Chapter 3: A Little History of the World by E.H. Gombrich classroom reading

Summary

This script delves into ancient Egypt's rich history, beginning around 3100 BC with King Menes. It highlights the Nile's crucial role in agriculture, leading to Egypt's prosperity. The script describes the immense power of pharaohs, exemplified by the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. It explores Egyptian religious beliefs, the practice of mummification, and the art of hieroglyph writing. The Rosetta Stone's significance in deciphering hieroglyphs is mentioned, along with the empire's long-standing traditions and two notable periods of attempted change, under King Chiops and Akhenaten, respectively.

Takeaways

• 🌱 The script begins with a discussion of Egypt's geography, highlighting the Nile River's crucial role in sustaining life and agriculture in an otherwise arid region.
• 🏰 The narrative introduces Menes, the first Pharaoh, who ruled around 3100 BC, and underscores the immense power of Pharaohs, who were considered divine and had absolute authority.
• 🔨 The script describes the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza by Pharaoh Khufu, emphasizing the scale of the undertaking and the labor involved without modern machinery.
• 🐱 Egyptian religion is explored, with a focus on the pantheon of gods, the significance of the afterlife, and the practice of mummification to preserve the body for the soul's return.
• 🗿 The script mentions the creation of colossal statues and temples, as well as the use of obelisks, to honor the gods and demonstrate the Pharaoh's power.
• 🐾 The sacred status of certain animals, such as cats and the Sphinx, is highlighted, reflecting the deep integration of religious beliefs into Egyptian culture.
• 📜 The use of hieroglyphs as a form of writing is explained, with an example of how to construct a name in hieroglyphs, showcasing the complexity and visual nature of the script.
• 📚 The script discusses the rediscovery of hieroglyphs through the Rosetta Stone and the subsequent ability to read ancient Egyptian texts, providing insights into their civilization.
• 📖 It mentions the use of papyrus, the material from which paper gets its name, and the preservation of knowledge through scrolls, indicating a sophisticated written tradition.
• 🔮 The script touches on periods of rebellion and religious reform, such as during the reign of Akhenaten, who attempted to shift Egypt's polytheistic religion to monotheism, but these changes were not sustained.

Q & A

When did history begin in Egypt according to the script?

History begins with 3100 BC, which is 5100 years ago.

Why were the Egyptians able to grow grain abundantly despite the hot and dry climate?

The Egyptians were able to grow grain abundantly because the Nile River flowed through their country, providing water and fertile soil through its annual flooding.

What was the significance of the Nile River to the ancient Egyptians?

The Nile River was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians as if it were a god itself, due to its crucial role in providing water and fertile soil for agriculture.

Who was the first king to rule over all of Egypt, as mentioned in the script?

The first king to rule over all of Egypt was King Menes, who ruled around 3100 BC.

What were the kings of Egypt called?

The kings of Egypt were called Pharaohs, a title that signified their immense power and authority.

Why did Pharaohs build such large tombs, like the Great Pyramid of Chiops?

Pharaohs built large tombs as part of their religious beliefs, to preserve their bodies and provide a dwelling for their souls after death.

What was the purpose of mummification in ancient Egyptian culture?

Mummification was practiced to preserve the body so that the soul would have a physical form to return to, preventing it from suffering if the body crumbled into dust.

How did the ancient Egyptians write, and what was their writing system called?

The ancient Egyptians wrote using a system of writing called hieroglyphs, which were pictorial symbols representing sounds or ideas.

What is the Rosetta Stone, and why is it significant?

The Rosetta Stone is a stone inscribed with the same text in three scripts, which allowed scholars to decipher hieroglyphs and understand ancient Egyptian writing.

How did the ancient Egyptians view change and innovation within their society?

The ancient Egyptians valued tradition and conformity highly, often resisting change. There were rare instances, such as during the reign of Akhenaten, where significant changes were attempted but were ultimately rejected by the people.

What was the primary material used by the ancient Egyptians for writing before the invention of paper?

The ancient Egyptians used a material called papyrus, made from a reed that grew on the banks of the Nile, for writing before paper was invented.

