cultural diffusion
The spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one people to another
river valley
fertile land surrounding a river
Nile River Delta
marshy triangular area of land formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of the Nile River
pharaoh
ruler of ancient Egypt
theocracy
government controlled by religious leaders
polytheism
belief in many Gods
silt
mixture of rich soil and tiny rocks
papyrus
long-lasting, paper-like material made from reeds found along the Nile River
Hieroglyphics
An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds
mummification
process of embalming and drying corpses to prevent them from decaying
Menes
Pharaoh who united upper and lower Egypt
Hatshepsut
First female pharaoh who expanded Egypt through trade
Fertile Cresent
geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates
Code of Hammurabi
A collection of 282 laws. One of the first (but not THE first) examples of written law in the ancient world
Cuneiform
form of writing developed by the Sumerians using a wedge shaped stylus and clay tablets
ziggurat
rectangular tiered temple or terraced mound erected by the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians