In my opinion, Egypt was the first great civilization. They had technology, trade, conquest, and complex systems of religion and government. The lasted on and off (mostly on) from the unification in 3150 until the end of the Hellenic period in 31 BCE. Unfortunately, today’s society has some major issues like huge poverty, widespread corruption, and the suppression of women’s rights which haven’t really improved much in the last 50 years.
I’m not sure how to show you the scale of the pyramids. When you are driving through the city of Giza they stand out as far bigger than the skyscrapers. They deserve to be the last standing and perhaps the greatest ancient wonder of the world. Incredibly, the pyramid building period was very brief, with these pyramids being the tombs of just three consecutive generations. The Pyramid of Khafre (2nd one built) has some of the limestone casing still attachedThe biggest and first pyramid only had some underground casing discovered. The fit of the stone is crazy tightEgyptian weirdness. There is a private golf course just below the pyramids.The Sphynx was kind of a let down. It looks tiny compared to the pyramidsThis is our great guide Nahid Hassan. She was awesome and gave us a good look at Egyptian history and current Egyptian life. If you need a guide, I’ve got her WhatsApp infoThe Narmer palette show King Narmer unifying Egypt around 5000 years agoThis is Khafre of pyramid fameDue to many delays, the Grand Egyptian Museum is still not open so I had to settle for the old reliable Egyptian Museum. I was not disappointed even with a lot of stuff being transferred, there were sill amazing things to see. Original cheesy moustache. Returned in the 1970sStatue of Queen Hatshepsut. Normally women’s statues didn’t have red skin but she was a pharaoh so was depicted as a man would beGold Sarcophagus. No pictures allowed of Tut’s treasures but look them up online. CrazyChariots were used against the Egyptians by the Persians. The Egyptians then adopted them for their useNot sure how cloth can survive but it is a desert so…Thousands of pages of papyrus survived, really documenting Egyptian lifeThe quantity and variety of preserved items is mind boggling. From papyrus, to cloth, to a full chariotWant your favorite pup in the afterlife. No problem.Kitty sarcophagusYes even a cobra was mummifiedThe ancient Egyptians mummified everything, humans, animals, even food.
Epic!!