Mesopotamia and Egypt were early river valley civilizations that relied on irrigation from the Tigris/Euphrates rivers and Nile River respectively. Writing first developed in Mesopotamia in 3500 BC to record taxes, trade, and populations. Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and was ruled by various empires over time, developing agriculture, trade, and urban societies. Egypt similarly relied on annual Nile River floods for irrigation and was unified by King Menes in 3100 BC, establishing Egypt's long-lasting civilization.

1. MESOPOTAMIA AND EGYPT UNIT 9

2. RIVER VALLEY CIVILISATIONS
Settlements were created when the Neolithic
people who lived there learned to use river
water to irrigate their fields.
Irrigated agriculture led to increased
production, the growth of the population and
the creation of prosperous cities.

3. THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING
It was used in Mesopotamia in about
3500 BC – separates prehistory from
history
Was used to keep a record of taxes,
trade and population.
Later on, used for writing poems and
histories
The fist type of writing was found in SUMER
(Mesopotamia).
It’s called CUNEIFORM, marking signs on a clay
tablet.

4. MESOPOTAMIA

5. HISTORICAL
EVOLUTION

6. WHERE WAS
MESOPOTAMI
A?
Mesopotamia means between two
rivers. It was the territory between
the rivers Tigris and Euphrates.
Mesopotamia is usually divided into
two large regions:
• Lower Mesopotamia, or Chaldea,
in the south and occupied by
Sumer and Akkad
• Upper Mesopotamia, or Assyria,
in the north.
The rich soil in the region attracted many peoples
who fought for control over it between 3500 BCE and
539 BCE.
The history of Mesopotamia is divided into different
periods, according to the people who ruled the
region.

7. FIRST CITY-STATES
SUMERIANS (3500 BCE)
Founders of Mesopotamian
civilization and creators of the
CUNEIFORM WRITING.
They built irrigation canals. This
technique helped them to expand
their cropland.
Agricultural development led the
Sumerians to found independent
city-states, like Ur, Uruk, Lagash
and Eridu.
These states were often rivals. Each
one included a city and the
surrounding rural territories, and
each had political and economic

8. EMPIRES
Akkadians
They came from the centre of
Mesopotamia. Capital: Akkad
Invaded the Sumerian cities.
They built a great empire during the era
of Sargon I (ca. 2334-2259 BCE)

9. Babylonians

10. Assirians
• They were warriors from the mountains of the
north of Mesopotamia.
• They had the most control over the region during
the reign of Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BCE).
• They made Assur their capital, and later Nineveh.
Este relieve asirio
muestra a
Assurbanipal y su
esposa
celebranndo la
victoria, sentados
casi en igualdad
de condiciones
mientras beben

11. They conquered Mesopotamia in 539
BCE. This marked the end of
Mesopotamian civilization.
Ciro II and Dario I were important
conquerors: they expanded the
territory of the Persian empire and
improved the economy and
administration.
Their main rivals were the Greeks .
Alexander the Great conquered
them.
Persians: 539-331 BCE

12. POLITICAL CHANGES
The first states and empires in our
history
Laws: for people to work together
better, distribute water, maintain
irrigation canals or defend the city.
Princes and kings had all the
political, military and religious
power. They were considered to be
gods or intermediaries between the
gods and ordinary people.
Created large armies and appointed
civil servants in order to govern.
Some kings conquered other
territories with their armies, making
the first empires in history.

13. ECONOMY
Mainly agricultural.
Other people such as potters, weavers,
goldsmiths and merchants flourished too.
Commercial trade also increased
This trade made use of large rivers and
canals.

14. CULTURE AND SOCIETY
Different social groups emerged based on
wealth (riqueza) and social status.
The majority were farmers, shepherds and
craftsmen.
There was a small group of privileged
individuals: the king, important civil
servants, priests and military leaders.
They controlled the minority and forced
them to pay high taxes.
With the development of culture and
science, kings and emperors decided to
build luxuriously decorated buildings, such
as palaces, temples and tombs.

15. POLITIC AND
ECONOMIC
ORGANISATION

16. In the Sumerian age, each city-state was governed by an ensi or priest-prince. He
was the highest civil and religious authority. HE WAS NOT CONSIDERED A GOD
Over time, the ENSI was given the title of KING, so he would be in charge of civic activities only. Priest would take
care of the religious authority.
ENSI
PRINCE (CIVIC ACTIVITIES):
• defending the city,
• administering justice,
• distributing water among the farmers and
• maintaining the canals
PRIEST (RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES)
• led religious ceremonies
• He was the intermediary of Gods
• took care of the temples and their
property.

