Ancient History: Egypt › Archeological Evidence
Which of these statements about the Coffin Texts and Pyramid Texts is inaccurate?
None of these statements are inaccurate.
Both texts influenced the later Book of the Dead.
The Coffin Texts were more accessible to common people than the Pyramid Texts.
The Coffin Texts were based on the earlier Pyramid Texts.
Both texts were primarily comprised of funerary spells.
The Pyramid Texts emerged first, during the Old Kingdom, as a way for Pharaohs to protect themselves and ensure safe passage to the afterlife after their death. The Coffin Texts emerged later, first appearing during the First Intermediate Period and flourishing during the Middle Kingdom. The Coffin Texts were based on the Pyramid Texts, but unlike the Pyramid Texts, the Coffin Texts were available to the whole Egyptian population (so long as one could afford to be buried in a coffin). Both texts were primarily comprised of funerary spells that were inscribed on the walls of the tomb or coffin.
Pyramids built during the Middle Kingdom are notable for __________.
the inclusion of traps and secret passageways, designed to prevent tomb raiders
the use of limestone which preserves their shape and structure to this day
their stepped-design and use of mudbrick
the writing of Pyramid Texts on the walls
All of these are distinguishing characteristics of pyramids built during the Middle Kingdom.
Pyramids built during the Middle Kingdom are distinct from pyramids built during the Old Kingdom in that they included traps and secret passageways, designed to prevent tomb raiding. This demonstrates that the ancient Egyptian rulers had learned from the past and highlights how grave robbing must have been relatively common in Egyptian society, in spite of the many social customs designed to discourage it.
The famous Rosetta stone, with its beautiful depiction of hieroglyphics, was unearthed by the French Emperor Napoleon’s troops in 1799. According to historians, during which period in Egyptian history was the Rosetta Stone created?
the Third Intermediate Period
the Late Kingdom
the Protodynastic Period
the Greco-Roman Period
the New Kingdom
Modern historians and scientists have been able to date the Rosetta Stone to 196 BCE, in the midst of the Third Intermediate Period. As near as can be figured, the Stone acted as a sort of public information board; in three different scripts (Hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Greek) the Stone informs Egyptian citizens of the ascension of the Pharaoh Ptolemy V. Prior to its discovery in 1799, no living individual was able to read hieroglyphic script, despite numerous decoding attempts over the ages. Because the Stone reproduced essentially the same text three times over, the Frenchman Jean-Francois Champollion was able to use his knowledge of Greek to translate both the Demotic and Hieroglyphics on the artifact. Champollion’s translation opened up an entire world of understanding, as historians and archeologists were able to read hieroglyphic inscriptions on temple walls, monuments, and scrolls for the very first time.
Mummification was first commonly practiced in Egypt during the rule of the __________ dynasty.
fourth
seventh
ninth
twelfth
eighteenth
Mummification was first commonly practiced in Egypt during the rule of the fourth dynasty, at the height of the power of the Old Kingdom. The practice of mummification evolved over time, but the fundamental procedures originated with the powerful rulers of the fourth dynasty.
Which of these ancient Egyptian rulers fought at the Battle of Carchemish?
Necho II
Pseunnes
Psamtik I
Sneferu
Khufu
The Battle of Carchemish was fought in 605 BCE between the combined forces of Egypt and Assyria against the combined forces of Babylon, Persia, and the Medes. The Egyptian forces were led by Necho II, an Assyrian puppet ruler. The Egyptian forces were completely destroyed and the Assyrian Empire was obliterated.
Most of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings were __________.
plundered during antiquity
first discovered by European explorers in the nineteenth century
discovered by Napoleon’s troops in the early nineteenth century
destroyed by the Romans during the Roman occupation of Egypt
destroyed by the Greeks during the Hellenistic period of Egyptian history
Most of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings were plundered by unknown raiders and treasure hunters during antiquity. As a result, there is a limit to what modern archaeologists can glean from these great monuments.
Which of these best describes a wadi?
a dry river-bed
an instrument used to measure the depth of the Nile
an instrument used to measure the inundation of the Nile
a mining colony
an economic charter, granted by the Pharaoh
A wadi is a dry river-bed. They can be found in countless locations, alongside major rivers, in the Middle East. They were particularly important in ancient times because they often contained lucrative mineral deposits.
The Coffin Texts were most popular during the ___________.
Middle Kingdom
Old Kingdom
New Kingdom
Second Intermediate Period
Third Intermediate Period
The Coffin Texts first appeared during the First Intermediate Period and became popular during the Middle Kingdom. Like the name suggests, the Coffin Texts were a series of funerary spells that were inscribed on the walls of coffins. They were inspired by the earlier Pyramid Texts, but unlike the Pyramid Texts — which were reserved for the Pharaoh and other rulers — the Coffin Texts extended access to funerary spells, and an understanding of the afterlife, to the common people.
Throughout ancient Egyptian history, Egyptians were most likely to build burial tombs and monuments __________.
on the west bank of the Nile
on the east bank of the Nile
in the Sahara Desert
in the Delta
alongside oases
Although there are many notable exceptions, throughout ancient Egyptian history, Egyptians were most likely to build burial tombs and monuments on the west bank of the Nile. This is because the Egyptians believed that the deceased entered the afterlife from the west (imitating the behavior of the setting sun) and therefore needed to be buried on the west of the Nile in order to gain entrance into heaven.
The royal mortuary complex of King Unas is notable because __________.
it contains the earliest known example of Pyramid Texts
it was the first burial tomb discovered by nineteenth century egyptologists
it demonstrates the pre-eminence of Amun-Ra during the New Kingdom
it reveals that the ancient Egyptians practiced animal sacrifice
it reveals that the ancient Egyptians practiced human sacrifice
King Unas was the last ruler of the fifth dynasty during the Old Kingdom. His royal mortuary complex is notable because it contains the earliest known example of the Pyramid Texts. The Pyramid Texts would appear on the burial tombs of rulers throughout the rest of the Old Kingdom. The Pyramid Texts were a series of inscriptions written on the walls of Pharaoh’s burial tombs and were intended to protect the Pharaoh in the afterlife and discourage tomb raiders.