Lifestyles in Ancient Egypt Full Cinematic Documentary

[Music] in pre-greco-roman culture women were considered equal to men in many matters they owned property testified in court could divorce and inherit until the greeks and romans restricted their rights egyptian women could take over their deceased husband's trade marriage contracts included mentions of allowances and items of value brought to the marriage by the woman which would forever belong to her certain professions were open only to women such as weaving or professional mourning while others were available to both genders including working as servants for the rich households social status did have an impact though the higher in status the easier it was to obtain education and access different professions homes were generally composed of three rooms first there was the entrance furnished with a small bench of brick probably intended for a statue and protective divinity then there was the ceremonial room meant to receive guests the last room was either a bedroom or kitchen furniture consisted of basic chairs chests and storage tables were not used for family dinners instead each individual had a small table of their own marriages were a social contract rather than a religious construct family was vitally important to ancient egyptians and children were considered a blessing from the gods the father mother and their children were the nucleus of the family and cohabitation sometimes extended to mothers-in-law sisters aunts and sisters-in-law status and wealth played a large role in the style and size of ancient egyptian homes commoners houses were built with sun-baked mud bricks wealthier homes were often painted in white and decorated with various motifs town officials and the rich lived in mansions with numerous rooms that were luxuriously decorated only temples and tombs meant to last for all eternity were built with stone funeral stone inscriptions focused on the main member of a household encircling this person would then be a spouse parents and children possibly even siblings these stones were so structured because there were no surnames in ancient egyptian culture parents and children were a sort of family tree which allowed for the identification of the deceased tanning a process which dates from prehistoric times was present although not highly valued in egypt due to the heat leather was reserved mainly for things such as sandals leather bags dagger sheaths quivers and other similar items leopard hides unlike regular leather were highly valued and usually worn by priests valued for its coolness and freshness in hot weather linen was the fiber most commonly used for fabrics and textiles it was produced from flax which was plentiful in egypt fibers were usually dyed before weaving while color was used in the production of textiles dyes weren't commonly used for clothing and most egyptians wore white the color represented spiritual purity a goal to reach for every day of one's mortal life various shades were achieved using woad a dye produced from the leaves of ice tinctoria the plant was cultivated for this purpose within the nile delta and allowed for the creation of various colors for example different maceration times of the leaves would result in colors ranging from red to green while adding in limestone shifted it to blue during the greco-roman period other ingredients were found resulting in a wider range of colors this area's style is strongly influenced by the dye baths and tanneries of modern day fest in morocco this helped ubisoft envision what such locations might have been like in ancient egypt while this tannery is within the city walls back then they were often found outside the city boundaries the tanner's trade was considered off-putting by the greeks as all these operations resulted in noxious smells learning what life was like for ancient egyptians presents many differences and yet also surprising similarities to how people might live today understanding the daily lives of regular citizens so many thousands of years ago is ultimately what connects us as human beings jewelry was a popular item among ancient egyptians of all social standing both men and women wore earrings rings and bracelets status determined how much jewelry a person wore and what it was made of common folk wore pearl necklaces simple bracelets and leather bangles brightly colored earthenware and glass paste were a favorite enhancement the jewelry of the elite was made from gold silver and other precious stones because gold never lost its shine it was considered akin to the flesh of the gods wide-jeweled collars were a favorite made with rows of beads formed into patterns of animals or flowers the soft chiming sounds they made were thought to appease the gods though idealized tomb paintings are a catalog of the changing fashions of ancient egypt from the old to the new kingdom egyptians took appearance and cleanliness very seriously and were diligent about their fashion hair and jewelry as well as their grooming habits the fabric of ancient egyptian clothing was almost entirely made from various grades of linen linen was commonly white draped over the body and cinched at the waist though some garments were sown or tailored wealthy men wore long tunics loin cloths or kilts while poor men only wore loincloths women wore long dresses with differences residing in the quality of the fabric depending on social status egyptians commonly went barefoot