G06 Language Arts: The Egyptian Old Kingdom (May 1, 2025)

                  The Egyptian Old Kingdom was a fascinating kingdom from ancient times. Its history is profuse with manifest structures and interesting rulers. It was the first kingdom out of three ancient Egyptian kingdoms. 

 

                  One fascinating thing to observe in the Egyptian Old Kingdom was the bureaucracy. The kingdom was centered around the capital of Memphis and was ruled by the Pharaoh. He took a peremptory and “central religious role, because he upheld a system that ensured the Nile brought silt-rich annual floods each year and kept the valley fertile.” (Parker 92) Under him were nomes, or local governors. 

 

                  Part of the fascinating bureaucracy were the Pharaohs, or rulers. The first Pharaoh was Menes (c. 3100s B.C.), who united Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. (Upper Egypt was actually in the south and vice versa, because of the mountainous nature of the south.) Though not a ruler of the Old Kingdom, he was nonetheless fascinating. The Old Kingdom began in 2649 B.C., with fascinating rulers leading expeditions and campaigns. The ruler Snefru (2575-2551 B.C.) led expeditions to Nubia (in Northwestern Africa). From 2323 to 2150 B.C., campaigns in Libya were launched. However, during Pepi II’s reign:

 

…central reign began to dissolve, and, within 20 years, the Old Kingdom collapsed, as famine wracked the land and officials in the provinces established their own rule. A century of uncertainty ensued, known as the First Intermediate Period (2134-2040 BCE). (Parker 92)

 

                  The most fascinating part, however, was arguably the pyramids. Pyramids were ostentatious and manifest tombs for powerful rulers. They can be traced back to Pharaoh Djoser (2630-2611 B.C.), who built a pyramid at Saqqara. Previously, rulers were buried in mud-brick box tombs known as mabastas. These mabastas were stacked on top of each other as bricks for the pyramids. One major pyramid was the Great Pyramid of Giza. It was built during Snefru’s reign and likely took around 20 years to build. In fact, it survives to this day as the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This was a very fascinating part of Egyptian history. 

 

                  In conclusion, the Egyptian Old Kingdom was fascinating, with a strong bureaucracy, great leaders, and ostentatious pyramids. Its legacy lives on today. 

Works Cited

Parker, Philip. World History. Dorling Kindersley Ltd, 2010. Accessed 30 April 2025. 

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Nubia. Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/place/Nubia. Accessed 30 April 2025.

Hobar, Linda Lacour. The Mystery of History: Creation to the Resurrection. Bright Ideas Press, 2019. Accessed 30 April 2025.