Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to The Arab Republic of Egypt (country #109), where we were able to experience the capital city of Cairo (KY-roh), and the ancient cities of Luxor and Alexandria. Below, you will find information (from tour guides and our own research) and photos from our trip. Please note that there are references to various religions, ancient kings and queens, and information about mummification practices, and inclusion of this information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the practices described. In addition, out of respect for those who may be sensitive to such photos, I have not included any photos of the mummies.
GEOGRAPHY OF EGYPT
Egypt is located in the northeast corner of the continent of Africa, and it stretches into Western Asia via the Sinai Peninsula (considered a land bridge connecting Africa to Asia; houses the Suez Canal [human made waterway that connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea for ease of maritime transportation around Europe]). Several popular bodies of water are in and around Egypt, including the Nile River (recognized as the world’s longest river), which stretches from the interior of the country to the Mediterranean Sea in the north. The Nile River provides transportation, fertile soil, and fresh water to the inhabitants that live along the river, which contributed to the success of Ancient Egyptian Civilization. The Nile River is also historically significant due to the number of ancient monuments and temples that were built along its banks.
(The Red Sea runs along the northeast part of Egypt, and is known for
coral reefs and robust marine life)
In contrast, there is also a Western Desert (which is part of the Sahara Desert) and Eastern Desert within Egypt, both of which contain rugged, mountainous geography from which comes rich minerals and precious metals and stones.
ANCIENT EGYPT
Egypt is one of the oldest countries in the world (Ancient Egypt goes back 7500+ years to the 4th millennium BCE [Before the Common Era]), and is considered to be one of the primary countries associated with the start of civilization. ‘Pharaonic Egypt’ (i.e., when Egypt was ruled by Pharaohs, later called kings) spanned 3,000 years, thriving as an independent nation, resulting in it being considered one of the earliest urban, literate regions in the world. Interestingly, Egypt was an early (and important) center of Christianity, and did not adopt Islam until the seventh century. The first capital city was Memph (also called Memphis), which was between Upper and Lower Egypt, and had one leader between them.
Ramesses II ascended with the goal of restoring power in Asia after it declined under Akhenaton and Tutankhamun. He was designated as successor at age 10 by his father Seti I, and became captain of the army at that young age. His first order of business after he came to power was to visit Thebes (the capital to the south, now called Luxor), where he later built Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple. The symbol of economic prosperity in Ancient Egypt was reflected in the number of temples that were built, and several were built in the time of Ramesses II, who was considered a premier king. He also had a pretty robust personal life, as he had 45 wives (including Queen Nefertari) and 155 kids.
Karnak Temple (2112 BC to 30 BC) is a complex of temples that was built as the Great Temple of Amun. It was connected to Luxor Temple (three kilometers [1.8 miles] away) by a road lined with Sphinxes, and is now an open-air museum. Luxor Temple (18th Dynasty; 1550 to 1295 BC) was built in the direction of Karnak, and was used for Ancient Egyptian religious celebrations. It was built by multiple rulers, including Hatshepsut and Amenhotep III, in addition to Ramesses II.
VALLEY OF THE KINGS AND QUEENS
The Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens are burial grounds that lie along the bank of the Nile River. These Valleys – along with Karnak and Luxor – were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979. Valley of the Kings is the burial site of almost all of the pharaohs/kings of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties (1539 to 1075 BCE), with 62 tombs having been uncovered, including that of King Tutankhamun (commonly referred to as King Tut).
Ancient Egyptians saw life on earth as only part of their journey. They saw the soul as immortal, and as the part of their being that would live peacefully in eternal paradise after their physical life ended, as long as they lived a proper life in line with what was outlined/expected by the gods. They subsequently engaged in a practice called mummification, where they tightly bound the bodies and buried them in tombs with their worldly goods for use in the afterlife. Visiting the Valley of the Kings, you are able to see the actual mummified bodies, including that of King Tutankhamun (King Tut), the most recognizable ruler from New Kingdom within Ancient Egypt. Sadly, many of these tombs were robbed, and while some of the items that were stolen were subsequently recovered and can be found in museums (such as the Grand Egyptian Museum; GEM), many of the items have never been recovered. The most popular items in the GEM include the incredibly ornate coffins and death mask of King Tutankhamun (King Tut), inlayed with gold and precious stones.
Commonly seen within the tombs are the oldest form of communication – hieroglyphs, which originated around 3300 BCE. Many of these earliest written/drawn messages are still very vibrant in color, and function as word signs and sound signs. Below are examples of this from both the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.
