The Middle Kingdom of Egypt lasted from around 2030 to 1640 BCE. After a period of decentralization following the Old Kingdom, two kings helped regain order and centralize power under the pharaoh once more. Egypt engaged in increased trade during this period and a new writing system was developed. The economy was based on agriculture along the fertile Nile River valley. Art from this period depicted more realistic human figures and stories from Egyptian mythology and the afterlife. Architecture consisted primarily of simpler pyramids and temples. Eventually, foreign influences weakened royal power, leading to the Second Intermediate Period.

1. The Middle Kingdom of Egypt
by Sam, Emilee, DC, Doug, and Evan

2. The beginning of the Middle Kingdom...
For one hundred years after the decline of the Old Kingdom, the
once unified Egypt split into dozens of independent states.
Two kings, Intef and Mentuhotep regained order and reinstated
the supreme rule of the Egyptian Pharaoh.
Under these two kings, trade between Egypt and other countries
began, and a new system of writing was implemented.
Although superficially, kings regained power, Egypt remained a
very divided nation, with most local cities and villages being
operated by local governors and other rulers.

3. Middle Kingdom Dates
-The Middle Kingdom lasted from roughly 2030 to 1640 B.C.E.
-This period included the late 11th through 14th dynasty.
-This period started because of famine and weakening of the central
government.
- It is know as a golden age of literature and art.

4. Economics
Economy was based on
farming and fishing
Most people used what
they produced,
relatively little was
taken by the authorities
as taxes
Annual flooding of the
Nile produced fertile Farmers grew Wheat, barley,
soil which allowed lettuce and beans
farmers to maintain Produced linen in Cottage
high yields despite industries
primitive techniques Barter system was prevalent
Most farmers were kept though there was a unit of currency
in near serfdom called the Deben, about half an
ounce of copper

5. Economics
In addition to farming there was
extensive trade along the Nile
Boats harnessed wind power
through sails but often relied on
oars
Large warehouses were built to
store Grain for times of need
In later times certificates
representing an amount of stored
grain were used as currency by the
elite
Slavery was widespread
Precious Metals were not used
except by the very wealthy
Even basic metals were rare, many
farmers used stone or wooden tools
well into the bronze age
Everything in Egypt was owned by
the Pharaoh as he was the
representative of the gods

6. Art in the Middle Kingdom
The art of the middle kingdom features works that portray a story,
or a complete picture rather than aesthetic beauty.
Paintings depicted human beings and their surroundings in a
realistic way.
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/egypt/art/pictures/ti2.jpg

7. The Book of the Dead
The Book of the Dead was a Middle Kingdom book which
included paintings illustrating funerals and the afterlife.
The afterlife was very important to Egyptians of the Middle
Kingdom, and their artwork often had much reference to the
Gods.

8. Sculpture and the Pharaohs
While in the Old Kingdom, art depicted Pharaohs as godlike and
crushing, art of the Middle Kingdom represented the rulers of ancient
Egypt as much more eager and human.
These are the Pharaohs Senroset and
Amenemhet III. They are depicted as
strong men, but not inhumanly so.
The statues are a little bit bigger than
the average person, a great change
from the frightening, huge sphinxes
of the Old Kingdom.

9. Relationship to surrounding people
-The middle Kingdom united upper and lower egypt. During the 14th
dynasty however the pharaoh's lost their grasp over egypt as a whole.
- Egypt's rule extended through Syria and Nubia in this period. In the
12th dynasty Senusret lll who ruled from (1878-1839 B.C.E) a
warrior king, went deep into Nubia establishing many forts.
-During the middle kingdom trade along the Nile flourished, mainly
with the people from Nubia, Levant, and Palestinians.

10. Architecture of the Middle Kingdom
Architecture of the Middle
Kingdom was mostly
sepulchral.
The pyramids of the time
were much less sophisticated
than those of the New
Kingdom.
Pyramids were built with a
stone core and an outward
framework of blocks.
Today, the pyramids
resemble little more than
heaps of rubble, cast
throughout the desert.

11. ...and the end of the Middle Kingdom
With the influx of foreigners that came with the policy of trade in
the Middle Kingdom, came the migration of many non-Egyptians
to Egypt.
With this huge surge of "sojourners" came increasingly large
communities made up of non-Egyptians. These communities were
governed by foreign kings.
These communities became more and more powerful, eventually
causing the power of the Pharaoh to lessen.
With the chaos that came from the fall of the Pharaoh, Egypt fell
once again into disorder, and the Second Intermediate Period.

12. Excavation Sites:
Terrace of the Great God, Temple to Osiris
http://heritage-key.com/HKimages/013/egypt_abydos.jpg
Aerial view of Tell Edfu (the ancient capital)
and the Great Temple
http://emhotep.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/edf1-01-edfu-satellite.png

13. Another shot of Tell Edfu
http://emhotep.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/edf1-06-excavationarea-
print.png

14. Works Cited
"Ancient Egyptian Economy." Reshafim: Kibbutz Homepage (English/Hebrew), Terraflex, Fishfarm . Web. 05 Mar.
2010. <http://reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/economy/index.html>.
"Ancient Egyptian Economy." River School: Home Page . Web. 07 Mar. 2010. <http://riverschool.
org/students/work/culture.e.econ.htm>.
"Middle Kingdom." World Civilizations, Richard Hooker. Web. 05 March 2010 <http://www.wsu.
edu/~dee/EGYPT/MIDDLE.HTM>.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Art-of-Egypt---The-Middle-Kingdom&id=1994538
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/egypt/art/middleart.htm
http://www.egyptologyonline.com/pyramids_-_middle_kingdom.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org
http://metmuseum.org