What was the economy. Information about Serapeum|||The period of the 18th dynasty is the start of the New Kingdom in Egypt 1550-1070 BC. The New Kingdom started with the reunification of the north and the south. This period is known as the 'Golden Age' of Egypt when the country was at the height of its cultural and artistic achievement. At that time Egypt was the most powerful empire in the ancient world and was basking in enormous wealth amassed from many a succesfull war by a series of victorious warrior pharaohs.
I read with interest the previous extensive and informative comment about the 18th dynasty's pharaohs noticing only one minor mistake. Akenaten (one of the earliest monotheists known and Nefertiti's husband) was actually Amenhotep IV, not V (there was not Amenhotep V in Egypt's history).
This wealth was channeled into construction of many magnificent monuments including the Great Temple of Abu Suimbel, Karnak's hypostyle hall and Seti's temple at Abydos. Some of these monuments have survived till modern times turning Egypt into a mekka for tourists. Trips to Egypt in general and Nile cruises in particular were among the first and most exciting holiday destinations for a 19th century traveller. And today it's no different. Millions of tourist come to visit Egypt every year.
Ad Serapeum - it is among one of Egypt's strangest monuments. It was the centre of a cult relating to the Apis bull. It was believed to be the incarnation of the blessed soul of Ptah and Osiris after his death. During its life the sacred bull was treated as a deity with its own priests and a harem of cows. When it died it was buried at the Serapeum with the finest of ceremonies. The bull was mummified, then placed in a 70 ton granite sarcophagus. In Serapeum there are 25 such sarcophagi. One of these mummified bulls is now on the display in the Agricultural Museum in Cairo.
Serapeum was first discovered by the French egyptologist Mariette in Saqqara desert some 20 miles south of Cairo halfway through the 19th century. The whole tomb temple complex of catacombs is rather eerie. The catacombs were in use until 30 BC.
There are two Serapeums in Egypt. Another one is located in Alexandria and its provenance is associated with the Greeks.
You probably mean the Saqqara Serapeum though, because it dates back to the 18th dynasty.|||The economic status of Egypt during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom was phenomenal.
It was a time of expansion of the political borders,new trade allies and exploration.
All this despite a few quite significant uprisings.
The wars with the Hykos or "sea people" that had been ongoing during the Taosid period, were essentially over and Egypt was the victor.
Taking thousands of prisoners of war,as slaves.
The real political force's behind the Pharaohs throne, were the lector priests of the Temple of Atum Ra in Waset,or Thebes as the Greeks named it.
This was now the capitol of Egypt.
The first Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty was Ahmose l and he made a tactical marriage with Ahmes-Nefertity ,Gods Daughter of Amun and Adoratrix of Amun,his sister wife.
Their son Amenhotep inherited the throne by default and left no heirs .
So the next Pharaoh was another son of Ahmose l by a commoner ,Thutmose l.
His marriage to Ahmes another Gods Wife and Adoratrix of Amun ,saw the throne safely secured in his hands.
Thutmose's l introduced the building of pylons as the protective facade to temples and towns.These impressive structures replaced the former series of walls and guard houses that had been in use since the the dynastic era.
While his father Amenhotep l ,was the first Pharaoh to be buried in The Valley of the Kings.
The Thutmosids as they are known, had very close political and blood connections to the priests of Amun Ra and relied on the priestly caste for their endurance.
It was through the lector priests influence, that a female was able to gain power and maintain it for so long.
This was the time of Pharaoh Menkare Hatshepsut,(a woman who showed the men how to do it),my personal favourite ruler.
Hatshepsut ruled by herself or as consort for her brother and later her nephew.Giving Egypt one of the most affluent and influential periods of any Dynasty.
Egypt was at the height of its Golden Age. With no major wars or natural disasters to deal with, manpower,money and time could be invested in exploration. Such as the expedition to Punt.
Her crowning achievement was her stunning temple at Dier el Bahri.It is the epitome of what the 18th Dynasty stood for.
However as can be imagined her reign was full of political and family intrigue. It is to her credit she survived and reigned so well.
Her end was mysterious as was the disappearance from history of her favoured aide, Senemut.
Senemut was the also the tutor of Neferure,Hatshepsut's daughter,who vanished for all accounts at the same time.
During the reign of the Thutmosids, many of the most impressive of the Egyptian monuments at Karnak and The Temple of Luxor were built. The Sphinx was "rescued" for the first time by a young Thutmosis 1V.who removed the sand covering it. After a dream in which the Sphinx asked for his help.
Thutmoses II contended with minor skirmishes with Nubian warlords but his reign was uneventful.It is thought he may have suffered from a childhood illness that left him a weakened adult. But he also contributed to extending the temples and other monuments.
Thutmoses lll was a true warrior Pharaoh and fought many successful campaigns.Including the Battle of Meggido.
He is recorded as having great military abilities from a young age.
But he also followed his Father and Aunt and expanded the Temples.Being mindful of the priests of Amun Ra's power.
Thutmoses lV and Amenhotep ll,Thutmoses lV and the last of the 18th Dynasty Pharaohs, Amenhotep lll all enjoyed relatively peaceful and prosperous reigns due to the powerful alliances made in the earlier reigns.
It is interesting to note that nearly all of the statues,reliefs and carvings of Hatshepsut as a male Pharoah were destroyed either under the direction of Thutmoses lV or one of the late Amenhoteps.
With the end of Amenhotep IV's rule we come to the end of the first part of the 18th Dynasty.
The next part is initially the story of the heretic Pharaoh Amenhotep V, who changed his name to Akenaton.
He introduced monotheism to Egypt.So denying the powerful priest caste of Amun Ra.
His reign was short and much discrepincy and debate has arisen regarding whether his successor was his wife Nefertarri or his brother/son Smenkare.
Some say Smenkare is Nefertitti,and there is quite good evidence towards it.
The next ruler was the famous boy king Tukankamon about who so much has been written.
His very short reign was followed by Ay and Horembeb both elderly statesmen/generals.
Apart from the costly and disruptive Amarna interlude. This second part of the 18th Dynasty did little for the country or its economic and military status.
The Serrapeum at Saqqara is from the 18th Dynasty and was the burial place of the sacred Apis bull. When these sacred bulls died the country would go into mourning.
The deceased bull would be mummifed and given a burial at the site in Saqqara. The search would then be held for its successor. The bull must have exactly the correct markings. Black on its back and throat and red on stomach and tail. Their sacopphagi are gigantic and weigh many tons. There are at more than 60 known Apis bulls.
To find out more I will direct you to a great article by well know Egypology writer Jimmy Dunn .
Just go to w.w.w.touregypt and type Apis Bull or serapeum into search.
There was also the much, much later Serapeum dedicated to the Greek God Serrapis,this is at Alexandria.
If I can help with any specific questions email me.|||18th dynasty is the one with most pharaos th triump of the great egyptian empire over the entire world
ahmose 1580--1558
amenhopsis 11
thutmosis1 two and three
hatshepsut 1st
amenhhopsis 11nd 111rd %26amp;1v
nefertiti
tutenkhaten later tutenkhamen
horemheb 1340-1314
these are the Pharaos to find its history get the book
ancient egypt by lorna oakes %26amp;lucia gahlin|||yes|||call me at costa201098@yahoo.com
and i tell u all of information|||the last one is right, yo can get the book from your library if not get them to find one for you. (uk that is) serapium at Memphis and they are temples dating back to the 1st dynasty
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment