Ancient Egypt - Organizational
by Jason McKay
river or body of
water is more difficult to manage
than one that falls entirely within the frontiers of a
single state. Egypt throughout time has constantly been
separated by the demands of the upper and lower regions of
Egypt on the Nile. The Nile has seen many rulers throughout
time and few have unified the country under one political
rule. The Nile for centuries has been used as a tool by the
inhabitants of its surrounding communities as leverage for
power.
To follow the course of the organizations and political
structures that governed the Nile one must start with Early
Predynastic Egypt (4000-3500 BC). The first of the many
developmental steps of Predynastic Egypt was the Amratian
civilization. This period witnessed the spread of grain and
flax farming on a wide scale along the Nile Valley. During
this period amazing advances in civilization were made.
Copper was sought for and pounded into needles and
fishhooks. The construction of vessels was created for
travel up and down the Nile. This increased use of the Nile
as a highway anticipated the unity of cultural
features which was to make Egypt unique in the ancient world.
The Late Predynastic Egypt directly follows the
Amratian society. The Gerzen period (3500-3200 BC) is
when we begin to see an advanced society. One with towns
and cities and political structures. In this period trade
begins to accelerate not only along the river but also
overland. We see that towns grew out of older villages and
there, mud buildings become well made structures with wood
frames for doors and windows. These towns were the places
were much of the non-farming activity of the surrounding
areas was centered. As this society became more elaborate
and annual productivity of the land more certain and
fruitful, controls tended to pass from the hands of the
individual farmers into those who held political and
economical control of the towns. From research it appears
obvious that farmers became more and more dependent on the
town specialists for tools, copper, and luxuries that they
gave up their independence in order to pay for them. The
paradox of the freedom loving man caught in a materialistic
world began to cast its shadow. Soon contributions
turned into taxes and what had been voluntary became
enforced.
As society flourished during this time the demon of
demand began to show his face. Men sought more land,
bigger silos, and of course more men to till the soil and
herd the cattle. Growing populations augmented many
problems and the last phase of the Predynastic period was
marked by wars between districts. Soon Egypt was split into
two districts: Lower Egypt
and Upper Egypt. Unification of
these two Kingdoms came under King Menes in 3100 BC. Menes
unified the two areas and divided the land into 40 regions
where a governor was appointed to rule each region and report
back to the Pharaoh.
The Archaic Period begins in 3200-2680 BC. From the
unification of Egypt many things become apparent. There
history almost begins at this point, hieroglyphics began to
create a record of rulers and events. Architectural
masterpieces were created, political rulers began to be
looked at as demi-gods and all the while the Nile fed
these civilizations with life and power. This period really
demonstrates the power of political rule and worship to the
Pharaohs. People began to idolize these rulers as flesh
replications of god. The presence of the Pharaohs seem to
illustrate the reason for fertile land and bountiful crops.
The Pharaohs were worshiped as “bringers of good”.
The Egyptian frame of mind was very different then, than that of
western cultures. They hated change and loved the old “set in
stone” ways. Change to them meant the interruption of what
was good. So the political organizations that ran the
country tried to disturb this concept as little as possible.
These periods are just a few of many that depict the
gradual succession of human civilization along the Nile.
Throughout time man’s drive to tamper with nature and
engineer the environment to meet the needs of society has
taken its toll on the river. A river that for a millennium
was an object of worship,
a beneficent symbol of fertility
and renewal, is no longer. The terrestrial force that
was so dominant in Egypt is now trapped behind a man-made
dam at Aswan. For 7,000 years the inhabitants of the Nile
Valley have been mastering their river in order to master
their land. But each technological
advance has eventually entailed ecological setbacks.•