but could also wear sandals made from papyrus fiber or leather cosmetics including concoctions to prevent body odor and bad breath were an integral part of everyday life for egyptians used by both men and women cosmetics were used as moisturizing ointments and sun protection as much as for beautification red ochre a natural clay was the most readily available cosmetic to tint lips and cheeks henna was used on nails and lips and as hair coloring it was also favored by richer women to decorate their palms and the soles of their feet egyptians believed coal had magical powers wearing it as black eyeliner to protect their eyes from the sun and to prevent eye infections from particles in the flooded nile river a special green coal made from ground malachite was worn for ceremonies and religious rituals women and teenage girls wore their hair long and often braided wealthier women included carved combs or hairpins the length of men's hair rarely dropped past the shoulders they were mostly clean-shaven during the dynastic period a trend began by the elite and soon adopted by the general populace queen hat shepzit donned an artificial beard when she became pharaoh wigs were very popular used for special occasions or to conceal gray hair or baldness they were fastened in place with beeswax the most expensive wigs were made from human hair and reserved for royalty other wigs were composed of linen wool or animal hair prepubescent children generally had their heads shaved young girls kept some strands intact while young boys had a braid worn on the side it was under the watchful eye of taw of memphis the god of craft and architecture that ancient egyptians developed the unique rendition of the world they lived in however it is vital to understand that their view of art and those who created it was likely very dissimilar to the modern concept of the word instead of artists the creative culture had skilled and respected artisans the most significant categories of specialties for crafters were drawing painting sculpture and metal working ancient egyptian craftspeople created both art and a wide variety of mundane everyday tools every item created had a specific purpose and was produced by anonymous artisans who worked alone or with a team most crafts such as pottery and metalworking were utilized for everyday items luxury goods and artwork illustrations served temple rituals and were not meant for public display artisans rarely signed their names to the work though they were clearly aware that they possessed a unique skill and talent for the task art in all its forms has offered not only a practical insight into the way ancient egyptians lived but in how they viewed the world and their place in it the balance of order and chaos was crucial in both the physical and the metaphysical universes as a result their art appears to follow a strict set of stylistic conventions that supported this world view from households and palaces to temples and tombs pottery papyrus and textile items were essential to the everyday life of ancient egyptians in ancient egyptian culture drawing was used as illustration such as seen in the book of the dead it was also the first step in the creation of a relief painting or statue two-dimensional representations were concerned with order and form and were intended to honor gods and promote the transition of the soul to the afterlife stylistically egyptians were concerned with the depiction of the human form's inner self as such artistic representations were not concerned with realism but rather with idealized youth and perfectly harmonious visuals an exception to this were scenes depicting hunting and battle where the environment and enemies moved in lively even chaotic ways animals and foes were depicted piled up as if describing chaos with egyptians standing in solemn disciplined poses bringing order to the scene reliefs could be either in high relief or low relief either method required a surface suited to the desired technique preparation of the surfaces differed depending on the quality of the rock a quarried block only needed a simple smoothing rough cut rock monuments such as those found in tombs required more work often the surface was coated in plaster before being sculpted for reliefs preliminary sketches were drawn in red then framed with a red grid to position the elements of the scenes corrected sketches were in black and once approved the scene was ready to be carved this method likely explains the name given to relief makers the one who draws the outlines statues were believed to be vessels for the souls of the deceased or deities that is why a sculptor was called the one who makes it live this divine duty earned them the utmost respect as with a relief creation of a sculpture began with a drawing most statues were made of quarried blocks of stone primarily limestone though sometimes harder stones such as quartzite were also used in ancient egypt the profession of crafter was organized and relied on a specific hierarchy most artisans depended on an institution to provide them with raw materials there were three working levels for craftsmanship domestic large estates and within palace and temple workshops some royal workshops at their largest covered an area of about 2.8 square kilometers in size at the domestic level most egyptians were craftspeople to a greater or lesser extent the ability to repair tools was a daily necessity crafted everyday items could also be