Egypt was home to one of Earth’s earliest and greatest civilizations. A unified kingdom first emerged around 3200 B.C.
They were religious people who constructed temples to their gods. Additionally, they believed in an afterlife and constructed pyramid tombs for their kings.
Cleopatra was descended from Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, and famous for her beauty and relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.
The Pyramids
Egypt’s most iconic landmarks – and one of the original 7 Wonders of the World – is undoubtedly its Pyramids, one of its seven Wonders of Antiquity. While their purpose may remain obscure to us today, they were certainly an integral part of royal burial rituals for years.
Pyramids were constructed as tombs for Pharaohs who served as intermediaries between gods and humans. Although theories about their construction vary greatly, one thing remains certain – building one required vast resources.
The Great Pyramid of Giza originally stood 479 feet and its construction required the use of approximately 2.3 million stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each, an immense task which scientists are still puzzled by today.
One theory suggests that builders used a ramp composed of brick, earth and sand to raise and position large stones precisely. Over time, as the pyramid rose higher and steeper ramps were needed to carry heavier blocks up. Another idea involves levers or sledges being employed.
There are also numerous tunnels within the pyramids and while most are currently empty, explorers have sent robots into them in search of treasure. One robot even found red hieroglyphs somewhere within the Great Pyramid that have yet to be deciphered by experts.
At first, many visitors may be taken aback at how close to Cairo the pyramids are. While in pictures they might look far away on an isolated desert landscape, in reality they sit smack dab in the center of Cairo in Haram. Although their immediate surroundings may not be ideal, construction work for the Grand Egyptian Museum’s opening and other development initiatives underway should help to gradually improve it over time.
On a tour of the pyramids, don’t be surprised if your guide takes you past shops, restaurants or cafes designed specifically to take advantage of tourists – these businesses should be avoided whenever possible.
The Sphinx
Right next to Egypt’s Pyramids is another wonder of Egypt – The Sphinx. Considered one of the greatest human creations ever, this limestone statue with a body similar to that of a lion and head similar to Pharaoh Khafre may have served as both a symbolic protector for its surroundings, as well as serving as an image of royal power and authority.
As with many ancient works of art, much remains unexplored about the Sphinx. What we do know, though, is that its mysterious beauty has captured the minds of generations of poets, writers and travelers alike – an icon for centuries representing Egypt.
The Sphinx stands 66 feet high and 240 feet long, making it one of the world’s largest statues ever constructed. Over time, however, its exterior has caused it to erode further; efforts were made over the years to repair or restore the Sphinx but many failed despite our best efforts at preservation and prevention of further damage to this iconic symbol of Egyptian mythology.
Some experts suggest that the Sphinx was originally constructed to represent Anubis; later its face was altered to depict Pharaoh Khafre. Others suggest it served as tomb guardian protecting king from theft while providing supplies for afterlife needs. Finally, perhaps its construction served as a point of reference when three pyramids were being constructed nearby.
It is widely believed that the Sphinx was once covered with vibrant paint; its body and face likely featured bright red hues while its beard, nemes (striped headdress of pharaohs), beard and nemes were likely blue in hue. Over the centuries however, weather and erosion have taken their toll, leaving only fragments of its original beard preserved today at the British Museum in London.
The Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings is an Egyptian necropolis containing tombs or graves of 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasty pharaohs from 1539-1075 BC of ancient Egypt’s 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties (1539-1075 BCE). They can be found along the west bank of Nile River near Luxor in a valley dominated by al-Qurn mountain peak; decorated with hieroglyphs depicting afterlife of these kings as well as other aspects of Egyptian religion.
The tombs of Egypt’s pharaohs are among its most significant archaeological sites, providing invaluable insight into ancient Egyptian beliefs regarding death and afterlife. The Valley of the Kings contains 64 tombs richly decorated with carvings and wall paintings; Tutankhamun and Ramses II of the New Kingdom were interred here along with Seti I and Thutmose III (whose tombs can still be visited today) while others including Seti I and Thutmose III can also be visited today). Unfortunately many royal tombs were looted long ago while others preserved thanks to being covered with sand; subsequent to which their mummies either moved elsewhere or eventually back into other tombs or museums for display elsewhere reburial or further burial arrangements were made elsewhere (or by museums like Cairo Egyptian Museum).
In 1979, UNESCO honored the Valley of the Kings and Theban Necropolis by declaring them World Heritage sites, due to their significance in helping modern scholars to understand funerary practices and afterlife beliefs of Ancient Egyptian New Kingdom culture.
Visits to the tombs are an opportunity to witness some of Egypt’s finest examples of art and craftsmanship, with KV5 (Ramses II’s sons’ tomb) boasting some of the most intricate and vivid wall paintings ever seen within the Valley of Kings.
One of the world’s most iconic tombs belongs to Ramses III, a controversial Pharaoh who was assassinated during a civil war between he and Tiye over which son would inherit their throne. His tomb has become legendary due to its stunning artwork spanning 520 square meters featuring scenes from both biblical and other cultural stories such as Book of Dead depictions.
The Nile River
The Nile River has long been an integral part of Egyptian culture, history, and geography. As one of Africa’s longest rivers and an essential source of water for agriculture and other economic activities; its annual floods provided fertile soil that helped ancient Egypt flourish economically.
Floods were also instrumental in helping Egyptians develop new technology and skills, such as canal building and shipbuilding, which helped shape Egypt’s iconic monuments and flourishing agricultural civilization, according to Live Science.
Egypt was blessed by the Nile, with its floodwaters creating silt deposits that made land suitable for farming. Furthermore, they formed a natural barrier between the desert and Nile Valley, giving rise to oasis-like environments which provided shelter, food and water sources for both animals and humans alike.
From its source near Cairo – roughly 500 miles – the Nile flows north in a relatively narrow, flat-bottomed groove, hugging an underlying limestone plateau separated from valley floor by steep scarps that can rise more than 1,500 feet in places.
As it meanders northward during rainy seasons, the Nile absorbs vast quantities of water. Due to its low gradient and inability to accommodate all this water quickly enough, it floods its path, flooding land along its route and encouraging tall grasses and sedges like papyrus to grow along its banks – which eventually block its flow, making passage difficult or impossible for ships.
Ancient Egyptian pharaohs revered the Nile as a source of fertility and wealth, worshiping its gods who represented various physical elements like its riverine course and annual floods – such as Sobek the Crocodile God representing health, fertility and wetlands; while Hapy was considered to be “God of the River”.
Egypt remains deeply dependent on its legendary river Nile for drinking water, hydroelectricity, and farm irrigation needs. Most residents live within a few miles of it – its annual flooding providing relief from desert heat while providing natural flood protection from heatwaves in summer months. Recently however, climate change and increasing demands have put increasing strain on this body of water that provides such vital services to society.