Ancient EGYPT: GODS AND PHARAOHS

s
Idea
That
Matter
Written by Robert E. Slavin and Kate Conway
Ancient EGYPT: GODS AND PHARAOHS

Written by Robert E. Slavin and Kate Conway

Ancient Egypt: Gods and Pharaohs
© 2014 Success for All Foundation. All rights reserved.
ISBN: 9780976785040

Developers: Robert E. Slavin, Kate Conway, Wendy Fitchett, Alli Hoge

Editors: Jodie Littleton, Janet Wisner
Designers: Barbara Colquitt, Devon Bouldin

Image Credits:
Creative Commons Attribution—Share Alike: Captmondo (Canopic jars, pg. 16),
ChrisO (Nile delta map, pg. 5), Guillaume Blanchard (Amulet, pg. 14), Hans
Hillewaert (Rosetta stone, pg. 23), Jeff Dahl (Egyptian gods, pgs. 2 and 5), Joshua
Sherurcij (Egyptian mummy, pg. 16), Messer Woland (Giza pyramid complex map,
pg. 18), Nina Alden Thune (Kheops pyramid, pg. 19), Titi Sitria (Offerings carrier
figurine, Dynasty XI, pg. 14)
Shutterstock.com: AcaG, Andrei Nekrassov, Artform, Bill McKelvie, Boonsom,
Bzzuspajk, Canicula Cardaf, Daboost, Dinadesign, Dudarev Mikhail, Erhan Dayi,
EugenZ, Fstockfoto, javarman, Lukiyanova Natalia/frenta, Mihai Dancaescu, Paul
Vinten, pavalena, Peter Hermes Furian, pio3, rook76, Sergey Khachatryan, Vibrant
Image Studio, Waj, Yu Lan
© Thinkstock: © Brand X Pictures, © iStockphoto, © Photos.com

The mission of the Success for All Foundation is to develop and disseminate research-proven educational
programs to ensure that all students, from all backgrounds, achieve at the highest academic levels.
These programs were originally developed at Johns Hopkins University.

300 E. Joppa Road, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21286

phone: (800) 548-4998, ext. 2372 fax: (410) 324-4444 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.successforall.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction............................................. 2
The Land.................................................. 5
Pharaohs................................................... 8
The People............................................. 12
The Afterlife.......................................... 16
Buildings................................................. 19
Hieroglyphs............................................ 22
Egypt Today........................................... 26
Glossary.................................................. 29
Index....................................................... 30
 INTRODUCTION
Marhaban! That’s how you say hello in Arabic. Arabic is the language spoken today in Egypt.

Egypt is one of the oldest Thousands of years ago, Egypt believed in many other gods.
civilizations in the world. Many was ruled by powerful kings The Egyptians built incredible
languages have been spoken in called pharaohs. The ancient pyramids, temples, and tombs
Egypt. The religions and people’s Egyptians believed that their to honor their gods.
traditions have changed too. pharaohs were gods. They also

Get to know the Egyptian Gods

The Egyptians had hundreds of gods. Some of the gods were part
human and part animal. Here are some of their most important gods.

Hathor Isis
Anubis Ra Sekhmet Thoth
Goddess of Goddess of
God of the dead God of the sun Goddess of war God of writing
love and joy motherhood
2
Many of the objects we use paper, they needed something to
today come from ancient write with, so they invented the
Egypt. The Egyptians invented pen! The Egyptians also invented
the first form of paper, toothpaste and the toothbrush,
which was called papyrus. makeup, wigs, marshmallows,
It was made from reeds. and the calendar!
After the Egytians invented

3
 Researchers and This book will take you Fact:
scientists have been on a journey through The study of
studying ancient Egypt their discoveries. Let’s ancient Egypt is
for many years. Much learn more about called Egyptology.
of what we know the land, people, and People who study
about this ancient customs that shaped Egypt are called
culture comes from the ancient Egypt. Egyptologists.
mummies and artifacts
that they have studied.  

4
THE LAND
A huge river called the Nile flows
through the middle of Egypt.

The Nile is the longest into many smaller rivers

river in the world. It runs in what is called a delta.
from south to north The small rivers flow into
through Africa. At the the Mediterranean Sea.
north end, it breaks
Egypt is in the northeast corner of Africa.
Part of Egypt is also in Asia. It is the only
country that connects the two continents.

