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Ancient Egypt

Welcome to the section on Ancient Egypt, a civilization that flourished for over 3000 years in the northeastern corner of Africa. Ancient Egypt is known for its rich cultural and artistic heritage, innovative technology, and remarkable achievements in fields such as architecture, agriculture, medicine, and mathematics.
The civilization emerged around 3100 BC, when King Menes unified Upper and Lower Egypt and established the first dynasty. Over the centuries, Egypt saw the rise and fall of great pharaohs, the construction of grand monuments such as the pyramids and temples, and the development of a complex system of writing and religion.
Ancient Egypt was a hierarchical society with a strict social structure, where the pharaoh was considered a god-king who ruled with absolute power. The people of Egypt believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses, and their religious practices were intertwined with everyday life.
The achievements of Ancient Egypt are still visible today in the grand monuments, artworks, and artifacts that have survived the passage of time. From the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza to the hieroglyphs and papyrus scrolls that record their history, Ancient Egypt continues to captivate and inspire people from around the world.
The Old Kingdom, which lasted from around 2686 BC to 2181 BC, was marked by the construction of iconic pyramids and the development of hieroglyphic writing. The Middle Kingdom, from 2055 BC to 1650 BC, saw a resurgence of art and culture, as well as the expansion of trade and conquest.
The New Kingdom, from 1550 BC to 1069 BC, was the most prosperous and powerful period of ancient Egyptian history, marked by the rule of famous pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, and Tutankhamun. This era saw the construction of grand temples and monumental architecture, and the development of a complex religious and social system.
After the New Kingdom, Egypt experienced a period of decline and foreign rule, with the country being conquered by the Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Despite this, ancient Egyptian culture continued to influence and inspire subsequent civilizations, and its legacy can still be seen in art, literature, and architecture today.
The articles you will find here explore the wonders of Ancient Egypt, and you will learn about the history, culture, and achievements of one of the most fascinating civilizations in human history.

The Cataclysm of Ra: Saving Humankind from Hathor Using Beer

The Cataclysm of Ra: Saving Humankind from Hathor Using Beer

The concept of cataclysm is very common in almost all mythologies and religions. It is when the god or gods decide that humanity is not serving them anymore and, thus, they order humanity’s...
Ancient Legacy And Future Applications Of Glass

Ancient Legacy And Future Applications Of Glass

Today, glass is a mundane material mostly used in construction but in history it was among the treasures of kings and their royal dynasties. The history of glass-making dates back to at least 3,600...
Artist’s photograph of Isaiah, 2014, as part of the photography series ‘Preservation’.  © Blake Little 2018. Photo prints can be purchased on the Blake Little website.

Egyptian Pharoah Pepi II Coated His Slaves in Honey to Use as Fly Traps

Pepi II was an Egyptian pharaoh of the Old Kingdom who succeeded to the throne at the tender age of six. Perhaps it was this privileged upbringing which ultimately resulted in him being one of Egypt’...
The 6th Dynasty clerk’s tomb was found near the dry moat of the Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara, shown here. 	Source: JUAN CARLOS MUNOZ / Adobe Stock

3,500-Year-Old Keeper Of ‘Royal Secrets’ Tomb Discovered In Egypt

A magnificent tomb has been discovered in Egypt belonging to a ‘keeper of royal secrets.’ This highly-trusted man served two ancient pharaohs of the 6th Dynasty, and successfully navigated the...
A 3,000-year-old prosthetic big toe unearthed in Egypt. Source: Jacky Finch / University of Manchester

3,000-Year-Old Artificial Toe Reveals Ancient Origins of Prosthetics

Believe it or not, but the use of prosthetics is actually not a modern phenomenon. In fact, the creation of man-made devices to replace missing body parts was already in use several thousand years...
The lost city of Amarna found in the 19th century was built by the almost alien-like heretic pharaoh Akhenaten, who introduced the smaller, more efficient talatat blocks for building construction and changed Egyptian religion for a while. 		Source: Brown University

Talatat Blocks and Akhenaten’s Failed Architectural Revolution

Egypt has a rich history of architectural monuments that dot its landscape. Each monument is a testament to the pharaoh who created it. These buildings have forever cemented the names of the pharaohs...
The upper third of the original Karnak obelisk, one of several obelisks dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut of 14th-century BC Egypt, which was recently re-erected in Luxor near the Karnak Temple where it was toppled by an ancient earthquake or intentionally destroyed. Source: The National News

Karnak Obelisk Built for Legendary Queen Hatshepsut Re-erected in Egypt

Next to a sacred lake near the Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt, archaeologists and engineers have re-erected a fully restored Karnak obelisk that was originally constructed and raised in 1457 BC, in...
A massive ancient beer factory has been discovered at Abydos, Egypt

Egyptian Beer Factory Could Produce 100,000 Pints per Batch!

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed the earliest known “Beer Mega-factory,” an ancient beer factory that was producing mind-altering brews at least 5,000 years ago – on an industrial scale. This...
The Giza Sphinx in Egypt. Source: donyanedomam / Adobe Stock

The Sphinx of Giza: Who Built the World’s Most Famous Sphinx in Egypt?

