Tue., 9/10

Do Now—Exercise 9A—Copy verbatim:

Khafre – Khafre was Khufu’s (Cheop’s) second oldest son. At 447’ tall, Khafre’s Pyramid is 34’ shorter than his father’s, but looks larger because it is on higher ground. The Sphinx was also built for Khafre.

Menkaure – Menkaure was Khafre’s son. Menkaure’s Pyramid is only 228’ tall, indicating that the “divine power” of the pharaohs started slipping by the end of Dynasty 5.

Egypt’s First Intermediate Period – Dynasty 5 (2498-2345 BC) and Dynasty 6 (2345-2184 BC) were the last dynasties of the Old Kingdom. Civil wars and drought decreased the powers of the pharaohs and the subsequent four dynasties were mired in chaos.

Read:

p. 110, ¶ 2 – 4

p. 112, ¶ 2, 3, 6

p. 113, ¶ 3 (And, in fact…)

p. 115, ¶ 2 - 3

p. 116, ¶ 2, 6

p. 117, ¶ 2

Exercise 9B:

In three or more complete sentences, explain how the construction of obelisks in Dynasty 5 reflects a shift of power from pharaohs to lector priests. Begin your answer with a definition of an obelisk. When done, draw an obelisk in the box located in the right-hand column of p. 1 of your Field Notes No. 9.

Model answer:

Gold-capped towers dedicated to Ra, the sun god, are called “obelisks.” The construction of obelisks starting in Dynasty 5 reflects a shift in power from pharaohs to lector priests. Pharaohs constructed fewer monumental tombs for themselves and more temples to the gods, indicating a change of focus from their personal divinity to the gods honored by the priestly class. This change is corroborated in the Westcar Papyrus story, “The Birth of the Kings.”