The first truly great empire.
Who were the Ancient Egyptians?
While the Sumerians flourished in Mesopotamia, another civilization rose on the banks of the Nile. The Ancient Egyptians became a hugely influential civilization, which is still renowned for its majestic pyramids and iconic pharaohs.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only surviving ancient wonder of the world. It was built around 2570 BCE, and stands at an impressive 146 meters, with its sides closely aligned to the four cardinal directions.The ancient Egyptians also developed a complex religion centered on gods such as Horus, Anubis and Sobek. They believed in life after death and mummified their dead to preserve them for all eternity.
Overall, the Ancient Egyptians left behind an incredible legacy. Of history’s various civilizations, the Egyptians are one of the most recognizable, and they are also one of the most widely celebrated by people in the world today.
Modern studies
Archaeologists have studied Ancient Egypt for centuries. Important sites like the Valley of the Kings – a royal burial ground full of ancient tombs – have been explored by tourists since the time of the Roman Empire.
Many of these ancient archaeological sites are adorned with written inscriptions. This script is called Egyptian hieroglyphs, and is almost as old as Sumerian cuneiform. For hundreds of years, historians did not know how to decipher this written language. But this changed in the early 1800s, after the discovery of the Rosetta Stone.
This stone featured three versions of a decree written in 196 BCE: one in Ancient Greek and two in Egyptian languages – demotic and hyroglyphic. By comparing the Egyptian to the Greek, scholars were able to decrypt the language once and for all, and unlock the details of this civilization’s rich and varied history.
The origins of Ancient Egypt
The origins of Egypt can be traced to settlers who built a home on the banks of the Nile. The river’s predictable flooding, fertile soil and abundant wildlife provided an ideal environment for human settlement – much like the Tigris and Euphrates in nearby Mesopotamia.
Not long after the Sumerians erected their first cities, the Egyptians did the same. They went on to form complex societies with distinct social hierarchies, which eventually led to the emergence of powerful pharaohs.
The Egyptians were also able to take advantage of their geographical position between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. They established trade routes that connected them to parts of Africa, Asia and Europe, and exchanged goods with Ancient Sumerian cities as far back as 3500 BCE.
The first pyramid
When people think about Ancient Egypt, they often think about the Old Kingdom period, which started in approximately 2649 BCE. This was when the first pyramids were built, many of which can still be seen today.
The first ever pyramid was commissioned by King Djoser, and overseen by Imhotep, an architect-astrologer. It was built at a place called Saqqara, and consisted of six colossal steps. When Djoser died, he was buried in a tomb at the center.
The success of this project led to further developments in architecture; soon pyramids were being constructed throughout Egypt as part of grand funerary complexes dedicated to deceased rulers. The Great Pyramid of Giza was erected 100 years after Saqqara, and still stands as a symbol of Ancient Egypt’s former grandeur.
Egyptian hieroglyphs
Egyptian hieroglyphs were used to record stories and histories. They were often written on papyrus scrolls, inscribed on the walls of temples and tombs, or carved into monuments such as the Rosetta Stone.
Despite this sophisticated writing system, literacy was not widespread among the general population – only those with access to education could learn how to read and write. This is a recurring theme in ancient societies: written language was rarely used by anyone apart from elites.
Despite that, even illiterate Egyptians saw the value of written documents. Egyptian citizens would often buy copies of *The Book of the Dead*, and make sure the book would be placed in their grave when they died. They did not know how to read the book, but they knew it included powerful spells that would help them to reach the afterlife.
Animal-headed gods
The Ancient Egyptians were polytheistic, and believed in a number of different gods who were each in charge of different aspects of life. These gods were depicted with human bodies and animal heads; each animal symbolized that god’s specific role.
Horus was the god of the sky, and had the head of a falcon. Anubis was the god of death, and had the head of a jackal. Sobek was the god of the Nile, and had the head of a crocodile. In total, the Egyptians are believed to have had almost 2000 different gods.
The Egyptians built temples to honor these gods. The most famous temple is Karnak, which features an impressive array of statues depicting various gods from the Egyptian pantheon. Many surviving temples are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites, attracting thousands of visitors every year who come to marvel at their grandeur and learn more about this ancient civilization’s beliefs.
Egyptian civil rights
The Ancient Egyptians viewed men and women as essentially equal, and in the eyes of the law, women had the exact same rights as men. Women could own property, divorce their husbands, and even become Pharaohs. Hatshepsut ruled Egypt for two decades and is regarded as one of the most successful female rulers in history.
But not everyone was equal in Egyptian society. The civilization kept thousands of slaves, who were usually brought in from foreign lands to work in fields or help with construction projects.
The status of these slaves is subject to debate. Some historians believe they were given wages and had the option to leave their jobs if they chose to. Others say that the slaves had no other choice but to work, and were traded by owners as though they were nothing better than commodities.
The life of Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun is probably the most recognizable figure of Ancient Egypt, after his tomb was discovered in the Valley of the Kings by Howard Carter in 1922. Most of the valley’s royal tombs had been raided by tomb robbers centuries earlier, but Tutankhamun’s was still full of treasures and artifacts.
In the 14th century BCE, Tutankhamen had ascended to the throne at the age of 9, and quickly made some big decisions, such as moving the capital city from Amarna to Thebes. But his reign did not last long, as he died before reaching his twentieth birthday.
His death remains shrouded in mystery; some believe he may have been assassinated or poisoned while others suggest he died of malaria. Whatever happened, the discovery of his tomb made him a modern icon: the most famous pharaoh of them all.
The decline of Ancient Egypt
The decline of Ancient Egypt was a slow one, and probably caused by a series of pharaohs who lacked the strength to control such a vast empire.
The situation was made worse by a megadrought which started in about 2200 BCE, and may have lasted for almost a hundred years, severely affecting Egyptian agriculture. Famine and hardship quickly followed, and nearby powers took advantage, claiming parts of Egypt as their own.
Despite that, Ancient Egypt continued to exist in one form or another until 30 BCE, when the Roman Empire seized the territory. This brought an official end to thousands of years of Ancient Egyptian rule.
The legacy of Ancient Egypt
The legacy of Ancient Egypt continues to excite the modern imagination. The Great Pyramid of Giza, among other structures, draws millions of tourists every year, and Egyptian artifacts can be found in museums all around the world.
As well as this, people are often entranced by stories of sphinxes, mummies and Egyptian curses. Hollywood has embraced these ancient stories with films like *The Mummy* (1999) and *The Scorpion King* (2002) bringing them back into mainstream culture.
There is a mystique to this ancient civilization, and it will surely continue to fascinate the world for many centuries to come. The Ancient Egyptians may have disappeared, but they continue to live in modern people’s minds.
