Nile and Egyptian Civilization

by Moret, Alexandre

• ISBN13: 9780486420097
• ISBN10: 0486420094
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-12-19
• Publisher: Dover Publications

Summary

Classic study examines influence of the Nile and climate on social development in ancient Egypt, evolution of dynasties, divine kingdoms, the earliest royal institutions, feudal period, and social revolutions. Detailed discussions of religion, art and science, gods and cults, design and construction of temples and tombs, medicine, astronomy, literature, more. Profusely illustrated.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xix
Henri Berr
Introduction. Sources and Chronology	1	(1)
Greek Sources and their Value	1	(6)
The Decipherment of the Hieroglyphics	7	(9)
Native Sources and Chronology	16	(9)
PART ONE THE COUNTRY AND THE BEGINNINGS OF HISTORY
Country, Nile, and Sun. Their Influence on Social Development	25	(13)
Early Social Organization. Clans and Nomes	38	(22)
The Clans	38	(2)
The Nomes	40	(4)
Ensigns and Gods of Nomes. Their Struggles for Political Influence	44	(16)
The Divine Dynasties and Their Historical Significance	60	(13)
Divine Dynasties and Gods of the Universe	60	(5)
Horus the Elder, First King of Lower Egypt, and Seth, First King of Upper Egypt	65	(8)
The Divine Kingdoms of the Delta. Western and Eastern Nomes Orisis and Horus, Son of Isis	73	(28)
The Delta and its Protohistoric Past. The Western Nomes of the Delta	73	(4)
The Confederation of the Eastern Nomes of the Delta	77	(3)
Osiris and Horus, Son of Isis, the Traditional Founders of the Kingship. The Historical Significance of the Legends	80	(21)
PART TWO KINSHIP AND SOCIETY
The Protohistoric Monarchy. Servants of Hours and Thinite Kings. The Earliest Royal Institutions	101	(45)
Simultaneous Reigns in Upper and Lower Egypt. The Moral Preponderance of the Delta	103	(3)
The Servants of Horus in Upper Egypt. Their Wars with the Delta	106	(10)
The Thinite Kings and their Synthesis of Royal Institutions	116	(18)
The Thinite Administration	134	(7)
The Next Life	141	(5)
The Memphite Monarchy. The Autocratic King, Son of Ra	146	(42)
Heliopolis and the Kingship by Right Divine	146	(11)
The King as Son of Ra and Autocratic Sovereign	157	(11)
The Dead King. Osiris and Ra	168	(20)
The Decline of the Memphite Monarchy. The Feudal Period and Social Revolution (VIth to XIth Dynasties)	188	(44)
The Royal Family and the Government of Egypt	188	(8)
The Privileged Imakhu	196	(6)
From the VIth to the XIth Dynasty. Feudal Priesthood. Charters of Immunity	202	(6)
The Provincial Feudal Nobility	208	(8)
The End of the Old Kingdom and the Social Revolution (VIIIth to XIth Dynasties)	216	(16)
The Rule of the Just Laws. The New Social State and the Administration of the Theban Kings	232	(58)
The Reforms of the Theban Kings	233	(19)
Funeral Rites for the People	252	(8)
State Socialism. Peasants. Caftsmen. Local Administrators (XIIth to XXth Dynasties)	260	(16)
The Central Administration, the Vizier, and the King	276	(14)
The Struggles of the Pharaohs with Mercenaries and Priests. Foreigners in Egypt	290	(65)
Thebes as the Imperial Capital. Palaces, Temples, Necropoles	291	(7)
The Military Class in the Theban State	298	(4)
The Priestly Class in the Theban State	302	(4)
Monarchy against Theocracy:
Dynastic Disputes in the Time of Hatshepsut	306	(9)
Reaction of the Kings. The Heresy of Akhenaten	315	(12)
The Government of Egypt by the Gods	327	(7)
The Kingship in the hands of Priests and Mercenaries. Foreign Invasions of Egypt	334	(19)
PART THREE INTELLECTUAL LIFE. RELIGION, ART, SCIENCE
Introduction	353	(2)
Religion	355	(56)
The God. Local Cults	355	(5)
Material and Spiritual Forms of the Gods. Beasts. Statues. Names	360	(8)
The Universal Gods and Theological Conceptions	368	(1)
The Doctrine of Heliopolis	369	(11)
The Doctrine of Osiris	380	(5)
The Rituals of Heliopolis and Osiris applied to Gods and Men	385	(18)
Magic. Morality. Personal Piety	403	(8)
Art, Science, and Literature	411	(54)
The Works of the King in Temples and Tombs	412	(1)
Materials	412	(3)
The Plan of Temples and Tombs	415	(10)
The Decoration of Buildings: Draughtsmen, Sculptors, Painters, and Decorators	425	(8)
Composition of Pictures	433	(3)
Personal character of artists and periods	436	(8)
Science	444	(1)
Geometry and mathematics	445	(3)
Medicine	448	(4)
Chemistry	452	(1)
Astronomy	452	(3)
Literature	455	(10)
Conclusion	465	(12)
Bibliography	477	(2)
Index	479