Fact: Sobek
was the God
of the Nile. He
had the head
of a crocodile.
Egyptians prayed
to Sobek to
keep them safe
from crocodiles
when they
5
crossed the Nile.
 Ancient Egypt was split Egyptians could use
into two zones called for farming. Nearly all
Kemet and Deshret. Egyptians lived in the
Kemet, or the Black Black Land. Deshret
Land, was the land means the Red Land.
by the Nile. Every year, The Red Land is the
the Nile would flood desert that covers
and cover the land with most of Egypt.
rich dark soil that the

6
Egypt gets less than one source of transportation
inch of rain per year, and trade. The Egyptians
so the Egyptians relied built ships with sails
on the Nile for survival. and oars to travel up
The Nile gave people and down the Nile.
fresh water for drinking This helped them trade
and bathing. It also gave with people all over the
them food. They could world. The Egyptians
catch fish that lived in took African ideas and
the water. They also goods to other countries.
used nets and spears to They also brought back
hunt birds that flew near ideas and inventions
the water’s surface. The from Greece, the Middle
Nile was also a major East, and other regions.

7
 PHARAOHS
Pharaohs ruled over Egypt for thousands of years. The Egyptians
believed that their pharaohs were half-man and half-god.

A ritual was held when a pharaoh had been on the throne

for thirty years. The pharaoh transformed into a full god.

The pharaoh was the most powerful person in Egypt. The pharaoh
owned all the land and made all the laws. The pharaoh also led Fact: In 1925, an
Englishman found King
the Egyptian army in battle against other nations.
Tut’s tomb. It was filled
with riches and covered
One of the most well-known pharaohs is Tutankhamun. He is in gold, silver, and jewels.
sometimes called King Tut or the boy king. He ruled Egypt for nine The Egyptians believed
years before he died when he was only eighteen. that they took their riches
with them to the afterlife.
King Tut was buried with
thousands of objects,
including jewelry, statues,
  and a gold throne. You
can still see the riches
from Tut’s tomb in Cairo,
the capital of Egypt.

8
Nearly all the pharaohs were men.
When a pharaoh died, his son,
nephew, or grandson would become
pharaoh. The queen would rule with
him if the boy was too young.

One queen named Hatshepsut

wanted all the power. Hatshepsut
married Thutmose II, who had a son
by another woman. Thutmose III
was just a child when his father died.
Hatshepsut, the boy’s stepmother,
acted as pharaoh while he grew up.
She was the daughter of a popular
pharaoh, and the people liked her.

9
 However, when pharaohs. She even
Thutmose III was wore a false beard. Fact: Women in
ancient Egypt painted
old enough to rule, She ruled for nearly
their fingernails! The
Hatshepsut decided twenty-two years.
color was determined
to remain pharaoh. When Hatshepsut died, by a woman’s status in
She made herself king. the new pharaoh took society. Hatshepsut wore
Everyone knew she his revenge. He had black and red, the colors
was a woman, but she all references to his of royalty.
dressed like the male stepmother destroyed.

You can see

Hatshepsut’s
feminine features,
even though
she is wearing a
false beard.

10
 Cleopatra’s name
in Heiroglyphs

Another famous female leader and queens of Egypt respected

of Egypt was Cleopatra VII. She Egyptian traditions and religion.
was of Greek descent. The Greeks They dressed like pharaohs and
conquered Egypt in 305 BCE. honored the Egyptian gods.
Cleopatra and other Greek kings

1332–1323
BCE
Tutankhamun rules

3500 BCE 3000 BCE 2500 BCE 2000 BCE 1500 BCE 1000 BCE 500 BCE 0

3100 BCE 1479–1458 51–30 BCE

Upper and Lower BCE Cleopatra VII
Egypt are unified. Egypt Hatshepsut rules
becomes one nation. rules

11
 THE PEOPLE
Jobs

Men in ancient Egypt use as food and flax

were expected to to use for linen clothes. Fact: The Nile flooded every
work to support their Other men were priests,   year between May and October.
families. The women builders, artists, or Farmers abandoned their fields.
When they returned, the fields
were expected to take craftsmen. Children
would be covered with rich,
care of the homes and spent their childhoods
thick soil that was ideal for
children. Most men in learning the jobs that growing grains and other crops.
ancient Egypt worked they would need to
as farmers. They grew do as adults.
wheat and barley to

12
There were very few took several years to
schools. Only boys from learn to read and write
royal or wealthy families the complicated symbols
attended school. These that the Egyptians used
Fact: The
Egyptians used
boys were taught to be to communicate. Being   symbols called
scribes. They studied a scribe was one of the hieroglyphs.
reading and writing. It best jobs in Egypt.

