques and had no idea about microbe and bacteria. Because of lack of knowledge and experience, they didn’t know the cause of illnesses and used technique of asking lots of questions at least to detect where pain comes from. Main causes of sicknesses were believed to be evil spirits or punishment from god. Second type of healers was considered as delegate for charm and spells, and was thought to able to specify illnesses directly. At that time, they discovered and used honey. In my opinion, it was due to fact that honey was remedy for lots of illnesses as it is today and was benefited widely because there were no more other medicines to use. Third type was physicians and they were studying medicine subjects in schools. But they learned it from traditional ways or manuscripts which were not very reliable and proven scientifically. İf a disease happened by natural reasons, patient first would go to physicians. The God was like king of other gods and it was easy to manipulate people with their sicknesses. If there were more gods for each illness, it means everything about problems of people which is weak point of them, is gathered into hands of gods and The God. However, these gods helped citizens with magical ways but they also used to have drugs magical words stated on that they gave people when magic itself didn’t work more. But again drugs were showed as having magic religious value rather than pharmacological significance. In my point of view, gods were making these drugs and giving them to the people in order to not lose their power in front of people when their magic doesn’t better patients. In spite of all limitations in magical treatment ways and religious beliefs toward medicine, in Egyptian medicine system, religious, magical and natural ways of treatment were always preferred and used.

Medical system of ancient Egypt is considered creation of medical care despite of the fact that it was first used in Mesopotamia. Because, in Mesopotamia, ancient people could not be able to improve their basic methods of treatment as Egyptians did. At first times, as I mentioned above, people in Egypt, relied on more myths than real treatment ways, because they hadn’t discovered them yet. But in my opinion, gradually, this unclear method lost its power and people needed to search for more effective ways. When people want something more and more, they start to think a lot and find more appropriate way for their health problems. Due to geographical location of Egypt, there were many types of illnesses and wild, harmful animals spread there which damaged people and harm their body. Also in building of pyramids, there were lots of wounded people who died then because of lack of knowledge. I think death of lots of people forced educated citizens to find remedy. There were pictures on stone that show part of bodies of animals and it means they were aware that organs exist but before human body they experienced it in animal bodies. At the beginning, as we know, they used mummification after death. Embalmers had knowledge about inside organs of person, but because of lack of connection between doctors or healers and embalmers, and religious law that forbade studying body, doctors had no idea about organs. After some time, they got knowledge about organs of human by using body of death people in their practices. They also suffered from attacks of wild animals such as lion, jackals and others, and they needed to make medicine against poisons. I think it also affected them to deep understanding of medical treatment and making medicaments. They used beer and wine for treatment and they showed them as gift of The God to people. Of course, they were full with vitamins and were effective in medical care. But I think most of people accepted it as a gift because they gave pleasure and people pray for The God and worshipped it for such gift. With the use of these materials and honey, they were able to make pills and specific liquids for wounds. There is “Ebers Papyrus” where most of medical innovations are written and there is one quote about heart: “The respiratory system: When we breathe in through our noses, the air enters our hearts and lungs, and then the entire belly.’ It means they had information about heart and they knew that it pumps but they did not know its function. I think it was also about not having contact between embalmers and doctors.

All in all, Egypt civilization were acquainted with medical treatment from the beginning. They brought it from Mesopotamia and developed in an accurate and fastest way for that time. As you see from “Ebers Papyrus”, they first started with simple tools and they worshipped lots of gods in order to help them and solve their problems. They used magical methods to find remedy to diseases but after a time, they understood that it was not the solution to illnesses and begun to think more and experienced on environment and living thing. In early times, they believed myths and myths were explaining environmental changes in nature but there were no any proved facts. After they discovered new method of remedy such as, herbs, drugs and medicines, they brought new innovation to whole medical world. Not only new remedy methods, but also new surgery tools were invented in Egypt where then named starting point of medical treatment and new discoveries. Although, Egyptians found new way for treatment rather than magical medicine system, there were existing gods in every position of their life. Egyptian type of medicine system and their innovations had passed to other civilizations and today covers main part of medical treatment.

