Egyptians created many things still used today, such as medicine, musical instruments, paper, pens, locks and keys, cosmetics, alcoholic beverages and board games. Cats were popular creatures as it is said most households owned one!
Egyptian men and women wore makeup not simply to beautify themselves but because it believed that it held healing powers.
1. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the tallest man-made structure in the world
One of the most iconic images of Egypt are its famed pyramids at Giza, rising over an expanse of desert landscape. Remaining monuments from ancient civilization’s famed Seven Wonders of the World have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites and are thus protected against further decay and vandalism.
We’re used to seeing grand structures like these in breathtaking photographs, but they are more than postcard-worthy: they also serve as homes to golf courses, resorts and thriving suburbs which encroach onto them slowly consuming these ancient wonders. Urban development poses one of the greatest threats to their preservation; understanding why Egyptians prioritize protecting these national treasures is vitally important.
Most people assume the pyramids were constructed by slaves; however, experts now believe paid workers were also involved. Many farmers took turns working on them during their free time as job creation; during flood season they could quickly return to their fields again. Experts still do not understand how these massive stone blocks could have been moved in order to construct these immense monuments.
2. Egypt is home to the world’s largest dam
Egypt boasts both scorching deserts and vibrant cities, offering visitors an incredible variety of sights ranging from Giza’s massive pyramids and Great Sphinx to Luxor’s Valley of the Kings tombs and millennia-old monuments lining its fertile Nile.
Egypt relied on Nile floodwaters from Ethiopia for years before Aswan High Dam was constructed; their annual flooding raised farmlands and left behind fertile layers of mud for Egypt’s crops to thrive.
Egypt’s economy today is driven primarily by tourism and manufacturing; however, agriculture still provides an important source of income. Egypt is an industry-leading producer and exporter of grains as well as cotton; globally-renowned cotton textile producers call Egypt home.
Egypt is home to an extremely densely-packed population, presenting its residents with many social challenges. Over 90% of Egyptians live within an narrow strip along the Nile, making water resources scarcer still. Furthermore, most Egyptians are young; children are highly valued as helpers in family farms or for providing care in old age.
3. Cleopatra was not Egyptian
Cleopatra was well known for her beauty and exoticism, but did you know she wasn’t Egyptian? Cleopatra belonged to the Ptolemy dynasty which often styled itself as Egyptian on monuments; Cleopatra herself however had more Greek features. Furthermore she proved an outstanding leader who could connect both Hellenistic successors of Alexander to later Roman Empire leaders – such as Caesar.
By employing skilled diplomacy and leadership skills, she was able to avert a famine in Egypt while still upholding its status as the leading nation in the eastern Mediterranean region. Furthermore, she was adept at operating across cultures, championing ancient Egyptian civilisation while honouring traditional deities of Egypt.
While her relationship with Julius Caesar made her famous, when she died in 30 B.C. her dynasty collapsed as well. Octavian, later to become Roman Emperor himself, ordered Caesarion be killed off so that no chance was left for him to inherit the throne – something sources say made all the more regrettable given he was quite charming at 16 years old!
4. The Nile is the longest river in Africa
The Nile River is Africa’s longest river and one of the longest in the world. Beginning its journey at Lake Victoria in Uganda and flowing through Sudan and Egypt into the Mediterranean Sea via 11 African nations. This water source has allowed people to flourish despite unreliable rainfall patterns and dry soil conditions.
Egypt was home to grasslands with many lakes during the last Ice Age, yet after climate changes shifted the climate became scorching desert-like environments. People began migrating toward the banks of the Nile where they learned how to farm the land and keep animals, eventually evolving into an advanced society under powerful rulers known as Pharaohs.
Egyptians believed the Nile to be blessed with magical properties, using it as a symbol for life and death – hence all tombs were located on its west bank. Additionally, hippos crocodiles were believed to be manifestations of Ra, their sun god. Furthermore, its waters are home to gazelles, Nubian ibexes, and desert lynxes among many other wildlife species.
5. The Egyptians invented the 12-month calendar
Ancient Egyptians are widely recognized for creating one of the first calendars ever used in human history. Their calendar divided their years into specific seasons, months, days and hours as well as distinguishing between a full year and leap year.
Athenians also created a civil calendar comprised of 12 months with 30 days each (360 total days per year), plus five epagomenal days added at the end of the year to keep in sync with solar cycles. Furthermore, they utilized a numbering system which eventually gave rise to Hellenized names which were eventually adopted by Ptolemies.
Ancient Egyptians revered the sun as an earthly deity and found it integral to life itself. A calendar was an essential part of their religion, helping to track rising water levels on the Nile and predict inundation seasons with pinpoint precision. So crucial was this calendar that ancient Egyptians counted years in terms of Pharaohs instead of centuries – an eventful period in their history which lives on today in the form of Coptic calendar based on Egyptian civil and Julian calendars.
6. Mummies were preserved in big tombs
Egyptians had an affinity for mummifying bodies. Mummies preserved soft tissues such as skin, organs and muscles since fungi and bacteria couldn’t grow on them and decompose the bodies over time.
Mummies also provide scientists with invaluable insight into Egyptian life and culture. By studying pharaoh skulls, researchers can gain an in-depth understanding of their age at death as well as life span. This can give researchers greater insight into the dynamics of Egyptian rulership; specifically how rulers ruled their kingdoms over generations of time while also uncovering potential familial links within royal households.
Mummies were often decorated with symbols from their gods. One such image was the Sphinx – a creature with human and animal features – while cobras were believed to be protective symbols.
Mummies were frequently placed in elaborate tombs containing items they’d need in the afterlife, such as food, games and even underwear! Pharaohs often interred their pets and servants along with themselves – one famous instance being Pepi II who ordered his slaves smeared with honey before attending to him – this tactic believed that this would keep away flies!
7. The country has a high literacy rate
Egyptians valued education and had a high literacy rate. Ancient Egyptians also demonstrated great interest in science and math; some of their achievements remain today; for instance Eratosthenes became the first person to calculate Earth’s circumference using geometry and distances between cities – an impressive feat during his lifetime!
Ancient Egyptians believed life extended beyond physical reality, which is why they mummified and buried themselves with items they thought they’d need in the afterlife. They believed their lives might mirror that of life itself but without such problems as illness or sadness; for added assurance of companionship they buried their beloved pets alongside them!
Egyptians were known for their love of perfume and cosmetics. They utilized spices, herbs, plants and animal products in their beauty regiment. Malachite (a copper ore that produces green powder) was one of their preferred beauty ingredients, while black kohl (made of galena mineral) was popular.
8. It has two seasons
Ancient Egyptians divided their country into two seasons: black earth and red earth, representing fertile Nile floodplain soils on one hand, and barren desert landscapes on the other. This division symbolized how civilization thrived despite life in nature being hard.
Egyptians believed that afterlife was almost like this world and that dead would join family, friends, and pets in another life after death. Therefore, they mummified bodies before placing them in tombs for safe keeping.
Autumn (September to November) is an ideal time to visit Egypt, with mild and dry temperatures making the scenery and activities even more beautiful before winter sets in.
As it’s essential to recall, ancient Egyptians were polytheists who worshiped over 2,000 gods and goddesses. This practice stemmed from their belief that everything happened for a reason and there was a higher purpose to life itself; additionally they believed their souls were connected with those of their ancestors.