2. What we are going to learn.
Generally,
the culture – how people
lived, what was important to
them, religion, wealth, etc.
The “when”, “where” and “why”
How particular structures were built. What
was the purpose of these rooms.
A little about the timeline.
3. What we’re NOT going to
learn.
The
boring dates, and names of particular
pharaohs.
Details about the three eras.
Anything boring.
This
is NOT a history class.
4. Why bother? Why not just
build?
How
you build will be different when you
have a feeling for how the people would
have used the structure
(home, palace, etc.)
What you build will be more meaningful to
you. You’ll be better at it.
Understanding what happened
“yesterday” helps us understand what
happens today.
5. But first, let’s compare the
Middle Ages and Ancient
Egypt
Middle Ages
Ancient Egypt
Time of war and disease.
Time of peace and health.
Concerned with surviving,
didn’t worry about hygiene.
Cleanliness was very
important.
Society based on feudalism
Pretty much the same
Centered around Italy.
Egypt
8. What can they
tell us?
The processes they used.
The material used.
How people dressed.
Who was in charge.
What where the important
things they wanted made.
9. What did their
homes look like?
1 or 2 levels. Many had a
covered patio.
Made of mud bricks.
No doors.
Small windows, no glass
Covered with plaster. They
probably painted murals as
decoration.
10. How do we know
for sure?
Archaeologists can reconstruct
homes from ruins.
These types of home (pictured)
were buried in the tomb to
serve as a home of the dead
person’s Ka (spirit).
11.
12. What were
homes made of?
Unbaked brick.
Trampled mud with
hay, reeds, etc. and put this
into a mold.
Let it sit in the sun for few days.
Voila! You’re done!
13. What about
trees?
The only trees in Ancient Egypt
were the palm trees.
They were not used in
construction.
Boats were made of reeds.
Wood had to be imported.
14. So “when” are we talk about?
That depends.
Ancient Egypt
lasted over
2,000 years.
We’ll be
learning things
from various
eras.
15. The Nile Valley
The river runs south to north.
Floods bring water and
nutrients to the land.
Farmland actually touches
desert.
16. What will we be building?
The
City of Medina
A few small palaces (probably)
Mastabas
The pyramids at Giza
17. Medina
A
small desert town of craftsmen.
Worked for the pharaoh building his tomb.
Held about 50 – 70 families.
People here were not poor. Some had
servants (slaves).
Some even built their own tombs.
18. Deir el Medina
Built around 1550 – 1080 BC
Was a village for skilled
craftsmen and their families.
Not poor folk. They would have
received good compensation
for their work.
19. Deir el Medina
Means “The City”, and was also
called “Place of Truth”
This is an interior picture of a
temple still standing at Dier el
Medina.
This would have been colorfully
painted. Like….
20. Deir el Medina
Notice the guy sitting in the
lower right corner.
Lots of color – everywhere!
21. Deir el Medina
Would have enjoyed a good
life there. Lots of work to keep
them busy, though!
Buried their dead in tombs. Do
you see them?
22. Your First Task
Rebuild the city of Deir el
Medina.
Each person gets a space, like
the ones above.
For example, see the homes on
the left.
23. The Nile
Notice the desert in the
mountains, just a few short
miles from the delta.