17. ECONOMY
Irrigated agriculture was
the base of the
Mesopotamian economy.
The palace and the temple
owned all the land.
The peasants worked the
land.

18. Agriculture and livestock farming
The terrain of Mesopotamia was very fertile.
They cultivated: Cereals (wheat and
barley); vegetables (onions, garlic, beans,
pumpkins); and fruit trees (date palms,
almond trees, fig trees, peach trees).
They also produced flax (linaza) and
cotton, which were used to make thread
and fabrics such as linen.
They raised sheep, goats, pigs, oxen
(bueyes), and horses

19. Commerce and trade
Mesopotamia was famous for their metalwork, textiles and
pottery. Mesopotamia had an excellent geographical location,
which meant that they could get materials that were not available
in the region.
For example, wood, stone and metals
There was more foreign trade than in other
contemporary civilisations, like Egypt.
The Mesopotamian people did not use coins.

20. Technology and language
Useful Mesopotamian inventions
Cuneiform writing in clay tablets
Numerical systems
Irrigation systems
Wheelcarts
Calendars
Ships

21. SOCIETY, RELIGION AND
DAILY LIFE

22. •Ensi/King and his family
PATESI
• most important civil servants and priests.
• They were powerful, wealthy and collected taxes
NOBLES
• free citizens who had their own possessions.
• merchants and civil servants, including
important scribes
COMMONERS-
MIDDLE GROUP
•free citizens who had their own
possessions
•farmers and craftsmen
COMMONERS-
LOWER GROUP
•prisoners of war, or free citizens who were
forced to become slaves
•People treated them like property, used them
as cheap labour, and forced them to do the
hardest and most dangerous work.
SLAVES
SOCIETY

23. RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
Polytheistic religion, meaning that they worshipped many different
gods, whom they believed were responsible for managing and
controlling different aspects of life. They believed their main purpose
in life was to please the gods.
Although each city worshipped their own gods, sometimes these gods
were acknowledged by other cities too.
Some Sumerian myths tell the story that humans were originally
created to be servants for the gods, but that they were freed when
they became too much trouble!

24. ZIGURATS
Each city worshipped a main god and built a temple where they could
worship this god. The ‘Sanga’ was the person in charge of the temple and
the ‘En’ was the spiritual leader. There were also priests within the temple
who performed different roles.
The En and the priests were believed to be mediators between the people
and gods. They led the prayers and conducted sacrifices to appeal to the
gods. Other, lesser, gods were also worshipped at smaller shrines.
By 2100 BC, temples had
become huge buildings
known as ziggurats.
A ziggurat had three
platforms, steep steps up
the front and a temple at the
top. They built from mud
bricks and were intended to
provide a home for the gods

25. EGYPT

26. ANCIENT EGYPT:
WHERE AND WHEN?
Can you find Egypt on the map?

27. MAP OF ANCIENT EGYPT
Life in Egypt is only possible thanks to the waters
from the Nile River, because the rest of the land is a
desert.
There are two natural regions in Egypt: upper/lower
Egypt
UPPER
EGYPT
LOWER
EGYPT
The desert or red land (1)
was the place of death. This
is where the Ancient
Egyptians built their tombs
and funerary temples.
The valley or black land (2)
was the place of life. This is
where farmland, villages,
cities, palaces and temples
were located.

28. Around 5000 BCE, the groups of Neolithic people that lived in the Nile valley learned how to predict
and control the annual flooding of the river’s waters.
They developed systems to dry out the flooded areas. They built canals for irrigation, thus increasing
the amount of land they could cultivate, and they also learned how to use the silt as a natural fertiliser.
All of this improved their farming and increased the population. With time the settlements grew
and became independent cities governed by nomarchs or local leaders.
Around 3100 BCE, the legendary King Menes brought together the lands of Upper and Lower Egypt
as one kingdom, which marked the beginning of Egyptian civilisation.

29. Around 5000 BCE, the groups of Neolithic people that lived in the Nile valley learned how to predict
and control the annual flooding of the river’s waters.
They developed systems to dry out the flooded areas. They built canals for irrigation, thus
increasing the amount of land they could cultivate, and they also learned how to use the silt as a
natural fertiliser.
All of this improved their farming and increased the population. With time the settlements grew
and became independent cities governed by nomarchs or local leaders.
Around 3100 BCE, the legendary King Menes brought together the lands of Upper and Lower Egypt
as one kingdom, which marked the beginning of Egyptian civilisation.