A sphinx is a monstrous being, a mythical creature with the face of a man, the body of lion, and an eagle’s wings. According to the Greek mythology, the sphinx was sent by the gods to punish the town...
From King Tut To The Jewish Tallit

From King Tut To The Jewish Tallit

There is perhaps no greater symbol of Judaism than the white prayer shawl, the tallit . Likewise, there is probably no greater symbol of ancient Egypt’s majesty than the golden funerary mask of the...
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Khaled El-Enany, visiting the newly discovered tombs in Egypt. Source: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Excavations Unearth Five Stunning 4,000-Year-Old Tombs in Egypt

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced another discovery in Saqqara, the necropolis of the erstwhile capital of the ancient Egyptian empire, Memphis. Ongoing excavations revealed...
An Egyptian woman wearing a mysterious wax head cone, which is morphing 2) into the benben stone, atop which sits 3) the bennu bird, symbol of resurrection, all set before 4) the Great Pyramid, the architectural climax of mound expressionism, behind which rises 5) the morning sun, called weben by the Egyptians. This rhymed with benben, and provided an important linkage between the rising of the primeval mound and the solar disc. (Image: Design by Jonathon Perrin)

Egyptian Head Cones: Mini Pyramids and Status Symbols

One of ancient Egypt’s most-enduring embalming enigmas has to be its cryptic head cones. These unusual objects can be seen in tomb paintings perched atop the heads of both mummies and living people...
Ancient columns at the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt. Source: EwaStudio / Adobe Stock

5 Unique Facts Straight Out of Ancient Egypt

A lot of things viewed as unusual by the people from the present day used to take place in ancient Egypt. While some of these aspects are fascinating, others can be simply regarded as odd. Going...
Napoleon Crossing the Alps. Oil on canvas by Jacques-Louis David, (1801 and 1805). Unteres Belvedere (Public Domain) and Tipu Sultan, known as the Tiger of Mysore, firing at his adversaries during the siege of Seringapatam, (1791). (Public Domain); Deriv. Design by Anand N. Balaji

Ingress Into Egypt: Napoleon, Tipu Sultan And Their Battles To End The ‘Iron Yoke’ Of England

Once celebrated as ‘the temple of the whole world’, Egypt was the repository of infinite knowledge in myriad disciplines that marked the apogee of humankind’s accomplishments over millennia. Like a...
Canopic jars recently found at the Abusir site.	Source: Egyptian Antiquities Authority

Stack of Mummification Materials Found In Abusir Tomb

A large cache of materials and artifacts connected with the embalming and mummification process used in ancient Egypt has been uncovered in a group of extraordinarily large burial wells at Abusir...
Curse of the Buried Pearl: Tomb Curses, Spirits and the Hunt for Ancient Treasures – Part I

Curse of the Buried Pearl: The Hunt for Ancient Treasures – Part I

In economics one hears talk of “the curse of oil” – and one might say wherever there is buried treasure there will be a curse, hyper-real or real. The most famous of all curses is of course that...
In a new breakthrough, scientists have digitally scanned the sarcophagus of pharaoh Amenhotep I to reveal a stunning image of his actual head and body.		Source: S. Saleem and Z. Hawass / Frontiers in Medicine

Digital Scan of Ancient Egyptian Mummy Amenhotep I Shows His True Face

The 3,500-year-old mummy of Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep I had remained virtually unexamined since its discovery at Luxor, Egypt in 1881. As one of the few royal mummies from ancient Egypt yet to be...
Primaeval Temples Of Egypt: Hidden Gods In The Sand

Primaeval Temples Of Egypt: Hidden Gods In The Sand

Temples have always fascinated people. Although their structure, design and meaning, are sometimes taken for granted, they seem to be magical religion made manifest. It seems to be one of mankind’s...
Left, Hala Sultan Tekke, Larnca, Cyprus. Right; Assorted artifacts found at the Hala Sultan Tekke site.	Source: Left; Dickelbers, CC BY-SA 3.0. Right; Peter Fischer, Teresa Bürge / University of Gothenburg

Multicultural Ancient Treasure Hoard Discovered In Cyprus Tombs

Archaeologists in Cyprus have excavated two Bronze Age Tombs at one of the most important holy sites in the Islamic world. The treasures they discovered reveal the presence of a far-reaching trade...
Small female figurines left as votive offerings to the goddess Hathor. Source: M. Jawornicki / PAP

Trash Pile At Temple of Hatshepsut Yields A Heap Of Hathor Artifacts

Polish archaeologists in Egypt were supporting a tomb ceiling when they realized that beneath their feet lay an unknown treasure trove. They had inadvertently discovered an ancient temple dump and...
Deriv; Sculpture depicting the King Tutankhamun as a child, gold plate with Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun.

The Twin Tragedy of Tutankhamun: Death of a Dynasty

Tossed away callously in a dark corner of the lavish Treasury in the subterranean tomb of Tutankhamun was possibly the most poignant remnant of the boy king’s short life. Positioned next to the...
Anastasiia Stupko-Lubczynska documenting reliefs in the Chapel of Hatshepsut. Source: Agnieszka Makowska / Antiquity Publications Ltd

Chapel of Hatshepsut Reliefs Uncover Master-Apprentice Relationship

Scientists have published fascinating new research into the reliefs found within the Chapel of Hatshepsut, an ode to the 5th pharaoh of the 18th dynasty who ruled between 1479 and 1458. Each of these...
Abu Gorab is the site where Egypt’s 3rd Fifth Dynasty sun temple has been discovered beneath a younger sun temple!		 Source: National Geographic / Windfall Films / MCPR

Lost Egyptian Sun Temple Found Near Cairo: 'Biggest Find in 50 Years'

In a thrilling new find, archaeologists have found the remains of what they believe is one of six sun temples ever built by the Fifth Dynasty pharaohs. The discovery made in Abu Gorab, south of Cairo...
Pharaoh Akhenaten in the center and his family worshiping Aten personified as the rays of a solar disk; later such imagery was prohibited.		Source: Egyptian Museum / Public domain

Explaining the Weirdly Alien Looking Statues of Pharaoh Akhenaten

In the history of Ancient Egypt, Akhenaten occupies a very special place. Of all the pharaohs over the many centuries, he was by far the most controversial one. His radical policies, major religious...

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