Archeological Evidence - Ancient History: Egypt

The Nile is the world's longest river, measuring over 4,250 feet long. Surprisingly, it is extremely shallow relative to rivers of similar size. Many areas, including the central area of the river are not even 10 feet deep.

A wadi is a dry river-bed. They can be found in countless locations, alongside major rivers, in the Middle East. They were particularly important in ancient times because they often contained lucrative mineral deposits.

The Nile is the world's longest river, measuring over 4,250 feet long. Surprisingly, it is extremely shallow relative to rivers of similar size. Many areas, including the central area of the river are not even 10 feet deep.

The Brooklyn Papyrus is an ancient medical text dating from around 450 BCE. It is significant as one of the oldest existing medical documents, and it systematically described different types of snakes, then provided possible remedies for the bite of each. It also has remedies for spider and scorpion bites. The means of curing the snakebites included practical remedies as well as spells to be performed by a healing priest.

The vast majority of surviving royal palaces were built either during the New Kingdom, the Third Intermediate Period, or the Late Period. Egyptologists speculate that royal palaces were commonly built during the Old and Middle Kingdoms, but that they have left behind little in the way of archaeological evidence. Much of our knowledge about the lives of Egyptian rulers and their subjects comes from excavations carried out on royal palaces.

The Battle of Carchemish was fought in 605 BCE between the combined forces of Egypt and Assyria against the combined forces of Babylon, Persia, and the Medes. The Egyptian forces were led by Necho II, an Assyrian puppet ruler. The Egyptian forces were completely destroyed and the Assyrian Empire was obliterated.

The Earl of Carnarvon funded an archaeological expedition in Egypt in the early twentieth century. It was on this expedition that the legendary tomb of Tutankhamun was found and opened. The Earl died shortly after, which encouraged the spread of the “curse of the mummy” in popular culture. The “curse of the mummy” suggests that anyone who opens a dead Pharaoh’s tomb risks incurring the wrath of the deceased and will certainly die shortly thereafter.

A wadi is a dry river-bed. They can be found in countless locations, alongside major rivers, in the Middle East. They were particularly important in ancient times because they often contained lucrative mineral deposits.

The Nile is the world's longest river, measuring over 4,250 feet long. Surprisingly, it is extremely shallow relative to rivers of similar size. Many areas, including the central area of the river are not even 10 feet deep.

Pyramids built during the Middle Kingdom are distinct from pyramids built during the Old Kingdom in that they included traps and secret passageways, designed to prevent tomb raiding. This demonstrates that the ancient Egyptian rulers had learned from the past and highlights how grave robbing must have been relatively common in Egyptian society, in spite of the many social customs designed to discourage it.

The Walls of the Prince were built during the reign of Amenemhet I. They were built to prevent invasion from Asia into northeastern Egypt.

The Pyramid Texts emerged first, during the Old Kingdom, as a way for Pharaohs to protect themselves and ensure safe passage to the afterlife after their death. The Coffin Texts emerged later, first appearing during the First Intermediate Period and flourishing during the Middle Kingdom. The Coffin Texts were based on the Pyramid Texts, but unlike the Pyramid Texts, the Coffin Texts were available to the whole Egyptian population (so long as one could afford to be buried in a coffin). Both texts were primarily comprised of funerary spells that were inscribed on the walls of the tomb or coffin.

Shawabtis were little figurines of servants that were often buried with deceased Egyptian rulers in order to serve the ruler in the afterlife. During the Old Kingdom, they were usually built of stone. During the Middle Kingdom, they were usually built of wood. Prior to their usage in predynastic and early dynastic Egypt, however, it was relatively common for real servants to be buried alive so that they could serve the Pharaoh in the afterlife.

Flinders Petrie was a British Egyptologist in the nineteenth century. He is probably most famous for discovering the Merneptah Stele in 1896. The Merneptah Stele tells of the military exploits of King Merneptah. Petrie is also notable for discovering the ruins of Lahun — an important archaeological site that provides evidence for how the common working class of Egypt might have lived.

The Coffin Texts first appeared during the First Intermediate Period and became popular during the Middle Kingdom. Like the name suggests, the Coffin Texts were a series of funerary spells that were inscribed on the walls of coffins. They were inspired by the earlier Pyramid Texts, but unlike the Pyramid Texts — which were reserved for the Pharaoh and other rulers — the Coffin Texts extended access to funerary spells, and an understanding of the afterlife, to the common people.

The cult of Osiris began in the Old Kingdom and continued to develop in the Middle Kingdom. Egyptians believed Osiris judged them on the lives they had lead and those who lead good lives would be allowed to join the gods in the afterlife. At the height of his popularity, mere mortals were believed to connect with Osiris after death.

A wadi is a dry river-bed. They can be found in countless locations, alongside major rivers, in the Middle East. They were particularly important in ancient times because they often contained lucrative mineral deposits.

The Nile is the world's longest river, measuring over 4,250 feet long. Surprisingly, it is extremely shallow relative to rivers of similar size. Many areas, including the central area of the river are not even 10 feet deep.

The Brooklyn Papyrus is an ancient medical text dating from around 450 BCE. It is significant as one of the oldest existing medical documents, and it systematically described different types of snakes, then provided possible remedies for the bite of each. It also has remedies for spider and scorpion bites. The means of curing the snakebites included practical remedies as well as spells to be performed by a healing priest.