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Steve Martin as King Tut You may already know about several people who lived in ancient Egypt . . .
King Tutankhamen (Tut for short) is famous for the riches found in his tomb. Or Cleopatra , the ambitious queen who ruled Egypt, is known for her tragic death. These two people were pharaohs - the most important and powerful people in Egyptian society.
The Pharaoh . . . Ancient Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was a god. The pharaoh communicated with the gods for the Egyptian people by performing special rituals and ceremonies in the temples.
The Social Pyramid . . . The pharaoh was at the top of a social pyramid that looked something like this:
People usually married within their social group and continued in the same job as their parents. We find people from all social groups represented in Egyptian art. Nobles & Priests, Soldiers, Scribes, Merchants, Artisans, Farmers, and even Slaves & Servants are depicted in sculpture or paintings that illustrate scenes of rituals and everyday life.
Ready to play the Find the Pharaoh's Fragment Game?
ODYSSEY HOME NEAR EAST Egypt GREECE ROME

© Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University,
Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester and Dallas Museum of Art
For more information please contact odyssey@emory.edu.
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