A Ruler's Decree: Everyday Life in an Ancient Civilization

 

Dearest citizens of the conquered South Kingdom, today I (Ramses II) issue my first decree to you as your Pharaoh. That being said, there are a few things you should know about life here in Egypt, specifically I would like to discuss education, family life and religion which are fundamental aspects of our culture.

 

Generally, we educate our men at a young age, they are taught reading, writing, mathematics and religious morals. Our schools in Egypt are only meant for boys, your girls will receive their education at home from their mothers.[1] They will learn how to sew, cook and read in order to become. Although our schools are for boys, not all will receive formal education, those who do will most likely be from royal or rich backgrounds. 

 

In Egypt the eldest child in a structured family is expected to care for their parents in their old age. Our boys get married between the ages of 16 and 20, while our girls get married soon after they hit puberty.[2]  In Egyptian marriage arrangements there are no spiritual or religious commitments, once a man and a woman not related by blood begin living together, they are considered to be man and wife. 

With regards to religion we Egyptians teach that the universe came into existence as a result of Nun, a god of water and chaos who gave birth to the first deities.[3]

 One essential deity in our religion is Heka who is the god of magic because he is the one who gives the gods their powers. We believe that our gods live among us, trees must therefore be respected as these are their dwelling places.

These aspects of our culture have been in place for many years and allow our men to become knowledgeable, or families to thrive and our religious values to remain strong. Welcome to Egypt, I trust that you will do your best to contribute to our thriving civilization so that it remains for a long time.

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[1]                “Legends & Chronicles,” accessed November 29, 2021, https://www.legendsandchronicles.com/ancient-civilizations/ancient-egypt/ancient-egyptian-education/

[2]                TVO ILC, World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century (Toronto, ON, 2014), lesson 3, pg.5

[3]                Cassam Looch, “A Beginner’s Guide to the Religions of Egypt,” Culture Trip. March 4, 2020, https://theculturetrip.com/africa/egypt/articles/a-complete-guide-to-the-religions-of-egypt/

Bibliography:

“Legends & Chronicles.” Accessed November 29, 2021. https://www.legendsandchronicles.com/ancient-civilizations/ancient-egypt/ancient-egyptian-education/

 

Looch, Cassam. “A Beginner’s Guide to the Religions of Egypt.” Culture Trip. March 4, 2020. https://theculturetrip.com/africa/egypt/articles/a-complete-guide-to-the-religions-of-egypt/

 

TVO ILC. World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century. Toronto, ON, 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ancient Egyptian Religion: Beliefs and Practices

    In ancient Egypt, religion was involved in all aspects of day to day life because Egyptians viewed life on earth as only one part of their eternal journey. They would only be able to continue this journey if they proved themselves worthy of it. In ancient Egypt, gods were viewed as “the lords of creation” who helped and guided the Egyptians with many things such as science, medicine, magic and herbology. 

    Egyptians believed that the universe began as nothing but dark swirling waters of chaos until Atum-Ra gave birth to two children, Shu and Tefnut who then set out to establish the world. In ancient Egypt, astrology was closely related to religion because the Egyptians believed that the constellations contained a person’s future fortune. But despite the importance of the sky and the heavens in ancient Egypt, gods did not live in the heavens but instead lived alongside the people of Egypt and often interacted with them. Trees were considered to be the homes of the gods, and specific types of trees were sometimes closely related with a specific god or goddess. 

    With regards to the soul, Egyptians believed that it consisted of nine separate parts which included one’s physical body, double-form and shadow self. When someone died, their immortal self, appeared before the great god Osiris who would then weight the person’s heart to decide if they were worthy enough to continue their existence. The ancient Egyptian religion was extremely detailed and specific and as a result, these are just some of the many beliefs of this ancient civilization.

