Unit Two River Valley Civilizations Vocab

Ancient Egyptian god of the sun, heaven, kingship, power, and light

The highest members of Harappan social hierarchy, believed to be priests

River valley civilization in South Asia. Located in modern day Pakistan and India.

Jewelry shaped like a sacred beetle that was placed on a mummy to help it in the afterlife

The main form of currency used in Olmec/Mayan civilization

A pyramid temple having upward-curving roofs used for religious purposes in Shang China

Sophisticated and very accurate calendar designed and used by the Olmec and Mayans

One of the two major rivers that ran through ancient Mesopotamia

The major river that ran through the ancient civilization in China

The process of creating watering systems for crops

A fabric made from worm cocoons in Ancient Shang China and a sign of wealth around the ancient world.

A document containing spells that guides a dead person's soul through the Ancient Egyptian afterlife

One of the oldest known written epic stories about a king of Mesopotamia

An example of monumental architecture found in Egypt. Used for burying dead pharaohs

A step pyramid structure used as a temple and granary uilt in ancient Mesopotamia

Idea that the Shang Emperor rules with the approval of the gods and his ancestors, but he may lose this and be executed

River that ran through Ancient Egypt

A line of rulers descended from the same ancestor

An ancient Egyptian writing material similar to paper that was made of plant fibers

One of the two major rivers that ran through ancient Mesopotamia

Mesopotamian god of the sky, king of the gods

Process used to preserve bodies in Ancient Egypt

A river valley civilization located in modern day Iraq, Kuwait and Syria. Means between two rivers.

A form of clay used in Harappa to make pots, storage containers and figures of gods and animals

The ruler of ancient Egypt

Egyptian god who judges souls in the afterlife by weighing one's heart against a feather

Local Mesopotamian government run by a king

A formal writing system from Ancient Egypt made up of about 400 pictorial characters

Ancient Egyptian god of fertility, agriculture and afterlife.

Most ancient civilizations built these monuments for religions purposes or to bury rulers

The Olmec/Mayan feathered serpent god of rain and wind, often given sacrifices of human hearts

Earliest known writing system. Used in Ancient Mesopotamia.

Shang China shamans who could speak to dead ancestors for advice about the future

Stone statues of the gods used as places of sacrifice by the Olmec/Maya

Harappan religious social structure based on birth and reincarnation

Olmec/Mayan folding books written by scribes with glyphs in ink on bark paper.

River that ran through the Harappan Civilization

Because of this weather phenomenon, Harappans didn't really use irrigation

A river valley civilization located in Northern Africa

A ranking system that establishes which type of people are considered more important than others

Ancient Shang China's god who controlled victory in battle, harvest, fate, and the weather

River valley civilization in East Asia

The earliest known legal system which contained harsh punishments

A belief that all citizens are equal; there is some evidence that Harappa lacked a true social hierarchy

A philosophy from Ancient Shang China that requires honoring and obeying male family members

An extremely popular competitive athletic game Olmec/Mayan cities, losers would be sacrificed to the gods

The ‘Mother-Goddess’ and lord of all animals, believed to have been worshipped by Harappans

A Olmec/Mayan codex containing a history of the entire world from creation to eventual destruction

One of the best evidences of the relicious and social culture of Harappans

Olmec/Mayan writing system

Educated officials who kept business, judicial, and historical records for the government

The rulers of the city-states of Mesopotamia

Standardized small stones with writing on them used as money, to identify ownership and keep records in Harappa

The rulers of the city-states of the Olmec and Maya

The ruler of ancient Shang China