bartered for at the local market artisans with skills but lacking in resources worked at large estates where the elite provided them with space to work and raw materials the most skilled artisans were employed in royal or temple projects and benefited from a special status they were provided with good workspaces and considered to be highly skilled an ancient text known as the satires of trades has a number of descriptive summaries that offer teasing glimpses into how artisans were perceived a coppersmith was said to stink and have fingers that resembled crocodile droppings while potters were said to be like those who lived in boggs this view was likely exaggerated in order to highlight the most enviable position of all that of the scribe located near the valley of the kings dare el medina was a settlement created by order of the king to honor the most skilled artisans its name translates as the monastery of the city allocated a house on the initiative of the king these crafts folk were regarded with respect and referred to as the royal artisans those who lived there worked on the tombs in the valley of the kings and its surrounding temples archaeologists believe the site was home to skilled and respected artisans for over 400 years it is considered one of the most important discoveries relating to egyptian daily life while much of the focus of egyptian archaeology was on its kings and queens it wasn't until the excavation of der al-medina that egyptologists were given a valuable window into the community life of ancient egyptian artisans constructed with bricks made of mud most ancient egyptian buildings were not permanent only religious temples and funerary monuments were meant to stand the ravages of time for these very important structures egyptians used limestone sandstone and harder materials such as granite quartzite and travertine these heavy stone blocks were so prized that they were often transported from quarries located hundreds of kilometers away limestone was common and easy to extract from quarries on the east bank of the nile this particular limestone had marine fossils in it however preventing it from being easily decorated and polished used as the main building material the structure would then be finished with a finer limestone that was polished smooth and decorated as needed limestone was used for the building of the first pyramids and for most of the religious buildings of the old and middle kingdoms ancient egyptians preferred to use sedimentary rock beds or layers like sandstone and limestone because they were often easier to extract the common method used to extract stone was the open pit quarry stone cutters would find quality stone shape and dig it out on site open pit quarries enabled many workers to work simultaneously on many blocks which allowed for better productivity workers would draw a large grid directly on the stone's surface taking care to leave a space between the blocks this allowed them to isolate the different blocks and create a trench that would make the extraction easier stone workers used iron chisels for hard rock and bronze or copper tools for softer rocks such as limestone removing material between each block created a trench line in some quarries that trench was wide enough to accommodate a worker who would then cut the block entirely on site for harder rocks like granite workers cut a series of holes and hammered wooden wedges into them they then soaked the wood until it swelled and caused the rock to split [Music] the gallery extraction technique was used when the desired rock was buried under layers of rubble this method was often necessary in order to find the whiter and finer limestone required for a smoother finish the first step was for the stone workers to create an access pit that would allow them to reach the desired wall of stone once a wall of quality stone was exposed workers could then cut out smaller blocks this pit required a descending platform designed like a stairway it allowed them to free multiple galleries of blocks to cut the stone they created a longitudinal curve or slit and then cut the rock at a 90 degree angle the lower side was determined along the geological layers or by using a horizontal cut wooden wedges were inserted in the rock and hammered in shock waves were then generated using hammers fracturing the blocks at the seam [Music] to maintain the stability of these mining pits over the course of quarrying workers would leave support sections of unexcavated rock in every quarry dedicated shrines were established to offer protection for the workers in particular circuit the scorpion goddess was considered a very powerful deity among quarry workers every mine and quarry of ancient egypt included a scorpion charmer who was said to use magical powers to ward off the dangerous insects and keep the workers safe whether workers were employed for the pyramid construction or at the quarries the government supplied food and housing workers for the pyramids and royal necropolises were housed in more permanent villages such as the famous dare el medina quarry workers had more temporary lodgings all skill levels were needed and utilized from basic work hands to prepare the gypsum to brick makers and sand carriers to skilled stone masons to shape the blocks skilled architects and engineers were employed year-round while support labor were often farmers who worked on the quarries or construction during the niles flood season the