New discoveries in ancient Egypt: imagine if you served an Egyptian Pharaoh in the First Dynasty. Part of the job description might shock you.For years, people have looked with awe upon the burial riches of ancient Egypt's Pharaohs (Kings). The famous tomb of King Tutankhamen (TOO-tan-KAH-men), found in 1922, contained so many treasures, it took 10 years for archaeologists to remove them all. More than 5,000 items were found in Tut's four-room burial chamber--everything from jewelry jewelry, personal adornments worn for ornament or utility, to show rank or wealth, or to follow superstitious custom or fashion. The most universal forms of jewelry are the necklace, bracelet, ring, pin, and earring. to gold masks to drinking cups! But newer discoveries have revealed that a few Pharaohs went to the afterlife with more than just objects. Some even brought their servants! Recently, archaeologists from New York University New York University, mainly in New York City; coeducational; chartered 1831, opened 1832 as the Univ. of the City of New York, renamed 1896. It comprises 13 schools and colleges, maintaining 4 main centers (including the Medical Center) in the city, as well as the ; Yale University Yale University, at New Haven, Conn.; coeducational. Chartered as a collegiate school for men in 1701 largely as a result of the efforts of James Pierpont, it opened at Killingworth (now Clinton) in 1702, moved (1707) to Saybrook (now Old Saybrook), and in 1716 was , and the University of Pennsylvania (body, education) University of Pennsylvania - The home of ENIAC and Machiavelli. http://upenn.edu/. Address: Philadelphia, PA, USA. Museum have made some startling star·tle v. star·tled, star·tling, star·tles v.tr. 1. To cause to make a quick involuntary movement or start. 2. To alarm, frighten, or surprise suddenly. See Synonyms at frighten. discoveries at the ancient graveyard of Abydos (eh-BYE-des). Near the 5,000-year-old tomb of the Pharaoh Aha, they found six connected graves. Archaeologists think the bones in the graves are those of officials, craftsmen, and servants in Aha's royal court. The discoveries confirm a long-held suspicion among historians--that individuals were sacrificed in order to serve their ruler's needs in the afterlife. A Gigantic Leap The kingdom of ancient Egypt  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. lasted for 3,000 years, beginning
around 3100 B.C. Historians often call Aha, also known as Menes
(MEE-nez), the first Pharaoh. Many credit him with uniting Lower Egypt Lower EgyptThe part of ancient Egypt comprising the Nile River delta. It was united with Upper Egypt c. 3100 b.c. Noun 1. and Upper Egypt into one kingdom. Egyptian civilization "took a gigantic leap under the ruler Aha," says David O'Connor The name David O'Connor may refer to a number of individuals:
The human sacrifices human sacrifice Offering of the life of a human being to a god. In some ancient cultures, the killing of a human being, or the substitution of an animal for a person, was an attempt to commune with the god and to participate in the divine life. offered for Aha also "indicate a great change in royal power," says Laurel Bestock, a member of the Abydos team. During Aha's time, Egyptians began to view their king as a god, or a divine representative. Experts think individuals in Aha's court were poisoned during the royal burial ritual. Still, tests on the skeletons do not reveal any signs of physical trauma
Physical trauma refers to a physical injury. (injury). Court members may have thought they were gaining eternal life by following their King into death. There are also bodies in graves linked to the tomb of King Djer, Aha's successor. But O'Connor believes that the Pharaohs stopped making human sacrifices by the end of Egypt's First Dynasty (ruling family), in about 2986 B.C. A Jumble of Bones Abydos was one of the most important burial grounds Burial Ground Aceldama potter’s field; burial place for strangers. [N. T.: Matthew 27:6–10, Acts 1:18–19] Alloway graveyard where Tam O’Shanter saw witches dancing among opened coffins. [Br. Lit. in ancient Egypt. The city was also a major center for the worship of Osiris (oh-SY-rihs), the god of the dead. O'Connor has been digging at Abydos since 1967. His teams have excavated fleets of full-size wooden boats in "boat graves," and even the bones of donkeys. "The king would need transportation in the afterlife," archaeologist Matthew Adams explains. The graves of Aha's servants were discovered about a mile from the Pharaoh's tomb Pharaoh's Tomb is a platform game written for MS-DOS, created by George Broussard and published by Apogee Software. You play the role of Nevada Smith, an archaeologist and adventurer who is exploring an Egyptian pyramid. . Among the bones, archaeologists found jars with Aha's royal seals. Bestock told JS that the graves had been "heavily disturbed" by ancient tomb robbers. "In three cases we found parts of a single body," she says. "In two cases there were only jumbled [mixed-up] bones." Clues in the Sand Scholars divide the time line of ancient Egypt into as many as 10 historical periods. The kingdom was ruled by 31 dynasties until Alexander the Great conquered it in 332 B.C. One of the greatest generals in history, Alexander spread Greek culture across much of the known world with his conquests. In 30 B.C., the Romans defeated Queen Cleopatra, the last of the rulers who followed Alexander. Roman rule began to weaken when the empire split apart in 395 A.D. After that, the glory of ancient Egypt began to disappear under waves of new conquests and foreign control. Today, clues to the mysteries of one of the world's great civilizations are being dug out of the desert bit by bit. In Abydos, archaeologists have uncovered the tombs of all eight kings of the First Dynasty. But O'Connor's team believes that there are many more bones of First Dynasty officials and servants to be found. "There is still a lot of exciting work to do!" says Bestock. Words to Know * archaeologist (AR-key-AH-la-jist): scientist who studies ancient remains * excavation: the digging out of an archaeological site (location) * ritual: act or ceremony with religious significance Ancient Egypt Time line 3100 B.C. Early Period Aha unites Upper and Lower Egypt Ancient Egypt was divided into two regions, known as Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. To the north was Lower Egypt where the Nile fanned out with its several mouths to form the Nile Delta. To the south was Upper Egypt, stretching to Syene. . 