Ancient Egypt was one of the most influential times in all of world history. Spanning over 3000 years, it became a civilization that has continued to stand out as a time of tremendous power.
At the height of its glory, Ancient Egypt elongated from what is today known as Syria in The Middle East, down through the country of Sudan in Africa. However long before it was a great empire, Ancient Egypt was a series of city states that were concentrated along the Nile River.
This area was divided into what was called Lower and Upper Egypt, according to the flow of the Nile. It was around the year 3100BC that these two halves became united as one and would remain a stronghold for a thousand years.
The history of Ancient Egypt is divided into the three periods of great prosperity, known as The Old, Middle and New Kingdoms from 2575BC to 1075BC. There were also two eras of instability that became known as The First and The Second Intermediate.
Throughout its time, Ancient Egypt was governed by over three hundred rulers, who later became known as Pharaohs. Pharaohs could be either men or women and they were looked upon as people who would safeguard their people and their land.
When a Pharaoh's life ended it was believed that they passed on to an afterlife, where they would assume the form of Gods and Goddesses. In order to prepare for this, immense preparations were made. Structures built with limestone, known as pyramids, were constructed with underground mausoleums and burial chambers.
These tombs were filled with everything a Pharaoh would need in their next life, such as food, gold, jewelry, even their pets. In order to prepare a Pharaoh's body, the Ancient Egyptians practiced a preparation called mummification.
During this process, all the internal organs, as well as any moisture, was removed from the body, leaving only a dried out shell that would stay so well preserved that they can still be observed today. The bodies were then placed in a box like structure known as a sarcophagus. This ritual of preparing for death was a true testament of the enormous importance religion had to the Egyptian people.
The Ancient Egyptians were innovative pioneers in the dynamics of mathematics. They invented and used a system built on the cubit, which was a measure of length. Cubits were used successfully and enabled the Egyptians to design and construct the great pyramids such as Giza, and Khafre.
The Egyptians also applied astronomy to measure time and were the first people to devise and use the 365 day calendar. These methods were also used to survey and measure the land around the Nile River.
The Egyptian people proved themselves to be great engineers who designed and manufactured dams and canals. They were also able to understand and utilize the irrigation system of the Nile which allowed their farming and agriculture to flourish.
The Egyptian people also developed a system of written language during The Old Kingdom known as hieroglyphics. This language was essentially a series of symbols that lined many of the tombs and also marked the abundance of pottery that was crafted.
Overtime, hieroglyphics would develop into a cursive like language known as Hieratic Script. The people would use this script to write on a paper like product made from the papyrus plant. This paved the way for the Ancient Egyptians to develop a system of record keeping that would cause the Egyptian culture to spread.
Although the Ancient Egyptian people would eventually be conquered by the Romans and the Persians, they left behind a civilization that to this day remains one of the most iconic and fascinating in history.
