The wealth of Africa Ancient Egypt Presentation

Supported by

The CarAf Centre

www.britishmuseum.org

How much can we learn about ancient Egypt from object evidence?

Front cover image: Seated couple, British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? What do we want to know?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? What do we want to know? What did they do for fun?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? What do we want to know? What did they do for fun?

Clapped along

Got dressed up

Hung out together

Played music

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? What clothes did Egyptian women wear?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? What clothes did Egyptian women wear?

Headband

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? What clothes did Egyptian women wear?

Headband

Wrap

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? What clothes did Egyptian women wear?

Headband

Wrap

White linen trousers (or dress)

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? What clothes did Egyptian women wear?

Headband

Wrap

White linen trousers (or dress)

No shoes

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Scented cone

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Scented cone

Kohl eyeliner

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Scented cone

Kohl eyeliner

Large gold earrings

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Scented cone

Kohl eyeliner

Large gold earrings

Long painted fingernails

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Scented cone

Kohl eyeliner

Large gold earrings

Long painted fingernails

Gold bangles

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Scented cone

Kohl eyeliner

Large gold earrings

Long painted fingernails

Gold bangles

Wide gold collar

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Scented cone

Kohl eyeliner

Large gold earrings

Long painted fingernails

Gold bangles

Wide gold collar

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

Two-tone braided wig

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PAINTING? How did they decorate themselves?

Scented cone

Kohl eyeliner

Large gold earrings

Long painted fingernails

Gold bangles

Wide gold collar

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

Two-tone braided wig

Gold armbands

WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN? Are they rich or poor?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN? Are they rich or poor? How skilful was the painter?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN? Are they rich or poor? How skilful was the painter? Why are they all wearing the same thing?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN? Are they rich or poor? How skilful was the painter? Why are they all wearing the same thing? What might the writing be about?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN? Are they rich or poor? How skilful was the painter? Why are they all wearing the same thing? What might the writing be about? Why has this picture been painted on the walls of this man’s tomb?

Source 1: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT DO THESE OBJECTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TELL YOU?

Source 4: Kohl jar British Museum

Source 3: Mirror British Museum

Source 2: Comb British Museum

WHAT DO THESE OBJECTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TELL YOU? Who used them?

Source 4: Kohl jar British Museum

Source 3: Mirror British Museum

Source 2: Comb British Museum

WHAT DO THESE OBJECTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TELL YOU? Who used them? What was the owner like?

Source 4: Kohl jar British Museum

Source 3: Mirror British Museum

Source 2: Comb British Museum

WHAT DO THESE OBJECTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TELL YOU? Who used them? What was the owner like? How well made are they?

Source 4: Kohl jar British Museum

Source 3: Mirror British Museum

Source 2: Comb British Museum

WHAT DO THESE OBJECTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TELL YOU? Who used them? What was the owner like? How well made are they? Who made them?

Source 4: Kohl jar British Museum

Source 3: Mirror British Museum

Source 2: Comb British Museum

WHAT DO THESE OBJECTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TELL YOU? Who used them? What was the owner like? How well made are they? Who made them? What do they tell you about Egyptian society? Source 4: Kohl jar British Museum

Source 3: Mirror British Museum

Source 2: Comb British Museum

WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT EGYPT FROM THIS PAINTING?

Source 5: Tomb of Nebamun, Egypt, c. 1350 BC. British Museum

WHAT WAS FARMING LIKE? Source 7 It is certain that Egyptians gather in fruit from the earth with less effort than any other men; for they do not have to break up furrows with a plough, nor hoe, nor do any other of those jobs which other farmers have to do; but when the river has come up of itself and watered their fields, and after watering has left them again, then each man sows his own field and turns into it pigs, and when he has trodden the seed into the ground by means of the pigs, after that he waits for the harvest, and when he has threshed the corn by means of the pigs, then he gathers it in. Herodotus (a Greek historian c. 440 BC): 83

Do sources 6 and 7 agree? Which one would you trust?

Source 6: Egyptian model showing a farmer ploughing British Museum

WHAT WERE EGYPTIAN BOATS LIKE?

Source 8: Egyptian model of a boat British Museum

WHAT WERE EGYPTIAN BOATS LIKE? How accurate do you think this model is?

Source 8: Egyptian model of a boat British Museum

WHAT WERE EGYPTIAN BOATS LIKE? How accurate do you think this model is? How much can we learn from it?

Source 8: Egyptian model of a boat British Museum

WHAT WERE EGYPTIAN BOATS LIKE? How accurate do you think this model is? How much can we learn from it? What might it tell us about trade in ancient Egypt?

Source 8: Egyptian model of a boat British Museum

SEATED FIGURES

Source 9: Seated couple British Museum

SEATED FIGURES We don’t know their names, but how much can we learn about them?

Source 9: Seated couple British Museum

SEATED FIGURES We don’t know their names, but how much can we learn about them? What was their relationship?

Source 9: Seated couple British Museum

SEATED FIGURES We don’t know their names, but how much can we learn about them? What was their relationship? How close were they?

Source 9: Seated couple British Museum

SEATED FIGURES We don’t know their names, but how much can we learn about them? What was their relationship? How close were they? Why did they have themselves sculpted in this way?

Source 9: Seated couple British Museum

SEATED FIGURES We don’t know their names, but how much can we learn about them? What was their relationship? How close were they? Why did they have themselves sculpted in this way? How wealthy were they?

Source 9: Seated couple British Museum

SEATED FIGURES We don’t know their names, but how much can we learn about them? What was their relationship? How close were they? Why did they have themselves sculpted in this way? How wealthy were they? What does this sculpture tell you about what the Egyptians were like as people?

Source 9: Seated couple British Museum

Your feedback

For students

Ancient Civilizations websites

Please help the British Museum improve its educational resources for schools and teachers by giving your feedback. The first 250 teachers or tutors to complete the online survey before 12.00 on 1 September 2011 will receive a printed set of illustrations of African civilisations by artist Tayo Fatunla. Visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/wealthofafrica to complete the survey and for terms and conditions.

Students can experience and engage with the collection in many ways, from taking part in activity sessions at the Museum to using free online resources or playing interactive games in the classroom and at home.

These award-winning British Museum websites have been specially designed for students in Years 5 and 6. Each site is supported by information and guidance for teachers. www.ancientcivilizations.co.uk

For teachers

The CarAf Centre

Find out more

Search the Museum’s collection online at www.britishmuseum.org for information about objects, including pictures to download or print.

The British Museum’s collection spans over two million years of human history and culture, all under one roof and includes world-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, and Egyptian mummies.

Schools and teachers enewsletter

These resources have been produced by the British Museum in collaboration with The CarAf Centre, a community educational support centre and registered charity based in the London Borough of Camden. For more information, visit www.thecarafcentre.org.uk

The Museum’s collection of over 200,000 African objects includes material from ancient to contemporary cultures. Highlights on display throughout the Museum include a magnificent brass head of a Yoruba ruler from Ife in Nigeria, vibrant textiles from across the continent, and the Throne of Weapons – a sculpture made out of guns.

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