From anciеnt timеs till today, an еnormous amount of discovеriеs and invеntions wеrе madе by humans to makе thеir lifе much еasiеr. In ordеr to аchiеvе thе goаl of improving thеir living stаndаrds, аnciеnt civilizаtions focusеd on thе dеvеlopmеnt of sciеncе аnd tеchnology. Onе of thеsе civilizаtions is аncient Egypt sociеty. Thеir knowlеdgе and tеchnology wеrе so dееp and complеx that thеy could build gorgеous structurеs callеd pyramids which is еvеn nеarly impossiblе to build with today’s tеchnology. This sociеty wаs thе foundаtion of аstronomy, еnginееring, mеdicinе, аnd vаrious tеchnologicаl innovаtions thаt hаvе а grеаt rolе in thе dеvеlopmеnt of todаy’s world.

Firstly, Astronomy playеd a vеry significant rolе in sciеncе and daily lifе of Еgypt. Astronomy was important to the ancient Egyptians in two ways: the religion and the practical. The land of the gods and the afterlife are most well-known attributes of the ancient Egypt. This duality is apparent in Egyptian culture in every aspect and epitomized in the obelisk which was always raised in pairs and believed to reflect a divine pair appearing at the same time in the heavens. Thе gods’ accomplishmеnts and trials wеrе told by thе stars but also thе passagе of timе and thе sеasons wеrе indicatеd. On а morе practical lеvеl, thеy usеd stаrs to tеll whеn it wаs going to rаin whеn it wаs nеаring timе to plаnt or hаrvеst crops, аnd еvеn thе bеst timеs for mаking importаnt dеcisions such аs building а homе, tеmplе or stаrting а businеss vеnturе. Аstronomicаl obsеrvаtions lеd to аstrologicаl intеrprеtаtions. Strictly аstronomicаl еxаminаtion of thе night skiеs, howеvеr, wаs intеrprеtеd in tеrms of prаgmаtism аnd rеcordеd in mаthеmаticаl cаlculаtions mеаsuring wееks, months, аnd yеаrs. Although thе calеndar was invеntеd by thе anciеnt Sumеrians, thе concеpt was adaptеd and improvеd upon by thе Еgyptians.

Sеcondly, еnginееring also playеd an important rolе in Еgypt civilization. Thеy usеd thеir skills to build onе of thе 7 wondеrs of thе anciеnt world – Thе Grеat Pyramid of Giza. Thе tеchnological skill rеquirеd to build thе Grеat Pyramid still mystifiеs many pеoplе еvеn today bеcausе in thе construction of thе Grеat Pyramid morе thаn two million blocks wеighing from two to morе thаn sixty tons usеd. Its construction involvеd plеnty of workеrs which, in turn, prеsеntеd complеx logisticаl problеms concеrning food, shеltеr, аnd orgаnizаtion. Millions of hеаvy stonе blocks nееdеd not only to bе quаrriеd аnd rаisеd to grеаt hеights but аlso sеt togеthеr with prеcision to crеаtе thе dеsirеd shаpе. Thеrе аrе various thеoriеs about how thеy could build pyramids likе ramp thеory which indicatеs that Еgyptians usеd ramps to movе blocks or watеr powеr thеory which says that thеy usеd prеssurеd watеr to movе thе blocks to thеir positions. Howеvеr, nonе of thеsе thеoriеs was confirmеd and construction dеtails of pyramids arе still a mystеry.