basic laborers were hardworking and versatile many may have been farmers who joined the construction during the off season hieroglyphs found in the work villages listed assigned job titles archaeological research shows that no food was stored or prepared on site but instead workers received abundant rations of bread beer and meat these rations were taken care of by an administration outside the village medical treatment was also available for those who were injured while some quarries were close to the nile others were located across the desert and required long expeditions these expeditions were sanctioned by the state they involved complex logistics and required many participants transporting a block by land meant that workers had to overcome the weight and friction of the load to solve this they first dug a track in the ground this path was sometimes reinforced with rails upon which a sled used to ferry the blocks would be pulled whenever possible blocks were toppled from a higher elevation onto the sled workers then poured water onto the clay at the front of the sled creating a slick surface to more easily move the load it wasn't until the new kingdom that animals were used to tow the burden during flood season the nile was at its largest and deepest which allowed the transportation of the heaviest and biggest loads quarries close to the river had trough stuck out to deliver the stones to the shoreline harbors and wharfs situated at the river's edge allowed the transfer of materials and supplies harbor warehouses accommodated additional stocks of stone so that they were available for the winter sailing season the iwati al-jarf papyri detail a limestone load intended for the khufu pyramid that weighed in at 70 to 80 tons or 30 blocks one papyrus is a fragment from a foreman's notes taken while working on the great pyramid it details the transportation of limestone blocks from the tura quarries to the construction site of the pyramid the other papyri are shipping logs containing archives of the sailors assigned to sail the red sea and the nile stone cargo generally weighed 15 tons per boat amounting to roughly six or seven blocks per trip for heavier loads such as obelisks monolithic pillars or gigantic statues larger boats were used these transports are the ones typically showcased on temple walls river transportation was the most efficient way to ferry stone blocks between the quarry and the construction site blocks were transported by flotillas of several types of boats the most detailed illustration of transport by river is a relief of queen hatshepsut's barge with an accompanying flotilla the new grain types of the ptolemaic period required a great deal of water farmers needed to ensure they had effective consistent irrigation the niles rising and receding waters naturally irrigated most of the crops areas where the nile didn't reach such as gardens and vegetable plots required an irrigation tool known as the chadoof the shadoof allowed easy transport of water from its source it consisted of a tall wooden frame with a long pivoting pole and suspended bucket the system could be raised and lowered with little effort later a sakya or water wheel was invented the sakya needed animals to turn the wheel which rotated buckets through the water it drew the water to an elevation of 3.5 meters and enabled a great deal of control over the irrigation process this improvement supplied larger areas and thus resulted in larger harvests the threshing process separated the grain from its husk workers would spread the ears on clean ground oxen cows or donkeys were then guided back and forth to trample the grain this continuous movement worked the grain loose while preventing the animals from eating it unwanted chaff and straw were swept away or gathered and added to the mud used to make bricks to make them stronger winnowing was the stage where workers used wooden scoops to throw ears in the air the wind carried off the chaff leaving the heavier seeds to fall to the ground this action was repeated until the undesired materials were sifted out grain waste was mixed with manure or other organic substances to produce brick-shaped dung loaves that could be easily burned a standardized brick size enabled egyptians to mass produce this by-product and use it as a commodity transporting large amounts of grain required ships equipped to carry heavy loads these goods were moved during the niles flooding season when the river was deep enough for large ships the transports stopped at checkpoints to accommodate customs and police controls as well as for technical requirements and weather conditions having reached alexandria's inner harbor the wheat was unloaded under the supervision of a civil servant in charge of wheat management portions were distributed to alexandria's city market and the remaining stockpile was either exported or stored in warehouses grain storage facilities were located across all of egypt temples and institutions had large silos while individual houses had storage sheds in some houses arched cellars were built into the foundations these watertight chambers were accessible from the ground floor through a trapdoor royal granaries acted as the storehouse and distribution centers and managed state payments to civil servants soldiers and the police though plastered on the inside silos weren't completely sealed and so remained susceptible to mice infestations when the grain was ready for processing