The Ancient Egyptian culture has several years of recorded history since Ancient Egypt formed part of Africa's earliest civilizations (Bleeker, 1964). Ancient Egypt had an outstandingly complex, stable, and unique culture that greatly influenced later European cultures. The Ancient Egyptian Culture thrived between c. 5500 BCE (characterized by technological advancements) and 30 BCE (marked by last Egypt's Ptolemaic ruler, Cleopatra VII) (Bleeker, 1964). Today, Egypt is famous for the significant monuments made in celebration of the rulers’ triumphs, and honor of the Ancient Egyptian gods (Caminos, 1952). The Ancient Egyptian culture is often considered to have been life-affirming. In other words, the Ancient Egyptians considered death as part of life journey, and death marked the transformation or transition to a spiritual form of life (Caminos, 1952). This paper explores the Ancient Egyptian culture with the focus on its history, its representation in the United States, its characteristics, and its artistic contributions. It further looks into the Ancient Egyptian cultural values, religion(s), sex and gender role differences, as well as how people acculturated into the Ancient Egyptian culture.
History of the Ancient Egyptian Culture
Egypt's current rich cultural traditions can be traced back to the period of ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt formed part of the leading civilizations in Africa, and its history has traditionally been subdivided into thirty-one dynasties. The Ancient Egyptian culture started with Manetho, the Egyptian priest, who is considered to have lived during the 3rd Century B.C (Griffiths, 1955). The first and second dynasties (archaic or early dynastic period) date back to around 5,000 years. The first dynasty was under the rule of Menes (first pharaoh). The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth dynasties date from about 2650 to 2150 B.C. and they are usually to as the Old Kingdom period, which got characterized by the construction of pyramids (Griffiths, 1955).
The seventh to eleventh dynasties date from 2150 to 2030 B.C., and it was a period marked by weak governance and the collapse of several Middle East cities and civilizations due arid climate and drought (Caminos, 1952). The twelfth and thirteenth dynasties are usually referred to as the Middle Kingdom, which lasted from ca. 2030 to 1640 B.C. The Middle Kingdom was marked by the reunion of Egypt into one country, as well as the resumption of pyramid construction and documentation of civilization (Bleeker, 1964). The fourteenth to seventeenth dynasties are often referred to as the Second Intermediate Period, which got characterized by the collapse of the Egyptian government, with a section of the country getting occupied by the Hyksos (Bleeker, 1964). The eighteenth to twentieth dynasties are often referred to as the New Kingdom, which lasted from ca. 1550 to 1070 B.C. The New Kingdom period occurred after a series of Egyptian rulers had driven the Hyksos out of Egypt (Caminos, 1952).
The twenty-first to twenty-fourth dynasties are often referred to as the Third Intermediate Period, which lasted from ca. 1070 to 713 B.C. It was also marked my weak governance and disunity in the country (Geodicke & Casson, 1969). During the Third Intermediate Period, civilizations and cities across the Middle East got destroyed by Aegean people, and the loss of revenues and trade routes contributed to the weakening of the country’s central government (Geodicke & Casson, 1969). The duration between the twenty-fifth and thirty-first dynasties is usually described as the Late Period, which lasted from ca. 712 to 332 B.C. The 25th dynasty rulers were mostly Nubians (Bleeker, 1964).
The Persians were driven out of Egypt in 332 B.C. by Alexander the Great before he incorporated Egypt into the Macedonian Empire (Caminos, 1952). Several Early Egyptian rulers descended from Ptolemy Soter after the death of Alexander the Great, and the last Ptolemaic ruler was Cleopatra VII (Caminos, 1952). In 30 B.C., Cleopatra VII committed suicide following her forces’ defeat at the Battle of Actium by Augustus, the Roman emperor. Egypt was merged into the Roman Empire after Cleopatra VII's death, and the Egyptians treated the Roman emperors as pharaohs (Caminos, 1952).
Representation of the Ancient Egyptian Culture in the United States
Egyptian Americans form part of the latest groups to have moved or immigrated to the United States. The Egyptians, who form part of the most sedentary ethnic groups, started migrating to the United States in large numbers towards the end of the Twentieth Century (Cutter, 2015). Although most Egyptians moved to the United States for educational and economic reasons, some Jews, Copts, and conservative Egyptian Muslims immigrated to the U.S. due to political crises in Egypt (Cutter, 2015). The estimates of the population of Egyptian immigrants in the United States have been ranging between 800,000 and two million, with most Egyptian immigrants living in New York, Florida, New Jersey, California, Texas, and Illinois (Cutter, 2015).
