Ancient Egypt: 20 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know

Ancient Egypt was a civilization in North Africa. It’s a subject that has always fascinated me. This civilization dominated the world for thousands of years and definitely left its mark on modern day society.

Here are 20 facts about Ancient Egypt you might not have known

1. Many of today’s household objects were invented or used by this civilization, including the lock and keys, combs, scissors, wigs, makeup, deodorants, toothbrush and toothpaste.

2. The Ancient Egyptians were among the very first people to invent writing, along with ink and paper.

3. The 365 day calendar and the 24-Hour division of the day were invented by this civiilzation.

4. Cement was first invented by this civilization.

5. This civilization was the first holistic health practitioners. They treated the whole person, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Remedies ranged from herbal and magic medicine to surgery.They prescribed contraceptives, performed circumcisions and conducted pregnancy tests. The practice of mummification made them excel in Anatomy.

6. The earliest known wine cellars were discovered in Egypt.

7. Ancient Egyptian workers organized the first known labor strike.

8. Ancient Egyptians devised irrigation systems, reservoirs and ways of measuring the flood levels. These are called nilometers and several are located along monuments close to the river banks.

9. The first written international peace treaty happened between Rameses the Second of Egypt and Hattusili III of the Hittite empire.

10. The Egyptian game of Senet is one of the world’s oldest known board games.

11. The Great Pyramids of Giza were already 2500 old when Cleopatra ruled Egypt. We are now closer in time to her than she was to the pyramids’ construction. Tourism was already thriving during her reign.

12. Most Ancient Egyptian pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs and their families. To date, over 130 pyramids have been discovered.

13. The Great Pyramids have a constant temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. They discovered a technique of cooling a place and keeping the temperature at a constant level, more or less as we do with modern air conditioners.

14. The Ancient Egyptians believed in more than 2,000 deities! They had gods for everything, from dangers to chores, and each had different responsibilities and needed to be worshipped so that life could be kept in balance.

15. The Great Pyramid of Giza, built for Pharaoh Khufu, is the largest pyramid in Egypt and took over 20 years to build.

16. Ancient Egyptians believed that the heart was the center of a person’s being and that it was weighed against a feather after death to determine if the person was worthy of the afterlife.

17. Ancient Egyptian women enjoyed a relatively high status compared to other ancient societies. They could own property, run businesses, and even serve as pharaohs in some cases.

18. Ancient Egypt was conquered by a number of foreign powers over the centuries, including the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans. These conquerors left their mark on Egyptian culture, and many of their buildings and artworks survive to this day.

19. The Ancient Egyptian doctors carrying out surgery would use equipment and instruments that are still being used today in medicine. These include: scalpels, dental pliers, a bone saw, probes, clamps (for stopping blood flow), sponges, scissors and linen bandages.

20. Ancient Egyptian physicians were specialized and well-respected. They performed surgeries, set broken bones, and even created prosthetic limbs. They also used honey and moldy bread (which contains natural antibiotics) as primitive but effective treatments for wounds.

Well, there you have it, 20 facts about Ancient Egypt, you might not have known. If I’ve left out an important fact, feel free to leave a comment below.

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