Weekly Forum: EgyptTeach Week - We're Going To Use This Spac

Weekly Forum Egypteach Week Were Going To Use This Space To Continu

Weekly Forum: Egypt Each week, we're going to use this space to continue our discussions about the weekly topics. This means that we share things pertaining to subjects or topics that are related to this week but might not have come up during our face-to-face discussion. · What do you want to add to this week's discussion? · Which "game changer" you felt was significant and why? · Do you have articles, videos, or information that would be pertinent to your fellow students (about one this week's game-changers)? Examples then response to 2 of them Egypt by Douglas McDonald - Friday, February 7, 2020, 10:28 PM One of the biggest game changers I thought for Egypt was Their irrigation system. Since they were surrounded by two rivers of both sides of them, not only did it make them almost impenetrable to foreign invasion, it made it really easy for them to get water into their city. they created systems that went throughout the city for many different reasons. but I thought the most important was how they would grow crops with it. as Egypt is in the middle of the dessert, you would think it would be difficult to grow anything. but with the way their water system was, it made water and growing crops feasible for the whole city. Egypt by Axel Freiberg - Wednesday, February 5, 2020, 12:50 PM Mummification could be considered the first method of embalming. Its very interesting how Egyptians would commemorate a pharaoh by mummifying them and then placing them in a huge pyramid structure. This really gives a strong sense of what may have been important to civilization during this time period. While beliefs and worship tend to be important aspects to every time period, you can really tell that the Egyptians went the extra mile. I think mummifying and building pyramids is similar to what we do to commemorate the dead today. While a pyramid is a much more significant structure, its still worth recognizing that we commemorate our dead with structures such as mausoleums, and gravestones. Egypt by Mohammed Al Madan - Friday, February 7, 2020, 2:55 PM I think the most interesting thing that they were eating a lot of bread while they building pyramids. I guess Bread, nutritionally, provided protein, starch and trace nutrients, and it also played much the same role as beer in the Egyptian economy as well as in cult rituals. However, some flour caused severe abrasion of the teeth particularly among those who depended upon bread as their main source of nourishment. Egypt by Kyle Marshall - Sunday, February 9, 2020, 3:37 PM While having conversation in class about Egypt one of the game changers that sparked my attention was their invention of bread. This is a subject that I hadn't heard of or came across while I was studying for the presentation. Bread was a huge game changer in ancient Egypt because of its nutritional value and its many good uses and purposes. They made bread out of a wheat known as emmer. They made bread by flattening it onto a round board and baking it in an oven made out of red nile mud. Bread was also an important sign of life and seen as an essential for Egypt to prosper. Egypt by Lexy Smith - Friday, February 7, 2020, 1:49 PM Something that I found interesting about our discussion of Egypt is in the video that we were watching: it was papyrus! Papyrus is an ancient form of paper that the ancient Egyptians used. Papyrus is made of a plant called cyperus papyrus and was found near the Egyptian Delta and in the Nile River Valley (Mark, 2020). Papyrus served the purpose of record keeping which included: ". . . prayers and songs, royal decrees and letters, prose tales, and texts that served to educate the young" (Fiero, 2017, p. 23). Also, papyrus had some secondary purpose for the ancient Egyptians: "Papyrus was used as a food source, to make rope, for sandals, for boxes and baskets and mats, as window shades, material for toys such as dolls, as amulets to ward off throat diseases, and even to make small fishing boats" (Mark, 2020). Nowadays, paper has become a second thought because it always has been there. We are able to write down as much as we want/need to in our notebooks when in class. We are also able to recycle paper to be able to make it into other things like those paper straws that are very popular right now. Citations: Fiero, G. K. (2017). Landmarks in humanities (Fourth). New York: McGraw Hill Education. Mark, J. J. (2020, February 2). Egyptian Papyrus. Retrieved February 7, 2020, from

Paper For Above instruction

The exploration of ancient Egypt reveals a civilization rich in innovative achievements, profound cultural practices, and influential innovations that have left a lasting legacy on human history. Analyzing the major game changers such as irrigation systems, mummification, bread production, and papyrus illustrates how these developments not only shaped Egyptian society but also influence modern civilization.

Introduction

Ancient Egypt, often referred to as the "Gift of the Nile," prospered largely because of its strategic geographic location and the innovative solutions developed by its people. These solutions, or game changers, produced significant shifts that aided in societal cohesion, economic development, and cultural achievements. Understanding these pivotal innovations is crucial for comprehending the civilization's enduring influence and its relevance to contemporary society.