Outlines

00:00

🌾 The Nile: Egypt's Lifeblood

The first paragraph introduces the historical context of Egypt around 3100 BC, focusing on the significance of the Nile River. It explains how the Nile's annual flooding provided fertile soil for agriculture, leading to Egypt's prosperity. The Egyptians revered the Nile as a god, and a hymn from 4000 years ago is mentioned, praising the river for its nourishing and life-giving properties. The paragraph also discusses the concept of the Pharaoh, the supreme ruler of Egypt, and provides an example of King Cheops, who commissioned the Great Pyramid, an architectural marvel built without modern machinery, showcasing the dedication and labor of the Egyptians.

05:02

🐱 Sacred Animals and the Afterlife

The second paragraph delves into the religious beliefs and funerary practices of the ancient Egyptians. It mentions that certain animals, like cats, were considered sacred, and gods were often depicted in animal forms, such as the Sphinx. The Egyptians' belief in the afterlife is highlighted, with an emphasis on the preservation of bodies through mummification to ensure the soul's continued connection to the physical form. The construction of tombs and the inclusion of food, furniture, and personal items to sustain the deceased in the afterlife are discussed. The paragraph also touches on the art and writing systems of ancient Egypt, including hieroglyphs and the Rosetta Stone, which played a crucial role in deciphering this ancient script.

10:02

📜 Wisdom and Tradition in Ancient Egypt

The third paragraph explores the wisdom and cultural continuity of ancient Egypt. It discusses the Egyptians' use of papyrus, the origin of the word 'paper,' and the preservation of their knowledge in scrolls. The paragraph also reflects on the longevity of the Egyptian empire, which lasted for nearly 3000 years, and the people's adherence to tradition. It mentions instances of rebellion and attempts at religious reform, such as during the reign of Akhenaten, who introduced monotheism. However, these changes were not sustained, and the old customs and artistic styles were reinstated after his death. The paragraph concludes with a nod to the enduring practices and beliefs of the Egyptians, including the continued worship of cats and the use of hieroglyphs.

Keywords

💡Nile

The Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa and is a central theme in the video, symbolizing the lifeblood of ancient Egypt. The river's annual flooding provided fertile soil for agriculture, which was crucial for the civilization's prosperity. The video mentions how the Nile was worshipped as a god by the Egyptians, highlighting its importance in their lives and culture.

💡Pharaoh

A Pharaoh was the title of the ancient Egyptian kings who held immense power. The video explains that Pharaohs, like King Menes and King Chiops, were considered divine and were responsible for monumental construction projects such as pyramids. The term is used to illustrate the hierarchical structure of Egyptian society and the role of the monarchy in shaping the civilization.

💡Pyramid

Pyramids were monumental tombs built for Pharaohs and are iconic symbols of ancient Egypt. The video specifically mentions the Great Pyramid of Chiops, emphasizing the scale and effort required to construct it. Pyramids are indicative of the advanced engineering skills and the societal structure that enabled such grand projects.

💡Mummy

Mummification was the process of preserving bodies in ancient Egypt, as the Egyptians believed in the afterlife and the need for the soul to have a preserved body. The video describes the mummification process and how it was a reflection of their religious beliefs. Mummies are used in the script to illustrate the cultural practices and the significance of death rituals in ancient Egypt.

💡Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs were the formal writing system used in ancient Egypt, consisting of pictorial symbols. The video explains that hieroglyphs were a complex form of writing that required extensive knowledge to decipher. The script mentions the Rosetta Stone, which played a key role in deciphering hieroglyphs, emphasizing the importance of writing in preserving the civilization's history and culture.

💡Sphinx

The Sphinx is a mythical creature with a human head and a lion's body, which was a significant deity in ancient Egyptian religion. The video describes the Sphinx as a guardian of the pyramids, symbolizing the enduring nature of Egyptian culture and its monumental art. The Sphinx is used to represent the grandeur and mystery associated with ancient Egypt.

💡Obelisk

An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow monument that was commonly used in ancient Egypt. The video mentions obelisks as part of the architectural landscape, highlighting their use in front of temples. Obelisks are indicative of the artistic and engineering prowess of the Egyptians and their cultural significance in religious practices.

💡Papyrus

Papyrus was an early form of paper made from the papyrus plant, used by the ancient Egyptians for writing. The video explains that papyrus was used to create scrolls, which were a precursor to modern books. The term is used to illustrate the advanced writing materials and the importance of documentation in ancient Egyptian society.