13
 Clothing and Dress

Egypt has a very hot and

dry climate. Clothing
in ancient Egypt was Jewelry was very The poor made their
often made from linen, popular. Men and jewelry from colored
which is a very light women wore brightly beads. Egyptians had
fabric. Most men wore colored necklaces, many superstitions. They
short skirts or loincloths. earrings, bracelets, believed that certain
Women wore simple anklets, and rings. actions could bring good
dresses. Children often Jewelry was often made luck or bad luck. People
did not wear clothing from gold, silver, and often wore good luck
until they were about precious stones. charms on their jewelry.
six years old.

14
Cleanliness was very
important to the Egyptians.
Many shaved their heads
to protect themselves
from lice. Children’s heads
were shaved except for a
small section of hair on
the side of the head, called
a side lock. Adults often
wore wigs. The wigs were
worn for fashion and also
protected their heads from
the hot sun. 

15
 THE AFTERLIFE
The Egyptians believed in life after death. They thought that when
they died, they would go to another world and live a new life there.

Many people were buried in the The body was wrapped in long linen
desert when they died. Food and bandages and then put in a fancy box
drink were left near the body for with jewels and gold decoration.
the spirit in the afterlife.
Turning a body into a mummy took
Wealthy people were buried in a long time. Sometimes it took more
tombs. A rich person’s body was than two months before it was ready
treated with salts and spices to to be put in a tomb! It also cost a lot
preserve it as a mummy. of money.

Fact: The Egyptians put

the dead person’s stomach,
intestines, lungs, and liver in
special jars. They left the heart
in the person’s body, and they
threw away the brain. They did
not think the brain was special.

16
Ancient Egyptians loved had huge tombs built for and games put in their tombs.
cats. They thought they their afterlives. They Some even had carvings of
were sacred animals. thought the cats would hundreds of servants to serve
Some cats were even need their belongings in them after death! The tombs
turned into mummies the afterlife. They had were decorated with beautiful
when they died. Pharaohs carved food, animals, paintings and statues.

17
 The biggest tombs were
called pyramids. These
were huge triangular
buildings. Many of them
still stand today. Many
of the royal tombs
have been found in two
valleys. The Valley of
the Kings is home to
the tombs of many of
the pharaohs. Queens,
princes, and princesses
were buried in the
Valley of the Queens.

18
BUILDINGS
The ancient Egyptians were great builders.
They built huge pyramids, temples, and statues
from stone.

Some buildings took decades to finish and had

thousands of men working on them. The Great
Pyramid of Giza was the tallest manmade
building for nearly 4,000 years. It was 481
feet tall. That’s about forty-eight stories
high! It is one of the Great Wonders
of the Ancient World. No one
really knows exactly how
it was built.

19
 Fact: It takes a lot of math to build a pyramid!
The ancient Egyptians did not have a number
system like we do today. Instead, they used symbols
to count and build the pyramids.

Egyptian Heiroglyphs for Numbers

stroke heelbone coiled lotus pointed frog kneeling

1 10 rope flower finger 100,000 god
100 1,000 10,000 1,000,000

The Egyptians did not have symbols for each

number. The number 1,234 would look like this.

20
Pharaohs built huge temples to The Egyptians often covered the walls
their gods. One temple had columns of their buildings with stories. Some
that were seventy feet tall! Another stories are told through paintings,
great structure was the Great Sphinx, and others are told through writing.
a huge half-man, half-lion near the We know a lot about ancient Egypt
large pyramids. because of these stories.

21
 HIEROGLYPHS
Egyptians invented an advanced kind
of writing called hieroglyphs.

A hieroglyph is a small picture that symbolizes

a sound or idea. Some hieroglyphs looked like
birds, snakes, or ropes. There are more than 700
hieroglyphic signs! It took many years of study for
scribes to learn all the signs.

Hieroglyphs were etched into the rock walls

of many buildings. Some tell about great victories
in war. Others praise pharaohs and gods.

Fact: The word

hieroglyph comes
from two Greek words:
hieros, which means
holy, and glyph, which
means writing.

