Concept 4.2 Egyptian Society

Roles of craftsmen

stone carvers, potters, sculptors, metal workers, jewelers, weavers

Responsibilities of soldiers

Fought on foot using spears, shields, and axes. Rode on chariots and shot arrows. During times of peace they dug canals or built temples.

Horus

God of the sky and of the pharaohs. Pharaohs were believed to be Horus on earth.

Mummification

The preservation of dead bodies by embalming and wrapping them in cloth. Egyptians believed they needed to preserve bodies for the underworld.

Roles of government officials

Vizier, chief of treasury, general of the armies, governors, mayors

Role of soldiers

Well-trained to expand borders and maintain control of the people

Role of priests

appointed by the pharaoh, passed down their job through families, women could be this role too

Responsibilities of priests

carry out rituals, preform healings, lead ceremonies, give advice to people and pharaoh. This group tied civic life to religious life.

Responsibilities of government officials

collected taxes, served as judges, and oversaw building projects

Vizier (government official)

gave advice to the pharaoh and acted as the chief judge

Role of farmers

lived off the land, some could OWN their land, many were peasants who worked on the pharaoh's land

Role of the Pharaoh

most powerful person in Egypt and considered a "god on Earth"

Role of scribes

official government recorders

Responsibilities of servants

worked in Egyptian households

Role of servants and slaves

Enslaved people that were considered property that could be traded or could buy their freedom. Could NOT own land.

Responsibilities of farmers

Might have built the pyramids, temples, and other large projects. Provided food for all of Egypt.

Responsibilities of the Pharaoh

Reaffirmed order of society (ma'at), ran the kingdom, cared for Egyptian people

Responsibilities of scribes

Recorded court cases, calculated taxes, wrote letters between gov. officials, and kept official histories

Dynasty

Series of rulers from the same family

Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt

These were once two separate kingdoms, in what would become known as Egypt, until they were united.

Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom

Three important periods in ancient Egypt.

Role of merchants

Traded for goods not found in Egypt. Could become very wealthy.

Responsibilities of merchants

Traded gold, jewelry, clothing, and rope for goods not found in Egypt like elephant tusks and cedar wood.

Responsibilities of slaves

Worked as laborers in the fields. Had dangerous jobs below the ground in copper or gold mines.

Responsibilities of craftsmen

Worked for government officials and other wealthy Egyptians to decorate their homes and fill tombs