30. ANCIENT EGYPT:
WHERE AND WHEN?
In 3100 BC, King Menes united two Egyptian kingdoms and built an empire that
lasted until 30 BC, when the Romans took over by force.
What other periods of history do you know of that were before, during or after
this time?
3100
BC
30 BC
Ancient Egypt
Stone Age Bronze Age
(2800 BC)
Iron Age
(700 BC)
Ancient
Sumer
(3100 BC)
Indus Valley
(2500 BC)
Shang
Dynasty
(1650 BC)
Benin
(AD 110)
Ancient
Greece
(800 BC)
Roman
Empire
(58 BC)
Islamic
Empire
(AD 610)
Maya
(250 AD)
Anglo-
Saxons
(AD 410)

31. 1.
WHY WAS THE NILE SO
IMPORTANT?

32. Floods
The River Nile would flood
every year and leave behind a
rich, black silt that fertilised
the soil.
This was essential for growing
food for everyone.
A system of canals that led
from the Nile were also used
to water fields in other areas.
This is called irrigation.

33. Photo courtesy of (michaelgwyther-jones@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

34. IRRIGATION AGRICULTURE
Basis of the Egyptian agriculture
The land belonged to the pharaoh,
shared with the priests and nobles
The tools used to work the land:
ploughs, hoes for digging, and
sickles for harvesting crops.
When the floods ended and the
waters receded, the river water was
collected with a shaduf, a tool shaped
like a lever.

35. Crops and Food
Main crops: wheat (for making bread); and
barley (for making beer)
Other relevant crops: flax, papyrus, grape
vines, olives, fruit trees and legumes.
The Nile was also important for fishing. This was
done in boats with nets.

36. Transport and Trade
There was no such
thing as money in
ancient Egypt so
people would trade
by swapping things
like pottery, food,
jewellery and art
etc.
Boats were use to
travel up and down
the Nile to trade
throughout the
country.

37. Building and Papyrus
Mud from around
the River Nile would
be used to make
bricks for building.
The papyrus plants
around the river
were used to make
papyrus which was
the paper of the
ancient Egyptians.

39. The Egyptian
Calendar
The Egyptian year was based on
the happenings of the River Nile. It
had 3 seasons, each one lasting 4
months:
• AHKET - July – October, this
was flooding season
• PERET – November – February,
the fields were planted in this
season
• SHEMU – March – June, the
crops were harvested.

40. 2.
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL
ORGANISATION

41. THE GOD ON EARTH
THE PHARAOH
Considered to be the earthly incarnation of
Horus, the god of the sky.
They worshipped him, in the hope that he
would ensure the annual floods of the Nile
and social order.
The pharaoh brought together political,
military and religious powers.
➜ As king or political leader, he was in
charge of making and applying laws and
control the social order
➜ As a military leader, he controlled the
army.
➜ As a religious leader, he ordered temples
to be built in order to make offerings to the
gods.

42. SYMBOLS
False beard
descendant of
Osiris
Heka
Pharaoh’s
ability to guard
and protect
people
magically
Nakata
Symbol of
absolute power
over the rest of
people
Ureo (cobra
and vulture)
Protections of
royalty
Symbols of
Upper and
Lower Egypt
Find out more about Tutankamon in Google Classroom
activitites

43. AHNK:
Eternal
life
HORUS/RA EYE:
Protection
against desease/
bad health/ bad
luck.
SCARAB BEETLE:
death, rebirth, great
power, guide and
protect in the
afterlife
LOTUS FLOWER: rebirth,
the renewal of life
CARTOUCHE: It symbolized
the pharaoh as a ruler of all
that the sun encircled.

44. PHARAOH
PRIESTS/
VIZIERS
NOBILITY
SOLDIERS/SCRIBES
MERCHANTS/CRAFTSMEN
FARMERS
SLAVES
A very hierarchical
society
UPPER CLASS -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
MIDDLE CLASS -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
LOWER CLASS -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

45. 3.
DAILY LIFE

47. • The mud was carried in baskets
from the Nile and poured into
moulds.
• When the mud in the mould was
dry, it was turned out and left to
bake in the heat of the sun.
• Was cool inside. Had a flat roof so
that in very hot weather people
could sleep on the roofs in the
cool of the night. Often had
courtyards with walls built round
them.
• Cooking was done outdoors in the
courtyard.
• Wealthy people had servants and
slaves.
HOUSING

