Ancient Egypt
Egypt has one of the most ancient known cultures in History. As well as being the most civilized. This has been the making of the holiday hotspot we know and love today. With its idyllic location and stunning coastlines it also makes for a great place to holiday for summer and winter sun. Its soaring temperatures boast for cheap sun tan top ups and great getting away from it all experiences. With great culture on offer to, it´s a holiday that should be had by everyone. The best known history of ancient Egypt today is known as the Old Kingdom period – made famous by the pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Valley of the Kings!
This ancient civilization was at home on the very tip of North, East Africa. Lying along the valleys of the Nile in the lands of what today is Egypt. Beginning in 3150BC, during the times in which Upper and Lower Egypt first reunited under the first pharaoh. This time period carried on for three periods, the last – known as the New Kingdom saw the decline of this ancient culture, the rule of the pharaohs eventually ended in 31BC which saw the beginning of Egypt´s invasion by other cultures.
The ancient culture of Egypt thrived on the benefits of the River Nile. The fertile valleys allowed them to produce crops and build a strong economy and culture. The educated scholars of Egypt wrote in hieroglyphics! The people of Egypt traded their goods with other nations and had their own military to protect them from foreign enemies. Religion also played an important part in the building of this fascinating culture; religious leaders were very high on the countries social hierarchy. The ancient Egyptians were one of the first cultures to use mathematics, quarrying, medicine and wrote literature! The building of the pyramids is absolute evidence for mathematics calculations and careful quarrying to build these ancient wonders. The pyramids of Giza are the only surviving landmarks of the original 7 ancient wonders of the world.
During the ancient kingdoms of Egypt the pharaoh had the highest social status and had complete control over the whole of Egypt! The king was just below and the leader of the countries military and the head of the government. The king then had his own officials too. During the Old Kingdom the pharaohs really began to develop this civilized nation in architecture, art and technology. Justice systems and tax were both introduced during these times to allow for a more peaceful and orderly way of living. Agricultural work became the main economy of the country and construction projects came into action. It is widely thought that the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx were constructed during these times. This was the very beginning of one of the most exciting and advanced ancient cultures. During the end of the Old Kingdom however the nomarchs (who were the king´s men, in charge of different regions) began to challenge the king and the pharaoh! This led to a break down in harmony and also coincided with a drought, leading to over a century of famine. The Middle Kingdom saw the nation rise again, peace and agriculture were fully restored as well as a good military service and protected cities. This kingdom also saw the beginning of the Ancient Egyptians views on the afterlife. When the soul of a person would be welcomed into the Kingdom of the Gods after death. Mummification was the common form of burial for the rich. The New Kingdom saw in the final three pharaohs of Egypt, Tutankhamen, Horemheb and Ramesses. Perhaps the most well known, these extravagant leaders saw some of the toughest times of the countires, when invasion from other nations was becoming tough! The temple of Abu Simbel, many of the Pyramids and tombs were built during these times! During the later reigns of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra III, the Romans invaded and the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt fell into Roman hands. Some of the Egyptian cultures did remain however, even Roman Empires for opting for a mummification burial!
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