Important names, terms, and concepts (terms are from readings or class last time)

cartouche
nomes
dynasty
Upper Egypt
Lower Egypt

Rosetta Stone
hieroglyphs
hieratic
demotic
Coptic
Manetho
Palermo Stone

 

Concepts:

relationship between religion and the other aspects of society
religion and the afterlife
religion and the natural world
writing and literacy

Discussion Questions

Make a note of anything suprising or interesting to you about ancient Egyptian society, and why it struck you.

 

1. Language
What does the Egyptian language tell us about the Egyptian society? What kinds of things does their written language seem to be designed to communicate? Who used each of the written languages and why? How do you think different classes of people within Egyptian society communicated?

 

2. After doing the readings in Teeter: How is ancient Egypt like contemporary society and how is it different? Please be specific.

 

 

3. What kinds of sources do we have about ancient Egypt and ancient Egyptian religion (Teeter & Mieroop)? How do the kinds of sources we have affect the kinds of knowledge we have about ancient Egypt society and religion?

 

 

4. How did the ancient Egyptians connect the natural world and religion? (Teeter & Mieroop)

 

 

 

5. In the U.S., we have separation of church and state. According to Teeter and Mieroop, what is the relationship between religion and society in ancient Egypt? Is it separate or not? What aspects of the rest of society are connected to religion, and how?

 

 

 

You are welcome to bring any other questions/discussion topics to class as well.