Unit 3: The Egyptian Civilization

Artıculating Egyptian Civilization Within The Context of Africa

We describe Egypt in terms of the land, people, culture, religion, and system of government.

The center of Egyptian civilization is in Africa, but its geographical reaches cover vast areas of Africa and the Middle East.

The term habitat itself is a collective description embodying the human environment, their socio-economic and political systems, the fauna, the animal kingdom, the waterways, and the means of communication.

The dynamic phenomena of modernization and development create an atmosphere of haste and hurry. The more modernization accelerates, the more societies become distanced from the warmth of closeness that are common in traditional societies. They become secular, insular, autonomous, strident, and self-centered. This creates alienation . Those cultural practices, norms, and beliefs that were sacred at one time lose their honorific aura. They become vulnerable to changes. Those citizens who embrace change move forward; they are bound to clash with those who remain rooted in tradition.

Some scholars argue that ancient Egyptian Civilization originated in Africa. Often, they are referred to Africanists, Afro- centrists, and, in the opinion of some Western scholars, revisionists.

• Africanists look at Egypt and tend to rely on material facts and let their research lead them to the objective outcomes of their research.
• Afro-centrists also look at African and Egyptian material civilizations and articulate their views with vocabularies laced with ideology.

To deny that Egyptian civilization does not belong to Africa constitutes cultural appropriation. To deny that Egyptian civilization has not been influenced by other civilizations is intellectual oversight impaired by subjectivity.

Cheikh Anta Diop on Ancient Egypt: “Egyptian antiquity is to African culture what Greco- Roman antiquity is to Western culture. The building up of a corpus of African humanities should be based on that fact (Diop, 1990: 31). Arnold J. Toynbee on Ancient Egypt: “This notable society emerged in the lower valley of the Nile during the fourth millennium B. C. and it was without ‘parents’ and without offspring; no living society can claim it as an ancestor (Toynbee, 1947:30).

Both scholars acknowledge that ancient Egypt emerged in Africa, but they differ in their intellectual behavior (Hempel, 1966: 5-11).

Here it is essential to first clarify what intellectual behavior is: Intellectual behavior is the thought process that influences the outcome of scholarly research.

Knowledge is authentic when it is based on proven and tangible facts.

The study of Egyptology is a field of study that has inspired many intellectual positions with conflicting outcomes.

This chapter will give a background description of the Egyptian civilization. The demographic features, the political system, and the fall of the Egyptian civilizations will be discussed. The chapter will conclude by taking a position stating the Egyptian civilization at its original and organic phase was African. Its political, architectural, religious, technological, and medical developments are African. The ancient Greeks who were more contemporaneous to ancient Egypt acknowledged this.

In the Beginning

The initial makings of the Egyptian Civilization are attributed to the prehistoric eras around 5,000 BCE.

The Nile Valley in Ancient Times: Like nearly all ancient civilizations, the ancient Egyptian civilization began in the Nile River valley Geographers and anthropologists can go back around 9,000 BCE and affirm the existence of farming, hunting, and fishing communities on both banks of the River Nile (Sutton, 1974: 527-546).

This chapter begins by giving common attributes of primitive societies to articulate the cultural and indigenous contexts of the progenitors of the Pharaohs and the glorious civilization the eternal seed of which they planted. Prehistoric Egypt was primitive and indigenous in its cultural and social framework.

The Ancient Egyptian Culture of Work Ethic: The ancient Egyptians were creative, industrious and hard working. Their land was dry except on the banks of the Nile. They were not constrained by harsh environment. They labored hard in irrigation, land and water management.

The Nubia Factor in Ancient Egypt: It is apparent that the Egyptian and Nubian civilizations overlap in their material features. Both also have been marginally, but not substantially, influenced by the civilizations of invaders, such as the Assyrians, the Persians, and the Hyksos. With respect to ancient Egypt, the only aspects of the Egyptian Civilization that have elements of outside influences were notable during the political intrusions from outside, such as Assyria, Hebrew/ Judaic, Hyksos, Persia, and the Greco-Roman incursions.

The centuries when the Egyptian Civilization started to decline can be conclusively determined with the conquest of Alexander the Great . The Roman Empire injected its own values, but it was crippled and morally wounded in ways that paralyzed the glorious Egyptian Civilization. Islam delivered the terminal end of Egyptian civilization with the conquest of Islam between 639-43 A. D.

