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What were the key features of the Egyptian society and what innovations were developed?
This webpage will answer that.
HIEROGLYPHICS
Hieroglyphics (singular; Hieroglyph) where the writing system of ancient Egypt. It means the writing of the ancient Egyptians, but people also use it to mean the writing of the Hittites and other ancient countries. They where originally used only in tombs of pharaohs. But later on, it was used to mark important monuments and record events.
They can be divided into two major categories; logogram and phonogram. Logoram was individual signs or pictures that meant individual things. For example, a picture of a tree meant "tree" and a picture of a pyramid meant "pyramid" and a picture of Jackson meant "all things awesome." Phonogram was just like modern writing. It was individual characters that meant sounds. Those sounds could be arranged in order to create a word. Together, logograms and phonograms made up the hieroglyphic writing system.
Archaeologists have managed to decode most of the hieroglyphic writing system, so we can read it and learn about ancient Egypt. Lots of our knowledge about hieroglyphics is from the famous Rosetta stone, which was a rock with the same text written in three different languages- hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek. This helped historians to discover the secrets of hieroglyphics, because they could compare it to languages they already knew. So now, historians can read almost all hieroglyphic texts and learn about Egypt. The only hieroglyphics we can't read are the very early ones because the language and characters meanings where very inconsistent until the 3rd dynasty. This meant that hieroglyphic writing from before the 3rd dynasty can't be read by historians, so we can't read the first ever hieroglyphs from as early as 4000 BCE. (The first dynasty.)
They can be divided into two major categories; logogram and phonogram. Logoram was individual signs or pictures that meant individual things. For example, a picture of a tree meant "tree" and a picture of a pyramid meant "pyramid" and a picture of Jackson meant "all things awesome." Phonogram was just like modern writing. It was individual characters that meant sounds. Those sounds could be arranged in order to create a word. Together, logograms and phonograms made up the hieroglyphic writing system.
Archaeologists have managed to decode most of the hieroglyphic writing system, so we can read it and learn about ancient Egypt. Lots of our knowledge about hieroglyphics is from the famous Rosetta stone, which was a rock with the same text written in three different languages- hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek. This helped historians to discover the secrets of hieroglyphics, because they could compare it to languages they already knew. So now, historians can read almost all hieroglyphic texts and learn about Egypt. The only hieroglyphics we can't read are the very early ones because the language and characters meanings where very inconsistent until the 3rd dynasty. This meant that hieroglyphic writing from before the 3rd dynasty can't be read by historians, so we can't read the first ever hieroglyphs from as early as 4000 BCE. (The first dynasty.)
EGYPTIAN medical technology
The Egyptians had lots of amazing medical technology compared to other countries at the time. They where the first civilization ever to have medical care and hospital care. Although their beliefs about ho diseases where caused where unusual, they had some amazing ways of fixing them!
Egyptians believed that gods and demons caused diseases, and that spirits blocked parts of the body, causing disease. Now we know that it is viruses and bacteria that make you sick, but the Egyptians didn't know that. Nevertheless, their cures still worked. They where the first ones to have actual medicine doctors who made medicine, rather than just performing surgery. They made blends of herbs and other things, and treated patients with it. It worked.
With the help of their writing system, they could record their data. This means that information and treatments that worked could be passed on. So, if someone got really sick and was treated, and then ten years later someone else got the same sickness, they would know how to treat it!
Egyptians believed that gods and demons caused diseases, and that spirits blocked parts of the body, causing disease. Now we know that it is viruses and bacteria that make you sick, but the Egyptians didn't know that. Nevertheless, their cures still worked. They where the first ones to have actual medicine doctors who made medicine, rather than just performing surgery. They made blends of herbs and other things, and treated patients with it. It worked.
With the help of their writing system, they could record their data. This means that information and treatments that worked could be passed on. So, if someone got really sick and was treated, and then ten years later someone else got the same sickness, they would know how to treat it!
Because Egyptians could pass on treatments from one generation to the next, they could build on their achievements and develop better medicine!
