KEY WORDS
Civilisation: ideas, sciences, arts, customs, beliefs, etc., that characterise a human group, such as people or nation.
Mesopotamia: historical region in Asia, In Greek the name means "land between two rivers".
Egypt: historical civilisation in Africa, located in a large desert crossed from north to south by the long river Nile.
Kingdom: territory ruled by a King or Queen.
City state: city and surrounding lands, with its own independent system of political organisation.
Divination: finding out about the future by interpreting signs.
Ziggurats: very high buildings, with tiered towers, connected by stairs. At the top, there was an astronomical observatory.
Dynasty: series of rulers from the same family.
Craftwork: technique of making objects and products by hand, using simple tools and traditional methods.
Polytheist: someone who believes in various gods.
Mummify: prepare dead bodies so that they are preserved and do not decompose.
Sphinx: mythical animal, generally with a human head, neck and chest, but a lion´s body and legs.
Mastabas: type of egyptian tomb, used to bury pharaohs and important public servants. They were built in the form of a flat-topped pyramid and contained an offerings chamber with a statue of the dead.
Pyramids: type of egyptian tomb, formed a labyrinth of romos and passageways, the body was surrounded by treasure. Examples: pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure.
Hypogea: underground tombs carved out the rock, with various passageways leading to the funerary chamber of pharaoh.
Temple: religious egyptian buildings dedicated to the gods, where the priests lived. Example: Temple of Luxor.
Rock Temples: temples carved out of rock. Example: Temple of Abu Simbel.
VOCABULARY
government, harvest, tax, army, trade, public administration, law, conquer, dykes, canals, scribe, herdsman, astronomy, statue, relief, papyrus, column, fresco, tempera.