Toynbee’s most flagrant statement on Africa may be the one in which he declared that Africa does not have “indigenous civilization”! (1947: 591). He said:

• The Nordic have contributed to four, possibly five: the Indic, the Hellenic, the Western, the Russian Orthodox Christian, and possibly the Hittite.
• The Alpine have contributed to seven, possibly nine: the Sumeric, the Hittite, the Hellenic, the Western, both the Russian offshoot and the main body of the Orthodox Christian, the Iranic and possibly the Egyptiac and Minoan.
• The Mediterranean have contributed to ten: the Egyptiac, the Sumeric, the Minoan, the Syriac, the Hellenic, the Western, the main body of the Orthodox Christian, the Iranic, the Arabic and the Babylonic.
• Of the other divisions of the human race, the Brown (meaning thereby the Dravidian peoples in India and the Malays in Indonesia) have contributed to two: the Indic and Hindu.
• The Yellow race have contributed to three: the Sinic and both the Far Eastern civilizations, namely the main body in China and the Japanese offshoot.
• The Red races of America are, of course, the sole contributors to the four American civilizations.
• The Black races alone have not contributed positively to any civilization as yet” (Toynbee, 1947: 54).

Hegel who, in the 1830s, said that “Africa is not an historical part of the World... and has no movement or development to show.”

The Mesopotamian Civilization existed before the Egyptian Civilization. Geographically, there is proximity between the two civilizations.

Pre-Dynastic Egyptian Civilization and its Founding Fathers

In broader perspectives, there are three aspects of Egyptian civilization that clearly identify its historical characteristics:

• Its genesis and uniqueness,
• Its roots in the Nile and the Rift Valley of Africa,
• Its longevity.

Daily activities of individuals were facilitated by Neolithic implements such as sharp wood objects, polished flint stones, strings and ropes made from tree barks.

The challenges of daily existence have stimulating ingredients to sharpen the mind for innovation and problem solving.

The adoptive powers of the habitat’s environment in stimulating survival strategies, changes and ameliorative developments are well recorded.

Harold H. Sprout and Margaret Sprout speak of environmental determinism to argue that man’s geographical environment is a strong stimulus to the human abilities to craft means of survival.

Village Life, Culture, and Community: Village life was full of activities. Each activity has a purpose that spontaneously resulted in building character and community. Egyptian society reflected an environment that oriented the individual citizens to be self-respecting member of the village and the community by maintaining a character fit for the citizen, the family, and the community. They seem to have been cheerfully adept, congenially predisposed to face adversities, and they were able to use adversities as challenges to be solved and prevented from ever recurring.

The post-Neolithic era of Egyptian civilization can be identified as roughly resembling the traditional society (Rostow, 1960).

As agriculture expanded, the need for land management became essential. The rudiments of public administration and establishment of political structures for conflict resolution at the village level became imperative. Economic activities at their subsistence level created behavioral adjustments.

The night life was filled with music, dances, storytelling, stargazing, and relating the order of the stars to the daily life of the farmers and shepherds.

The transition from the pre-dynastic period, which began around 3,100 BCE, must have been dynamic times. The environmental stimulus that had animated the ancient Egyptians to begin to harness nature and convert the natural adversities to productive ends triggered ripple effects. They stimulated the collective mind of men, women, children, both girls and boys, and the communities at large to devise recreational, social, and community affairs. The ripple effect that these areas of activities affected were elevated eventually into social and political roles.

The family in ancient Egypt, as it was transitioning to the Dynastic period, was systematically organized to render wholesome family life.

Religious leaders often think in terms of structuring religious affairs in hierarchical, horizontal , and vertical administrative orders . Hierarchical religious order created vestments of religious officials. Horizontal religious order created outreach mechanisms so that spatial communication between religious leaders and villages, hamlets, and larger communities (nomes) were shepherded and served as faithful followers of the faith and obedient to the teachings of the clergy.

Vertical administrative order created job descriptions of the officials of religious institutions as distinct from those of secular institutions or public government. The separation was in theory, but the majesty of secular and political affairs found ways of blending political duties with religious beliefs.

Pre-dynastic Egypt lasted for over 2000 years and its evolutionary transformation introduced the Early Dynasty period.

Dynastic Egyptian Civilization and Its Builders

Among the pharaohs or rulers who impersonated themselves as divine gods were the Pre-dynasty and Early Dynasty pharaohs. These pharaohs planted the foundation for the subsequent Egyptian glory.

The next category of Egyptian Pharaohs were the mighty builders. They called themselves the Horus Kings , each identifying with a particular god. The pharaohs were human, they were not divine or supernatural. What seems to be likely is that the pharaohs were called upon to set an example of high standards of religious devotion.

