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Researched by Kaitlin B. |
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Pharaohs
A pharaoh was a person in Egypt who was like a king, ruler, leader or a
god living on the earth. The word ’’pharaoh’’ meant “ the one who lives
in the Palace.” The Pharaoh was called by different names of
gods. Everyone worked for the Pharaohs.Pharaohs had more than one wife. One of those wives was called the “Great Royal Queen.” That wife usually had two special children. The oldest son would become the Pharaoh.
The Pharaoh as you know was special. He had special clothes with special designs made just for him.
People believed the Pharaoh controlled the flooding of the Nile, if this did not happen the Pharaoh would be blamed.
When the Pharaoh died, the god, Kas, would watch over the country until there was a new Pharaoh.
A Pharaoh would usually marry a sister or half-sister to keep the “royal blood” pure. (From a medical standpoint this wasn’t a very good idea. Their children could easily have deformities.)
Did you know that the wealthy Egyptians wanted their best servants in the afterlife with them? The Egyptians were buried with a model of their servant called, “Shabit”, that were meant to come to life and look after their dead owner.
Gods
of Egypt
Like a few other ancient places Egyptians had many gods. The rare thing about Egypt was that they have an overall god named Ra. He is the god of the sun and has many different forms.
Horus was the son of Orisis. Horus was a sky god that was close to the Pharaoh or King.
Set, was the enemy of Horus and Orisis. He was the god of storms and disorder.
Thoth was the moon deity. He was also the god of writing, counting, and wisdom.
Khnum was a ram god, who shapes men on his pottery wheel.
Hathor was the goddess of love, birth, and death.
Sobeck was a crocodile god. He lived in the Faiyum, a palace that the Egyptians believed the gods lived in.
Amon was a creator god often linked with Ra the overall god.
Ptah was another creator god and also the patron of craftsmen.
Ahugis was the god of mummification.
Orisis was the god of agriculture and ruler of the dead. He was also the father of Horus.
Isis was the wife of Orisis and the mother of Horus. She was the mistress of magic.
The gods usually had the head of some animal (crocodile, bird, etc.). They could change into this creature. They would visit the temples and tombs and they would put perfume and clothing in the tombs.
Monuments
There were many monuments in Ancient Egypt: a pyramid, a sphinx, tombs, and temples.
The first pyramids made were called the step-pyramid. They were called this because they had layers that looked like giant steps. Later pyramids had a smooth edge to them. They were most likely made of limestone quarry. The way they made the pyramid was they had a pile of the rock. Then they split a crack in it. Then they soaked some wood, and stuck the wood in the rock and let it set. Then it will crack a little more. After that they poured water into the larger crack. They let it set during the night and it will crack most of the way. Then they just pulled it apart. The place where the pyramid is located is far from there, so they let them float down a river on a raft and pick them up at the nearest harbor or dock. They then take the rock out of the water and place it on a wooden cart and take them to the place where the pyramid is being built. They put the rock in place and form it into position.
The Sphinx was an Egyptian monument that had a human head and lion body. This monument was very detailed and huge.
They buried kings and royal people in pyramid rooms called tombs. They usually had a larger one for the king and one next to it but smaller for the queen.
In the pyramids they built special features like fake passageways and heavy doors. This was to fool the robbers from stealing something in the tomb like food, gold and other treasures. There is a special handbook for tomb robbers called “The Book of Buried Pearls” it gives details on hidden treasures and tips on how to get past spirits guarding the tomb. They also had a rule that you had to shave your head and eyebrows before entering a sacred temple or place.
Mummies
and Mummifying
If you were an Egyptian and you were royalty when you died they would mummify you. If you weren’t as “special” you would have to ask to be mummified and they didn’t really do the best they could.
The steps of mummification were they lay the body down and then wash it. They have a type of jar called a canonic jar; this is where they put the intestines, liver, and lungs that they pull out from their nose. After that they filled the body with herbs and stuffing. Then they cover them with a type of salt to make them stiff to wrap them up. They wrap them up in a cloth gauze material. Then they stick them in a special coffin. The outside looks almost like the person inside, if they were royal. Then they would bury them just like we do today.
Everyday
Life for a Normal Person
Everyone had something to do in Ancient Egypt, whether you were a kid, mom, dad, or pharaoh.
Childhood
Kids were very busy doing chores, going to school, or playing.Children went to school for 10 straight years. If they tried to escape from school they would tie a piece of wood to their ankle so they wouldn’t try to escape again. They learned many things we learn in school but they learned it differently, like numbers were different and their letters were pictures of plants, animals, and people. They had 28 different hieroglyphics. They had some that meant two things, some meant “th”, “sh’’ women and man.
Children would often start working at the age of 5. They would work in fields or selling things in town.
Children in Ancient Egypt had time to play games or with their toys. The toys were made of wood or cloth material. They played tug-of-war, but instead of playing with a rope they would use each other.
