Many of us have always been fascinated by Egypt's past. Let's look at some fascinating and unexpected facts regarding Ancient Egypt, one of the world's greatest civilizations, including the Sphinx's mystery and the practice of mummification.
1 - The world's only surviving ancient wonder can be found in Egypt.
1 - The world's only surviving ancient wonder can be found in Egypt.
The sole structure among the seven prehistoric wonders of the world is still surviving in Egypt. Only the Great Pyramid of Giza, located in El Giza, Egypt, has endured. The capital city of Cairo is home to the magnificent Pyramids of Giza, which are still breathtaking today. The greatest of all the pyramids, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, was constructed in the fourth century BC to seat the Pharaoh Khufu. It is currently referred to as the Cheops pyramid.
2 - 95% of Egyptians reside along the Nile River.
Do you know that Egypt is home to the world's longest river? Ninety-five percent of Egypt's population lives near the Nile River, which flows across the country. This information about Egypt shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering how much of the nation is made up of desert. The River Nile divides Egypt's desert, which makes up approximately 90% of the country. The desert and the Nile Valley served as the ancient Egyptians' divisions of Egypt. Unlike what you may expect, upper Egypt is in the south while lower Egypt is in the north. This is a result of the Nile's northward migration toward the Mediterranean Sea.
3 - Ancient Egyptians' makeup was worn by both men and women.
Both men and women used cosmetics in ancient Egypt because they thought they had medicinal properties that shielded them from the sun. They also wore green makeup that was made of copper, and they wore the black eye paint that we have come to recognize from the ancient Egyptian paintings.
4 - Women had a lot of freedoms in ancient Egypt.
Even Greek and Roman women did not have the same legal position as males. They could also establish and manage their own businesses, as well as buy, sell, and inherit property. Marriage contracts were regarded as a means of protecting the rights of ancient Egyptian women in the case of divorce. And while there was only ever one female Pharaoh, numerous women worked as scribes and physicians in ancient Egypt, where the royal high priestesses held powerful positions.
5 - There was no Egyptian Cleopatra.
Cleopatra, one of the most well-known personalities of ancient Egypt, is actually Greek, not Egyptian, which is another intriguing fact about the country. Despite her being born in Alexandria, she was not of Egyptian descent; rather, she was a member of the Greek Macedonian Ptolemaic Dynasty. Ancient Egypt was ruled by the Ptolemaic Dynasty from 323 to 30 B.C.Ancient Egypt was ruled by the Ptolemaic Dynasty from 323 to 30 B.C.
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6 - Even now, the ancient Egyptian languages are a mystery.
The ancient Egyptian consonants have even been rediscovered thanks to the significant efforts of Egyptologists. Additionally, they were able to rediscover how Ancient Egyptian sentences were put together and how word tenses affected word formation.
7 - Board games were popular in ancient Egypt.
We actually share a lot of similarities with the ancient Egyptians, and one of their more interesting traits was their love of board games. Even the regular people appreciated a good board game; it wasn't just the privileged who did. Senet and Mehen were the most widely played board games. Senet, a stick-throwing game, was so well-liked that even pharaohs were interred with a game to play for entertainment in the afterlife.
8 - The Egyptian pharaohs served as both the nation's head of state and its spiritual leader.
Lord of the Two Lands and High Priest of Every Temple were two extraordinary titles held by pharaohs of the ancient Egyptian population. The Pharaoh's presence on Earth served as a representation of the gods. The pharaoh in charge constructed temples and carried out numerous rites honoring the gods.
9 - Ancient Egyptians worshiped cats.
Cats were first domesticated by the Ancient Egyptians, who also worshiped them. Cats, unlike other animals, were frequently mummified and interred in tombs honoring the goddess Bastet, and there were heavy punishments for mistreating, killing, or eating them.
10 - Ancient Egypt had women take the throne as well.
Few women were elected to the highest positions, including Pharaoh and the highest offices. Ancient Egyptians believed that women who claimed to be of royal blood were supernatural.