Egypt

after life

(in some religions) life after death.

hierarchy

A group organized by rank

Papyrus

A reed that grows along the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. From it was produced a coarse, paperlike writing medium used by the Egyptians and many other peoples in the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East.

Pharaoh

A ruler of ancient Egypt

Hieroglyphics

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

Black Land

Egyptians called the land khemet, because the river flooding left behind silt that was so fertile that it looked black.

Eastern Desert

The desert to the east of the Nile

Lower Egypt

The northern region of ancient Egypt, named so because it was located downriver with the Nile's flow.

Upper Egypt

The southern region of ancient Egypt, named so because it was located upriver with the Nile's flow.

Nile River

The world's longest river, which flows northward through East Africa into the Mediterranean Sea, the "lifeblood" of Egypt

Red Land

What ancient Egyptians called the deserts.

Delta

a low triangular area where a river divides before entering a larger body of water

craftsmen

a person who works at a job that requires manual or artistic skill

Vizier

chief government official who supervised the business of government in ancient Egypt

foreign

from another country

Nobles

people from rich and powerful families

Peasants

people who worked the land or served the nobles

Cataracts

rapids along a river, such as those along the Nile in Egypt. They blocked the river and prevented transportation.

Sahara Desert

the largest desert in the world, covering most of northern Africa

Mummification

the preservation of dead bodies by embalming and wrapping them in cloth