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Ancient Egyptians - Ancient Egypt History |
Fast Facts about Ancient Egypt History Ancient Egyptians - Ancient Egypt History Fact Sheet Fact 1 Ancient Egypt History: The Nile river is the longest river in the world is 4160 miles long (6,670 km) and provided food, transport, flax (for clothing, boats & papyrus) and due to the annual flooding of the Nile provided fertile soil for agriculture - all vitally important to the civilization of the Egyptians. Fact 2 Ancient Egypt History: The 'Black Lands' were the farming areas surrounding the Nile. The Red lands were the desert areas that protected Egypt on either side of the Nile river and separated ancient Egypt from neighbouring countries and invading armies. Fact 3 Ancient Egypt History: The Egyptians were known to worship 2000 gods but most were only local gods. Less than 100 gods were worshipped throughout the country as part of the state religion, some of the gods had the bodies of humans but the heads of animals. Fact 4 Ancient Egypt History: The kings were considered living gods. Fact 5 Ancient Egypt History: The kings were not called 'Pharaoh' until the middle of the historical period of the New Kingdom but is now a common term used to describe all of the rulers of ancient Egypt. Fact 6 Ancient Egypt History: The Pyramids were built as royal tombs for the kings, a home for their next life and showed the path to eternal life - a type of 'Stargate'. The giant sphinx guarding the three great pyramids of Giza, is believed to represent the pharaoh Khafre aka Chephren. Fact 7 Ancient Egypt History: In total 116 pyramids were built by the Egyptians. The first pyramid was the 'Step Pyramid' built for King Djoserat Saqqara. The first flat sided pyramids at Giza were built 2589BC for pharaohs Khufu aka Cheops r.2589 - 2566 BC, Khafrer.2558 - 2532 BC and Menkarur.2532 - 2504 BC. Fact 8 Ancient Egypt History: The pharaohs founded a total of 31 different dynasties that united and stabilized the country via a central government. Fact 9 Ancient Egypt History: The king and his government provided laws and policies. The kings were supported by government officials including viziers and Nomarchs. Fact 10 Ancient Egypt History: The Egyptian Empire was built by conquering other countries with their standing army and a series of military fortresses along the Nile. Ancient Egyptians - Ancient Egypt History Fact Sheet Ancient Egypt History Ancient Egypt History Ancient Egyptians - Ancient Egypt History Fact Sheet Fact 11 Ancient Egypt History: Hieroglyphics was a form of writing using symbols that was developed by the Egyptians and enabled them to communicate and keep records. Fact 12 Ancient Egypt History: The use of Hieroglyphics enabled the Egyptians to pass on their history, knowledge and religious beliefs by writing on tomb walls, papyrus and artefacts. Fact 13 Ancient Egypt History: The use of Hieroglyphics led to the development of 'Guides to the Afterlife' that included magic 'spells'. Fact 14 Ancient Egypt History: The 'Guides to the Afterlife' started with the Pyramid Texts that were written exclusively for the pharaohs and believed to be the oldest writing in the world. Fact 15 Ancient Egypt History: The Coffin Texts followed the Pyramid texts in which inscriptions were made on the wooden coffins of non-royal Egyptians. These eventually evolved into a collection of 'magic spells' in personalized, illustrated scrolls called the 'Book of the Dead'. Fact 16 Ancient Egypt History: The religious beliefs in magic led to the wide use of 'magic spells', sacred magic amulets and lucky charms. Fact 17 Ancient Egypt History: The country was first split into two kingdoms. Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Each had its own Egyptian kings and regalia. The country eventually became united. Fact 18 Ancient Egypt History: King Narmer(also refer to Menes) was the first king to rule the united country and he founded the first dynasty of kings based at Memphis. Fact 19 Ancient Egypt History: The Egyptians had no word equivalent to "Queen" so the title of a female ruler was the same as a man. The female pharaohs were formally depicted with the false beard that hooked behind the ears, which was a symbol of royal authority. Fact 20 Ancient Egypt History: The most famous Egyptian queens were Queen Hatshepsut and Queen Cleopatra. Ancient Egyptians - Ancient Egypt History Fact Sheet Ancient Egypt History - Egyptian Regalia The Red Crown (the Deshret) was the symbol that represented Lower Egypt (in the north) The White Crown (the Hedjet) was the symbol that represented Upper Egypt (in the south)The red and white Double Crown (the Pshent) represented a unified Egypt
