History Of Egypt: 2011

The First and second Dynasties of Ancient Egypt (The Early Dynastic). The capital at that time was Thinis.

Large tombs for their Pharaohs or kings at Abydos, Neqada and Saqqara in also at Helwan near Memphis.

During this time papyrus was invented and as a consequence writing was used as an administrative tool of government, the magnificent artifacts that have been found from this period.

The kings of first dynasty:

Narmer

Menes

Hor-Aha

Djer

Djet

Merneith

Den

Anedjib

Semerkhet

Qa'a

Narmer

King Narmer is thought to have reigned 3150 BC as first king of the 1st dynasty

The first king starts in securing the country's borders. Trade between Egypt and Sudan was developed, and then embarked on a glorious period of its history, known as the pyramid builder's age, where the first pyramid of Saqqara was built.

With the flourishing of agriculture, industry and trade, the first river fleet was introduced by the Egyptians.

Narmer

Narmer Palette

Menes

Menes is one of the Egyptian kings. Some sources say he was the son of Narmer while others say he was Narmer. There is no tangible proof either way. And was considered to be the first king to unify Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom. Whether unification was achieved by military or peaceful means is uncertain.

Menes founded the city of Memphis. He chose as its location an island in the Nile, so that it would be easy to defend. During his time, the Egyptian army performed raids against the Nubians in the south and expanded his sphere of influence as far as the First Cataract. He sent ambassadors to Canaan and Byblos in Phoenicia to establish peaceful commercial trade links.

According to Manetho, Menes was killed by a hippopotamus or by crocodiles after a 62 year reign. His was buried at Saqqara, the necropolis of Memphis.

Menes

Hor-Aha

First king of the 1st Dynasty at Memphis 2920 B.C he is the founder of the city of Memphis, built a dike to reroute a branch of the Nile so that a flat plain could be formed. Memphis was just one of the important political centers of Egypt at the time, but Aha made it his capital. During his reign.

He was buried at Saqqara, the necropolis off Memphis, but he built a second mortuary complex near Abydos. He is supposed to have ruled until his death at the age of 63.

Hor-Aha

Djer

His name was found in an inscription on the Wadi Halfa (south of the first Cataract)

on Ivory and wood labels from Abydos and Saqqara say he reigned for 57 years.

According to Manetho, he reigned 57 years, but according to modern research (Von Beckerath's Chronologie des pharaonischen Agypten) his reign lasted only two years (3000 BC-2999 BC).

He probably fought several battles against the Libyans in the Nile delta.

Djer's wife was Queen Herneith.

He was buried in the holy place Abydos.

The evidence for Djer's existence:

A tomb in Umm el-Qa'ab, Abydos.

Seal prints from graves in Saqqara.

Inscriptions in graves in Saqqara.

Djer

Djet

Wadji-Djet is (Horus-Snake) (cobra).

Little is known about his reign, but he has become famous because of the survival, in well-preserved form, of one of his artistically refined tomb steles. His reign would have lasted 11 years, around 3040 B.C.

His limestone stela was found near Abydos where he was buried.

Djet

Merneith

Merneith’s name means (Beloved by Neith)

Merneith her rule occurred the thirtieth century B.C., for an undetermined period of time. Merneith’s name means Beloved by Neith and her stela contains symbols of that deity. She was Djet's senior royal wife and the mother of Den.

Queen Merneith she is the first woman in the history of ancient Egypt recorded as regent.

After the death of Djet, whose rule seems to have been short, it is believed that Merneith reigned for a period while her son Den was too young.

Two large funerary stelae with the name of Merneith.

At Abydos a tomb belonging to Merneith was found in an area associated with other rulers of the First Dynasty. A stela made of stone identifying the tomb as hers was found at the site.

At Saqqara a funerary monument dedicated to her was found along with those of five other rulers from the same period. Inside her monument archeologists discovered a solar boat that would allow her to travel with the sun god in the afterlife.

Merneith

Den

King Den since the king revived power in Egypt as an baby, Queen Merenith was constituted as his political consultant, which basically meant that she reined Egypt till he was able doing so himself. Den reigned Egypt for about 50 years

King Den had a prosperous time on the throne and art and economy seem to have flourished. Many innovations saw the daylight during his reign and he adopted the double crown to underline his dual kingship over the two countries.