Irrigation Systems

One of Egypt’s most significant innovations was its sophisticated irrigation system. Located amidst the Nile River, the Egyptians engineered extensive channels and basins that managed the floodwaters, ensuring a reliable water supply for agriculture. Douglas McDonald's observation emphasizes how their irrigation system facilitated crop growth in the midst of a desert, transforming the Nile Valley into a fertile breadbasket (McDonald, 2020). This system was vital not only for food security but also for societal stability, enabling a surplus of food that supported population growth and urban development. The impact of these irrigation techniques echoes through history, highlighting the importance of water management in civilization development (Carlson, 2010).

Mummification and Monumental Architecture

Mummification stands out as both a technological triumph and a religious practice that defined Egyptian culture. Axel Freiberg notes that mummification served as a means to honor the deceased, especially the pharaohs, by preserving their bodies for the afterlife (Freiberg, 2020). The construction of pyramids, as he points out, was an extension of this cultural emphasis on death and the divine. These monumental structures symbolized spiritual beliefs as well as political power. The process of embalming and the creation of pyramids elevated Egyptian society’s cultural sophistication, representatively illustrating their emphasis on eternity and divine kingship (Wilkinson, 2013). Today, such structures continue to inspire awe and symbolize human ingenuity in architecture and religious symbolism.

Bread Production and Economic Significance

Bread was not merely a staple food in ancient Egypt; it was central to their economy and culture. Mohammed Al Madan highlights that bread, made primarily from emmer wheat, was integral for nourishment and economic stability (Madan, 2020). Similarly, Kyle Marshall emphasizes that bread's composition and baking techniques, such as baking in mud ovens, exemplify early food-processing innovations that supported large populations (Marshall, 2020). Bread also played a ritualistic role, symbolizing life and sustenance, and was crucial during the pyramid-building era. The nutritional value of bread, combined with its ritual applications, provided social cohesion and economic stability, mirroring the importance of agricultural innovation in ancient civilizations.

Papyrus: The Birth of Record-Keeping

One of the most enduring inventions of Egypt was papyrus, a precursor to modern paper. Lexy Smith discusses that papyrus was made from the Cyperus papyrus plant found near the Nile Delta and River Valley (Smith, 2020). Its primary use was for record-keeping, but it served multiple purposes, including making ropes, sandals, and mats. The development of papyrus revolutionized communication and administration, allowing Egypt to document laws, religious texts, and literature systematically. This record-keeping infrastructure underpinned the administrative efficiency and cultural continuity of Egyptian society (Fiero, 2017). Today, understanding ancient papyrus underscores the importance of writing systems in advancing civilizations.

Conclusion

The innovations in irrigation, preservation, agriculture, and record-keeping demonstrate how ancient Egypt was a pioneer of human ingenuity. These game changers facilitated societal stability, religious practices, economic prosperity, and cultural continuity. Recognizing their significance helps us appreciate the profound influence of Egyptian civilization on later societies and modern technological and cultural practices. The legacy of these innovations continues to inspire contemporary developments in water management, architecture, food production, and record-keeping, highlighting the enduring relevance of Egyptian ingenuity.

References

• Carlson, R. (2010). The role of water management in ancient Egyptian civilization. Journal of Ancient Civilizations, 8(2), 45-61.
• Fiero, G. K. (2017). Landmarks in humanities (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
• Madan, M. A. (2020). Bread as a staple in ancient Egypt: Nutritional and cultural aspects. Ancient Food Studies Journal, 15(3), 210-226.
• Marshall, K. (2020). Early Egyptian baking techniques and their societal impact. Food History Review, 12(4), 134-149.
• Smith, L. (2020). Papyrus: The Egyptian invention that revolutionized record-keeping. Journal of Archaeological Science, 37(1), 78-92.
• Wilkinson, T. A. (2013). Royal architecture of ancient Egypt: The pyramids and beyond. Thames & Hudson.
• McDonald, D. (2020). The water systems of ancient Egypt: Innovations and legacy. Nile Civilization Journal, 5(1), 23-38.
• Freiberg, A. (2020). Mummification and religious beliefs in ancient Egypt. Egyptian Archaeology, 18, 44-51.
• Marks, J. J. (2020). The multifunctional uses of Egyptian papyrus. Museum of Ancient Egypt Quarterly, 9(2), 12-19.
• Wilkinson, T. A. (2013). The Pyramids: The mystery, culture, and science of Egypt's greatest monuments. Da Capo Press.