Daily life
What is the daily life of an ancient Egyptian? What did the do all day? When you ask yourself that, you probably realize that you don't know. When you think ancient Egyptian, you probably think about someone doing the dance from "Walk like an Egyptian" and making pyramids all day long. But, obviously, you know that this is not what ancient Egyptians were. They really had families and jobs like normal people! (Believe it or not.) Here's what they did all day:
Family life
Family was very important to ancient Egyptians. Both immediate and distant family were valued. Parents and grandparents where treated with lots of respect. Children where treated like little servants, however, making ancient Egypt not as nice for kids. Women had to take care of the children, as well as doing the cooking and household chores, but if the family was wealthy, they hired people to take care of the kids and cook for the family. Women weren't educated, but still could understand politics, and were good at it.
Young boys became apprentices and learned how to do a specialized job. Others went to the first ever schools and learned important skills like reading, writing, and math. Young girls learned from their mothers how to do cooking and cleaning. Kids from poor families were married very early and frequently didn't get an education.
Young boys became apprentices and learned how to do a specialized job. Others went to the first ever schools and learned important skills like reading, writing, and math. Young girls learned from their mothers how to do cooking and cleaning. Kids from poor families were married very early and frequently didn't get an education.
Social structure
The ancient Egyptian social classes can be divided into a pyramid. With the places as follows;
"1. The Pharaoh
2. High government officials like the vizier (the pharaoh's right hand man), the chief treasurer and the army general
3. Priests and nobles (who serve as lesser government officials)
4. Soldiers and scribes (who write down important events and calculate taxes)
5. Craftsmen and merchants
6. Farmers and unskilled workers
7. Slaves" (From Ancient Egypt Online)
"1. The Pharaoh
2. High government officials like the vizier (the pharaoh's right hand man), the chief treasurer and the army general
3. Priests and nobles (who serve as lesser government officials)
4. Soldiers and scribes (who write down important events and calculate taxes)
5. Craftsmen and merchants
6. Farmers and unskilled workers
7. Slaves" (From Ancient Egypt Online)
The jobs of everyone;
The pharaoh had lots of religious importance and was the king of Egypt. The Egyptians believed that he/she was a god on earth, and that by pleasing the pharaoh, they were pleasing the gods. The pharaohs job was to keep the gods happy to ensure that good things would happen in Egypt.
The Government officials were a part of the pharaohs group (The cool kids club) and were made up of the pharaohs family, and priests. The pharaohs family, however, eventually was removed from the government officials group. Also, the pharaoh was originally allowed to choose who would be a government official, but eventually, it became a family heritage, meaning that if you were the son/ daughter of a government official, you would become one.
Scribes were expert readers and writers. Although they weren't the only ones who could read and write, they were the most important and were chosen to keep records for the pharaoh. They kept tally of the number of troops in the army and workers at a construction cite. They also wrote biography's of pharaohs and books called the Book of the dead that guided pharaohs to the afterlife.
Soldiers protected Egypt from invaders and acted as the police to prevent fights. They also oversaw the pyramid construction, and could get awesome loot from battles and were rewarded with land when they did well in battle.
Farmers were very important because they made food for the country and produced enough that some could be traded away for other things that other people made.
Slaves were at the bottom of the social pyramid. Egypt did not sell slaves as America did when slavery was legal. Slaves were prisoners captured in war. They mined and served government officials and pharaohs. Some people think they worked to build the pyramids, but there is no evidence to prove that.
The pharaoh had lots of religious importance and was the king of Egypt. The Egyptians believed that he/she was a god on earth, and that by pleasing the pharaoh, they were pleasing the gods. The pharaohs job was to keep the gods happy to ensure that good things would happen in Egypt.
The Government officials were a part of the pharaohs group (The cool kids club) and were made up of the pharaohs family, and priests. The pharaohs family, however, eventually was removed from the government officials group. Also, the pharaoh was originally allowed to choose who would be a government official, but eventually, it became a family heritage, meaning that if you were the son/ daughter of a government official, you would become one.
Scribes were expert readers and writers. Although they weren't the only ones who could read and write, they were the most important and were chosen to keep records for the pharaoh. They kept tally of the number of troops in the army and workers at a construction cite. They also wrote biography's of pharaohs and books called the Book of the dead that guided pharaohs to the afterlife.
Soldiers protected Egypt from invaders and acted as the police to prevent fights. They also oversaw the pyramid construction, and could get awesome loot from battles and were rewarded with land when they did well in battle.
Farmers were very important because they made food for the country and produced enough that some could be traded away for other things that other people made.
Slaves were at the bottom of the social pyramid. Egypt did not sell slaves as America did when slavery was legal. Slaves were prisoners captured in war. They mined and served government officials and pharaohs. Some people think they worked to build the pyramids, but there is no evidence to prove that.
