Ancient Egypt

Logograms/Ideograms

A symbol that represents a word rather than a sound

Middle Kingdom Egypt

(2040 BCE - 1640 BCE) Period in ancient Egyptian history characterized by internal strife and hardships, and the invasion, and subsequent take over by the neighboring Hyksos.

Old Kingdom

(2575 BCE - 2134 BCE) Period in ancient Egyptian history characterized by the building of the Great Pyramids at Giza.

Pharaoh Tutankhamen

-1333-1323, boy only royal tomb found fully intact - known as "King Tut"

Bent Pyramid

3rd pyramid, built by Seneferu, first attempt at classic shape but made too steep and had to be sloped

Cepheren/Khafre

A Fourth Dynasty Egyptian king who constructed a pyramid at Giza that was slightly smaller than the one constructed by Cheops. The great Sphinx is located alongside the Cepheren valley temple.

Hierakonpolis

Along with Abydos, one of the two centers of Egypt during the late Predynastic period and the First Dynasty

Hieroglyphics

An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds

Narmer Palette

An artifact discovered at the site of Hierakonpolis; its two sides show the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under King Narmer

Osiris

Egyptian god of the underworld and judge of the dead When the pharaoh died they became his incarnation

Ma'at

Egyptian term for the concept of divinely created and maintained order in the universe. Reflecting the ancient Egyptians' belief in an essentially beneficent world, the divine ruler was the earthly guarantor of this order.

Amarna Period

It is characterized by a sense of movement and activity in images, with figures having raised heads, many figures overlapping and many scenes busy and crowded. Also, the human body is depicted more accurately as opposed to past glorification of pharaohs via preferable portrayal.

Egyptian Kingdoms

Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom

3 ancient Egyptian Languages

Old, Middle, and Late

Horus

Paramount God Human incarnation was the Pharaoh Falcon/Eye

King Akhenaten

Started monotheism with Aten, the Sun God. Was a Pharoah. Built a new capital-Ahkenaten. People destroyed it after his death and went back to old ways

Ra

Sun god of Egypt

Giza Pyramids

The largest and best-preserved pyramids. Consists of the Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure and The Great Sphinx.

hieratic

a cursive writing system used in the provenance of the pharaohs in Egypt

Phonograms

a symbol representing a vocal sound

Menkaure/Mycerinus

after Khufu; built the third and smallest pyramid at Giza

Cheops/Khufu

pharaoh for whom the Great Pyramid was built Largest of the 4 Pyramids

Determinatives

signs that determined how the preceding glyphs should be interpreted

New Kingdom Egypt

the period 1550 BC-1050 BC where Egypt reached the height of its power and glory; King Ahmose key figure