Thursday, November 18, 2010

Death of a pharaoh. How did the ancient Egyptians handle it??


King Tut's Death Mask
 The death of a king was always regarded as a shattering and indeed earth-shaking event.  A deceased king was referred to as netjer-nefer "The Perfect God."  The GORGEOUS pyramids and other elaborate tombs were built for the pharaohs and their beautiful queens.  Their ruler was buried with everything he would need in the afterlife [cool huh?] including gold, furniture, food, etc.

Opinions on Egyptian government

Egyptian government was feudal and theocratic.  Every thread and filament of social and spiritual authority ran back directly to the hand of the King.  The slightest twitch which he gave to the reins of authority was felt from end to end of his kingdom.  In other countries, the king was a mere mortal, but in Egypt the king was a god in his own right.  He was the cone that topped the structure of the Egyptian Pyramid! { That's a mouthful!!]

Consequences for BAD noodles!

Some consequences ended up in forced labor
You may think that these consequences sound absolutely ridiculous, but when you hear the crimes that go with them you just might change your mind.  Some consequences end up in beating [100 or more blows!! OUCH!!] along with backbreaking forced labor in mines or quarries.  Consequences...  If a government official was caught peeking at the treasury he suffers the loss of BOTH his hands!!  Revealing a military secret could cause you to lose your tongue!  If you kill one of your parents, then you shall be placed on a bed of thorns for a long time and then burned to death!! [ sounds exciting? NOT!!]

Were these laws fair?? And who put them into ACTION!!!!????


Cleopatra
 A pharaoh (king/ queen) was able to put these laws into place.  I think that It's safe to say that some of these laws were not fair to the citizens of Egypt.  These laws were based on a common sense view of the right and wrong and consequences for breaking them were severe.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Do what the Pharaohs do!!!


Ra - The Sun God
 Can you believe that even as a Pharaoh you would have MANY duties to look forward to when you wake up?!

At dawn {yes, dawn!} you would go into your private chapel and sit through a laving of limbs (that's bathing to you and me!) to imitate the Sun God, Ra who bathes each morning in the ocean of heaven.  After you have your quiet time, you shall be anointed with oil, robed, and invested with royal insignia by the priests wearing the mask of Horus.  Next, [ I know...there's more...I can't believe it either!] you will proceed to the temple where he officiated at a daily ceremony and then continued to the 'regular' daily tasks (you know, like running a country and what-not).

A theocratic country...

Pyramid and Great Sphinx
The government of ancient Egypt was a theocracy with the Pharaoh at the top.  The structure also included viziers [ highest ranking official] army commanders, chief treasurers, ministers of public works, and tax collectors, all of whom reported directly to the pharaoh [ how fun would that be!? ].  The Pharaoh was the political and religious leader of Egypt.