Kids, are you looking for some interesting facts about ancient Egypt? A lot of mysticism and secrecy revolves around the Egyptian civilization. The process of mummification, belief in the afterlife, the building of massive pyramids …, all these remnants are enough to keep us intrigued by this culture. This Historyplex article has some interesting facts on the ancient land of Egypt.
I guess there would be hardly any human on this earth who isn’t mesmerized by the history of Egyptian civilization! The stories about the pharaohs, mummies, and Sphinx makes one want to go to the ancient Egyptian era and witness all of it in person. However, that would not be possible until time machine is actually invented in reality!
If you are a fan of this ancient culture like I am, you would try to learn more about it through books, web, and television. Egypt has fascinated me since childhood. I mean, it was impossible for me to believe that there are still mummies present in this land, and that they were buried even before Christ came to this world! Although, there is still a lot more to be discovered, this article will take you through the already discovered facts that have made the entire world marvel. So, are you ready to take your mind to the land of ancient Egypt where the pharaohs lived thousands of years ago?
Interesting Information and Facts on Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptians were highly intelligent people whose creative inventions make the entire world marvel with amazement even today! Looking at the humongous Egyptian pyramids and temples, who would believe that all these were created even before technology was invented? These people were also the first ones to use medicines to treat ailments, and also the pioneers who divided the day into 24 hours. Surprised? Well, this is just the beginning of the facts that we have in store for you.
Civilization
As we all know, Egypt is one of the most powerful ancient civilization that has ever existed! A lot has been discovered about this civilization, however, scientists are still trying to uncover a lot more mysteries that are still buried under the deserts of Egypt. For now, let us have a look at what the buried sources have helped us understand about their life, after they were revealed to the world.
- Most of the ancient Egyptians lived along the valley of the river Nile. Scientists believe them to have stayed there since 5000 BC! This is because the land around river Nile was fertile and allowed people to grow crops for food. It also helped in transportation and fulfilled their need for water.
- During the ancient times, the Nile valley was divided into the Upper Egypt (also known as the White Crown) and the Lower Egypt (also known as the Red Crown). It was in 3200 BC, when King Menes conquered the Lower Egypt and the land was united, with the capital city being Memphis which means ‘Balance of the Two Lands’.
- The ‘red land’ consisted of the deserts surrounding and protecting the country from both the sides. This made it difficult for the neighboring enemy to invade the land of Egypt. The other part of Egypt was known as the ‘black land’ which consisted of the fertile land in the banks of river Nile.
- The ancient Egyptians were divided into the upper, middle, and the lower class. Only boys that belonged to the upper class could attend schools. Boys that were from the middle or lower class had to learn activities that their father did, such as pottery, farming, weaving, etc. Girls had to learn skills from their mothers.
- Kids were not allowed to wear clothes until they entered their teenage. This is believed to be due to the hot weather of the place. Girls had to wear a dress and the boys wore a skirt.
Achievements
Do you have any idea how intelligent the ancient Egyptians were? In fact, you would be surprised to know that some of the most importantinventions took place in the ancient Egypt. Some of their accomplishments are listed as under.
- They were great builders and constructors. The proof for the same is seen even today when we look at their huge pyramids, temples, and of course, the Great Sphinx of Giza.
- An Egyptian named Imhotep, who scientists believed to have lived almost 5000 years ago, was the first scientist that existed in history.
- They invented cement, irrigation systems, reservoirs, and various techniques to measure flood levels.
- They were also among the first people who invented paper, ink, and the art of writing. In fact, they were the ones who started recording the historical events in writing.
- They were also great mathematicians. They worked with mathematical aspects such as geometry, decimal system, fractions, and also complicated equations. It was using these calculations that they divided the day into 24 hours and also invented the calendar with 365 days.
- Coming to the field of medicine, the Egyptians were the first ones to use anesthesia and set broken bones. In fact, they also treated various ailments and infections using mold. Also, baldness was treated using animal fats of lion, snakes, crocodile, hippo, and ibex.
Egyptian Beliefs and Superstitions
Apart from the aforementioned practical achievements that they made, they were also popularly known for their beliefs and superstitions. There were certain animals or elements that held an important meaning in the ancient Egyptian civilization. Have a look at the beliefs and practices that were a major part of their lives.
- Makeup was an important part of their life. Men wore black makeup around their eyes and women wore green. It was not to look good. In fact, they believed that this painting around the eyes would protect their eyes from the Sun.
- They worshiped cats and considered them to be holy and sacred. Almost every house had a cat, as they believed that its presence and magical powers protected them against evil. Also, if anyone ended up hurting a cat, the person was punished to death.
- Another belief popular in the ancient Egypt was that if anyone died due to a snakebite, the person receives immortality.
- One thing that has made Egypt famous all across the world is the discovery of mummies! The ancient Egyptians believed that death leads a person to another life. They also mummified the personal belongings of the deceased person so that they may use it in the afterlife. These things included water, food, clothes, money, and even slaves and pets.
- During mummification, the soldiers removed the brain, intestines, and a single nostril from the body and placed them in jars. However, they kept the heart intact, as they believed that the heart was the organ responsible for a person’s intelligence.
- The Egyptians considered the Scarab beetle to be a sacred symbol of hope, restoration, and growth in life. This symbol was used in seals, jewelry, and was considered to be sacred.
- Like cats, even crocodiles had a significant value in their culture! The temples kept crocodiles as pets and adorned them with precious jewels. They were also kept open. This is because the Egyptian god of water and marshes named Sobek had a crocodile head. And we all know how important the water of river Nile was for those who lived in this land.
Egypt was, and still is, a land full of magic and mysteries. Which is the reason why it has been a favorite spot for archaeologists all this while. Although a lot has been discovered about the ancient Egypt, I bet there are still a lot of things which are undiscovered. I guess this is one of the reasons behind the charms of Egypt, don’t you think?
