Old Kingdom

(noun)

Encompassing the Third to Eighth Dynasties, the name commonly given to the period in the 3rd millennium BCE, when Egypt attained its first continuous peak of complexity and achievement.

Related Terms

Examples of Old Kingdom in the following topics:

  • The Old Kingdom

    • The Old Kingdom is the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods that mark the high points of civilization in the Nile Valley.
    • Thus, the period of the Old Kingdom is often called "The Age of the Pyramids."
    • Egypt's Old Kingdom was also a dynamic period in the development of Egyptian art.
    • Famine, conflict, and collapse beset the Old Kingdom for decades.
    • Explain the reasons for the rise and fall of the Old Kingdom

  • Introduction to Ancient Egyptian Art

    • During the Old Kingdom, the king of Egypt (not called the Pharaoh until the New Kingdom) became a living god, who ruled absolutely and could demand the services and wealth of his subjects.
    • Under King Djoser, the first king of the Third Dynasty of the Old Kingdom, the royal capital of Egypt was moved to Memphis.
    • Indeed, the Old Kingdom is perhaps best known for the large number of pyramids constructed at this time as pharaonic burial places.
    • For this reason, the Old Kingdom is frequently referred to as "the Age of the Pyramids."
    • Create a timeline of ancient Egyptian civilization, marking the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms

  • Tombs

    • During the Old Kingdom, mastabas and pyramids were built as tombs for the deceased in order to preserve their soul in the afterlife.
    • During the Old Kingdom, these royal mastabas eventually developed into rock-cut "step pyramids" and then "true pyramids," although non-royal use of mastabas continued to be used for more than a thousand years.
    • The Pyramids of Giza, massive stone-cut structures built from limestone quarried from the Nile River,are the most well-known example of pyramid tombs built during the Old Kingdom .
    • There is evidence of this ritual from the Old Kingdom to the Roman Period.
    • During the Old Kingdom, only the pharaoh had access to this material, which scholars refer to as the Pyramid Texts.

  • Sculpture of the Old Kingdom

    • Egyptian artisans during the Old Kingdom perfected the art of sculpting and carving intricate relief decoration out of stone.
    • Sculptures from the Old Kingdom are characteristically more natural in style than their predecessors.
    • Toward the end of the Old Kingdom, images of people shifted toward formalized nude figures with long bodies and large eyes.
    • Discuss the role of ka statues and funerary art in the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

  • The Pyramids of the Old Kingdom

    • Known as the "Age of the Pyramids," the Old Kingdom was characterized by revolutionary advancements in architecture.
    • The Old Kingdom of Egypt existed from the third through the sixth Dynasties (2686 BC–2182 BC).
    • These tombs were built in the form of great pyramids, and for this reason, the Old Kingdom is frequently referred to as the "Age of the Pyramids."
    • During the Old Kingdom, only the pharaoh had access to this material, which scholars refer to as the Pyramid Texts.
    • Djoser's step pyramid was the first of the great pyramids built during the Old Kingdom in Eqypt.

  • Tombs of the Middle Kingdom

    • Royal funerary practices in the Middle Kingdom remained much the same as in the Old Kingdom, with kings continuing to build pyramids for their burials.
    • Unlike the Old Kingdom, however, Middle Kingdom royal pyramids were not quite as well constructed, and so few of them remain as pyramid structures today.
    • Unlike the Old Kingdom, objects of daily use were not often included in the tombs; however, they reappeared toward the end of the Middle Kingdom.
    • In contrast to elitist Old Kingdom attitudes towards the gods, the Middle Kingdom experienced an increase in expressions of personal piety and what could be called a democratization of the afterlife.
    • Compare and contrast the tombs and burial goods of the Middle Kingdom with those of the Old Kingdom.

  • Ancient Egyptian Culture

    • The Middle Kingdom was a golden age for ancient Egypt, where arts, religion and literature flourished.
    • The Middle Kingdom (2134 - 1690 BCE) was a time of prosperity and stability, and resurgence of art, literature and architecture.
    • In the Middle Kingdom period, due to growth of middle class and scribes, literature began to be written to entertain and provide intellectual stimulation.
    • However, some Middle Kingdom literature may have been transcriptions of the oral literature and poetry of the Old Kingdom.
    • Future generations of Egyptians often considered Middle Kingdom literature to be "classic," with the ultimate example being the Story of Sinuhe.

  • Architecture of the Middle Kingdom

    • As the pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom restored the country's prosperity and stability, there was a resurgence of building projects.
    • As in the Old Kingdom, stone was most often reserved for tombs and temples, while bricks were used for palaces, fortresses, everyday houses, and town walls.
    • Senusret III was a warrior-king who helped the Middle Kingdom reach its height of prosperity.
    • In his sixth year, he re-dredged an Old Kingdom canal around the first cataract to facilitate travel to upper Nubia, using this to launch a series of brutal campaigns.
    • Middle Kingdom pyramids consist of mud brick and clay encased in limestone.

  • The Middle Kingdom

    • The Middle Kingdom was a period of Egyptian history spanning the Eleventh through Twelfth Dynasty (2000-1700 BCE), when centralized power consolidated a unified Egypt.
    • Amenemhet I never held the absolute power commanded, in theory, by the Old Kingdom pharaohs.
    • This instituted a practice that would be used throughout the Middle and New Kingdoms.
    • The reign of Amenemhat III was the height of Middle Kingdom economic prosperity, and is remarkable for the degree to which Egypt exploited its resources.
    • Describe the various characteristics of Sensuret III's rule during the height of the Middle Kingdom

  • The Legacy of Alexander the Great

    • Four stable power blocks emerged following the death of Alexander the Great: the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, the Seleucid Empire, the Attalid dynasty of the Kingdom of Pergamon, and Macedon.
    • The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a Hellenistic kingdom based in Egypt ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty, starting with Ptolemy I Soter’s accession to the throne following the death of Alexander the Great.
    • Early in the Ptolemaic dyansty, Egyptian religion and customs were observed and magnificent new temples were built in the style of the old pharohs.
    • The Attalid kingdom began as a rump state, but was expanded by subsequent rulers.
    • The Kingdom of Macedon at the death of Philip II (336 BCE)