King Den's tomb at the royal burial site at Abydos an average square memorial, but had a new feature in cast of a very long broad stairs leading instantly to the tomb chamber. This new architectural designing was rapidly adoptive in the private tomb sphere as well as the coming kings.

Around thirty great mastabas from his reign period were established by officials from Saqqara and upward north to Abu Roash. This was far more on the rules of his predecessors who just had a few constructed on their time on the throne.

King Den’s Tomb at abydos applies a lot granite, 136 accessory burials. It is bordered by a brick wall. Firstly a stairwell was amplified the burial chamber, which is 23.77 meter heights. There are two parts of stairway were apart by a wooden door. Likewise there are jar seailings and twenty ebony and ivory catchers commemorating the Den’s reign.

Den

Den Tomp

Anedjib

Anedjib name means (Safe Is His Heart)

He kept Memphis as his capitol city throughout his approximate 14 years of rule, as the exact number of years remains unknown.

Anedjib's crown carried the symbols of both Upper and Lower Egypt, a representation of the unification of the country under his power.

His wife, Queen Betrest, was the mother of King Semerkhet

Order broke down during his reign when conflicting factions caused changes that would end this great dynasty.

Anedjib wore the double-crown of Egypt (the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower Egypt) as a representation of his power over both regions. There is some doubt, however, that he really controlled the north, since there is evidence of constant rebellion. Anedjib, in an attempt to legitimize his rule,

Anedjib built a tomb at Abydos, but it is one of the worst built and smallest of the Abydos royal tombs, the burial chamber was constructed entirely of wood, and there were 64 graves of retainers within the area, also of low grade construction.

Another tomb which was apparently built during the reign of Anedjib is that of an official named Nebitka at Saqqara. This tomb is interesting in that it contained a mud brick stepped structure inside the Mastaba like structure that some Egyptologists see as a forerunner of Djoser's Step Pyramid.

Anedjib

Anedjib Tomp

Semerkhet

Semerkhet name means (thoughtful friend). We know very little about his reign. The Palermo stone only records some religious ceremonies and that his mother was named Batirytes.

According to Manetho Semerkhet had a very difficult reign, that he reigned for eighteen years, while the Palermo stone only records an eight year reign Either way, he had time to build a much bigger tomb than his predecessor Anedjib. He was interred in Tomb U of the royal necropolis at Umm el-Qa'ab, near Abydos.

Semerkhet

Qa'a

Qa'a is the last king of the first dynasty, although dates are rather wildly different when it comes to this king. There isn't much information about him.

His tomb in Abydos and burials in nearby Saqqara from the same time period. A seal impressions listing all the kings of First Dynasty.

Four large tombs in Saqqara date from his reign, two stelae were discovered for officials in his government, Merka and Sabef, with complex inscriptions.

A number of artifacts were found in the tomb during its many excavations, the lower part of two wooden statues was found in one of these tombs in a set of rooms on the north side.

Qa'a is the last king to be buried with subsidiary burials of attendants and servants.

Qa'a Tomp

Egypt Map

Egypt, commonly known as “The Motherland of the World”, “Land of Civilizations” and “The Greatest Power in Human History”,

Amongst all civilizations and nations, Egypt has always maintained a unique position. Historically, Egypt is universally acknowledged as the world’s most ancient state with a unified societal entity within its current geographical borders.

Egypt has been referred to as the "Gift of the Nile" due to the river that has nourished the desert land and sustained one of the most ancient and ever-lasting civilizations in the world.

The country has long captured the world’s imagination as the magic land of the Pharaohs and their awe-inspiring Pyramids of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to survive.

Egypt in World Map

Egypt in Africa Map

Egypt, a country located in the far north -east of Africa, bordered to the north, south-east coast of the Mediterranean Sea and east coast of north-west of the Red Sea and an area of 1,002,450 square kilometers.

Egypt is a state most of the territories in Africa, but part of its territory, and the Sinai Peninsula, is located in the continent of Asia.

Egypt shares borders to the west with Libya, and South with the Sudan, and overlooking the Red Sea from the eastern side. Pass through its territory the Suez Canal that separates the Asian part of the section of Africa.

