The Idol Hands of Death

Prehistoric Period (until 3000 BCE)

In the Neolithic Period, nomadic hunters settle the Nile valley. Fertility rites associated with the flooding of the Nile feature prominently in their religion, and they believe in an afterworld and personal gods. A 365-day calendar year is created.

Remains: Settlements and cemeteries of the Tasian and Merimde cultures.

Early Period (3000-2649 BCE)

King Menes (who may be the historic Pharaoh Narmer) unites Upper and Lower Egypt, and Memphis becomes his capital. Hieroglyphs are first used.

Kings: Menes, Athothis, Kenkenes, Usaphais, Miebis, Senempses, Bieneches, Hotepsekhmui

Religion: Horus is the sky god, and the king is his incarnation.

Finds: Inscription on clay tablets, stelae, seals, cosmetic palettes, red and white pottery, and stone vessels.

3rd Dynasty (2649-2575 BCE)

The king rules over Egypt, which is divided into 42 nomes (districts). An official bureaucracy develops.

Kings: Zoser (Djoser), Sekhemkhet, Nerkare, Huni

Religion: Theological systems are established in Heliopolis and Memphis.

Monuments: Zoser's stepped pyramid at Saqqara; reliefs depicting offerings to the dead, statues of Zoser, reliefs of Hesi-Re, and the pyramid of Meidum.

4th Dynasty (2575-2465 BCE)

The country prospers. The arts flourish and sculptors carve figures in the round in limestone and in granite.

Kings: Sneferu, Cheops (Khufu), Djedefre, Chephren (Khafre), Mycerinus (Menkaure), Shepseskaf

Religion: The gods of Memphis prevail. Solar barques are built to guide the dead king into the afterworld.

Monuments: The Bent Pyramid, Sneferu's pyramid at Dahshur, the pyramid of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus, mastabas and cemeteries, the Sphinx at Giza, temples and stelae.

5th Dynasty (2465-2323 BCE)

Priests and officials gain increasing importance. The hieratic script, a simplified form of the hieroglyphic script, comes into use.

Kings: Userkaf, Sahure, Neferirkare, Shepseskare, Neferefre, Niuserre, Mehkauhor, Djedkare, Unas

Religion: The king becomes "Son of the Sun." The cult of the sun god Re becomes the state religion. The doctrine of the judgment of the dead is developed, and the rituals of burial are established.

Monuments: Abu Gurab's Temple of the Sun, pyramid of Unas at Saqqara, mastabas of Ptahhotep and Ti at Saqqara

6th Dynasty (2323-2150 BCE)

The power of local princes weakens the authority of the king, and feudalism develops.

Kings: Teti, Userkare, Pepi (Phiops) I, Merenre I, Pepi (Phiops) II, Merenre II

Religion: Wisdom texts (moralistic maxims) develop.

Monuments: Pyramids and mastabas at Saqqara, mastabas and rock tombs in Central and Upper Egypt.

7th and 8th Dynasties (at Memphis)

Little known.

9th and 10th Dynasties (at Heracleopolis)

A time of social revolutions and civil wars, with local princes increasingly gaining influence. Literary works are filled with deep pessimism and skepticism.

Kings: 32 little-known kings, two bearing the name Neferkare, three are called Kheti (Achthoes)

Religion: Not just the king but all Egyptians can now live eternally with Osiris, the god of the dead.

Finds: Figures of soldiers, pottery.

11th Dynasty (2040-1991 BCE)

Theban princes overcome the country's difficulties, and Mentuhotep reunites Upper and Lower Egypt. The capital is moved to Thebes. The old styles in sculpture and relief carving are revived.

Kings: 12 kings named Inyotef and Mentuhotep

Religion: The long Coffin Texts are written.

Monuments: Tombs of Mentuhotep III and IV, tomb at Deir el-Bahari, ship models.

12th Dynasty (1991-1786 BCE)

Memphis again becomes the capital. The Middle Kingdom reaches the height of its power conquering parts of Palestine and Nubia.

Kings: Amenemhet I, Sesostris (Senusert) I, Amenemhet II, Sesostris (Senusert) II, Sesostris (Senusert) III, Amenemhet III, Sobeknofru (Queen)

Religion: Amun becomes the principal god. Foreign gods begin to be tolerated.

Monuments: Lisht pyramids, Heliopolis obelisk, Dahshur pyramid, Beni Hasan wall paintings, Aswan tombs, Hawara pyramid, el-Kab town walls, and Amenemhet's sphinx at Tanis.

13th and 14th Dynasties (1785-1640 BCE)

The kingdom declines.

Kings: Over 40 kings, including Amenemhet, Sesostris (Senusert), Sobekhotep, Neferhotep and Mentuhotep

15th through 17th Dynasties (1640-1550 BCE)

The Hyksos come from Asia into Egypt, bringing horses, chariots, and new military techniques with them.

Kings: Over 60 kings including Apophis (Apopi), Sekenenre, Kamose, and Amosis (Ahmose)

Religion: The Syrian god Baal becomes equated with the Egyptian god Seth.

Developments: Papyri on surgical operations and medical treatment, representation of horses and war chariots.