it was poured into bowls and pounded into a coarse flour that flower was then passed through a sieve to make it a finer quality and further ground between stones ancient egyptians did not start flour instead fresh grain was portioned out each time to produce flour as it was needed the sieves used by ancient egyptians were unable to filter out sand and stones grit often passed into the flower causing long-term tooth abrasions among all classes of egyptians while crops were cultivated in different oases around the desert most of the arable lands were near the nile two types of cereal grain were cultivated barley and an ancient wheat known as emmer these two key ingredients contributed in establishing bread and beer as the staple of the egyptian diet and the basis of its economy the ptolemaic era created an agricultural revolution with the introduction of advanced agricultural techniques and new grain types such as rice durum wheat and pearl millet the resulting agricultural mass production greatly increased the economy of ancient egypt it also prompted the development of storage and transportation allowing long-distance trade with other regions both bread and beer rations were part of a system of barter payment the state used those goods to pay wages for those who worked in the quarries and at the construction sites beer was so important to ancient egyptians they had a goddess of beer brewing tenent tenenet is seen in many paintings and sculptures with beer and women are depicted as the primary beer makers in order to increase agricultural production fertile land was divided into plots and large agricultural villages were encouraged the state and temples were the biggest landowners depending on the region fertile land was managed by civil servants or rented to individuals ancient egyptians relied on rudimentary tools for land cultivation soil was broken down with hose and wing plows were used to make furrows the three seasons known as aquet peret and shemu corresponded to a specific phase of the agricultural process and the river's natural changes akhet was the time of the flood beginning with the appearance of the star sirius in july parrot was the time when lands were cultivated plowed and sewn this fell between october and november shemu ran from may to september and was when harvesting and taxation began the pharaoh's duty was to uphold order against chaos and provide for his people priests and local governors also wanted to appear as protectors of the people however any variation in the nile seasons could cause water shortages this had devastating consequences on wheat and barley crops the pharaoh administrators and priests knew they needed to demonstrate their ability to prevent such a catastrophe from happening and so they invented the story which would be inscribed upon the famine stila the story begins with the pharaoh worried for his people the nile hasn't flooded in years and his people are starving in search of the origins of the flooding jose seeks out canoe the protector god of the region and the source of the drought jose gives the god offerings and orders his priests to restore the temple of canoon these offerings please the god and the floods are restored this story was intended to highlight the importance of a deity in everyone's daily lives while also demonstrating the crucial role that the priests and the king played in feeding and protecting the people of egypt the climate and unique geography of the nile delta offered a wide variety of plant species many of these plants served as sustenance for ancient egyptians and as crops for trade the niles consistent seasons allowed egypt to sustain itself for centuries possibly the most useful of the plants was the papyrus this tall sedge plant grew in abundance along the water's edge of the nile commonly known for its use as paper the ancient egyptians found many other functions for it including rope sandals and mats form boats made from the plant are seen in paintings and reliefs and were used in ritualistic ceremonies there were many types of trees along the river nile such as the date palm carob and tamarisk the earliest fruit tree cultivated was the fig tree followed by apple pomegranate and eventually olive trees during the era of the new kingdom mango cultivation was the result of a late import from asia during the middle ages some trees were associated with gods such as the acacia with horus the divinity's thoth and sesh out were depicted inscribing the reign of the king into a persei tree the sycamore was connected with the goddess i set patron of the ritual of life both domesticated and wild animals were features in ancient egyptian ba release as early as the first dynasty while the variety of wildlife served as a reliable food source it also influenced both culture and mythology egypt's terrain allowed for a diverse range of animals including panthers rhinoceroses elephants and many variations of antelopes the nile was home to many species of fish along with hippopotami and crocodiles [Music] the wide variety of birds that populated the riverbanks from raptors and waterfowl to songbirds were all catalogued within egyptian hieroglyphic signs encounters with reptiles and insects such as cobras scorpions and scarabs influenced hieroglyphs and art while all animals had sacred meanings lions in particular represented power and royalty to ancient egyptians they were so prized by pharaohs that they were hunted to extinction