Riv er

Civ il iza tio ns

Eg ypt, I ndi
3000-1700 BC a, and Chi na
Sumer, 3200-2350
B. C.
 Egyptian Civilization
• Depended on Nile River, deserts protected against
attacks.
• Nile floods annually adding silt and water to land.
• River valley very good for farming.
• Many farm villages by 5000 BC.
• Villages conquered by groups with increasingly strong
leadership.
• Unification of Upper (south) and Lower Egypt 3100 BC
under King Menes (also known as Narmer)
• Beginning of Old Kingdom (3100-2200 BC) capital
Memphis near point of delta.
• Population grew by a million people in this period.
• Led by God King or Pharaoh who give immortality to
faithful servants
• Built pyramids as tombs for Pharaohs
EGYPTIAN
CIVILIZATION
Lower Desert
Egypt

Desert Upper
Egypt

Desert
 Old Kingdom Egypt

A later Pharaoh
wearing the
Double Crown
of Egypt

Palette of King Narmer c. 3100 B.C . Slate, 25” tall

Pharaoh: the God-King

Khufu, builder of the

Great Pyramid at Giza.

Chefren c.2530 B.C.

built the Great Sphinx
Ancient Egyptian
hieroglyphics
 The Age of Pyramids

Step Pyramid of King Zoser about 2650 B.C. The first pyramid tomb.
Architect, Imhotep, the first artist recorded in history.
 The Pyramids at Giza

Pyramids of Mycerinus (2500 B.C.), Chefren (2530 B.C.) and Khufu or

Cheops (2570 B.C.). Cheops’ pyramid is the largest but the pyramid of
Chefren looks taller because it was built on higher ground.
 The Great Pyramid

Pyramid of Cheops c. 2570 B.C.

 The Great Sphinx

One of
many
smaller
Sphinx

Great Sphinx carved into huge rock c. 2530 B.C. at Giza Height 65’
 Papyrus Columns

falcon headed
god wearing
double crown.

Ti watching Hippopotamus
Mycerinus and Queen c. 2500 B.C. Hunt (painted stone relief)
c. 2400 B.C.
Rebellion and disorder(c 2200 BC)
Revolts by local officials disrupted
government for almost 200 years

mace head of
polished stone.

A leader from
the south
reunited Egypt.
Moved capital
upstream
(south) to Thebes
began
Middle Kingdom
 The Middle Kingdom
2000-1800 BC
Local landlords more important than
in Old Kingdom, spread culture.

odel Nubian archers from tomb of local ruler.

Statue of a vizier: non-royal officials now
placing their statues in Temples of gods. >
 Other River Civilizations
Indus Valley Civilization (2500-1500 BC)
• In present day Pakistan.
• Had contact with Sumer
• Built large cities along Indus River

Yellow River Valley ( 2500 to 1400 BC)

• In north east China
• High level farming culture developed.
 India: Key Ideas
• Indus Valley “Harappan” Civilization
(2500-1500 BC)
• Built large cities along Indus River
• Had contact with Sumer
Indus Valley Civilization: Built well planned cities with advanced sewer
systems. Borrowed many ideas from Mesopotamia. Massive walls of fried
brick defended by towers are strong evidence life was not peaceful.
toy bull made of clay

Stone sculpture clay

goddess
figures

Elephant
Bronze Seal
Dancer made
4.5 “ tall of clay
 China: Key Ideas
• Civilization began along Yellow River
Valley ( 2500 to 1400 BC) in north east
China
• High level farming culture developed.
Tribes then chiefdoms.
• China isolated by: Gobi Desert, Pacific
Ocean, and Himalayas
 Geography of China

Gobi Desert

CHINA
Indus
Himalayan Mt.
River
The Yellow River
 Agriculture:
• Yellow R. picks up yellow fertile soil called Loess
deposits soil onto flat alluvial (flood) plain. Perfect for
farming.
• Irrigation ditches & transport canals built on plains (to
drain swamps & increase food production)
• Grew & harvested millet first , then wheat & barley
• Rice came later (grew in paddies)
• Domesticated pigs, dogs, sheep, oxen.
 Government
• Chiefdoms developed into State.
• Dynasty: ruling family whose control continues
by passing rule to the next generation. Also
found in other Kingdoms.
• Related to social importance of families.
• Social pyramid: top was emperor & his family
• Next came: nobility, priests, merchants,
farmers
• Elite buried in royal tombs with great wealth &
artifacts for use in afterlife
 The First Dynasty
• Xia Dynasty founded by legendary
Emperor Yu (the Great) c. 3000 BC ?
• Yu supposedly introduced irrigation canals
along Yellow R. to control flooding &
increase food production.
• Anyang site (NE China) evidence found of
Xia dynasty.
• Conquered by invaders about 1600 BC.