|
C O U R S E L E C T U R E The Egyptian Empire at its Greatest Extent Notes taken on June 6, 2016 by Edward Tanguay |
the largest extent of Egyptian rule
occupies the whole of the Nile Valley to the sixth cataracts
cataracts are little waterfalls on the Nile that make trade by boat particularly challenging
all the way up through the Middle East into v
mainly for commercial reasons
there are certain things grown in this part of the world that Egyptians cannot produce themselves
stretched as far south as Punt and Nubia
produce wheat and barley in surplus
makes them self-sufficient for food
they have to buy wood from other places
they also need resin for burial processes
related to the word for the rising sun, e.g. levitate
the Via Regia, or "King's Highway"
starts in Memphis, goes across the Sinai Peninsula, up the eastern bank of the Jordan River
land route which Egypt and the kingdom's of Mesopotamia
sturdy beasts that can carry loads
the Via Maris, "Sea Road"
along the coast through Gaza, to Tyre
goes overland to Damascus in Syria
indirect connections to India
Funerary model of Egyptian boat
not particularly skilled at sea travel
boat travel for the Egyptians was mostly up and down the Nile
the wealthy enjoyed drinking wine
wine could not be produced in Egypt
referred to it as the "Beer from the Mountains"
Laborers Carrying Wine in Amphorae
art: Hatshepsut's Expedition to the Land of Punt
Punt was an area to the south of Egypt in the horn of Africa
modern day Ethiopia and Yemen
no one is sure of the extent of the land of Punt
Hatshepsut sent a large trading delegation there
traded to get gold, resin, ebony and wild animals
was a connection with India