Finally, mеdicinе is anothеr crucial sеgmеnt of Еgypt civilization. Medicine in ancient Egypt was intimately tied to magic. The three best-known works dealing with medical issues are the Ebers Papyrus, the Edwin Smith Papyrus, and the London Medical Papyrus all of which, to one dеgrее or anothеr, dеscribе thе usе of spеlls in trеating illnеssеs whilе at thе samе timе еxhibiting a significant amount of mеdical knowlеdgе. The Ebers Papyrus is a text treating illnеssеs such as trauma, cancer, heart disease, depression, dermatology, gastrointestinal distress, and many others. The Edwin Smith Papyrus is the oldest known work on surgicаl tеchniquеs аnd is thought to hаvе bееn writtеn for triаgе surgеons. This work shows dеtаilеd knowlеdgе of аnаtomy аnd physiology. Thе London Medical Papyrus combines mаgicаl spells with mеdicаl knowlеdgе for thе rеmеdy of conditions rаnging from еyе problеms to miscаrriаgеs. Аccording to thе еvidеncе of mummiеs who hаvе bееn еxаminеd, аs wеll аs lеttеrs аnd othеr documеnts, it sееms thаt Еgyptiаns hаvе еxpеriеncеd fаirly sеvеrе аnd widеsprеаd dеntаl problеms. Dеntistry doеs not sееm to hаvе improvеd аs much аs othеr brаnchеs of mеdicinе but still wаs morе аdvаncеd аnd showеd а grеаtеr knowlеdgе of dеаling with orаl pаin thаn lаtеr rеmеdiеs prаcticеd by othеr culturеs. Mаny mеdicаl tеxts sееm to lаrgеly ignorе dеntаl problеms аnd toothаchеs, but non-mеdical tеxts addrеss thеm as most likеly causеd by a tooth-worm which nееdеd to bе takеn away by magical spеlls, еxtraction, and applying an ointmеnt. Mеdicаl tools hаvе bееn found which could hаvе bееn usеd by dеntists, but аs nonе аrе lаbеlеd or rеfеrrеd to clеаrly in tеxts, onе cаnnot sаy for cеrtаin. It is clеаr, howеvеr, thаt dеntists could diаgnosе orаl disеаsе аnd hаvе а tеchnology to opеrаtе on gums аnd tееth.

In conclusion, Anciеnt Еgypt was onе of thе civilizations whеrе thе harmony of sciеncе and tеchnology could bе obsеrvеd. It is crystal clеar that thе Еgyptians did thеir bеst to discovеr nеw things and еnhancе thеir knowlеdgе by looking at thеir contributions to sciеncе and tеchnological dеvеlopmеnts. Thеy usеd thеir mеdical knowlеdgе to curе pеoplе, еnginееring skills to build pyramids and monumеnts, astronomic knowlеdgе to еstablish thе basе of timеkееping. Sciеncе and tеchnology of thе modеrn world owе a grеat part of thе invеntions to anciеnt Еgypt.

The art, architecture, and beliefs of Ancient Egypt have a very influential impact on shaping today’s modern world. Although when many think about Ancient Egypt, they don’t think about its influence, it’s very prominent. The art, architecture, and beliefs were also just generally a huge part of Ancient Egyptian culture. These three aspects shaped much of the culture, and still do shape much of Egypt’s modern culture.

All Ancient Egyptian art served a purpose because they believed that practical purpose goes over beauty. According to an article written by Joshua J. Mark in the Ancient History Encyclopedia, “Art reflected the perfection of the gods while having a practical purpose” (Mark). For example, statues held spirits of the deceased, tomb paintings were made to display scenes from someone’s life so that their spirit could remember. And lastly, amulets were used for protection. Although beauty was a factor when making these art pieces, it wasn’t as important as the function it had. Another important aspect of Ancient Egyptian art was symbolism. Most art pieces have a symbolic meaning. The Golden Throne of Tutankhamun is a good example of symbolism in Ancient Egyptian art. On this throne, there’s an image of two people, with many important details. The red symbolizes vitality, the blue represents fertility, life, and rebirth, them having the same skin color represents their closeness, and their clothing being white symbolizes purity. One can also see the changes in art throughout the periods in Ancient Egypt. During the Old Kingdom of Egypt, which spanned from 2613 to 2181 BCE, art was made to reflect the tastes of Memphis. Memphis was an old important city in Egypt where art was prominent. In the First Intermediate Period of Egypt, which was from 2181 to 2040 BCE, artists were able to express themselves more freely. Art styles were still modeled after the style of Memphis though. Many painting techniques were also introduced in this period. The paint was made by mixing colors made by minerals. The paint was so durable, it remains vibrant today. For example, white paint was made by gypsum, black paint was made by carbon, red and yellow paint was made from iron oxides, and blue paint was made from azurite and malachite. During the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, spanning from 2040 to 1782 BCE, the lower classes of Ancient Egypt was more represented in art. This period was considered a high point for Egypt, especially in art. Art was only based on the wealthy or their gods, so having lower classes introduced was out of the ordinary. The New Kingdom (1570-1069 BCE), was best known for its famous art. “New Kingdom art is defined by high quality in vision and technique due largely to Egypt’s interaction with neighboring cultures” (Mark). For example, the bust of Nefertiti and the golden death mask of Tut originated from this period. Metalworking was also introduced to the Ancient Egyptians by the Hittites, and the artwork that was produced by metalworking was being influenced by other cultures. All these types of art from all these periods were so influential, it had even left an influence on early Greek and Roman art. The way paint was made was used in many cultures, and the idea of having art more as functional and less for beauty was also seen frequently in many other cultures to come.

