River Valley Civiliza-ons

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Laura Park
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1 River Valley Civiliza-ons Nile Valley and Indus Valley Developed civiliza-on or learned ideas from Mesopotamia? Each civiliza-on has a dis-nct pa?ern that is different from the one in Mesopotamia Nile state more important than ci-es Lack of evidence leaves ques-ons about Indus valley civiliza-on

2 Egypt: The GiI of the Nile Nile naturally irrigated cropland with predictable, annual flooding River also facilitated man- made irriga-on systems Adjacent deserts protected Egypt from invasion Waterfalls hindered invasion from the south Stability meant long- term indigenous government

3 Earliest Egypt: Before the Kings Agriculture sustained life Grasses ground into food, 12,000 B.C.E. Seeds ground into flour, 6000 B.C.E. Saharan drought led to more Nile se?lement String of villages along Nile by 3600 B.C.E. Walled towns emerged by 3300 B.C.E., along with evidence of social stra-fica-on

4 The Wri?en Record Wri-ng emerged at same -me as in Sumer Wri-ng based on system of hieroglyphics wri?en on papyrus Wri-ng used for business and government to 2400 B.C.E. Emergence of literature aided reconstruc-on of Egyp-an history and culture

5 Unifica-on and the Rule of Kings 3100 B.C.E unifica-on established unified Egypt from peoples who came to the Nile and melded into a single ethnicity Menes oien seen as first king, but there is support for kings 200 years earlier Kings came to be seen as divine Kings balanced nature and invited Nile to flood

6 Gods, Unifica-on of Egypt and the AIerlife Osiris = order (ma at) and virtue Seth = disorder and evil Isis, sister/wife of Osiris, defeated Seth s plot to destroy Osiris Seth cut Osiris into fourteen pieces and sca?ered him across Egypt Isis s collec-on of pieces symbolizes unifica-on of Egypt

7 Gods, Unifica-on of Egypt and the AIerlife (cont.) Isis conceived son Horus with a briefly- revivified Osiris Horus defeated Seth in ba?le and made father Osiris divine and in charge of underworld Horus was first Egyp-an god to be worshipped na-onally Belief in aierlife led to prac-ce of mummifica-on

8 Ci-es of the Dead Design tombs (mastabas) for prominent Egyp-ans Early burials concentrated in Abydos and Saqqara as early as 3100 B.C.E. Women generally lower status but burial inscrip-on of Ankhesenpepi II was rare honor

9 The Growth of Ci-es Egypt had no independent city- states Egyp-ans lived in network of riverbank villages interspersed with larger towns that may have become administra-ve ci-es (nomes) Transi-on occurred around 3300 BCE. Development of Hierakonpolis illustrates this trend: spread out rather than compact, it s-ll served as an administra-ve center

10 The Growth of Ci-es (cont.) Supplemental irriga-on systems during drought may have triggered unifica-on Development of man- made irriga-on projects a staple feature of Egypt for next 2,000 years Religion, administra-on, and irriga-on were keys to city development Did ci-es have walls? This would be a measure of the success of unifica-on

11 The GiI of the Nile The Growth of Ci-es (cont.) Recent excava-ons suggest presence of walls Larger ci-es were poli-cal capitals- - Memphis in the north and Thebes in the south City- village network supported popula-on increase from 1.5 to 2.5 million in B.C.E. period Egypt also had trade ci-es to deal with rest of world

12 Pyramids and Fortresses Transi-on from mastaba to pyramids began in Third Dynasty ( B.C.E.) Large pyramids of Khufu, Khefren, and Menkaure in Fourth Dynasty ( B.C.E.) Pyramids reflected Egyp-an strength in era Power extended to fortress at first cataract of the Nile

13 The Disintegra-on of the Old Kingdom Old Kingdom fell in 2181 B.C.E., due likely to period of drought and famine Increased power of nome leaders (nomarchs) reflected decline Nomarchs collected and kept local taxes and raised armies Era aier Old Kingdom decline known as First Intermediate Period

14 Rise and Fall of the Middle Kingdom Middle Kingdom ( B.C.E.) established by Mentuhotpe of Thebes Trade revival based on caravans and ships Fine art revival includes Autobiography of Si- nuhe Administra-ve reform extended Egyp-an power Ended with invasions of Nubians and Hyksos

15 Akhetaten, Capital City of King Akhenaten Amenhotep IV, be?er known as Akhenaten Developed monotheis-c worship of Aten and made himself mediator between gods and people Moved capital 200 miles north of Thebes to be free of tradi-onal religious leaders City destroyed aier Akhenaten died; former religious tradi-ons were restored

16 Indus Valley and Its Mysteries Roots of the Indus Valley Civiliza-on Unknown un-l mid- 19th century discovery Excava-ons revealed two ci-es: Harappa and Mohenjo- Daro Site predates appearance of Aryans in India by 1,500 years Harappa seen as an innova-on, not a copy of Sumer Limited wri-ng hinders knowledge of Harappa

17 Indus Valley and Its Mysteries Design/Construc-on of Well- planned Ci-es CraIs and the Arts Reflected trade connec-ons over broad area First use of co?on No wri?en texts to explain meaning of wide range of ar-facts

18 Indus Valley and Its Mysteries Design/Construc-on of Well- planned Ci-es Carefully Planned Ci-es 1,000 known Harappan sites by 2500 B.C.E. Iden-cal city layout for Harappa and Hohenjo- Daro Extensive public baths Homes with toilets connected to sewer system Regular plan suggests organiza-on & bureaucracy No monumental buildings No evidence of social stra-fica-on

19 Indus Valley and Its Mysteries Design/Construc-on of Well- planned Ci-es Ques-ons of Interpreta-on Ar-facts suggest equality, efficiency, and public conveniences but also li?le change over -me Sign of successful or stagnant civiliza-on No apparent central city Can t read language to answer ques-ons How did it move east to lay basis for successor, Aryan civiliza-on of Ganges River?

20 Indus Valley and Its Mysteries Legacies of the Harappan Civiliza-on Was succeed by and blended with the Aryan civiliza-on Aryans have extensive literary legacy but virtually no ar-facts Four Legacies Some Harappan prac-ces adopted by Aryans Aryans learned farming from Harappans Image of Harappan god similar to Aryan Shiva Caste system used to control Harappans?

21 Ci-es of the Nile and Indus What Difference Do They Make? Underscore diversity of type of city City created the state and formed its values Shows significance of archaeology in uncovering the forgo?en past

Development of African Agriculture

Development of African Agriculture Sahara desert originally highly fertile region Western Sudan region nomadic herders, c. 9000 BCE Domestication of cattle c. 7500 BCE Later, cultivation of sorghum, yams,