Guide to Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was a massive culture located in northern Africa. Continually studied today, Ancient Egypt ranks high among the important cultures of the ancient world, along with Greece and Rome. The importance of Ancient Egypt is not lost on scholars and researches today.
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Everyday Life
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Everyday life in Ancient Egypt focused on the banks of the Nile River. The majority of people living in Ancient Egypt were farmers and craftsmen who lived in houses made from mud bricks. A very small number belonged to the nobility, who also owned slaves. Yearly flooding helped to make farmlands near the river rich, which in turn provided villages with good harvests, which helped the civilization to grow.
Art & Architecture
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Pyramids are the most well-known form of Ancient Egyptian architecture. These stone constructions where large in size and complexity and built as tombs for pharaohs (leaders of Ancient Egypt) and other important figures. Hieroglyphics were both art pieces and a form of writing. The pictographs have been found boasting bright colors and covering everything from walls to small tablets.
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Religion
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The people of Ancient Egypt practiced a polytheistic religion where many gods and goddesses performed different roles, from taking part in creation stories to bringing the annual floods. The people worshiped these deities daily and they played an important role in the functioning of the civilization and in the stories they have passed down as Egyptian mythology.
Mummification
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An interesting process practiced in Ancient Egypt is mummification. The earliest Egyptians buried their dead in pits in the sand. The heat and dryness quickly dehydrated the bodies, which created natural mummies. Later, Egyptians embalmed bodies and wrapped in strips to preserve them, then placed in coffins. Rulers received the most elaborate treatment.
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References
- Photo Credit The pyramids image by Anton Aleksandrov from Fotolia.com