Jobs
The jobs of the ancient Egyptians and there place on the social pyramid are shown above.
Amazing inventions from ancient Egypt
Who knew all of the great things the ancient Egyptians invented? They invented
Bowling Rather than knocking pins down, you aimed for a hole at the end of the bowling alley and tried to roll a ball into it. Fun!
Bowling Rather than knocking pins down, you aimed for a hole at the end of the bowling alley and tried to roll a ball into it. Fun!
Locking doors Don't you hate that feeling when you're fast asleep and then someone breaks into your house and murders you? Its just so annoying, right? Well, the ancient Egyptians agreed. They invented the first ever effective locking doors!
Technological advancements The lock was the first ever effective lock! The Romans tied making a spring lock system, but it was extremely easy to pick. The Egyptian lock was the first one to actually work!
Technological advancements The lock was the first ever effective lock! The Romans tied making a spring lock system, but it was extremely easy to pick. The Egyptian lock was the first one to actually work!
Sailboats Sailboats are fun, even today! Ancient Egyptians invented them! That is very important because before motorboats, sailboats were the only way to get around on water without breaking your back by rowing! Ancient Egyptian sailboats influenced boat technology for a long time
Technological advancement The Egyptians were smart with the sailboats. The Nile flows from south to north, but the wind blows north to south! By putting the sails down, they could go north using the currents, but when they had to go back, the could put the sails back up and flow back south effortlessly.
Technological advancement The Egyptians were smart with the sailboats. The Nile flows from south to north, but the wind blows north to south! By putting the sails down, they could go north using the currents, but when they had to go back, the could put the sails back up and flow back south effortlessly.
Toothpaste and breath mints The Egyptians had dentists, but they could not fix rotting teeth. So the Egyptians used toothpaste to clean their teeth, and breath mints to hide the smell.
Technological advancements The Egyptians were on to something with their toothpaste! Later on, other civilizations adopted it, and now, (Most) people use toothpaste to keep their teeth clean and cavity free. Breath mints are also popular still and are good for eating quickly when you don't have time to brush your teeth but you want to get rid of the smell of that double bean and cheese burrito with extra garlic!
Technological advancements The Egyptians were on to something with their toothpaste! Later on, other civilizations adopted it, and now, (Most) people use toothpaste to keep their teeth clean and cavity free. Breath mints are also popular still and are good for eating quickly when you don't have time to brush your teeth but you want to get rid of the smell of that double bean and cheese burrito with extra garlic!
Plow That's right- the plow. The simple tool required to farm and plant seeds- was invented by the ancient Egyptians. True, modern people have attached it to tractors so that we don't have to pull it ourselves, but the basic idea is all from the ancient Egyptians!
Technological advancements Today we use the plow to mix the soil and get those good nutrients to the top, but the ancient Egyptians just needed the plow to make it easier to plant the crops because of all of the fertile silt. However, we still use it today, even if we use it for a different purpose.
Technological advancements Today we use the plow to mix the soil and get those good nutrients to the top, but the ancient Egyptians just needed the plow to make it easier to plant the crops because of all of the fertile silt. However, we still use it today, even if we use it for a different purpose.
Irrigation Irrigation is required for farming unless you want to grow cacti or have your farm on the bottom of a lake. We have the ancient Egyptians to thank for our surplus of food.
Technological advancements "Irrigation" may be an understatement. The Egyptians had a whole system of canals and trenches for boats to travel on all through the country! Those canals could bring the water and boats from the Nile miles away! This meant that farmers didn't have to be right next to the Nile because they could get water pumped to them all the way out there!
Technological advancements "Irrigation" may be an understatement. The Egyptians had a whole system of canals and trenches for boats to travel on all through the country! Those canals could bring the water and boats from the Nile miles away! This meant that farmers didn't have to be right next to the Nile because they could get water pumped to them all the way out there!
The calendar Most ancient country's had their own calendar, but they are all very different from the 365 day one we use today. But the ancient Egyptians were the ones to invent that! They even invented three of the four seasons that we use today- Winter, Spring, and Summer!
What did it mean to be an ancient Egyptian scribe?