2686-2181 B.C. Old Kingdom The first great pyramids are built. 1991-1786 B.C. Middle Kingdom The arts flourish during this time of prosperity. 1554-1070 B.C. New Kingdom Egypt is at the height of its power. Tutankhamen rules from 1347 to 1339 B.C. 1070-332 B.C. Late Period Ruled by a series of foreign powers, Egypt is in decline. 332-30 B.C. Alexander and the Ptolemies Egypt is ruled by Alexander the Great, King of the Macedonians, and the dynasty (powerful group or family) of his successor, Ptolemy (TAH-leh-me). 30 B.C.-395 A.D. Roman Period Egypt is part of the Roman Empire. Your Turn WORD MATCH 1. ritual A. digging out 2. excavation B. mixed-up 3. dynasty C. king 4.pharaoh D. ceremony 5.jumbled E. ruling family THINK ABOUT IT Imagine that you are an official in Aha's court. How would you feel if he asked you to accompany him to the afterlife? Explain. ANCIENT EGYPT www.ancient-egypt.org LESSON PLANS OBJECTIVE Students should understand * Recent discoveries seem to prove a long-held belief that the ancient Egyptians This is a list of ancient Egyptian people who have articles on Wikipedia. A
WORDS TO KNOW Pharaoh: a ruler in ancient Egypt * dynasty: a succession of rulers from the same family * afterlife: a form of existence believed to continue after death. TEACHING STRATEGY Ask students to name a word or phrase that they think of when they hear the words "ancient Egypt." Write these associations on the chalkboard and review them after reading and discussing the article. BACKGROUND The archaeologists at Abydos found what they call the "subsidiary graves" of Aha's servants in an area termed the "funerary fu·ner·ar·y adj. Of or suitable for a funeral or burial. [Latin f  ner enclosure," about a mile from the actual tomb.
One of the six subsidiary graves cannot be excavated because it lies
beneath a modern cemetery. Aha's successor, Djer, had the most
subsidiary graves of any Pharaoh found so far--318 around his tomb and
269 in his funerary enclosure.CRITICAL THINKING MAKING INFERENCES: Why would human sacrifices be included in the burial rites of the Pharaohs? (The ancient Egyptians believed that the Pharaoh would need servants in the afterlife. Archaeologists think the members of the royal coUrt in Aha's subsidiary graves probably considered it an honor to accompany their King into the afterlife.) ACTIVITY THE AFTERLIFE: Instruct students to imagine that they are an Egyptian King or Queen. Ask them to create a list of modern-day items that they would like to have buried with them. Students should write an essay explaining why they chose particular items. STANDARDS SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5-8 * Time, continuity, and change: How the ancient Egyptians celebrated their Kings and Queens as gods. * People, places, and environment: How the ancient Egyptians honored their deceased rulers with elaborate burial rites. RESOURCES * Morely, Jacqueline, How Would You Survive as an Ancient Egyptian? (Scholastic, 1996). Grades 5-8. * Payne, Elizabeth Ann, Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Random House, 1981). Grades 6-8. GROLIER WEB SITE KEY WORD * Ancient Egypt WEB SITES * Life in Ancient Egypt http://members.aol.com/bkdonnclass/Egyptlife.html * Egyptian mummies www.salariya.com/web_books/mummy/ QUICK QUIZ * Write the letter of the correct answer on the line before each question. --16. Why is King Aha considered the first Pharaoh? A. The series of ancient Egypt's Pharaohs went in alphabetical order. B. Many historians credit Aha as the leader who united the Egyptian kingdom. C. Aha's armies defeated an invasion by Alexander the Great. --17. Ancient Egyptian cities This is an alphabetical list of cities and towns in Egypt:
A. along the Nile River Nile River Arabic Bahr al-Nil River, eastern and northeastern Africa. The longest river in the world, it is about 4,132 mi (6,650 km) long from its remotest headstream (which flows into Lake Victoria) to the Mediterranean Sea. B. along the Red Sea C. along the Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea [Lat.,=in the midst of lands], the world's largest inland sea, c.965,000 sq mi (2,499,350 sq km), surrounded by Europe, Asia, and Africa. Geography The Mediterranean is c.2,400 mi (3,900 km) long with a maximum width of c. --18. What is the main reason for King Tutankhamen's fame? A. He directed the construction of the first great pyramids. B. He married Queen Cleopatra. C. His tomb contained many valuable treasures. --19. What challenge(s) do archaeologists face when studying ancient Egyptian sites This is a List of Ancient Egyptian Sites, throughout all of Egypt and Nubia. Sites are listed with their classical name whenever possible, else their modern name and last if no other available their ancient name. and relics relics, part of the body of a saint or a thing closely connected with the saint in life. In traditional Christian belief they have had great importance, and miracles have often been associated with them. ? A. Grave robbers have disturbed many tombs. B. Many archaeological sites remain hidden in the desert. C. A and B are correct. --20. Why was Abydos such an important city in ancient Egypt? A. It was the chief port on the Nile Delta The Nile Delta (Arabic:دلتا النيل) is the delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads . B. It was a center for religious worship. C. It was the birthplace of King Aha. ANSWERS 1. D 2. A 3. E 4. C 5. B QUICK QUIZ ANSWERS 16. B 17. A 18. C 19. C 20. B |
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