Ancient Egyptian architecture has also been influential and was a big aspect of their culture. Two principal building commonly used in Ancient Egyptian architecture was unbaked mud brick and stone. The unbaked mud brick was generally used for tombs, and the stone was generally used for royal palaces, fortresses, and more. Tombs and temples were structures where this sort of architecture is showcased. Tomb architecture usually consisted of columns made of stone and massive mud-brick walls for support. The idea of columns was also something considered important and influential in other cultures. Not only was it designed to support a roof, but the designs differentiated the types of columns. A papyrus bundle column is a tightly carved column resembling papyrus reeds, a Djed column had layered parts, Djed meaning stability. Another important architectural aspect of Ancient Egypt were pyramids. Pyramids are generally made with brick or stone with a rectangular base and four sloping triangular sides meeting together. The idea of having buildings in this form is still used today. Many modern buildings have the same rectangular base and four sides that were seen so often in Ancient Egypt. For example, the Pyramid of Kazan in Russia, the Louvre in France, and the Pyramid of Tirana in Albania are all based on that structure. There is also so much more that has been influenced by this architecture.

Ancient Egyptian beliefs were yet another thing influential in our world today. “Egyptian religion was a combination of beliefs and practices which, in the modern-day, would include Egyptian mythology, science, medicine, psychiatry, magic, spiritualism, herbology, as well as the modern understanding of ‘religion’ as belief in a higher power and a life after death” (Mark). All of these are significant aspects of Ancient Egyptian beliefs. Religion and these aspects had played a part in every second of life for them. Life on Earth was only supposed to be seen as one part of an eternal journey. In your lifetime, you were supposed to live by something they called Ma’at, also known as harmony. Ma’at was the understanding that your actions in life affected everything. For example, something one could affect someone else’s life, your life, or the operation of the universe in general. Ancient Egyptian gods were also a huge aspect of their beliefs. Their gods were seen as the creators but also friends interested in giving guidance. Each god had their specialty. For example, Bastet was the goddess of the hearth, home life, a women’s health, while Ra was the god of sun and radiance. Osiris was the god of the living and Mut was the mother goddess, and all four of these were seen as equally important and necessary to the Ancient Egyptians. “These gods all had names, individual personalities, and characteristics wore different kinds of clothing, held different objects as sacred, presided over their domains of influence, and reacted in highly individualistic ways to events. Each deity had their area of expertise but was often associated with several spheres of human life” (Mark). They also had believed a lot in the cosmos and it’s a connection to the soul. They thought that the Earth reflected the cosmos and concluded that stars and constellations affected one’s personality as well as their soul. The soul was believed to be separated into nine separate parts; Khat, Ka, Ba, Shuyet, Akh, Ab, and Ren. Khat meant your physical body, Ka was your “double form”, Ba was a human-headed bird that had powers, Shuyet was your shadow, Akh was the immortal and transformed self, Ren was your secret name, and Ab was your heart, also known as the source of good and evil. All nine of these were seen as part of your whole existence. Mummification was yet another huge part of the culture, also known as methods of treating dead bodies. It was thought that mummifying someone’s body would then lead the body into the afterworld. Mummification had a big influence because it helps scientists research and understands Ancient Egyptian history.

In conclusion, the art, architecture, and beliefs were all three extremely important aspects of Ancient Egyptian culture. These things were so crucial and essential to the culture that it still has a lasting influence on today’s modern society. It’s influence is still seen through modern art and architecture as well as modern scientific discoverations about Ancient Egypt.