💡Akhenaten

Akhenaten was a Pharaoh known for his religious reforms, attempting to shift the Egyptian pantheon to monotheism, worshipping the sun disk Aten. The video discusses his efforts to change traditional religious practices, which were ultimately rejected after his death. Akhenaten's story is used to demonstrate the occasional challenges to the rigid societal and religious norms in ancient Egypt.

💡Midas

Midas, mentioned in the video, is a legendary king known for his wealth, often associated with the phrase 'rich as Midas'. Although not directly related to ancient Egypt, the reference serves to emphasize the wealth and power of the Egyptian Pharaohs, drawing a parallel between the mythical wealth of Midas and the grandeur of Egyptian royalty.

💡Anubis

Anubis is the ancient Egyptian god associated with mummification and the afterlife, often depicted with the head of a jackal. The video briefly mentions Anubis as part of the pantheon of gods, illustrating the complex religious beliefs and the role of deities in ancient Egyptian culture, particularly in relation to death and the preservation of the body.

Highlights

History of Egypt begins around 3100 BC with the reign of a king named Menes.

Egypt's strategic location near the Nile River allowed for abundant agriculture despite the desert surroundings.

The Nile's annual flooding cycle was essential for the fertility of Egyptian lands.

Ancient Egyptians revered the Nile as a god due to its life-sustaining role.

A hymn from 4000 years ago praises the Nile for its nourishment and agricultural benefits.

The first unified Egypt was ruled by a pharaoh, a title for its kings, starting with King Menes in 3100 BC.

Pharaohs were considered immensely powerful, with their word as law and the people's toil at their command.

King Chiops, around 2500 BC, had his subjects construct the Great Pyramid, a monumental tomb reflecting his power.

The construction of the Great Pyramid involved manual labor on a massive scale without modern machinery.

Egyptian religion included a pantheon of gods, with pharaohs believed to be the sons of the sun god.

The Sphinx, a lion-bodied deity with a human head, was a powerful symbol in Egyptian religion.

The belief in the afterlife led to the practice of mummification to preserve the body for the soul's return.

Tombs were equipped with provisions and items for the afterlife, including food, furniture, and wall paintings.

Hieroglyphs, the Egyptian writing system, was a complex form of pictorial communication.

The Rosetta Stone, with inscriptions in three scripts, was key to deciphering hieroglyphs.

Ancient Egyptian society was highly stratified, with slaves and nobles having distinct roles and lifestyles.

The Egyptian empire lasted for nearly 3000 years, marked by strict adherence to tradition and religious practices.

King Akhenaten introduced a radical shift in religious beliefs, advocating for monotheism focused on the sun god.

Despite attempts at change, Egyptian society and its traditions remained largely constant over millennia.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Music]