The focus of most of Egypt's population in the valley of the Nile, particularly in Greater Cairo, which nearly a quarter of the population, and Alexandria; also live most of the remaining population in the Delta and on both coasts of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea and the cities of the Suez Canal, and running these places are a 40 thousand square kilometers. While a majority of the desert area of the Republic and is not built. Most of the population in Egypt is now urban, a quarter in Cairo.

Egypt Map

Name of Egypt

The ancient Egyptian name of the country is Kemet, which means "black land", referring to the fertile black soils of the Nile flood plains,

The name is realized as (kīmi) and (kīmə) in the Coptic stage of the Egyptian language, and appeared in early Greek as (Khēmía).

While the Hebrew name Mizraim. To be the son of Ham son of Noah, a grandfather who hails from the Egyptian people.

The name Egypt is an English rendering of the Greek name Aiguptos, which in turn is a transliteration of the Egyptian Hwt-Ptah, which means Temple of Ptah. The Egyptians themselves named their country Keme, which means the Black Land.

Egypt

History of Egypt

The Egyptian civilization was one of the great civilizations that had deep-rooted values and persistent traditions. Despite the succession of different political rules, the Egyptian people kept their customs and traditions, most of which are still prevalent in daily life and social behaviors.

Since Egyptians believed in an afterlife, they believed that people enjoyed many of the same activities after death as they did in their current life. They prepared for their afterlife by filling their tombs with small and large statutes of friends and family, and with other items they might need to keep them company and to help them have a good time in the afterlife.

The ancient Egyptians enjoyed their life to the fullest. They worked very hard, but saved time to enjoy family, friends, music, parties, swimming, fishing, hunting, sailing, and especially their children, all of which were very important to them.

History of Egypt

Egyptian history can be divided to the following periods:

Predynastic Period

The Predynastic Period extends over a very long span of time marking the first evidence of human civilization beginning to appear in Egypt.

It is the period that preceded the invention of writing and recording, a period that witnessed the first man recording his ideas and achievement and expressing himself using written language on papyrus.

Discovered monuments contributed in clearing the vision over the prehistoric man through adding information about his origin, culture, religious beliefs, houses, tools and tombs.

Predynastic Period

Prehistoric period is divided into three important phases, Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic Age in Egypt, the Neolithic Age witnessed man's efforts in creating stable life either from the social, economic or religious aspects. Emerging from the surrounding environment and relying on nature imitation, his thoughts carried the meaning of creation and hard work.

Predynastic Period

Neolithic period

The Nile has been the lifeline for Egyptian culture since nomadic hunter-gatherers began living along the Nile during the Pleistocene. Traces of these early people appear in the form of artifacts and rock carvings along the terraces of the Nile and in the oases.

Along the Nile, in the 11th millennium BC, a grain-grinding culture using the earliest type of sickle blades had been replaced by another culture of hunters, fishers, and gathering people using stone tools. Evidence also indicates human habitation and cattle herding in the southwestern corner of Egypt, near the Sudan border, before 8000 BC.

Geological evidence and computer climate modeling studies suggest that natural climate changes around 8000 BC began to desiccate the extensive pastoral lands of northern Africa, eventually forming the Sahara.

Continued desiccation forced the early ancestors of the Egyptians to settle around the Nile more permanently and forced them to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle. However, the period from 9,000 to 6,000 BC has left very little in the way of archaeological evidence.

The Neolithic Age Culture is distinguished by general features, most importantly are:

1- Raising animals and livestock (like sheep, goats, oxen, pigs, and dogs) of which man availed in houses and farms

2- Learning cultivation and establishing a stable settled life.

3- Smoothing stones to create tools and producing various kinds of them.

4- Making pottery, baskets, mats, and ropes, weaving flax, and producing leather.

This age is divided into two phases:

The first phrase is the one in which tools were made of stone rather than metal. This stage is called Neolithic.

The second stage began with man using metals, particularly copper. Thus, it is called Chalcolithic Age.

The main centers of the first phase for the Neolithic Age, discovered up till now in Egypt are:

Wadi Halfa

Some of the oldest known buildings were discovered in Egypt, along the southern border near Wadi Halfa.