Lower Egypt (the North)
Upper Egypt (the South)
Unified Egypt Ancient Egypt History Ancient Egyptians - Ancient Egypt History Fact Sheet Fact 21 History of Egyptians: The pyramids were replaced by hidden rock tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The most famous tomb in the Valley of the Kings was the tomb of Tutankhamen which was discovered by Howard Carter. Fact 22 History of Egyptians: The fabulous wealth of deceased pharaohs were buried with them in their tombs as the Egyptians believed that they would be required in the Afterlife. This led to many of the tombs being targeted by tomb robbers. Fact 23 History of Egyptians: To date, a total of 63 tombs have been discovered in the Valley of the Kings. Fact 24 History of Egyptians: Ancient Egyptians believed that mummification ensured a safe passage to the afterlife. The mummification process had two stages: the embalming of the body and the wrapping and burial of the body. Fact 25 History of Egyptians: Organs were removed from the body and stored in canopic jars which were buried with the mummy. Fact 26 History of Egyptians: The earliest pharaohs were buried with their real servants but later, model servants called shabti were used. Fact 27 History of Egyptians: The Kings were also commander-in-chief of the Egyptian army and often led the armies in person and participated in the fighting. Fact 28 History of Egyptians: Queen Tiye was a consort of Ramses III (a pharaoh of the 20th dynasty). Queen Tiye instigated the 'Harem Plot' in attempt to put her son on the Egyptian throne. Fact 29 History of Egyptians: Akhenaten (the father of Tutankhamun) and his wife Nefertiti, initiated a short-lived religious revolution abandoning polytheism (the worship of many gods) for monotheism (the worship of one god - the Aten). Fact 30 History of Egyptians: Ramses the Great was believed to be one of the pharaohs that opposed Moses in the story of the Exodus in the Bible. Ramses the Great had 8 official wives and nearly 100 concubines and was over 90 years old when he died. Fact 31 History of Egyptians: The most famous old cities in the south were Thebes, Abydos, Thinis, Khmun (Hermopolis), Dendera, Hierakonpolis, Koptos, Edfu, Elephantine and Aswan. Fact 32 History of Egyptians: The most famous old cities in the north were Memphis, Alexandria, Hermopolis, Giza, Esna (Letopolis), Busiris, Avaris, Crocodilopolis, Tanis, Leontopolis, Sais, Bubastis and Heliopolis. Fact 33 History of Egyptians: Many religious cult centers were based in the old cities. Fact 34 History of Egyptians: Pharaoh Thutmose III (r.1479–1424 BC) was the stepson of Queen Hatshepsut and one of the greatest pharaohs and created the largest Egyptian Empire known through his military campaigns and conquests in Syria and the gold rich Nubia Fact 35 History of Egyptians: King Seti I (r.1290 BC – 1279 BC) was a prolific builder and a military strategist, famous for his campaigns against the Hittites including the Battle of Kadesh. Fact 36 History of Egyptians: Egyptian women enjoyed legal and economical equality with men, but not the same social equality. Fact 37 History of Egyptians: Both Egyptian men and women wore make-up, which was believed to hold magical healing properties. Fact 38 History of Egyptians: Both Egyptian men and women cut their hair extremely short to avoid lice. Royal and wealthy Egyptians wore wigs in public. Fact 39 History of Egyptians: Queen Cleopatra IV became the mistress of Julius Caesar and the wife of Mark Anthony. She was the last Egyptian ruler following defeat at the Battle of Actium by the Romans. Fact 40 History of Egyptians: The civilization disappeared within 100 years of the Roman conquest. The last known hieroglyphic inscription was made in A.D. 394 in the temple of Isis in Philae. The meaning of hieroglyphics were lost for nearly 2000 years Ancient Egyptians - Ancient Egypt History Fact Sheet Ancient Egypt History Ancient Egypt History |