chapter 3

the land by the nile here as i promised

history begins with when and aware it is

3100 bc

that is 5100 years ago when

as we believe a king named menace was

ruling over egypt

if you want to know how where exactly

egypt is

i suggest you ask a swallow every autumn

when it gets cold swallows fly south

over the mountains to italy

and on across a little stretch of sea

and

then there in africa in the park that

lies nearest to europe

egypt is close by in africa it is hot

and for months on end it doesn't rain in

many regions

very little grows these are deserts

as are the lands on either side of egypt

egypt also gets very little rain

but here they don't need it because the

nile flows right through the middle of

the country

from one end to the other twice a year

when heavy rain

filled its sources the river would swell

and burst its banks

flooding the whole land then people were

forced to take to boats

to move among the houses and the palm

trees and when the waters withdrew the

earth was wonderfully drenched

and rich with oozing mud there under the

hot sun the grain grew as it did nowhere

else

which is why from earliest times the

egyptians worshipped the nile as if it

were god himself

would you like to hear a hymn they sang

to the river four thousand years ago

glory be to thee o nile you rise out of

the earth and come to nourish

egypt you water the plains and have the

power to feed all cattle

you quench the thirsty desert far from

any water

you bring forth the barley you create

the wheat

you fill the granaries and store houses

not forgetting the poor

for you we pluck our harps for you we

sing

so saying ancient egyptians and they

were right

for thanks to the nile their land grew

rich and powerful

midas the mightiest of all was their

king

one king ruled over all the egyptians

and the first to do so

was king menace do you remember when

that was

it was 3100 bc and can you remember

perhaps from maybe bible stories what

those

kings of egypt were called they were

called pharaohs

a pharaoh was immensely powerful he

lived in a great stone

palace with massive pillars and many

courtyards

and his word was law all the people of

egypt had to toil for him

if he so decreed and sometimes he did

one such pharaoh was king chiops who

lived in about

2500 bc he summoned all his subjects to

help construct his tomb

he wanted a building like a mountain and

he got it

you can still see it today it's the

great pyramid of chiops

you might may have seen pictures of it

but you still won't be able to imagine

how big it is

a cathedral would comfortably fit inside

clambering up its huge stone blocks is

like scaling up a mountain peak

and yet it was human beings who piled

those gigantic stones on top of each

other

they had no machines in those days

rollers and pulleys at most

they had to pull and shove every single

block by hand

just think of it in the heat of africa

in this way it seems for 30 years some

hundred thousand people

toiled for the pharaoh whenever they

weren't working in the fields

and when they grew tired the king's

overseer was sure to drive them on with

his hippopotamus skin

whip as they dragged and heaved those

immense loads all for their king's tomb

perhaps you're wondering why the pharaoh

should want to build such a gigantic

tomb it was all part of his religion the

egyptians believed in many gods

some had ruled over them as kings long

ago or at least that's what they thought

and among these were osiris and his

consort isis

the sun god ammon was a special god the

kingdom of the dead

had its own god anubis and he had a

jackal's head

each pharaoh they believed was the son

of the sun god which explains why they

feared him so much

and obeyed all his commands in honor of

their gods they chiseled majestic stone

statues

as tall as a five-story house and built

temples as big as towns

in front of the temples they set tall

pointed stones cut from a single block

of granite

these are called obelisks a greek word

meaning something like

little spear in some of our own cities

you can still see obelisks that people

brought back from egypt

there's one in london by the thames

in the egyptian religion certain animals

were sacred

cats for example other gods were

represented in animal form the creature

we know as

the sphinx which has a human head on a

lion's body was

a very powerful god its statue near the

pyramids is

so vast that the whole temple would fit

inside

buried from time to time by the desert

sands the sphinx has now been guarding

the tombs of the pharaohs

for more than 5 000 years who can say

how long it will continue to keep watch

and yet the most important part of the

egyptian's strange religion

was their belief that although a man's

soul left his body when he died

for some reason the soul went on needing

that body and would suffer if it

crumbled into dust

so they invented a very ingenious way of

preserving the bodies of the dead

they rubbed them with ointments and the

juices of certain plants and bandaged

them with long strips of cloth so that

they wouldn't decay

a body preserved in this manner is

called a mummy

and today after thousands of years these

mummies are still intact

a mummy was placed in a coffin made of

wood the wooden coffin in one made of

stone

and the stone one buried not in the

earth but in a tomb that was chiseled

out of rock

if you were rich and powerful like king

chiops the son of the sun

a whole stone mountain would be made for

your tomb deep inside the mummy would be

safe

or so they thought but the mighty king's

efforts were in vain

his pyramid is empty

but the mummies of other kings and those

of many ancient egyptians have been

found inside

undisturbed tombs a tomb was intended to

be a dwelling for the soul when it

returned to visit its body

for this reason they put in food and

furniture and clothes

and there are lots of paintings on the

walls showing scenes from the life of

the departed

his portrait was there too to make sure

that when his soul came on a visit it

wouldn't go to the wrong tomb

thanks to the great stone statues and

the wonderfully bright and vivid wall