A scribe was one of the most important people in ancient Egypt. They were some of the only people who could read and write, and were very important. They had to keep track of the number of soldiers in an army, and the number of workers building something. They also had to write important books that were believed to help pharaohs pass on to the afterlife called the book of the dead. The book of the dead was placed in the tomb, and was filled with spells believed to ensure that the pharaoh would pass on to the afterlife.
Scribes used papyrus to write on. Papyrus is like an ancient version of paper. It is made of strips of the papyrus plant. It was much easier for an Egyptian scribe to write than a Mesopotamian scribe around the same time because the Egyptians didn't have to carve out letters into stone. They just had to write with ink.
Most scribes were men. However, some women were doctors in ancient Egypt were trained as scribes so that they could read medical documents. In order to become a scribe, you had to go to a special school were you learned how to read and write hieroglyphics. Scribes practiced by carving characters into papyrus, old pots, and pieces of stone. Most scribes were the children of scribes, and it was very rare for anyone else to become a scribe. Becoming a scribe was difficult, and being a scribe was a full time job, meaning you had to work HARD!
Scribes used papyrus to write on. Papyrus is like an ancient version of paper. It is made of strips of the papyrus plant. It was much easier for an Egyptian scribe to write than a Mesopotamian scribe around the same time because the Egyptians didn't have to carve out letters into stone. They just had to write with ink.
Most scribes were men. However, some women were doctors in ancient Egypt were trained as scribes so that they could read medical documents. In order to become a scribe, you had to go to a special school were you learned how to read and write hieroglyphics. Scribes practiced by carving characters into papyrus, old pots, and pieces of stone. Most scribes were the children of scribes, and it was very rare for anyone else to become a scribe. Becoming a scribe was difficult, and being a scribe was a full time job, meaning you had to work HARD!
If I could be anything in ancient egypt except for the pharaoh, i would be a soldier.
Being a soldier would mean that I was high up and important on the social pyramid, and I would get rewarded with land for doing well in battle. Being rewarded with land would mean that if I would have a huge property, which would be awesome, and I could make money by selling parts of it to farmers. It would also be very satisfying to protect my home land, plus I would get to loot the places I attacked and get cool stuff. The only disadvantages would be that I would be that I would be risking my life. But, fortunately, Egypt is a pretty peaceful place, so I wouldn't have to fight too often.
Where are the PICTURES from?
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Citations;
Dorman, Peter F. “Hieroglyphic writing.” KCLS Britanica, library.eb.com.ezproxy.kcls.org/levels/referencecenter/article/hieroglyphic-writing/110477#53620.toc.
“Hieroglyph.” KCLS Britanica, library.eb.com.ezproxy.kcls.org/levels/referencecenter/article/hieroglyph/40385.
“Virtual Field Trip to the Pyramids.” Thespruce, www.thespruce.com/virtual-field-trip-pyramids-1259200
What Is Ancient Egyptian Medicine? MNT Editorial Team, www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/medicine/ancient-egyptian-medicine.php.
“Ancient Egyptian Daily Life.” Ancient Egypt Facts, www.ancientegyptianfacts.com/ancient-egyptian-daily-life.html.
ancientech. “Op 15 Egyptian Inventions and Innovation.” Ancientech wordpress, Wordpress, 7 Jan. 2013, ancientech.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/top-15-egyptian-inventions-and-innovations/.
“Writing.” Ancient Egypt co, www.ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/explore/scribe.html.
Dorman, Peter F. “Hieroglyphic writing.” KCLS Britanica, library.eb.com.ezproxy.kcls.org/levels/referencecenter/article/hieroglyphic-writing/110477#53620.toc.
“Hieroglyph.” KCLS Britanica, library.eb.com.ezproxy.kcls.org/levels/referencecenter/article/hieroglyph/40385.
“Virtual Field Trip to the Pyramids.” Thespruce, www.thespruce.com/virtual-field-trip-pyramids-1259200
What Is Ancient Egyptian Medicine? MNT Editorial Team, www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/medicine/ancient-egyptian-medicine.php.
“Ancient Egyptian Daily Life.” Ancient Egypt Facts, www.ancientegyptianfacts.com/ancient-egyptian-daily-life.html.
ancientech. “Op 15 Egyptian Inventions and Innovation.” Ancientech wordpress, Wordpress, 7 Jan. 2013, ancientech.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/top-15-egyptian-inventions-and-innovations/.
“Writing.” Ancient Egypt co, www.ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/explore/scribe.html.