THE GIZA PYRAMIDS
The pre-cursor to the Giza Pyramids is this “Step Pyramid” (dates back to 2670 BCE) in Saqqara (sah-KAH-rah), which is not actually a pyramid – it’s a tomb. The tomb was the first step to the afterlife, designed to eliminate the smell that stemmed from burying people in their own houses. The tomb was also expected to protect all goods for the afterlife. This tomb is 64m/210ft tall, made of 7 million blocks of brick, covered with limestone.
The Giza Pyramids are the pyramids that are best known. On this pyramid complex are 9 pyramids (for 3 kings and 6 queens), which were made from limestone that came from 150km/93mi away in Upper Egypt. The smaller pyramids were covered in granite, yet all of them are in various states of deterioration. The Great Pyramid (on the right in the photo above; the 7th Wonder of the Ancient World, built for King Khufu) is made of 2.35 million bricks weighing 2 to 15 tons each. It took over 20 years to build (2589 BCE to 2566 BCE), and was made with a casing to keep people from climbing it (which did not stop people from doing so over the years; the pyramids are now surrounded by barriers and climbing is prohibited).
The Great Sphinx of Giza dates back to King Khafre (2575 BCE to 2465 BCE), and is a large structure made from a single piece of limestone that has the head of a human (it is said to depict the face of King Khafre) with a royal headdress, and the body of a lion. It is 240 feet (73m) long and 66 feet (20m) high, and it is said that it likely took 100 workers three years to build this Sphinx with hammers and chisels. The Sphinx is showing deterioration, as evidenced by the lack of a nose, which has disintegrated because it is one of the weakest parts of the statue (though it has also been said that it was defaced in war/battle, while other sources say it was mutilated to protest idolatry).
The end of Ancient Egypt is marked by a series of invasions, resulting in the region being governed by Persia. In 332 BC, Alexander the Great conquered Egypt without a fight, and the Macedonian Ptolemaic Kingdom was established, establishing Alexandria as the capital.
ALEXANDRIA
Alexandria was Egypt’s former capital and is currently its second largest city, whose library made it the hub of global knowledge. Due to its maritime location, a lighthouse used to be present in the area of the Qaitbay Citadel pictured above, and was used as a beacon for ships that were used for trade. The Citadel (built 1477 AD to 1479 AD; spans 17,550 sqm/57,578sqft; made of limestone) was built over the lighthouse ruins, and defended against naval attacks, making it one of the most important forts on the Mediterranean Sea.
Egypt subsequently became a province of the Roman Empire (30 BC), and Alexandria continued to be a main artery for trade due to its location and ease of access of transporting goods to Rome. After being under Roman rule, Egypt came under Byzantine rule, and ultimately under Islamic rule when it was conquered by Arab Muslims in 646 CE (Common Era).
(a reflection of both Sunni and Shia Muslim culture/architecture)
Early on in Arab rule, there were no attempts to convert Egyptians to Islam; however, there was a difference between how the Byzantines and Arabs implemented their tax system, and the Arabs isolated themselves (deliberately) from the native Egyptians. As a result, it was not until 706 CE that Arabic replaced Greek as the official language. Around the same time, small mosques were starting to be built in certain areas, which became religious centers and the seat of certain parts of government. Over time, the expectations for religion were impacted by discrimination, expectations around clothing worn (e.g., Copts [Christians] were forced to wear distinctive clothing), and threat of paying taxes. Over the next two centuries, Copts (Christians) and Muslims were at war with each other.
For several centuries, Egypt came under the rule of multiple different dynasties, with Cairo becoming its capital in the 10th century. In 868 CE, the Turks were given some powers within Egypt, and Egypt eventually came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire in 1517. In 1867, Modern Egypt was established as an autonomous nation by Ottoman Governor, Muhammad Ali. Not long after that, it was occupied by the British Empire (1922), when it gained independence as a monarchy. Egypt ultimately declared independence from Great Britain in 1952, and joined with Syria between 1958 and 1961 to establish the United Arab Republic.
Today, Egypt (population 111 million) has the second largest economy in Africa, with Islam as its official religion and Arabic as its official language. Over time, the governmental structure has changed in Egypt, and it is now considered to be a “semi-presidential republic,” and it was a founding member of the United Nations.
There is so much history associated with Egypt, and this brief synopsis is only the very (very!) tip of the iceberg. Egypt is a place on many people’s bucket list, and is a unique place to visit. To get the most out of your experience and reduce the potential for frustration with tours and guides, I would very strongly recommend using a tour agency to organize your tours.
Until next time, take care, be well, and travel safely…