Ancient Egyptians were known to be really religious as a community. They believed that everything in life occurred due to several gods that all had their realms. Different gods were known to control various aspects of the world and life. For example, if a family had a bad crop of grain and wheat, they would …
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Goddess Heket, also known as Hekat and Heqet, is the Egyptian goddess of fertility and grain germination. She is commonly associated with pregnancy and childbirth. The meaning behind her name is vague, but sources believe that it is derived from the word “heqa,” which means “ruler” or “scepter.” Often portrayed as a woman with the …
Ancient Egypt spanned nearly 3,000 years. To better understand the ebb and flow of this vibrant civilization, Egyptologists introduced three clusters, splitting this vast period of time firstly into the Old Kingdom, then the Middle Kingdom and finally the New Kingdom. Each time period saw dynasties rise and fall, epic construction projects initiated, cultural and …
Geography shaped how ancient Egyptians thought of their land. They perceived their country to be divided into two distinct geographical zones. Kemet the black land comprised the fertile banks of the Nile River, while Deshret the Red Land was the sprawling barren desert that spread out of much of the remainder of the land. The …
Ancient Egypt, the builders of the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, and other marvels, has for a long time, been a source of fascination for the rest of the world. Yet, surrounded by sands and the harshness of the desert, if it weren’t for the Nile, the region would probably rank among the least conduction for …
Senusret I was the second pharaoh in Egypt’s Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. He ruled Egypt from c. 1971 BC to 1926 BC and Egyptologists viewed him as this dynasty’s most powerful king. He pursued his father Amenemhat I’s aggressive dynastic territorial expansion with expeditions against Nubia in the south and into Egypt’s western …
Ramses III was the Second pharaoh in the 20th Dynasty of Egypt’s New Kingdom. Egyptologists recognize Pharaoh Ramses III as the last of the great pharaohs to rule Egypt with substantial power and authoritative central control. Ramses III’s long rule witnessed the gradual ebbing of Egyptian economic, political and military power. This decline was presaged …
The ancient Egyptians lived in a society that is considered to be one of the most fascinating in human history. The people of that time gave credence to both the physical and spiritual aspects of their culture in the form of symbols, architecture, art, mythology, and mystical objects that were used to bring protection and …
Legend has it that King Menes (c. 3150 BCE) founded Memphis in c. 3100 B.C. Other surviving records credit Hor-Aha Menes’ successor with Memphis’ construction. There is a Myth that Hor-Aha so admired Memphis that he diverted the Nile river bed to create a broad plain for building work. The pharaohs of Egypt’s Early Dynastic …
Today, The temple of Edfu in Upper Egypt between Luxor and Aswan is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved in all of Egypt. Known also as the Temple of Horus, its exceptionally well-preserved inscriptions have provided Egyptologists with remarkable insights into ancient Egypt’s political and religious ideas. A colossal Horus statue in his falcon …
Anyone who has ever gazed upon the Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or Cheops) can only stand in awe of the amazing achievement of its builders. From the Fourth Dynasty Pharaoh Khufu to its architect the Pharaoh’s vizier Hemiunu, to the team of an estimated 20,000 labourers and skilled …
The history of Ancient Egypt is rooted deep in religion and mythology. Its people relied heavily on the existence of its gods and goddesses. As farmers, the Egyptian people turned to their divine for everything. Their undying faith in the afterlife was what framed most of Egypt’s architecture. One of the most notorious gods was …
Xois or Khaset or Khasut as the Egyptians knew it was a large Egyptian town, ancient even by the time of the 14th Dynasty. It enjoyed a Mediterranean-wide reputation for its production of fine wine and the manufacturer of luxury items. It was also home to the cult worship of the ancient Egyptian god Amon-Ra. …
Thutmose II who is believed by Egyptologists to have reigned from c. 1493 to 1479 BC. He was the 18th dynasty’s (c. 1549/1550 to 1292 BC) 4th pharaoh. This was an era in which ancient Egypt rose to the peak of its wealth, military power and diplomatic influence. The 18th Dynasty has also been termed …
The distinctive geography of ancient Egypt with a narrow strip of lush fertile land surrounded by desert saw its cities built close to the Nile River. This ensured a ready supply of water, access to hunting grounds in the Niles marshes and a transport network of boats. Cities and towns were divided into “Upper” and …
Snefru (or Sneferu) was the founding Pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty in Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Following his death, his ancient Egyptian subjects remembered him as a good and just ruler. Egyptologists believed he reigned from around c. 2613 to c. 2589 BCE. Ancient Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty (c. 2613 to c. 2494 BCE) is often referred to …
The ancient Egyptian Empire as we know it today emerged at the time of the New Kingdom (c. 1570 to c. 1069 BCE). This was the height of ancient Egypt’s wealth, power and military influence. At its apogee, the Egyptian Empire straddled modern-day Jordan to the east extending westwards to Libya. From the north, it …
At the heart of ancient Egypt’s culture lay a deep reverence for and belief in the afterlife. Enormous care was taken to create vast necropolises to serve not just the royal family and members of the aristocracy but the general population. Saqqara set in Lower Egypt, was one of Egypt’s oldest and most enduring burial …
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