within egypt agriculture and domesticated livestock were introduced six thousand years ago archaeologists have found traces of cattle donkeys pigs and dogs dromedary are thought to have been introduced during the persian invasion pets were deeply cherished in ancient egypt many illustrations of children often include a pet in the depiction [Music] one of ancient egypt's most iconic animals the cat wasn't adopted into their daily life until the middle kingdom since they were so highly capable of killing snakes and rodents cats were present throughout every period however they only became pets sometime during the middle kingdom prince thutmosa son of amon hotep iii had his cat tam you laid to rest in its own sarcophagi the earliest reference to dogs dates back to 5000 bce they were popular pets as they helped hunters and protected herds they were closely linked to anubis the jackal-headed god baboons monkeys and even falcons were tamed as pets each was mummified and buried with as much ceremony as any family member when the god horus lost his eye in a war with seth the ancient egyptians believed the eye turned into a vine and the vines tears became wine early texts dating back to 3150 bce contained the hieroglyph for vine regarded as extremely valuable wine was highly sought after by the elite it was also an essential part of many religious ceremonies a millennia old tradition grape cultivation and wine production was regimented in the way typical of ancient egyptian bureaucracy egyptians kept careful records of winemakers which they clearly identified on labels every landowner with a modicum of self-respect usually kept a vineyard this held particularly true in the regions of the fiom and the nile delta documentation shows that only certain crafts folk were allowed to provide the containers required to store and transport wine that and rigorous quality control checks established for every step of wine production shows that ancient egyptians knew that the quality and longevity of wine could easily be affected by any number of variables which they paid careful attention to egyptians had different kinds of wines most of which ranged in quality from good to very good the sweet sade to which honey had been added the soft nejem obtained by drying the grapes in the sun the ma reserved for religious ceremonies and finally there was the peyor the mediocre rated wine resulting from the second pressing of grapes and reserved for a less discerning palette the first hieroglyph for embalmer appeared in pyramid texts of the old kingdom it is likely that embalming was a trade that progressed alongside the evolution of ancient egyptian funeral practices while we still know nothing of how embalming came to be a profession we do know that embalmers had a hierarchy and that each embalmer specialized in a specific phase of the mummification process the mummification techniques were jealously guarded by embalmers from generation to generation despite their efforts herodotus and diodorus discovered their methods in late antiquity but historians were skeptical about the validity of the texts it remained a mystery until two teams of modern medical legal scientists confirmed the process in 1994 and again in twenty eleven the meaning the pure place was where the embalmers mummified the bodies of the deceased until the end of the middle kingdom it was located in tents at the edges of the city due to the smell of decomposition in the new kingdom however the uabet was located within the city limits though still in open air spaces in the same way that the practices and techniques of mummification evolved so possibly did consideration towards embalmers within ancient egyptian society the pharaoh had access to the most elaborate of mummification rituals the richer citizens of egypt also enjoyed complex embalming options though none of them allowed for the removal of the brain or viscera after purifying the body embalmers injected a liquid through the rectum sealed it and allowed the mixture to settle they then plunged the body into nature for up to forty days once the body was dried the seal was removed and the entrails flowed out with the injected liquid leaving the skin and bones of the deceased to be wrapped in linen and returned to the family for burial the least costly embalming option was for the embalmers to simply inject a product called cermaya and immersed the body in the natron for up to 40 days before handing it over to the family for all those who could not afford any embalming process desert burials offered a poppers alternative to preserve the bodies of the dead egyptian civilization has always appealed to westerners even before the greek and roman invasions as early as the middle ages mummies discovered by travelers were often sent back to europe curio cabinets dating from the 16th and 17th centuries usually included pharyonic artifacts in their collections the egyptomania phenomenon was heralded by napoleon bonaparte's egyptian campaign which lasted from 1798 to 1802 the following years were marked by a resurgence of interest from rich enthusiasts and scholars who exposed egypt to the general populace many research societies focusing on egyptology were founded during those years by 1868 mass tourism began in egypt under the aegis of the cook agency the rich would indulge in leisure trips to egypt and bring back mummies upon their return they would organize evenings that consisted of unpacking mummies and removing