EGYPT

  By the latePaleolithic period, the arid climate of Northern Africa became increasingly hot and dry, forcing the populations of the area to concentrate along the Nile valley, and since nomadic modern human hunter-gatherers began living in the region through the end of the Middle Pleistocene some 120 thousand years ago, the Nile has been the lifeline of Egypt.[9] The fertile floodplain of the Nile gave humans the opportunity to develop a settled agricultural economy and a more sophisticated, centralized society that became a cornerstone in the history of human civilization.

By about 5500 BC, small tribes living in the Nile valley had developed into a series of cultures demonstrating firm control of agriculture and animal husbandry, and identifiable by their pottery and personal items, such as combs, bracelets, and beads. The largest of these early cultures in upper Egypt, the Badari, was known for its high quality ceramics, stone tools, and its use of copper.

c.4000-2680 BC
The formative stage of the Ancient civilization, the entire culture would remain virtually unchanged for the next 3000 years.
Pharaoh Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt, into a single kingdom, and made. Memphis his capital, this important event marked the beginning of the dynastic period of Egypt 

The Predynastic Period of Ancient Egypt (prior to 3100 BC)
One group lived around the mouth of Nile River, near the Mediterranean Sea. Their king wore a Red Crown. Their land was called Lower Egypt.
The other group lived near the mountains to the South. Their king wore a White Crown. Their land was called Upper Egypt.
These two groups had much in common. They spoke the same language. They worshipped the same gods. They had the same culture. But, they did not get along. They were always fighting.
Around 3000 BCE, King Menes (also known as King Namer) ruled Upper Egypt. He conquered Lower Egypt. These two groups continued to fight. One day, King Menes had an idea. If the color of a crown was so important, why not invent a new crown?! King Menes created the Double Crown, a mix of white and red. 
His idea worked. Both Lower and Upper Egypt respected the Double Crown. They called their land "The Two Lands".  Over time, The Two Lands became known as Egypt.

Third Dynasty

The Third Dynasty of ancient Egypt is the first dynasty of the Old Kingdom, dating approximately from 2686 to 2613 BC. Other dynasties of the Old Kingdom include the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth. The capital during the period of the Old Kingdom was at Memphis.

This period was all about pyramids. In fact, it's called "The Age of the Pyramids". It was a time of wealth and progress for the Egyptians.
Step Pyramid of Ancient Egyptian Civilization During the third dynasty King Djoser builds the Step Pyramid in Saqqara - the first pyramid ever built. The famous Imhotep was the architectural engineer for this big project.




3rd Dynasty Rulers
Sanakhte (Nebka)  (c.2688-2668)
Djoser   (c.2668-2649)
Sekhemkhet (Djoser Teti) (c.2649-2641)
Khaba (c.2641-2637)
Huni (c.2637-2613)

4th Dynasty
Snofru   (c.2613-2589)
Khufu (Cheops)   (c.2585-2566)
Djedefre (c.2566-2558)
Khafre (Rekhaf)   (c.2558-2532)
Menkaure (Mykerinos) (c.2532-2514)
Shepseskaf (c.2514-2494) 

The first king of the 4th Dynasty was an active military leader. His campaigns against the Nubians and the Libyans are recorded on the Palermo Stone. He began trade with the Mediterranean nations and initiated a series of construction projects throughout Egypt, In order to supply Egypt with timber, he sent a fleet of forty ships to Lebanon. While there, he erected monuments to commemorate the event. He built his mortuary complex at Dashur, including the Maidum Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, and the Red Pyramid. The Bent Pyramid is thought to be an architectural link between the Step Pyramid and the true pyramids. Snefru was deified by the kings of the 12th Dynasty. Many of the rulers of that time built their own mortuary complexes beside his.
5th Dynasty 







 


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