Ah, ancient Egypt, with its mummies, tombs, pyramids, and pharaohs! The myths of ancient Egypt have persisted for thousands of years because of our fascination with mystics, mysteries, and men. Egypt is known to hold one of the greatest civilizations in history, and even today, more than 4,000 years later, the monuments and Pharaohs’ tombs are standing strong! A complex civilization existed there far earlier than in many other places of the world. We still use several of their older creations today, like high heels, medical instruments, toothpaste, and the 365-day calendar and many more.
20 Fun Facts About Ancient Egypt
1. The word “great house,” which refers to a palace or a monarchy, is where the term “pharaoh” originates from. Pharaohs, who were similar to kings or emperors, were regarded as the nation’s highest rulers. They were regarded as the political and religious authorities of the country and dominated both the upper and lower areas of Egypt.
2. The Great Pyramid of Giza, constructed by Pharaoh Khufu, is the largest pyramid ever constructed. It is well recognized as the oldest of the seven ancient world marvels.
3. The River Nile, with a length of nearly 4,100 miles, is the second-longest river in the world. It originates in northeastern Africa and passes through several nations, including Egypt (obviously), Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Burundi.
4. As a source of food, transportation, and building materials, the River Nile significantly influenced the way of life and society of Ancient Egypt. Back then, it would have been difficult to imagine life without the River Nile!
5. The rich, black soil left over after the floods were highly prized by the ancient Egyptians, who gave it the nickname “the Gift of the Nile.” The name “Aur,” which means “black” and derives from the soil’s colour, was given to the Nile by the Egyptians.
6. The divinity Isis was said to have shed tears for her deceased husband Osiris, and the ancient Egyptians thought that this was what created the floods. The strong rains and melting snow to the south near the Nile’s source, however, were the main culprit.
7. Pharaohs wore crowns with an image of the goddess of the cobra. Only the Pharaoh was said to be permitted to wear the cobra goddess because she guarded him by throwing flames at the enemy!
8. The Egyptians placed a high value on the afterlife. They thought that by keeping someone’s body, their spirit would continue to exist in the afterlife for all eternity. They mummified the deceased for this reason. A sarcophagus, which is a magnificently adorned stone casket, was frequently used to bury very prominent people.
9. Egyptian men and women both wore makeup! The eye paint was either green and made of copper, or it was black and made of lead. The Egyptians thought that cosmetics not only provided sun protection but also had mystical healing properties!
10. Ancient Egyptians revered cats as sacred creatures, and it’s assumed that most families kept a cat as a pet because they felt it would bring their home good fortune.
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11. Are you an avid board game player? The ancient Egyptians also did this! Senet, which has been played for more than 2,000 years, was a well-liked game. Similar to how we toss dice, the game featured throwing sticks to determine how many squares to advance your piece on the board.
12. There are many different kinds of creatures in Egypt, including cheetahs, crocodiles, cobras, and hyenas! Egypt has 21 protected areas, including deserts, mountains, coastal regions, marshes, and river islands, where wildlife abounds.
13. Pharaohs kept their faces well shaved for maintenance, yet that doesn’t match the images of them that we have. This is due to the fact that they wore fake beards for religious reasons. By the way, even Hatshepsut, a female Pharaoh, wore an artificial beard while in power!
14. More than 2,000 gods were worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. They had gods for everything, including threats and chores. For a healthy balance in life, each one must be worshipped because they each have distinct duties.
15. Unwrapped, an ancient Egyptian mummy’s bandages could extend more than 1.6 kilometers! Don’t you think that’s a lot of wrapping?
16. Unfortunately, many Egyptian mummies have been destroyed in pretty unique ways during the previous few thousand years. Some were destroyed by treasure seekers, some were reduced into a powder and used to manufacture magical potions, and some were even burned for fuel!
17. Anyone who is familiar with the biblical story of Exodus, which describes how the Israelites were freed from slavery, might believe that slaves constructed the pyramids, but recent research suggests that this belief was untrue. Egyptologists say that the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Giza were created by paid labourers who came from poor households.
18. Egyptian women were seen as equal to men in every respect, with the exception of occupation, while women throughout the majority of the Ancient world were frequently recognised as little more than property. Women possessed the ability to form wills, buy and sell property, enter into legal contracts, and serve on juries when society was still patriarchal.
19. Do you know that seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be found in Egypt? Yes, Egypt has a lot to offer. The seven locations are Abu Mena, Ancient Thebes, Abu Simbel, Saint Catherine, Wadi Al-Hitan (also known as Whale Valley in the western desert of Egypt), and Historic Cairo. You’ve gone to any of them, right?
20. Egypt has three deserts: the Great Sand Sea, which is a section of the Sahara Desert; the Western Desert, also known as the Libyan Desert; and the Eastern Desert, also known as the Arabian Desert. Egypt’s deserts feature unique ecosystems with their own Oasis, mountains, sand dunes, and oil reservoirs.
Do you know that the approximately 700 symbols used in the ancient Egyptian language are known as hieroglyphs? These 20 facts should let you go back in time by 4,000 years to the life and times of the ancient Egyptians. Which fact surprised you the most? Let us know!
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