18th Dynasty (1550-1306 BCE)

The Theban prince Amosis expels the Hyksos and reunites Egypt. Under Tuthmosis III, the country becomes a great power, and its territory expands. Building activity is vigorous. During the reign of the "heretic king" Akhenaton, a new intimate style of art develops.

Kings: Amosis (Ahmose), Amenophis (Amenhotep) I, Tuthmosis I, Tuthmosis II, Hatshepsut (Queen), Tuthmosis III, Amenophis (Amenhotep) II, Tuthmosis IV, Amenophis (Amenhotep) III, Akhenaton (Amenophis IV), Smenkhare, Tutankhamen, Ay, Horemheb

Religion: Amun becomes the national god; his temple at Karnak is built. A rich body of literature on death and the afterworld develops. Akhenaton establishes the worship of the sun god Aton, and moves his capital to Amarna. After his death, the old religion is restored.

Monuments: Temples of Karnak, Deir el-Bahari, and Luxor; Colossi of memnon, artifacts from Amarna, treasures of Tutankhamen, tombs in the Valley of Kings.

19th Dynasty (1306-1196 BCE)

Kings move the royal residence to the Delta region. Many military campaigns are waged, the most important of which is Ramesses II against the Hittites.

Kings: Ramesses I, Seti (Sethos) I, Ramesses II, Merneptah, Seti (Sethos) II, Amenmesses, Siptah, Tewosret (Queen)

Religion: The theology of Amun continues to develop, and beautiful hymns to the gods are created. The Hebrews leave Egypt (the Exodus). Foreign cults of Baal and Asarte continue to develop.

Monuments: Temples in Nubia (Abu Simbel), Karnak, Luxor, Abydos; royal and private tombs in Thebes; funerary temples.

20th Dynasty (1196-1085 BCE)

Libyans and others attempt to invade Egypt but are repulsed. Peace follows. Priests become increasingly important. Faced with the rise of the priest-kings, the last of the Ramessid kings step aside.

Kings: Sethnakht, Ramesses III, Ramesses IV to Ramesses XI

Monuments: Buildings at Karnak, Medinet Habu temple, royal and private tombs at Thebes.

21st Dynasty (1070-945 BCE)

In Upper Egypt, the High Priest of Amun rules, while kings reign simultaneously in the Delta region.

Kings: Smendes, Herihor, Psusennes I, Pinudjem, Amenemope, Siamun, Psusennes II

Monuments: Royal tombs and the gold hoard of Tanis.

22nd Dynasty (945-745 BCE)

Libyan rulers, the Bubastids, replace the kings from Tanis. Shoshonq I conquers Jerusalem and plunders Solomon's temple.

Kings: Shoshonq I, Osorkon I, Takelothis I, Shoshonq II, Osorkon II, Takelothis II, Shoshonq III, Pemay, Shoshonq IV

Religion: Local gods become increasingly important.

Monuments: Temples at Karnak and royal tombs.

23rd Dynasty (745-730 BCE)

Nubian kings conquer Upper Egypt and advance as far as Memphis. Bronze-working methods develop.

Kings: Petubastis, Osorkon III, Takelothis III

24th Dynasty (730-715 BCE)

All Egypt falls under Nubian control.

Kings: Tefnakhte, Bocchoris (Bakenrenef)

25th Dynasty (715-656 BCE)

Piankhy, an Ethiopian ruler of Nubia, conquers Egypt. In the following years, the Assyrians conquer Egypt, which becomes part of the Assyrian Empire. Portrait sculpture flourishes. The god Amun is reestablished, and his cult extends to Lower Egypt. The demotic script, a cursive form, develops out of the hieroglyphic and hieratic scripts.

Kings: Shabaka, Shabataka, Taharqa

Monuments: Buildings at Karnak and Medinet Habu, stelae

26th Dynasty (Saite period, 663-525 BCE)

Psammetichus, the prince of Sais, expels the Assyrians, unites Egypt, and makes Sais the country's capital. This is a time of prosperity, and the arts flourish. During the reign of Necho, a canal is cut from the Nile to the Red Sea. Through Greek mercenaries and merchants, the Greeks learn about Egyptian religion, art, and administration.

Kings: Psammetichus I, Necho, Psammetichus II, Apries, Amasis, Psammetichus III

Monuments: Serapeum at Saqqara, tombs at Thebes.

27th Dynasty (The Persian period, 525-404 BCE)

King Cambyses of Persia conquers Egypt, which remains under Persian control until 405 BCE.

Kings: Cambyses, Darius I, Xerxes, Artaxerxes I

Monuments: Temple at Hibis in the Kharga oasis.

28th through 30th Dynasties (404-332 BCE)

Egypt enjoys a brief period of independence, but after the defeat of Nectanebo II, returns to Persian control.

This ends the rules of the Pharaohs.

Kings: Amyrtaeus, Nectanebo I, Nectanebo II

Monuments: Buildings at Dendera, Philae, and Medinet Habu.

Greek rule (332-30 BCE)

Roman rule (30 BCE - 395 ACE)

Byzantine rule (395-641 ACE)

Control is loose at times.

Islamic rule (641-1798 ACE)

There are a series of different Islamic rulers.

European Colonialism (1798-1921 ACE)

In 1798, European colonial influences take control, starting with Napoleon Bonaparte. The machinations of the Great Game involve Egypt. British interests gain control during the 19th century.