One of history's most spectacular civilizations was ancient Egypt. From roughly 3100 BCE to 332 BCE, it thrived and left behind a significant artistic, architectural, scientific, medical, literary, and religious heritage. Both the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians separately realized that they could create bronze, which is harder and more lasting, by combining a little amount of tin ore with copper ores. This sparked a series of related discoveries that would not have occurred without the initial discovery. Among the most remarkable Ancient Egypt's achievements are:
1/ The Pyramids
2/ Mummification
3/ The Hieroglyphs
4/ The Papyrus and Black Ink
5/ The Calendar
6/ The zodiac circle and Clock
7/ Irrigation
8/ The Medicine and Surgical Instruments
9/ Bowling
10/ The Ox-drawn Plough, The Sickle and Shadoof
11/ The Police
12/ Toothpaste, Cosmetic Makeup and Wigs
1/ The Pyramids
The Pyramids of Egypt - How & Why They Were Built - Full Documentary
The Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is the biggest and most well-known. The pyramids show off the sophisticated astronomical, mathematical, and engineering knowledge of the ancient Egyptians.
The oldest pyramid was built between 2667 and 2648 BC for King Zoser. In actuality, it is the first colossal stone edifice that has been planned and built that we are aware of.
2/ Mummification
The Mummification Process
The procedure of maintaining the dead's bodies for the afterlife was intricate. The ancient Egyptians invented methods to extract the internal organs, dry the body with natron salt, and wrap it in linen bandages and resin because they thought the soul needed a physical form to dwell in the hereafter. To help and protect the deceased, they also hid amulets and other items in the mummy's wrappings.
Because the Egyptians were so skilled at preserving the dead, we now know that they suffered from diseases like arthritis, bone tuberculosis, gout, tooth decay, bladder stones, and gallstones. There is also evidence of the disease bilharziasis (schistosomiasis), which is still prevalent in Egypt today. It appears that neither rickets nor syphilis existed.
3/ The Hieroglyphs
How We Decoded The Hieroglyphs Of Ancient Egypt
Hieroglyphs, a sophisticated kind of writing invented by the ancient Egyptians, were made up of symbols that stood in for words or sounds. On papyrus, inscribed on stone, or painted on walls, hieroglyphs were used. They were used for literary, clerical, and religious objectives. The Rosetta Stone, which contains hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek inscriptions, was the key to decoding this ancient language and was used by Jean-François Champollion in the 19th century.
4/ Papyrus and Black Ink
How Ancient Egyptians Made Papyrus
Papyrus:
The pith of the papyrus plant, which grew along the Nile river, was used to make this paper-like substance. Papyrus was a common material used by the ancient Egyptians to create art, books, records, and scrolls. Papyrus was a lucrative commodity that was sold to other cultures because it was strong, adaptable, and light. Compared to other materials like leather or clay, it was more affordable and long-lasting. Other parts of the ancient world, including Greece and Rome, imported papyrus.
Dark ink:
To manufacture black ink, the Egyptians combined vegetable gum, soot, and beeswax. To create different colors, they used elements besides soot, such as ochre.
5/ The Calendar
Ancient Egyptian Calendar
A solar calendar was created by the ancient Egyptians and was based on how the sun moved across the sky. They divided the year into 12 equal-length months, plus an additional five days at the conclusion of the year. Additionally, they maintained a unique lunar calendar for religious celebrations and rites. The Romans and other cultures later embraced the solar calendar because it was more precise than the lunar one.
6/ The zodiac circle and The Clock
The Dendera Zodiac of Egypt: An Ancient Babylonian Copy? | Ancient Architects
The zodiac circle:
This method divided the sky into twelve sections using the constellations that are visible throughout the year. Using their knowledge of astrology and astronomy, the ancient Egyptians created this system, which had an influence on later cultures like the Greeks and Romans. The zodiac circle was used for divination, prophecy, and character analysis.
Arts@Graham: Measuring Time - The Ancient Egyptian Invention of the Clock
Clocks
Egyptians developed two different types of clocks to tell the time.
By observing how the sun's shadow travelled across an obelisk's surface during the day, obelisks were employed as sun clocks. They determined the lengthiest and shortest days in the year by using obelisks.
A 16th century BC inscription found in the tomb of the court official Amenemhet describes a water clock fashioned of a stone cup with a little hole at the bottom through which water might drip steadily. Marks placed at various levels could be used to calculate the passing of hours. To establish the proper time to conduct religious rites at night, the priest at the Karnak temple employed a similar device.