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Ancient Egypt is one of the four oldest civilizations on Earth. It was the most powerful and influential civilization in the entire region near Egypt for more than 3000 years. The region lasted from 3100 BC to 30 BC.
It was during this time that great architectural wonders like pyramids were built, and Egyptian symbol language (hieroglyphs) was created along with many other forms of art. These monuments have withstood the pressure of time and exist even today.
Ancient Egypt was beyond the modern-day boundary of the country. Its area spanned the territory of modern countries like Cyprus, Lebanon, Sudan, Israel, Palestine, and Syria. It was also well connected to the other parts of the world, which ensured beneficial trade relations and cultural exchange.
Kingdoms In Ancient Egypt
The kingdoms in Ancient Egypt are divided into three time periods. It is believed that during these three kingdoms, Egypt flourished the most in terms of wealth and development. It was also during these three periods that the power of Egypt was strongest. The period between these three is known as an intermediate period.
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Old Kingdom =2700 BCE- 2200 BCE
It was during this time that the Egyptians learned pyramid-building techniques. You might recognize the Pyramid of Giza, which was built during this period.
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Middle Kingdom = 2050 BCE to 1800 BCE
This was the period when literature and science flourished in Egypt. The kingdom was brought together by a king named Mentuhotep II.
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New Kingdom = 1550 BCE to 1100 BCE
Tutankhamun belongs to this period, and the famous Valley of Kings was also created for the kings from this period. This period ended when the people from the sea attacked the kingdom, and trade routes were lost, which finally ended ancient Egypt.
Nile River And Agriculture
Many of the Egyptian cities grew near the riverbanks of the Nile, where they were able to use the water for growing crops and transport. It was located near the mighty Nile River in North-East Africa. It was because of the Nile River that ancient Egypt flourished.
Once every year, the Nile flooded and created a delta of fertile soil, which gave life to the crops of the region. They grew crops like wheat, barley, beans, lentils, and chickpeas, along with some vegetables and fruits.
The Pharaohs
The rulers of ancient Egypt are known as Pharaohs. The word is derived from the Egyptian term “per aa.” It means a great house. The word was first used as a royal title during the kingdom of Thutmose III, who reigned from circa 1479- to 1435 BCE.
The Great Pyramids
The pyramids are a great sign of prosperity and central government in ancient Egypt. The workforce required to build such huge architectural wonders and the techniques is yet to be fully understood. The pyramids were built for the pharaohs or the elites who could afford the building process. They were often buried with treasures containing gold and precious metals and minerals to be used in the afterlife. This attracted many thieves who raided these tombs long after the kingdom fell apart.
Culture, Language, And Religion
Ancient Egypt had a rich culture that was complemented by arts, religion, writing, and forms of government.
The earliest inscriptions found in hieroglyphic scripts date back to around 5200 years ago. They used papyrus and other engravings to write messages and history. Many of the hieroglyphics expressed sounds of consonants and vowels, which also indicates a spoken language.
People in ancient Egypt followed polytheistic religion, which means worshipping numerous gods and goddesses. They prayed to gods who controlled nature, like Sun god Ra, goddess of Earth Hathor.
They also believed in the afterlife. Hence, they buried items needed for daily living with the dead body in the grave after death. They also buried figurines called Shabti to act as servants for the deceased in the afterlife.
Trade
Ancient Egypt imported timber from Lebanon, which was not available in-country. Along with this, they also imported minerals from other places like obsidian and lapis lazuli from Afghanistan.
The kingdom ended when the Greeks attacked in 332 BC. Before that, it had started to crumble in around 700 BC when the Assyrian empire attacked the weak government. Finally, it was the Romans who conquered Egypt, and it became a part of Rome.
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FAQs
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How many hieroglyphs does the alphabet of ancient Egypt contain?
The ancient Egypt alphabet had around 700 hieroglyphs. They also had the expression of consonants and vowels. Written in the form of symbols, historians have found the meaning for most of them.
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How many gods did the Egyptians worship in ancient Egypt?
There were more than 2000 deities who were worshipped by the people in ancient Egypt. It ranged from the powers of nature like the sun, earth, and river along to the gods and goddesses of fertility, death, earthquakes, etc.
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What is sphinx?
Believed to be a spiritual guardian, sphinxes were often built around temples and tombs. It has the body of a lion and the head of a human.
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What did the ancient Egyptians invent, which is still used in the modern world?
They invented papyrus which in the modern world transformed into paper. They also invented ink, cosmetics, toothpaste, and locks and keys.
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What did the Egyptians call their country Kemet?
Egyptians called it Kemet, which meant black land. They believed black to be the color of life.
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