Why and how ancient Egypt flourished and expanded (Opinion Paragraph)

 

Ancient Egypt had stability as well as a structured way of life which is why this civilization expanded and flourished. One aspect of ancient Egypt that promoted stability was an established religion that all people under Egypt's rule followed and believed in. For example, in Egyptian religion the Pharaoh was considered to be a God which helped him to be feared and respected. Interdependent classes also helped ancient Egypt to flourish since all social classes needed each other in order to maintain stability. In ancient Egypt the Pharaoh was at the top of the hierarchical system but even he relied on others such as his viziers to give him advice as well as collect taxes. Lastly, ancient Egypt was able to expand and flourish because of its military and defensive strategies. For example, during the time period of the Middle Kingdom, Egypt had professional troops that were highly trained, thus protecting itself from invasions. Unified religion, social classes that were dependent on each other and a strong military are just three of the many reasons why Egypt thrived for centuries.

Bibliography:

 

“World History Encyclopedia.” Last modified October 3, 2016, https://www.worldhistory.org/Egyptian_Warfare/

 

TVO ILC. World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century. Toronto, ON, 2014.

Career in Archaeology

 As a person who loves history, archaeology is something that interests me a lot. However, I would never consider it as a career as it requires more post-secondary education than I am willing to take. Although there are many aspects of a career in archaeology that appeal to me one of my favourites is the idea of restoring and maintaining artifacts.

If I could study any ancient civilization as an archaeologist, I would choose to study the Mayans. This would be my choice of study because I personally know very little about them and would love to learn more and discover various aspects of their culture.

One of the most famous ancient Egyptian artifacts is the “Mask of Tutankhamun” it was discovered by Howard Carter on October 28, 1925. This artifact was discovered in the Valley of the Kings located in modern Egypt, west of the ancient city of Thebes.  The discovery of the “Mask of Tutankhamun” furthered our understanding of Egyptian funerary art and clearly displayed just how wealthy this ancient civilization was.

The Top Three Most Historically Significant Artifacts of Ancient Egypt

    The top three most historically significant developments and creations that helped to contribute to ancient Egypt’s fame and prosperity are, Papyrus which made writing much easier, the plough which helped to revolutionize agriculture and the calendar, which shaped the way the Egyptians were able to tell the time and weather. Although there were many more developments in ancient Egypt, these three examples can be classified as the most historically significant. 

 

    Papyrus is a type of paper made from a plant called papyrus, it was created in Egypt and was far easier to write on than the clay tablets that were commonly used by the Mesopotamians.[1] Eventually, papyrus became a part of Egyptian trade and was used all over West Asia. Since the papyrus plant was only grown in Egypt, this paper became an important part of Egyptian trade, thus proving its importance.

 

    The plough was another extremely important Egyptian creation, before its existence people would have to break and dig into the soil by hand which was a time-consuming process. The plough proved to revolutionize agriculture, making it easier to plant crops on a larger
scale and thus helped to produce greater crop yields.[2]

 

    The final crucial Egyptian creation was the calendar. The Egyptian calendar was the first calendar based on 365 days, with twelve months.[3] It served for administrative as well as religious purposes and helped all Egyptians maintain order just as the calendar continues to help us today.

 

    In conclusion, we can clearly see the impact that Papyrus, the plough and the calendar had on ancient Egypt. And without these three creations, we can be certain that Egypt as well as the rest of the world would look very different. So crucial were these creations that their effects can even be felt to this very day.

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[1]                TVO ILC, World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century (Toronto, ON, 2014), lesson 4, pg.29.

[2]                Jennifer Young, “A Brief History of the Plow, From Ancient Egypt to Illinois” Orange Bean. February 21, 2020

[3]                Canadian Museum of History, Mysteries of Egypt, Egyptian Civilization Sciences, (Gatineau, QC)

Bibliography:

1.     Book of the Dead for the Chantrees of Amum, Nany, 1050 B.C.E. Papyrus and paint. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Egyptian Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/548344

 

2.     Eighteenth dynasty Egyptian calendar, Mural and paint. From Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Senenmut-Grab.JPG

 

3.     Model of a Man Plowing, 1981-1885 B.C.E. Painted wood. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544255

 

4.     “Mysteries of Egypt, Egyptian Civilization Sciences.” Accessed November 3, 2021. https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/egcs02e.html

 

5.     TVO ILC. World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century. Toronto, ON, 2014.

 

6.     Young, Jennifer. “A brief History of the Plow, From Ancient Egypt to Illinois.” Orange Bean. February 21, 2020. https://orangebeanindiana.com/2020/02/21/a-brief-history-of-the-plow-from-ancient-egypt-to-illinois/