Review of the Egyptian Region. - John Adams Academy

Review of the Egyptian Region.
Nemes Headdress!
A Pharaoh never let his hair be seen – he would always wear a crown or a
headdress called a nemes (the striped cloth headdress made famous by
Tutankhamen’s golden mask (pictured above)
Nemes Headdress!
In order to deter flies from landing on him, Pepi
II of Egypt always kept several slaves nearby
whose bodies were smeared with honey.
While the use of antibiotics did not begin in the 20th century, early folk
medicine included the use of mouldy foods or soil for infections. In ancient
Egypt, for example, infections were treated with mouldy bread.
Daily Wear
Rich Egyptians wore wigs while
the other classes would wear
their hair long or in pigtails. Until
12, Egyptian boys had their
heads shaved except for one
plaited lock – this was as a
protection against lice and fleas.
Flat Earth
Theory
Egyptian’s believed that the
earth was flat and round (like a
pancake) and that the Nile
flowed through the center of it.
The first pyramid (The Step Pyramid of Djoser built around 2600 BC – seen
above) was originally surrounded by a 34 ft tall wall which had 15 doors in it. Only
one of the doors opened.
Not Slaves!
Contrary to popular belief, excavated skeletons show that the pyramid builders
were actually Egyptians who were most likely in the permanent employ of the
pharaoh. Graffiti indicates that at least some of these workers took pride in their
work, calling their teams “Friends of Khufu,” “Drunkards of Menkaure,” and so
on—names indicating allegiances to pharaohs.
After a long day’s work along the Nile River, Egyptians often relaxed by playing
board games. Several different games were played, including “Mehen” and “Dogs
and Jackals,” but perhaps the most popular was a game of chance known as
“Senet.”
TUT
and the Hippo?
Historians believe they know how he
died. Scans of the young king’s body
show that he was embalmed without his
heart or his chest wall. This drastic
departure from traditional Egyptian burial
practice suggests that he may have
suffered a horrific injury prior to his
death. According to a handful of
Egyptologists, one of the most likely
causes for this wound would have been
a bite from a hippopotamus. Evidence
indicates that the Egyptians hunted the
beasts for sport, and statues found in
King Tut’s tomb even depict him in the
act of throwing a harpoon.
Doctors
An ancient physician was usually a jack-of-all-trades, but evidence shows that
Egyptian doctors sometimes focused on healing only one part of the human body.
This early form of medical specialization was first noted in 450 B.C. by the traveler
and historian Herodotus. Discussing Egyptian medicine, he wrote, “Each physician
is a healer of one disease and no more…some of the eye, some of the teeth,
some of what pertains to the belly.” These specialists even had specific names.
Animals
The Egyptians saw animals as incarnations of the gods and were one of
the first civilizations to keep household pets. Egyptians were particularly
fond of cats, which were associated with the goddess Bastet, but they
also had a reverence for hawks, ibises, dogs, lions and baboons. Many
of these animals held a special place in the Egyptian home, and they
were often mummified and buried with their owners after they died.
Brush Your
Teeth
Of course there were no dentists back in the day,
but ancient Egyptians contributed to innovations
in dental hygiene with the invention of toothpaste
– ingredients included the powder of ox hooves,
ashes, burnt eggshells and pumice. I guess
there’s no better way to wake yourself up than
with bad breath!
Quick Quiz Class
Discussion
What did you think was the most
interesting strange fact?
What do you think allowed for the
Egyptians to last as an empire?
What was the most important thing
the Egyptians did?
Video