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The Nile and an isolated
location significantly aided the formation of one of the world's greatest
civilisations. Egypt was founded in around 3200 BC by King Namer. This
dynasty continued to rule for three more millennia. The Thirtieth, and
last, Dynasty fell to Persians in 343 BC. The Persians designed and built
the Suez Canal, connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.
| The Persians were defeated
in 332 BC by the Greeks who held onto Egypt until Antony and Cleopatra
fell to Augustus Caesar in 31 BC. The Romans were finally defeated by the
Byzantines in 395 AD and ruled until 641 AD when the Persians finally managed
to recapture the land. The religion of Islam and the Arabic language was
brought over by Muslim Arabs in the 7th century.
Egypt began to prosper
and grew significantly in size and importance over the next few millennia.
With the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, the country became an important
world transportation hub. The country saw its wealth and status rise dramatically.
Unfortunately, this new-found wealth was short lived because in 1882, due
to large debt, Egypt was seized by Britain. Egypt continued under
British rule until 1953, when on June 18th, the country became a republic.
The architect Gamal Abdel
Nasser became the country's President in 1954. He nationalised the
Suez Canal, which resulted in the 1956 Suez Crisis and Nasser becoming
an Arabic hero. During the period between 1958 and 1961, Nasser attempted
to unite Egypt and Syria under the new name of United Arab Republic. The
majority of Egyptians did not agree with the collaboration and when Nasser
died in 1967, the country's name was soon changed back to Egypt'. |
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Anwar Sadat became the
new President and in 1972, he changed the country's loyalty from Syria
to the United States. Egypt and Syria attacked Israel in 1973 in the October
War, which resulted in a political victory. The Soviet Union and the United
States got involved and a truce was called between Israel and Egypt. Sadat
gained peace with Israel in return for Sinai in 1979. This move led to
expulsion from the Arab League, but was later restored in 1989. A fundamentalist
murdered Sadat in 1981; his successor was Hosni Mubarak. Today, Egypt is
a popular holiday destination for people from across the world. Many people
travel there to learn about Egypt's long and detailed history and to experience
some of the magic of the ancient Egyptians.
Nobody really knows why they
were built. Or why the specific shape was chosen. We don't even know for
sure how they were built!
But there are plenty of
theories. The pyramids may have been a king's way of impressing the gods,
his way of assuring himself a position as close to the divine world of
the eternal world cycle. Also, the pyramid was at first though to give
ultimate protection for the content of the tomb against grave robbers.
The shape is generally believed
to reflect the 4 corners, or directions of the world: Where the sun rises
(east), its highest point (south), where it sets (west) and the point where
the sun reaches its lowest point (the opposite of south; north). The summit
of the pyramid is the unity of the 4 corners.
As for the construction,
it is really only the pyramids that are built from huge blocks, that have
been entangled in mystery. Many pyramids are built from mud-brick or unimpressively
small stones.
Some theories explain the
moving of the huge blocks to the assistance of extra-terrestrial powers.
But the most popular theories are more sober, explaining that ramps were
built to allow large crews of workers to pull the stones from the ground
up to their final position.
The true pyramid era lasted
much shorter than most people believe. It started with the step pyramid
of Zoser at Saqqara (which by definition isn't really a pyramid) around
2650 BCE and it ends around 1800 BCE. Pyramids built after this were mere
reproductions and very small in comparison.
Snefru's 3 pyramids represent
the best introduction to the challenges that faced the first pyramid builders.
His Bent Pyramid is believed to have received its shape after the builders
discovered that the walls rose too steep. |
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The largest pyramids rise higher
than 140 metres above ground, but most are (or were, as many have fallen
in) around 50 metres high. They all have inner corridors, and had outside
temple complexes.
While the pyramid was built
as the tomb of the king, it would soon develop into the centre of tombs
of the rich. Large and small tombs were built as close to the pyramid as
the owner or his family could afford.
Today there are 3 pyramid
areas every visitor to Egypt should visit. It is of course Giza (which
should be visited last of the 3, as it is the youngest but most impressive)
and Saqqara. The third is Dahshur, which is best visited after you have
spent a few hours around the complex of Zoser at Saqqara
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