2. Egypt fact file : Capital : Cairo. Official languages : Arabic Demonym : Egyptian Government : President – Hosni Mubarak. Prime Minister – Ahmed Nazif. Population : 2009 estimate – 82,999,000 Currency : Egyptian pound (EGP). Drives on the : right.
3. How big is Egypt and what countries surround it? Egypt is the 38th largest country standing at 1,001,450 square kilometres. In land terms it is approximately the same size as all of Central America, twice the size of Spain, four times the size of UK and the combined size of the US states of Texas and California. Egypt is bordered with Sudan to the south, Libya to the west and by the Gaza Strip and the Israel to the east. Egypt is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west.
4. The Nile Name origin : “Nile” comes from the Greek word Neilos.. Countries : Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Democratic, Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Kenya. Cities : Jinia, Juba, Khartoum, Cairo. Length : 6,650 km
5. The pyramids. The pyramid were built for the tombs of the pharaoh. There were 138 pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. They were more commonly built for the pharaoh in the Old and Middle Kingdom Pyramids. The Pyramid of Dioser is the earliest known built in the third dynasty. The architect Imhotep designed the pyramid and is surroundings. The pyramids are considered to be the world’s oldest monumental structures constructed of dressed masonry. The best known pyramid is found in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo. Most pyramids in Giza are counted as the largest structures ever built. The pyramid of Khufu in Giza is the largest pyramid built and is the only one “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” still in existence.
6. What are some pyramids, there names and who was responsible for them? The first step pyramid was built in 2620BC. It was built at Saqqara by King Djoser. There were three pyramids built for Kings Khufu, Kharfre and Menkaure. They were built at Giza at 2540-2480. The second pyramid at Dahshur is known as the bent pyramid because it bends inwards at the top. King Sneferu was responsible for three pyramids. The third pyramid of Dahshur, named the “Red pyramid”, King Sneferu achieved what all Egyptians admired: a true pyramid – this one had low sloping sides. The Great Pyramid stands at a massive 146m tall – the equivalent of a modern building 35 storeys high. Three times the pharaoh Knufu changed his mind till he was satisfied. In his pyramid he has three chambers. A low descending passage was cut at a steep angle to give access to a second chamber named the “Queens chamber” It remained unfinished. Instead a “Grand gallery” led up[ to a larger room, with walls of smooth pink granite. Called the “King chamber” to take the weight off the structure.
7. How were they built? Under the unforgiving sun , labourers hauled 6.5 million tonnes of stone to form the structure 146m high, with a base massive enough to swallow up five of Europe's great cathedrals!!! Everyday 2,000 men toiled to quarry and haul the stones into position. Archaeologists now think that there was about 25,000 support staff-ramp builders, tool-makers, cooks, physicians ect. The builders probably pushed the blocks on sleds mounted on wooden tracks, greased by clay, which they poured water on to. As many as 250 men were needed to haul the blocks. Workers in Egypt say the workers were not slaves they laboured willingly, inspired by religious belief.
8. What tools they used for the pyramids? They didn’t use iron tools to cut the stone, only wooden wedges, chisels made of hard stone and copper saws.
9. Religion. In the heart of Egyptian communities were temples, where priests carried out daily religious ceremonies. Normal people were not aloud to see these rituals. Instead they worshiped and made offerings to the gods at small shrines.
11. What are some of the Pharaohs names? Most Pharaohs have a meaning to the name. Here are some of them and there meanings Ra – Sun. Geb – Earth. Osiris – Death Set – Chaos. Horus- Sky God. Thoth – Moon. Ma’at – Order &Truth.
12. The Pharaohs. Back then pharaohs were there rulers. There was always one of Upper Egypt and one of Lower Egypt till the lands united. During the 3,000 year long history of pharaohs, there was 32 royal dynasties ruled. Most pharaohs had there sister as there queen, but the pharaoh also had other wives.
13. Gods There has been more than 2,000 gods and goddesses. It was told that Ra the sun god was one of the most important gods. Each day Ra would pass through across the sky in his solar boat before dying on the western horizon. That is why most of the burial sites are to the west of the Nile.
14. The Sphinx For 4,500 years a massive stone face of the Great Sphinx has stared out towards the rising sun, as the silent guardian of the secrets of Ancient Egypt. The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a reclining lion with a humans head. It stands on the west bank of the Nile near Cairo. It is the largest monolith statue in the world. It is 73.5m long, 6m wide and 20m high. It is believed to have been built in the third millennium BCE by the ancient Egyptians.
15. Mummification Once a pharaoh had been born, a mummy case was built for them, so when they died it would be ready for them. Also when they were born a tomb was made for them. Most commonly the pyramid. The Egyptians believed that the pharaoh would awaken in the after life. So they preserved their pharaohs organs. Skilled embalmers removed the organs and dried out the flesh with natron, a type of salt. The organs were placed in a canopic chest. The organs placed in the canopic chest were the liver, lungs, intestines and stomach. The brain was removed by Brain hooks. The hooks were used to brake up the brain and scoop it out through the nose. The brain was thrown away because the Egyptians believed there was no use for it and it wasn’t important. The knife used to cut the man open had a flint blade. Once the organs were taken out a metal or wax plate was put over the chest. It was sometimes decorated with a magical eye of Horus which was thought to heal the cut. The body was wrapped in linen bandages. It could have taken up to 15 days to wrap a mummy.
16. Journey to the Afterlife. When the pharaoh died the Egyptians believed that he/she would travel the afterlife and join the gods. There was writing on the pyramids is called pyramid text written on the walls of the burial chambers. The Egyptians used Hieroglyphs to record the text. To reach the afterlife the pharaoh travelled through the sky. Texts say that he road in a beautiful boat of the sun god, Re, Also said that Osiris, the god of death had to pass a test. The jackal headed Anubis, guide of the dead, weighed the heart against the feather of Ma’at, the goddess of truth and justice. I the heart weighed more than the feather, the soul would be devoured by Ammat, a vicious beast
21. Tutankhamun Reign : 1333 – 1324 BCE Children : Two possible, unknown name. Father : Akhenaten? Mother : Kiya? She was a widow Neferititi (stepmother) Born : 1341 BC Died :1323 BC
22. I hope you enjoyed it!!! Reading log. Utterly me Clarice Bean 24 September Page : 81
