Pharaohs in the Old Kingdom (2660-2180 B.C.E.)
The first pharaoh Menes united Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt into a single kingdom around 3100 B.C.E. The period of time after Menes unification of Egypt is called the Old Kingdom. Old Kingdom Egypt was a prosperous time in which Ancient Egyptians produced large quantities of art and developed a new religious belief system.
 |
The Ancient Egyptians were polytheistic; they believed in many gods, some of whom were more important and more powerful than others. The most powerful god in Ancient Egypt was Amon-Ra, the creator of life and the commander of the sky, earth, and the underworld. Amon-Ra was actually a combination of two different figures. Amon could control the cosmos with his thoughts and sustained the land and its people. Ra was the creator of life and was associated with another god, Horus. Horus was a falcon-like god who bestowed divinity on the Egyptian pharaohs.
Pharaohs were the focal point of Ancient Egyptian religious life. The Egyptians considered the pharaoh to be Horus in human form. The pharaoh was thus a living god on earth and had a powerful position as a mediator between the gods and the common people. The pharaohs, as gods on earth, required massive palaces during their lifetimes and opulent pyramids during death. These pyramids contained everything that the pharaoh would need during the afterlife and symbolized their power and connection to the gods. The Great Pyramids at Giza are an excellent example of an Old Kingdom monument to the pharaohs.
No comments:
Post a Comment