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Exploring Ancient Egypt
Overview
In Egypt, the Great Pyramids still stand today after thousands of years.
It is partly through these structures that we know about Ancient Egypt.
There are various theories as to how the blocks of the pyramids were put
into place without present-day technology. We know that thousands
of people helped to build them, and some scholars believe that they "willingly"
participated in constructing the pyramids. However, we know little
about the lives of the people who built these structures; they are not
represented in the tombs within the pyramids. Instead, the tombs
within the pyramids were built for pharaohs who achieved preeminence among
deities in Egyptian religious tradition. Religion was very important in
Egyptian society and Ancient Egyptians worshipped many gods who often
represented the natural world. The items placed in the tombs to
represent these gods were protected by sophisticated mechanisms such as
traps to deter those who might want to steal from the sacred pharaohs'
tombs.
Objectives
- Through the exploration of two web sites, students will draw connections
between the pyramids of ancient Egypt and Egyptian culture, religion,
traditions, and values at that time.
- Students will analyze and interpret the meaning of objects and verbally
describe their interpretations for the class.
Resource(s)
"Exploring Ancient World Cultures" http://eawc.evansville.edu/index.htm
From Home page, click on the "Ancient Egypt" box (upper right hand corner)
"Pyramids: The Inside Story" http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid
Activity
Step I:
- In pairs, explore the Timeline and Images (particularly those from
the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Detroit Institute of the Arts) in
"Exploring
Ancient World Cultures" (http://eawc.evansville.edu/index.htm) and
the Explore the Pyramids section in
"Pyramids: The Inside Story" (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid).
Take notes as you review the sites and gather information about what
the pyramids look like, what they contain, and why they were built.
Step II:
- Consider the following questions: What items were stored in the tombs?
Why do you think those artifacts were carefully placed and protected
within the pyramids? What do the tombs, materials within the tombs,
and other artifacts reveal to you about ancient Egyptian life, culture,
and values? List 6-10 physical characteristics of the pyramids or artifacts
found in the tombs that reveal something to you about Egyptian culture
and explain what you think they reveal.
Step III:
- Choose one physical characteristic or artifact from your list and
prepare a three- to five- minute oral presentation to the class about
its history and meaning.
Optional Additional Activity
- With your partner, discuss
a structure you might want to build to inform future generations about
American culture today. The areas to choose from include: family;
political/government; spirituality; education; economics; lifestyle;
and entertainment. What would that structure look like?
What items would you leave within the structure? What will the
structure and the items within it reveal about American culture to future
generations?
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