Nature of the Ancient Egyptian Culture
Ancient Egypt was a collectivistic culture, characterized by a long-term commitment to various member groups, such as the family and various forms of extended relationships (Geodicke & Casson, 1969). The collectivistic nature of the Ancient Egyptian culture was also evident through the society’s emphasis on loyalty, which overrode most other cultural regulations and rules. Additionally, the Ancient Egyptian society fostered strong relationships, and every member of the society had to take responsibility for other group members (Geodicke & Casson, 1969).
Artistic Contributions of the Ancient Egyptian Culture
The Ancient Egyptian arts included paintings; drawings on ivories, jewelry, papyrus, and faience; as well as sculptures in stones, woods, and ceramics (Bleeker, 1964). The ancient Egyptian arts represented the early Egyptian society’s belief systems, as well as its socioeconomic status. Besides, the Ancient Egyptian art was both highly symbolic and stylized (Bleeker, 1964). Part of the surviving artistic contributions of the Ancient Egyptians relates to the monuments and tombs, which symbolize the culture's emphasis on the preservation of past knowledge and the belief in life after death (Bleeker, 1964).
Values of the Ancient Egypt Culture
One of the values of the Ancient Egyptian culture revolved around the family, which was the top priority. The treatment of the members of the family translated into a comfortable public environment, and people had to conduct themselves in the most possible respectful and polite manner (Caminos, 1952). Also, the Ancient Egyptian culture valued public modesty in dressing and greetings preceded all other forms of social interaction (Caminos, 1952). Additionally, members of the younger generation were expected to exhibit respect and honor to their seniors and had they had no right to challenge their seniors (Caminos, 1952).
Religions of the Ancient Egypt Culture
The Ancient Egyptians followed a polytheistic religion throughout much of the Ancient Egyptian history (Griffiths, 1955). The polytheistic religion got characterized by the veneration of several gods and goddesses (Griffiths, 1955). One of the famous gods was the underworld god (Osiris), and several shrines and temples were constructed at Abydos (Osiris’ cult center) in Osiris honor. The ancient Egyptians believed that the dead could have eternal life in a paradise after mummification (Griffiths, 1955).
Sex and Gender Role Differences in the Ancient Egypt Culture
One of the differences in sex and gender roles among the ancient Egyptians related to clothing. The Ancient Egyptian men wore knee-length skirts, while the women wore light, ankle-length robes or dresses which covered or exposed their breasts depending on the fashion of the day (Geodicke & Casson, 1969). Also, the ancient Egyptians seemed to have no formal marriage ceremonies. Men had the responsibility of taking gifts to their intended brides and the acceptance of the gifts by the brides would mark the beginning of marriage (Geodicke & Casson, 1969). Additionally, the Ancient Egyptian men were the heads of their families, while the women acted as the heads of their homes, with the primary role of raising the children (Caminos, 1952).
What People Would Need to Know to Acculturate into the Ancient Egypt Culture
One of the ways by which people could get acculturated into the Ancient Egyptian culture was through wars, which often resulted into peaceful moments, characterized by cooperation, peaceful cultural exchanges, and intermarriages (Bleeker, 1964). Another way by which people could get acculturated into the Ancient Egyptian culture was through trading with the ancient Egyptians on various commodities, such as copper tools, gold, stone vessels, faience, and pots among others (Bleeker, 1964).
Conclusion
In overall, Ancient Egypt formed the center of Western Civilization, and it was already an organized society by 4000 BC. Ancient Egyptians got united by pharaoh Menes by 3100 BC. During the peak of the Ancient Egyptian culture, the Ancient Egyptians flourished in the Nile Valley (constructing huge pyramids, creating world-renowned art, establishing advanced writing systems, making scientific advancements, developing trade agreements with the Asian and Middle Eastern powers, as well as, building irrigation systems. However, the Ancient Egyptian Empire started decaying by 1085 B.C, which led to its re-division into lower and upper kingdoms. Several foreign forces then sought to conquer the Egyptian valley, including the Romans, Greeks, French, and the Turkish among others, all of which contributed to the enrichment and conservation of Ancient Egyptian culture.
References
Bleeker, C. (1964). The Pattern of the Ancient Egyptian Culture. Numen, 11(1), 75. doi: 10.2307/3269300
Caminos, R. (1952). The Burden of Egypt. An Interpretation of Ancient Egyptian Culture. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 38(1), 134-135. doi: 10.1177/030751335203800121
Cutter, M. (2015). Multi-Ethnic "Literature" of the "United States": Thinking Beyond the Borders. MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of The United States, 40(1), 13-17. doi: 10.1093/melus/mlu086
Goedicke, H., & Casson, L. (1969). Ancient Egypt. Journal of The American Research Center in Egypt, 8, 98. doi: 10.2307/40000059
Griffiths, J. (1955). Ancient Egyptian Religion. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 41(1), 145-145. doi: 10.1177/030751335504100139