Over 2000 years, and during the long centuries between 5,000 and 3,000 BCE, Pre- dynastic Egypt had remained rural and primitive.

Lake Tana in the Semien (North) highlands of Ethiopia hosts islands containing ancient monasteries, abandoned Judaic temples and relics, and ageless churches.

The Nile River and its timely flows created a hospitable environment for wholesome societies

The first six dynasty pharaohs, among them Djoser, Khafrre, Khufu, Pepi I and Pepi II, were responsible during their centuries for the take-off of the Egyptian Civilization.

Early Dynastic Period: 3100-2650 BCE

Menes , also known as Narmer, hailed from Upper Egypt. He was a powerful traditionalist, a zealous nationalist, an innovator, and a visionary for a united and powerful Egypt, one that must demonstrate its grandeur. He thus set the foundation for the grandeur of Egypt for future pharaohs to emulate and, when they could, to aspire and struggle to excel.

Under the leadership of Menes, the unity of Egypt was assured: he brought Lower Egypt (the northernmost region of Egypt, from the mouth of the Nile River south to Memphis, below today’s Cairo) into union with Upper Egypt. This union consolidated the cumulative advances that Egypt was embarking upon from its traditional society.

It is reasonable to argue that the early Pre-dynasties and then the First Dynasty kings laid down the foundation of the greatness of the Egyptian Civilization .

The gargantuan task of pyramid building took off during the Second, Third, and the Fourth Dynasties.

During this period was built the Great Pyramid of Giza , erected for the great Pharaoh Khufu in ways so complex and technically ingenious that no one, even today, is yet able to determine how it was built.

Egyptianism means being identified with Egypt, its cultural values, its political institutions, its religious order, and its rich soil

The early dynasty, with its ability to scope out the future and chart ways for Egyptian greatness, may have enabled it to have expanded the pharaonic state on the south, east, and west.

The Old Kingdom: 2686-2181 BCE

The Old Kingdom leadership now assumed the lofty pharaonic throne as a modernist government, ahead of its time. It presided over the take-off stage of the Egyptian state system. It is also known as the Third Dynasty under there must have been the equivalent of major centers of learning such as universities and venues for scientific discourse and scientific discovery at this time. Astronomy, medicine, architecture, physics, chemistry, geometry, and the finest establishments for health care were established during this period. Imhotep , an incomparable scientist, physician, architect. Some of the great pharaohs of the Old Kingdom were:

Khufu 2589-2566 BCE, Khaffa 2558- 2532 BCE, and Menkaura 2532-2503 BCE. They represented the Fourth and the Fifth Dynasties. They set the foundation and the challenges for the Golden Age of ancient Egypt. Under their rule, Egypt thrived, expanded, and brought in Libya and Nubia as part of its empire. The system of government was orderly; the religious culture so blended with the political culture that it provides a hint of the makings of what may be called today Natural Rights.

The Sixth Dynasty began under a boy pharaoh, King Popy II. He started his rule at the age of six and ruled for 94 years. The kingdom appeared to grow complacent. The vision, the energy, the foresight of the previous dynasties slowly evaporated and political and social decay set in. The royal household was profligate and unable to stop the impending chaos. The Kingdom collapsed and the First Intermediate Period began in 2181 BCE, only ending in 2055 BCE.

The General Civilizational Features of Ancient Egypt: The hierarchy of the state and bureaucratic officialdom cared for and made provisions of food, medicine, and security for what might be called its “proletariat,” thus revealing their citizen-friendly and caring system (Erman, 1971: 142-150). The process of record-keeping began and hieroglyphic scripting was the style of writing. Egyptologists before the discovery of the Rosetta Stone (found in 1799) were unable to decipher the hieroglyphic writings of the Egyptians.

Timeline of Ancient Egyptian Civilization

• Early Pre-dynasty Period 5000 - 4500 BCE
• The First Founding Pharaohs 3150 - 2680 BCE
• The Designers, Incomparable Engineers, and Builder Pharaohs 2686 - 2181 BCE
• Institutional Decay, Decentralization, and the Demise of the Throne of the Pharaoh 2181 - 2040 BCE
• Resurrection of a Mighty Egyptian Empire1570 - 1070 BCE
• The Twilight of the Pharaoh’s Power 1069 - 332 BCE
• Greece and Roman Civilizations in Egypt 332 BCE - 641 CE
• Islamic Egypt and the End of Egyptian Civilization 642 to present