Wadi Halfa

Faiyum

The period between 9,000 and 6,000 BC has left very little in the way of archaeological evidence. Around 6,000 BC Neolithic settlements appear all over Egypt.

Weaving is evidenced for the first time during the Faiyum A Period, functioned for trade and protection of livestock, for protection from the flood on high ground. Also their dead were buried very close to and sometimes, inside their own settlements.

Faiyum Desert

Marmadat Bany Salama

Marmadat Bany Salama is a village and an archeological site in Giza. It is a city of a great history that dates back to the Predynastic Period.

The remains of Marmadat Bani Salama proves that the inhabitants of this city discovered the ways of agriculture, storing agricultural products, pottery making and burying their dead people next to their houses or in the left side of the house.

Marmadat Bany Salama culture

El Omari

El-Omari was located in Lower Egypt, El-Omari has not been extensively excavated that the sites were occupied from 4000 BC and continued to be inhabited until the Archaic Period.

The pottery is made with the local clay. The stone tool repertoire consists of small flakes, axes, sickles and point.

The dead were buried in abandoned storage pits near houses. The body was placed on the left side with the head to the south and facing west. Many burials contained a small pot place in front of the body

Many of the dead were buried with a very simple ornament. This was done to show some sort of authority.

El Omari

Maadi

Maadi is the most important Lower Egyptian prehistoric culture.

Copper was known, and some copper adzes have been found. The pottery is simple and undecorated.

People lived in small huts, partly dug into the ground. The dead were buried in cemeteries, but there were only a few burial goods.

Maadi culture

Deir Tasa

Tasian is a site on the east bank of the Nile between Asyut and Akhmim. , The Tasian people knew cultivation and planted different cereals. Women interested in cosmetics, knew green and red colors and used them in their make-up and wore ornaments.

Pottery of Deir Tasa was distinguished with red and black edges. There was also a kind of pottery smoothed and decorated with white paintings. People in Deir Tasa produced other kinds, such as the brown and gray potteries.

Tombs of Deir Tasa took the shape of small oval holes with a small hole in its western wall designed in order to preserve the objects of the dead person. These objects were important for man in the Ancient Egypt, because of his belief in the Afterlife. The dead person was buried in fetus position and directed to the south. He was wrapped in mat, leather or linen.

Deir Tasa

El-Badari City, Asyut.

The Badarian Culture that is distinguished by discovering copper and other metals. The Badarian people were keen in developing the industry of pottery, seeking to render it smoother and more decorated. They produced red black-edged pottery and decorated their pots with drawings of plants and figures.

This culture was distinguished by its small female statues made of pottery, ivory or clay.

Women were interested in decoration, ornament, and cosmetics and used the blue and red colors in their make-up. They wore linen and leather clothes. They also used spoons, which is a behavior quite similar to what happens nowadays.

Tombs of the Badarian people were oval holes. Their tombs were covered with mat. The dead person was buried in fetus position and directed to the south. He was buried on something like a sofa, wrapped in leather and covered with linen.

El-Badari

Niqada I

Niqada I is a city located in Qena where a huge number of potteries were found in more than 900 tombs. More than 1500 tombs had been discovered up till now.

The culture of Niqada I is distinguished with smooth red pottery, black-edged red pottery and a third kind of pottery with white paintings. Pottery at this phase had various shapes. People used it in making bowls, pots, plates and cups.

Tombs of Niqada I resembled oval holes, where the dead person was to be buried in fetus position and directed to the south. Dead people's corpses were wrapped with goatskin or mat and there were mass graves as well.

These tombs suggest that either they were family graves or that the servants of the dead were killed and buried to serve their masters in the Second Life. Also discovered are tombs for animals and humans buried together.

Niqada I

Niqada II

Niqada II culture is extends to Lower Nubia area on the south; there are not discoveries of Niqada II's ancient monuments in Delta.

The Ancient Egyptians used diorite, basalt and Alolpastr for making stony vessels. Also, they used green slate for making bird-like, fish-like and turtle-like vases. In addition, they made rectangle vases with their edges decorated shapes of birds and animal heads.

The cemetery in Niqada II is like a square or a rectangle. The Egyptians tried to outline the interior boundaries of cemetery by using mud then by ditch reeds or boards. The dead person was buried in fetus position and shrouded in flax.