strips of linen and amulets layer by layer these were considered the shining cultural events of the season the egyptian collections of many a museum were founded as a consequence of this mass pillaging [Music] thanks to those dubious parties the fantasy of a mummy coming back to life seeking revenge on its defilers was the mummy malediction myth has remained steady in popular culture ever since particularly in written media and cinema ancient egyptians believed the world was a chaotic place filled with supernatural forces they knew that art and words gave life and power to things carved with images from hieroglyphs or in the shapes of gods amulets were highly personal objects that warded off dangers and disease while attracting success some amulets were temporary intended to solve a specific problem while others were meant to be worn forever into the afterlife priests would infuse amulets with magical energy during religious ceremonies imbuing them with protective magic to safeguard against supernatural powers the wealthiest of egyptians could obtain a divinely ordained pendant in which was hidden a magic formula inscribed on a piece of papyrus it would act as a unique spell tailored to the owner religion was so important to ancient egyptians that it permeated every aspect of their daily lives since water was the source of life and had the symbolism of purifying the body and the soul all daily routines began with ablutions personal prayers to the gods were sometimes written or spoken with family prayers passed down through generations [Music] there was a complete calendar of each of the religious days both good and bad illustrating the appropriate daily rituals along with wine milk and ointments offerings to the gods consisted of small amulets to life-size statues and family shrines during the greco-roman period offerings to the gods consisted of mummified animals cats for bastet dogs for anubis and birds for those deemed messengers of the gods oracles offered guidance and judgment for all egyptians regardless of status crucial advice was offered on everything from day-to-day farming management to a pharaoh's decision on whether to start a war oracles were often used to decide legal issues if the accused refused the judgment of the god another god could be consulted in hopes of a more favorable reply it was oracles that guided the greek sailor batos to the coast of libya where he founded a colony known as cyrene during alexander the great's campaign to conquer persia he consulted the oracle at the temple of amen within the oasis of siwa and was subsequently ordained a divine being from its foundation the city of memphis favored worship of the god tah the main temple of ta'a was known as meaning palace of the kaafta the name of the temple translated into greek as egyptos would eventually evolve into the modern name egypt temples were the center of religious political and economic life in ancient egypt these sacred places were viewed as the literal home of the gods and goddesses as such every aspect of them required care and reverence all of which was accomplished through elaborate ritual located in the center of memphis the temple of taw was the most prominent and imposing building in the city the long walkway leading toward the temple known as the dromas was guarded by rows of sphinxes the entire sacred area was designed to keep the statue of the god protected deep within the sacred enclosures that surrounded it the dramas opened into a courtyard with the surrounding portico graced with columns carved to resemble palm trees during special festivals the general population was allowed to enter this location but under no circumstances would they be allowed into the sacred spaces beyond the courtyard the memphis alabaster sphinx was discovered in 1912 almost completely buried in water and sand eight meters in height and weighing in at roughly 90 tons it is still mounted on its original pedestal though it is called the alabaster sphinx it was in fact carved from common calcite rock which is similar in appearance and texture to alabaster erosion has destroyed the original engravings making it difficult to determine when it was created egyptologists believe that its facial likeness resembles almond hotep ii and so it could have been sculpted somewhere between 1700 and 1400 bce it is believed that this monument once stood outside of the temple of tah and was integrated into subsequent extensions to the complex the size of the imposing sculpture reflects the importance it had to the temple during the new kingdom this sphinx is one of the few remaining artifacts from the ruins of memphis to survive in egyptian culture some animals were associated with gods while others were considered to be living gods the office bull was believed to be a divine entity the earliest mention of the office bull in ancient egypt goes back as far as the first egyptian dynasty originally the symbol of fertility the opus bull was linked to the god ra with the image of the sun carried between its horns later it was associated with osiris the ruler of the underworld thus becoming the funerary divinity osoripis during the 18th dynasty in memphis the office bulls association with the city's deity earned it the title herald of tah the opposite bull was so revered that even alexander the great upon his arrival in memphis gave honor to office the office bull lived with its harem in a sacred barn located in an enclosure in the