48. RELIGION
They were politheistic
Gods and goddesses were epresented in both human and animal form
Egyptians also worshiped (adoraban) the pharaoh, the Nile and certain
sacred animals such as cats and crocodiles.
They believed in life after death (mummification). To reach it, the
deceased (muertos) had to pass through a ritual, The judgement of
Osiris
The formula of the ritual was developed by priest on The book of the
Dead

49. Find out more about Egyptian religion and mummification
in the activities from Google Classroom
Ra Anubis Isis Osiris

50. 4.
ARTISTIC LEGACY

51. The Egyptian pyramids are stone structures,
mostly built as tombs for PHARAOHS

52. The word ‘mastaba’
comes from the Arabic
word meaning ‘bench’.
MASTABA
the mastaba was the basis that
the pyramids came from. This
flat-topped building with
sloped sides was erected over a
burial chamber, which was
carved deep into the ground
below.
The burial chambers were lined
with wood and often decorated
with paintings. As time went
on, the chambers became more
complex and would include a
small ‘chapel’.
At ground level, there were
rooms where offerings were
left for the deceased.

53. It is not known how many men it took to build a pyramid - estimates are
anything from two thousand to a hundred thousand!
Pyramid building would happen when the Nile was in flood.
Q: Why do you
think they chose
this time of year to
build?
A: It was impossible
to farm the land so
many men were
available for work.

54. THE MOST FAMOUS PYRAMIDS
ARE THOSE IN GIZA.

55. CAN YOU SPOT THE
RIVER NILE ON THE MAP?
Are you ready
for a fact hunt?

56. THE PYRAMID OF KHUFU
Built over 4500 years ago, this pyramid was the tallest
man made structure in the world until the 1300's.
The Pyramid of Khufu,
sometimes called the
'Great Pyramid' of Giza,
is the largest of all the
Egyptian pyramids.
It is one of the 'Seven
Wonders of the Ancient
World' and is the only
one still standing.
How tall do
you think it
is?

57. What other buildings do you know of
today that are over 140m high?
KHUFU PYRAMID: FACTS AND FIGURES
How long would it take
an Olympic sprinter to run
the same distance as the
length of one side of
the pyramid?
146m high Number of limestone
blocks used:
2,300,000
(original height
before removal
of stones and
natural erosion)
Each side of the pyramid aligns with the points of a compass.
The entrance is usually on the north side.
Weight of each block:
average 2.5 tons
230m 230m

58. This is the Pyramid of Unas at Saqqara.
The photo shows casing similar to that which covered the Khufu
pyramid before the stone was used for buildings in Cairo.
THE PYRAMID OF UNAS
Why do you
think they
covered the
pyramids in
this way?

59. SECRET ENTRANCES AND TRAP DOORS
From the outside, the
pyramids look quite
simple but inside were
various passages and
chambers, some with
secret entrances and
trap doors.
Why do you think they
used secret entrances
and trap doors?
[pyramidtextsonline] is licensedunder CC BY 2.0

60. HIEROGLYPHICS
The chambers and
passages were intricately
decorated with pictures and
hieroglyphics.
These examples come from the
Pyramid of Unas.
The writings tells stories of the
King, religious tales, requests for
help from the gods in the journey to
the afterlife and some are a
warning to grave robbers!
What does this
evidence tell us?

61. TREASURE
Treasure and items for the King
to use in the afterlife would be
left in the burial chamber.
Other chambers might be used
for members of his family.
If you believed you were going
to the afterlife, what would you
want to take with you?

62. THE SPHINX AT GIZA
The Sphinx is a mythical creature with a human head and the body of a
lion. The word means ‘father of dread’ or ‘the terrifying one’.
Made in limestone, it sits near the Pyramids of Giza.
It is the largest stone
statue in the world at over
73m long, 19m wide and
20m high.
It was believed to have
been built during the
reign of Khafra, and the
face made in his likeness.
Why do you think the
Sphinx was built?

63. HYPOGEUM
They are tombs dug out
of the rock that consisted
sloping corridor, several
rooms and a funerary
chamber.
The most well-known
hypogea are those of
Tutankhamun and
Nefertari, respectively
located in the valleys of
the Kings and the

65. SCULPTURE
They are hieratic, that is, they do
not represent much movement.
movement.
Law of frontality: The head and
legs are represented in profile,
profile, while the trunk and the
the eye are made in front.
The social hierarchy is shown
shown along the size. The more
more important, the bigger.
Many materials are used, from
from stone to wood, but they
they are all polychrome (they are
(they are painted).

66. PAINTING
Paintings decorated the inside walls of
temples and tombs (ex. Nefertari’s thomb)
They represented religious scenes and
scenes of daily life.
Their rules are similar to the sculpture