paintings we have a very good idea of

what life in ancient egypt was like

true these paintings do not show things

as we see them

an object or a person that is behind

another is generally shown on top

and the figures look stiff their bodies

are shown from the front

and hands and feet from the side so they

look as if they've been ironed flat

but the egyptians knew what they were

doing every detail is clear

how they used great nets to catch ducks

on the nile how they paddled their boats

and fished with long spears

how they pumped water into ditches to

irrigate the fields

how they drove their cows and goats to

pasture how they threshed grain

and made shoes and clothes blew glass

for they could already do that

and how they shaped bricks and built

houses and we can also see girls playing

catch

or playing music on flutes and soldiers

going off to war or returning with loot

and foreign captives such as black

africans

in nobleman's tombs we can see embassies

arriving from abroad

laden with tribute and the king

rewarding faithful ministers with

decorations

some pictures show the long dead

noblemen at prayer

their arms raised before the statues of

their gods or holding banquets in their

houses

with singers plucking harps and clowns

performing somersaults

next to these brightly color colored

paintings you often see lots of

tiny pictures of all sorts of things

such as owls and little people flags

flowers tents beetles and vases together

with zigzag lines and spirals all

jumbled up together whatever can they be

they aren't pictures they are

hieroglyphs or sacred signs the egyptian

form of writing

the egyptians were immensely proud of

their writing indeed they were

almost in awe of it and of all

professions

that of scribe was the most highly

esteemed

would you like to know how to write

using hieroglyphs

in fact learning this sort of writing

must have been incredibly hard as it's

more like constructing a picture puzzle

if they wanted to write the name of

their god osiris they would draw a

throne

which was pronounced os and an i

which is pronounced eerie so that the

two together made

osiri and to make sure that no one

thought they meant

thrown eye they often drew a little flag

like this beside it

which meant that the person was a god in

the same way that christians used to

draw a little cross

after a name if they wanted to show that

that person was dead

so now you can write osiris and

hieroglyphs but

think what a job it must have been to

decipher all that egyptian writing when

people became interested in hieroglyphs

again

200 years ago in fact they were only

able to decipher them because a stone

had been found

on which the same words were written in

three scripts

ancient greek hieroglyphs and another

egyptian script

it was still a tremendous puzzle and a

great scholars devoted their lives to it

you can see that stone it's called the

rosetta stone in the british museum

in london

we are now able to read almost

everything the egyptians wrote

not just on the walls of palaces and

temples but also in books

though the books are no longer very

legible for the ancient egyptians did

have books

even that long ago of course they

weren't made of paper like ours but

from a certain type of reed that grows

on the banks of the nile

the greek name for these reeds is

papyrus from which our name for paper

comes

they wrote on long strips of this

papyrus which were then rolled up into

scrolls

a whole heap of these scrolls has

survived and

when we read them we discovered just how

wise and clever those ancient egyptians

really were

would you like to hear a saying written

more than 5 000 years ago

but you must listen carefully and think

about it

wise words are rarer than emeralds

yet they come from the mouths of poor

slave girls

who turn the millstones

because the egyptians were so wise and

so powerful their empire lasted for a

very long time

longer than any empire the world has

ever known nearly 3 000

years and they took just as much care as

they did with their corpses when they

preserved them from running away

in preserving all their ancient

traditions over the centuries

their priests made quite sure that no

son

did anything his father had not done

before him to them

everything old was sacred

only rarely in the course of all that

time did people turn against

this strict conformity once was shortly

after the reign of king chiops

around 2100 bc when the people tried to

change everything

they rose up in rebellion against the

pharaoh killed his ministers and dragged

the mummies from their tombs

those who formerly didn't even own

sandals

now hold treasures and those who once

wore precious robes now go about in rags

the ancient papyrus tells us the land is

turning like a potter's wheel

but it did not last very long and soon

everything was as strict as before if

not

more so on another occasion it was the

pharaoh himself who tried to change

everything

akhenaten was a remarkable man who lived

around

1370 bc he had no time for the egyptian

religion with its many gods and its

mysterious rituals

there is only one god he taught his

people and that is the sun

through whose rays all is created and

all sustained

to him alone you must pray the ancient

temples were shut down

and king atnatan and his wife moved into

a new palace

since he was utterly opposed to

tradition and in favor of fine new ideas

he also had the walls of his palace

painted in an entirely new style

one that was no longer severe rigid and

solemn but freer

and more natural however this didn't

please the people at all

they wanted everything to look as it had

always done for thousands of years

as soon as akhenaten was dead they

brought back

all the old customs and the old style of

art so everything stayed

as it had been for as long as the

egyptian empire endured

just as in the days of king menas and

for nearly three and a half

more centuries people continued to put

mummies into tombs

to write in hieroglyphs and to pray to

the same gods

they even went on worshiping cats as

sacred animals

and if you ask me i think that in this

at least the egyptians were right

[Music]

[Applause]

you