temple of tah each bull bore 29 signs representative of its divinity among them the bull had an eagle-shaped mark on its back a double tail hair and a scarab-shaped mark under the tongue the signs were intended to correspond with the lunar cycle after its death egyptians would search for its reincarnated form among the livestock like other living divinities the mortal incarnation of the office bull was prayed to and when it died it was given a luxurious funeral which included mummification until the reign of ramses ii the office bulls were buried in individual graves in saqqara during the 26th dynasty the bodies of the bulls were buried in enormous stone vats in the underground corridors of the seraphim of memphis ancient egyptians believed the temple rituals were essential to maintain order in the cosmos and allow communication between humans and gods the pharaoh was required to bring offerings as part of a two-fold promise made to the gods to remain a just ruler and to prevent chaos from entering egypt details of the ceremonies found on temple walls provide a thorough overview of the stages of the daily ritual performed three times a day to mirror human meal times each step of the highly symbolic ceremony was accompanied by specific recitations many of which referred to mythical events the high priest would first awaken the sleeping god with a chant then the seals of the shrine's doors were broken and the bolts drawn back the act of swinging open the doors was a symbolic gesture where sight was granted to the deity the priest would then bow and kiss the ground the god was then washed with incense-infused water and its mouth rinsed with mineral salts the cleansing was followed by adorning the statue with jewels and royal garments the final ritual required the priest to sweep away any footprints in order to prevent evil from approaching the god [Music] heredity was the primary source of new recruits rarely was an outsider allowed this position at the top of the temple hierarchy was the high priest each temple dedicated to a god had at least one high priest devoted to its care and service during the ptolemaic dynasty one family held the position of high priest in memphis for almost 300 years high priest candidates made their way up the ranks of the temple hierarchy the one chosen to occupy the lofty position of high priest was usually confirmed by the pharaoh several of the high priests were also important officials in the government families sharing the highest priesthood titles tended to make many alliances thereby gaining more land and wealth shifting balances of power sometimes resulted in more or less open conflicts between the priesthood and the pharaohs in the 21st dynasty thebes became the capital of an almost entirely theocratic government the city was headed by king priests who spoke and governed in the name of the god amun in open opposition to the ruling pharaohs these king priests caused a massive decentralization of power known as the third intermediate period the educational institution in ancient egypt was known as the house of life attended by the offspring of the elite and the clergy it was a place tailored to the social status of its attendees the earliest references to this type of institution date back to royal decrees of the old kingdom only two known centers have been uncovered one in the abandoned city of akitatan and one at the temple of ramses the second on the west bank of thebes inscriptions uncovered in those locations mentioned the names and titles of people who were connected with the house of life such as a chief physician and many scribes it is presumed that by the late kingdom every temple had a house of life the house of life offered training for the elite destined for occupations such as astronomers doctors veterinarians diplomats architects translators or theologians some institutions focused on specific disciplines making them a central hub for the country not limited to instruction for young students the house of life was a source of reference for many scholars with rooms dedicated to papyri of many disciplines because papyri were preserved there the greco-romans referred to the house of life as a library ancient egyptian economy was based on an unequal system of redistribution of goods the state of egypt collected the crops and the temples distributed them throughout the provinces since the only people capable of counting and ensuring a fair redistribution were the educated scribes this meant that the temples played a pivotal role in this process there are records of pharaohs making offerings of large tracts of land and animals to temples in order to maintain their favor ramses the third offered generous gifts to the temple of ahman in karnak in such a manner palaces warehouses and granaries were built inside the temple compound to better control the redistribution of goods the size of the recorded numbers of goods combined with every other function filled by temples only serves to confirm their might as economic religious and political centers of power within egypt

Channel: History Hub YTTV

Views: 100,672

Keywords: #PS4share, PlayStation 4, Sony Interactive Entertainment, SHAREfactory™, {5859dfec-026f-46ba-bea0-02bf43aa1a6f}, Life in ancient Egypt, Ancient Egypt, Egypt, Egyptian, Ancient, Documentary, History, History Documentary, House_Barzini_YT

Id: 7MJ2aiKJt4w

Length: 56min 11sec (3371 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 02 2021