22
For a long time during the modern era, no
one knew how to read hieroglyphs. In 1799,
French soldiers found the Rosetta Stone.
The Rosetta Stone is a big piece of rock with
a message written in three different languages.
The message was written in two languages
that experts could read and one in hieroglyphs.
A French scholar used the other languages
to figure out what the hieroglyphs meant.

23
 When we read in English, we read from Which way?
left to right. Hieroglyphs can be read
several different ways! Sometimes Read from left to right.

they are read in lines from left to right.

Other times, they are read from right
to left. How do you know which way
to read hieroglyphs? If the symbols that
look like animals, birds, or people are
facing left, you read from left to right.
If they are facing right, you read from
right to left.

Read from right to left.

Fact: Simpler
kinds of writing were
used for everyday
writing, but this
writing was similar
to cursive writing.

24
It was very important down, you would not people were written
to Egyptians to have disappear after you in ovals. This kind of
their name written died. Names were often nametag was called
down somewhere. written in hieroglyphs. a cartouche. This is
They believed that if The names of pharaohs King Tut’s cartouche.  
your name was written and other important

25
 EGYPT TODAY Cairo

Egypt has been ruled by many nations

and powers. Today Egypt is an independent
country. Its official name is the Arab
Republic of Egypt.

Egypt is one of the biggest countries in the

world. More than 83 million people live there.
That’s more than all the people in Canada,
Australia, and Greece combined!

Alexandria

26
Almost all Egyptians have tall apartment and
still live in the Nile office buildings made
Valley—the flat, fertile from glass and steel,
land along the Nile like those in the United
River. Some people live States. Other people
in cities, and others live live in villages that
in villages. Cities such have houses made
as Cairo and Alexandria from mud bricks.

West Bank Houses, Gurna

Nearly all of Egypt’s major cities are located

in the Nile Valley. 

27
 Hieroglyphs are Like American children,
no longer used to Egyptian children enjoy
communicate in Egypt. playing sports, listening
Arabic is the country’s to music, and watching
official language, but movies. Many movies are
many people also speak made in Cairo. It
English and other is sometimes called
languages. Schools are the Hollywood of the the Nile. You can even times. Scientists are
not just for wealthy boys Middle East. ride a camel through still working to uncover
now, but are now open the desert. There are more of Egypt’s past.
to all children. Boys Egypt is a popular tourist many museums to visit This fascinating country
and girls are required destination. Visitors too. The museums holds many treasures yet
to attend school from can tour pyramids and are filled with art and to be discovered.
ages six to fourteen. take a boat cruise down objects from ancient

Fact: Soccer is
one of the most
popular sports
in Egypt. The
national soccer
team is nicknamed
The Pharaohs.

28
 GLOSSARY

afterlife: Life after death.

civilizations: Groups of people who live in a socially
developed culture.
climate: The average weather conditions of a place.
craftsmen: Skilled workers.
delta: A triangle of sand and soil at the top of a river.
desert: A very dry region with little rain and few plants.
Egyptologists: Scientists who study ancient Egypt.
Egyptology: The study of ancient Egypt.
hieroglyphs: Writing that uses pictures and symbols.
mummy: Preserved body wrapped in cloth.
papyrus: Paper made from the papyrus plant.
pharaohs: Rulers of ancient Egypt.
pyramids: Large structures with square bases and four
triangular sides.
ritual: Customs or traditions.
sacred: Holy.
scribes: Writers.
tombs: Burial chambers.
temples: Buildings for worship.
29
 INDEX

Africa 5 Isis 2
Alexandria 26, 27 Kemet 6
Anubis 2 Mediterranean Sea 27
Arab Republic of Egypt 26 Middle East 7, 28
Asia 5 Nile River 6, 27
Australia 26 Nile Valley 6, 27
Cairo 8, 26–28 Ra 2
Canada 26 Rosetta Stone 22
Cleopatra VII 11 Sekhmet 2
Deshret 6 Sobek 5
Egypt 2–4, 6–9, 11–17, 19–21, 26–28 Thoth 2
Great Pyramid of Giza 19 Thutmose II 9
Great Sphinx 21 Thutmose III 9, 10
Great Wonders of the Tutankhamun (King Tut) 8, 11, 25
Ancient World 19
United States 27
Greece 7, 26
Valley of the Kings 18
Hathor 2
Valley of the Queens 18
Hatshepsut 9–11

30
 25833
CCG0220