The+Rise+of+the+Old+Kingdom

__Ancient Egypt: The Old Kingdom __ The Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt lasted from 2686 BC - 2181 BC. This was a period of tremendous growth and advancement in society, art, and architecture. Our __society today can learn a lot from the Old Kingdom: how a people can use natural resources to prosper; the importance of art to a culture; and the ability of strong beliefs to drive a people to great architectural achievements.__

The Egyptians of the Old Kingdom were a very resourceful people. Despite living in an area with very little rainfall ( Carbill), and being surrounded by two deserts (Maps), the ancient Egyptians were able to use the available resources to make their civilization flourish. The Nile River was an essential lifeline to the people of the Old Kingdom. Every year the Nile overflowed its banks causing a layer of very fertile soil to be deposited, which was perfect for growing crops (Badawy). The yield from the crops was used to pay taxes and feed everyone in the kingdom. The Nile also provided a source of fish and fowl for food. The stone blocks used in the construction of the pyramids at Giza were transported down the Nile to the building site. Our world has already learned to use our natural resources to make our civilization flourish similarly to the Old Kingdom. An example of this is the St. Lawrence Seaway which connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes. We have been able to use this body of water to transport a variety of goods into and out of Canada and the U.S. Art was important to the people of the Old Kingdom and all art showed a connection between the king and religion (Badawy). The ancient Egyptians expressed their imagination and artistic ability through sculptures, statues, and wall reliefs. Though the craftsmen did not look at their work as art, they did produce some of the most remarkable works of art ever (Brier). Their work provides an insight and appreciation of the way of life at the time, and this allows us to understand what was important to them. Art, therefore, allows us to understand and appreciate how humanity has progressed to where we are now. It would appear that during the inundation, when workers couldn’t work the fields, they would be involved in some sort of art or architecture. This meant the people could continue to earn an income to support their families. Wages during this time were paid through food, like grains and fish (David 137).

The Old Kingdom marked a period of great architectural achievements driven by religious beliefs. The people of the Old Kingdom were very religious with a strong belief in the afterlife. It was felt that the king was close to god and that great care should be taken to protect his body after death and to prepare him for his travels alongside the gods. The main preoccupation of the pharaoh’s life was preparation for the afterlife. Elaborate tombs were built to protect the pharaoh in the afterlife. Tombs progressed from mastabas, to step-pyramids, and eventually true pyramids like the great pyramids at Giza ( McGill). The Great Sphinx is part of the pyramid complex at Giza. Sun temples were also built to honour the sun god, Ra (Ryan 117). The Old Kingdom teaches us that when a belief is of such great importance, often the pursuit of that belief leads to significant achievements. An example is President John F. Kennedy’s goal in 1961 of landing an American on the moon before the end of that decade (NASA). This goal, which was achieved in 1969, accelerated the American space program and led to construction of more and more sophisticated spacecrafts and even the International Space Station.

Through the use of their natural resources, art, and architecture, the ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom were able to reach their golden age. The Nile, a natural resource, made the soil fertile and ideal for farming. Art and architecture offered a way for expressing religious beliefs and resulted in the construction of gigantic structures, which over 4,000 years later, we are in a state of awe, when we see them. Our world today can learn from these lessons and take care of our environment so in turn it takes care of us. __ Research Notes __

__Work Cited List __