Facts About the Ancient Egyptians That Will Amaze You
Egypt is now a developed nation with thriving trade and infrastructure. However, Egypt’s history has been vastly different from the current situation. The Ancient Egyptians brought secretive rituals, beliefs, and highly enigmatic creations. Egyptians had it all when it came to mummies, mummification, statues, ancient remains, and historical civilization.
Life after death
The Egyptians believed in the afterlife or life after death. They were adamant that humans have the right to an afterlife once they die. They had several practices that helped the dead find their way to the afterlife. Numerous methods were undertaken to obtain this opportunity, as it was thought to be a life of delight, pleasure, and offerings. Mummification was explicitly done so that Egyptians could live in the afterlife. It is known as the underworld, and the dead had three options – the underworld, soul rebirth, or an afterlife. The path was thought to be discovered only while travelling through the tomb.
Buried with luxurious items
Because the ancient Egyptians believed in life after death, they had some powerful insights to back up their faith. They were adamant that there is life after death, but the path to that life was not easy. This is why the deceased was buried with luxurious items to aid them in their journey to the course. Food, water, fine wine, jewelry, metals, and large baskets of fruits were buried with the corpse to aid it in its journey to the afterlife. Luxurious items made it easier to reach the stage because the dead had to pass various tests to enter the afterlife.
Book of the Dead
For the ancient Egyptians, the Book of the Dead was one of the essential knowledge books. The true origins and foundation are unknown to the rest of the world. Egyptians used this book to learn the exact steps to take to impress the underworld God – Osiris. This book was thought to have taught them the proper burial procedure. This book contains texts that demonstrate the path of the afterlife and various tests and tasks.
Egyptian women had equal rights.
Unlike any other civilization on the planet, Egyptian women had equal rights in terms of culture and social status. Women were permitted to work and enter into legal contracts with their husbands. Surprisingly, women had the same right to remarry as men in traditionally male-dominated societies. They could even divorce their husband and reclaim all of the wealth and property they had brought into the marriage.
Both genders wore makeup.
As surprising as it may seem today, ancient Egyptians did not discriminate based on gender when it came to makeup. Both men and women had also worn makeup for spirituality and healing. They created perfumes out of natural ingredients such as cinnamon, used by both genders. In addition, they used Kohl makeup around their eyes and cheeks, which was made from ores such as malachite and galena. They believed that makeup provided protection and healing powers.
Egyptians had a unique relationship with their pets.
In today’s world, it is widespread to keep pets at home. However, the Ancient Egyptians had a unique relationship with their pets. Cats were revered as their sacred animal. Aside from cats, the Egyptians kept various other animals as pets. Ancient Egyptians kept hawks, dogs, and even lions as pets. Other animals were given special training to assist people in their daily lives.
A strong bond with their deceased family members
Egyptians had a strong bond with their deceased family members. There used to be an accessible tomb chapel where families could pay their respects to the mummified bodies. They usually left an offering of food and drinks for the deceased. In addition, Mummy was shielded from evil by a hidden burial chamber. During festivals, family members would spend the entire night with the mummy.
Egyptian females were permitted to rule.
While most civilizations believed that only males could be King, Egypt had a different story. Egyptian females were permitted to rule the kingdom as kings. They had equal authority over the entire domain. Hatshepsut was a promising female ruler who ruled Egypt for 20 years. They never accepted the term “Queen” referring to the King’s wife. A female was called to be a King in the same way a male was.
Ostentatious life of royals
Kings were not just kings for the sake of being kings. They erected royal monuments to serve as a status symbol in the community. Not all pharaohs erected monuments, but the majority of them did. They erected funerary monuments specifically for the burial of royal families. The dead were mummified and buried in rock-cut tombs in these Kings’ valleys. Pyramids were built by numerous pharaohs as a symbol of their wealth.
Mummification
The Egyptians placed a high value on mummification. The process took nearly 70 days and was completed by divine priests. The majority of pharaohs, members of noble families, and some commoners had the privilege of mummification. All of the deceased’s organs were removed, leaving only the heart inside the body. The corpse had been thoroughly dried and wrapped in linen bandages. The bandages could be as long as 1.6km in length, ensuring that the body did not decay and enter the path of the afterlife.
Pharaohs masturbated in the Nile River.
As strange as it sounds! The ancient Egyptians were obsessed with life, rebirth, creation, and the idea that life was created. Furthermore, Egyptians believed in their ability to worship various Gods and Goddesses. Therefore, every practice was considered divine and spiritual by them. For example, it is widely assumed that Pharaohs masturbated in the Nile River, which caused floods during the ancient period. They believed that this process fertilized the Nile and caused floods. They had a great time watching the Nile’s flooding ceremony!
Egyptians also mummified animals.
Egyptians were familiar with the mummification process they used to practice in ancient times. However, it may surprise you that the ancient Egyptians also mummified animals. For example, cats and crocodiles were heavily mummified during the mummification era. In addition, because of their religious significance, sacred bulls, baboons, and some birds were mummified.
Egyptians had over 2000 gods and goddesses.
Imagine having to worship over 2000 deities for various reasons. That is exactly what the ancient Egyptians had to do! They had over 2000 gods and goddesses to help them in their daily struggles. Egyptians had to worship everyone, from the God of chores to the God of the dead. Honouring these gods and goddesses was essential to living a balanced life free of harm and evils.
Artisans built pyramids.
Some historical theories contend that enslaved people built the pyramids. However, as archaeology has progressed, it has been discovered that artisans and paid labourers built pyramids. They were proud of their work and adored the Graffiti art form. The Egyptians never used enslaved people for such massive constructions. The pyramids were built by several crews discovered during the excavation.
Mummification was only available to wealthy families
The process of mummification is particularly well-known in ancient Egypt. It should be noted that mummification was a time-consuming process that required a significant amount of wealth. Mummification was only available to wealthy families. The lower classes did not mummify the dead. They buried them beneath the desert.
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