What Is Civilization?
The developments in ancient Egypt were numerous. You have already learned about its farming economy and government under the pharaohs. In this lesson you will read about many other developments. A system of writing emerged. Ideas about religion grew more complex. Jobs became more specialized and villages grew into cities.
Such growth marked the beginnings of civilization. Civilization is a word used for a society that has achieved a high level of culture and has built large cities. Compared to New Stone Age societies, the steps the ancient Egyptians took led people to new heights and mark the beginning of civilization.
A System of Writing
Imagine how different life would be without writing! Writing is so much a part of our lives today that it is not easy to imagine a world without it. Writing was one of the greatest developments in ancient history. Without it, civilization would not have been possible. Without it, we would not know much about the ancient Egyptians.
The early Egyptians wrote with pictures and signs. The earliest examples of Egyptian writing date from about 3000 B.C. We call their system of writing hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphs are the pictures, or signs, of ancient Egyptian wiriting.
Becoming A Scribe
Although ancient Egypt had a system of writing, not everyone knew how to write. People who received training to write hieroglyphics were called scribes. It was a scribe's job to write and keep records. Scribes were important to an efficient goverment. They kept records of taxes and the activities of the pharaohs.
The ancient Egyptians had a great respect for writing and learning. A scribe was thought to be a special person and was treated as such. A scribe began his schooling as a boy. Girls were not allowed to go to school in ancient Egypt.
One Egyptian father's advice to his son around 2000 B.C. was, "Understand that I am putting you in school for your own good. A scribe never knows poverty, and from his childhood is treated with respect." However, boys who became scribes were also advised to "love writing, hate dancing, and not to set their hearts on playing."
The Rosetta Stone
For thousands of years after ancient Egypt's existence, no one could read the hieroglyphs of this ancient civilization. The language was long-forgotten and the writings of ancient Egypt were a mysterious secret.
In 1799, however, an important key to the mystery was found. It centered on the discovery of a large black stone that was found in Rosetta, near the Nile Delta. The Rosetta Stone was special because it had carvings in three languages: hieroglyphs, late Egyptian, and Greek. Working from the Greek, which many peolple could read, scholars finally learned the meaning of hieroglyphics. Thus they gained key to ancient writings and, more importantly, a knowledge of the past written by people who had lived it.
Religion In Ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians produced a large body of written literature. From their writings we know that religion was very important in Egyptian society. Many writings are prayers and ideas about religion.
These writings show that the people of ancient Egypt believed in many gods. Egyptians worshiped animals such as cats and crocodiles. They believed that the gods could turn themselves into birds or other animals or into human form. For example, Thoth, the god of learning, was often shown as a man with the head of a bird.
One of the most important gods of the ancient Egyptians was Osiris, god of the Nile. According to legend, Osiris was killed by an evil god who often ruined the crops. Osiris's body was found near the Nile by the beautiful Isis, goddess of the moon. Isis, according to the legend, brought Osiris back to life.
To the ancient Egyptians, Osiris's return to life was like the yearly overflow of the Nile. Each year the Nile River Valley once again became a ribbon of green in a harsh desert. The people believed that when the Nile was low, Osiris was dead. When he was brought back to life by Isis, the waters of the Nile rose again.
Life After Death
Ancient Egyptians also believed in life after death. According to their religion, death was another part of life. It was thought that the dead went to a place called the "Next World" -- a land filled with comfort and happiness.
The early Egyptians believed that for the pharaohs to enjoy life in the "Next World" they needed their earthly bodies. Therefore, a pharaoh's body was preserved with oils and salts and linen wrappings. A body treated in this way was called a mummy. Archaeologists have found many well-preserved mummies. The dry Egyptian air as well as the process used to treat the bodies before their burial helped to preserve them for thousands of years.
Ideas about the "Next World" led ancient Egyptians to believe that the dead would need clothing and food. Thus Tutankhamen, like other pharaohs, was buried with his personal belongings. The "Next World," however, was not a place only for the rich. Even the poorest Egyptians could make the journey. They, too, were buried with belongings that would help them in the "Next World."
A Social Pyramid
The writings of ancient Egypt have also helped us to understand the organization of early Egyptian society.
A slave is a person who is the property of another person. After 1500 B.C., slaves were at the bottom of the social pyramid. This was the time when Egyptian soldiers were conquering other lands. They Brought back people from these lands to work as slaves in Egypt. Many slaves worked in the gold mines of Nubia. Others worked as servants in households of the ruling class.
Women were found on all levels of the social pyramid. Compared to other ancient civilizations you will study, women in ancient Egypt had some power. During the time of the Egyptian Empire, women had the right to buy and sell property. In fact, this was a right very few women had in ancient times. This was a right that many women in our own country did not have in our early history.
The Legacy Of Ancient Egypt
Imagine that it were up to you to tell the world about the ancient Egyptians. What would you include in your account? Remember that ancient Egypt left the world a rich legacy of treasures. You may visit the pyramids today or go to a museum to see the contents of the pharaoh's tombs.
Over 3,000 years have passed since ancient Egyptian civilization flourished in the Nile River Valley. Many of the monuments its people built still survive. However, the ancient Egyptians were more than great builders. Their civilization was made up of priests, government officials, artisans, farmers, and scientists. The heights they reached mark the beginning of civilization.
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