Episode 1 Introduction

The History of Ancient Egypt

Professor Robert Brier

Film Review

According to Brier, Egypt was the most advanced civilization in the ancient world. He credits its success as a civilization to the rich topsoil produced by the Nile overflowing year after year. Their phenomenal agricultural productivity enabled them to produce sufficient food to support a standing army and longstanding internal and external security.

In addition to building massive pyramids and temples, the Egyptians also discovered medical science, monotheism and mummification two thousands years before any other civilization. Egyptian civilization lasted so long that they also produced the world’s first archeologists to help document their early history. Fortunately the dry desert air was very important in preserving colorful Egyptian artifacts.

The ancient Greeks traced their cultural lineage to the Egyptians and learned both philosophy and stone building from them.

There are three approaches to studying Egyptology: Philology (the study of the Egyptian language), the study of Egyptian art and the writings of the world’s first historian the Greek Heredotus. Herodotus visited Egypt in 450 BC

Egyptian art changed very little over ancient its two thousand year history. Creativity and innovation were discouraged because because the main purpose of Egyptian art was to decorate the pharaoh’ tombs, which were intended to last an eternity. The pharaoh’ tombs incorporated not only art but all the furniture, cosmetics, games and jewelry they would need for the afterlife.

The Egyptians were the first to use a grid method in drawing to achieve accurate mathematical proportions.

They left lots of written records, and much of their art and writings concerned warfare. The Egyptians ruled the entire known world, required them to engage in more or less continual warfare. Another use for written language was to cover tombs and coffins with magic spells their occupants could recite to return power to their legs and breath to their lungs.

Film can be viewed free on Kanopy.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/1492791/1492793