Adult
Life
Women would do most of housekeeping and fed the family. Yes, the women didn’t have such an exciting life.
The men worked in fields and did the outside work most of the time. They were also the head of the household.
Egyptian’s Free Time
Egyptians did have free time during the day but that was only if they did everything they were supposed to. They went to parties or they just spent time with their family.
Egyptian
Fashion
The men, women, and children all did their hair and make up, and most
of them wore clothes.The poor women would sell their long hair to make wigs for the wealthy Egyptian women. The wealthy Egyptian women would shave their head and buy wigs and have certain hairstylists put them in the certain hairstyles they needed. They did this mostly every day because the wealthy women did special things most of the time.
Most of the Egyptians wore makeup. Egyptian women put gray powder over their eyes and then put the eyeliner on that usually was green and/or black. The men wore makeup on occasion like on their eyes to bring them out for parties and special events.
When it came to jewelry most of them had as much as they could afford. They had all types of jewelry stones. Sometimes they were made as special amulets. The gold mostly belonged to the Pharaoh. The men also wore a braided necklace sometimes.
The boys would wear “locks of youth” (a hairstyle). It meant that they were protected. They shaved their heads but left one spot on the top of their head for the lock. They put it in a ponytail. The girls would usually just wear it down unless they were wealthy.
The Pharaoh had specially designed clothes for him and his favorite wife. They had special crowns also. The clothing was made out of white linen made from the Egyptian villager weavers. Some common materials were made of a flax plant. They wore a kilt type skirt. The men wore some loin cloths. The women wore long dresses with leather or reed sandals. They didn’t usually wear colored clothing because the dye would come out when it was washed. The youth wore very few clothes.
Egyptian
Food and Drinks
The Egyptians had gardens full of fruit and vegetables. They drank wine and beer most of the time but they also drank water.
The poor people ate bread, onions, porridge (made of flour), garlic, green vegetables, dates (prunes), figs, chickpeas, lentil, and fish with a few more other meats.
The rich ate 40 different types of bread with different shapes and sizes, roasted quail, pigeon stew, kidneys, beef ribs, chicken and salted goose. They also hunted wild game from the Nile marshes. Fresh berries, barley cakes, and different kinds of cheese. They also ate all different kinds of fish like: eels, mullet, carp, giant perch, and tiger fish.
History
There were three kingdoms in Egypt. There was the Old Kingdom, the
Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. They all had trials and good
things that happened. In mostly every kingdom at every time there was a
Pharaoh ruling the country. The
Old Kingdom 2,630 B.C-2,134 B.C
The Old Kingdom lasted for about 500 years. Pharaoh Zoser; was pharaoh for about 19 years. The first pyramid was built for him. He was a great pharaoh. It was the time of wisdom and learning called “the golden age” he developed architecture, sculpture, and medicine in Ancient Egypt.
Pharaoh Snofru was a pharaoh for about 23 years. He conquered part of Northern Nubian. He built a lot of temples and 3 small pyramids. During this time people worshipped Ra the sun god. Ra became very important.
After the Old Kingdom Collapsed there were many kings and the government started to rule Egypt.
The
Middle Kingdom 2,135 B.C-2,040 B.C
One event that happened in the Middle Kingdom was the trade routes became more prosperous. They started to build temples and pyramids again. At this time the god Amon was important to the people in Thebes.
The Pharaoh Mentuholpe fought many wars to Unite Egypt. When he did he called himself “Uniter of two lands” and said he was a god.
Amenhemhet I was pharaoh for 29 years. He was a Vizier (prime minister) for the last pharaoh. He also built a new Capital.
Sen Worset II was Pharaoh for 45 years. At first Sen Worest ruled with his father, Amenhemhet for a while.
Sen Wosret III was Pharaoh for 37 years. The Egyptians really liked this Pharaoh so they said he was the best. He kept a full-time army with soldiers that fought in Nubian and Palestine.
During this time the Egyptian government became stronger than ever before.
Nefrusobk was Queen for 5 years. When Sen Worset III died his official kept everything peaceful. This woman Pharaoh was not the best Pharaoh and no one knows much about her.
In the 15th century B.C the Egyptian Pharaoh who ruled in Thebes had a struggle getting rid of the Hyksos from controlling Egypt. The Hyksos fought with iron and bronze weapons, horses, and chariots. After this war the Egyptians learned how to control horses and chariots. The Hyksos won the war.
Thotmes I was Pharaoh for 12 years. He conquered Nubian, Syria, and Palestine. He kept them under Egypt rule. Then Egypt became strong and powerful.
Hatshepsut was Pharaoh for 15 years. When Thotmse II died the next Pharaoh was only a baby. Hatsepsut was a regent for her nephew Thotmse III. After7 years they decided to make them Pharaoh.
The next 3 Pharaohs kept the Egypt Empire strong. They had made a lot of money for temple building. The gods thanked them for their victory that united Egypt.
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