Egypt happens to be one of the foremost and oldest civilizations in the world’s history. Its unique, rich and dazzling tradition and heritage had far-reaching influence that can be traced way back to the pre-biblical era, more than 4000 years ago. This is readily attested by the grandeur of their ubiquitous pyramids, their advanced language notations which are now known as the hieroglyphics. Not to forget their military might, and flourishing economy that bore a seemingly magnetic attraction to other nations from all around the globe.
The good thing in this, is that this heritage hasn’t altered in the least, and modern Egypt still draws a great number of tourists, who wish to experience the fabled Egyptian way of life. Should you be inclined to visit this country, there is a plethora of established airlines that have regular flights to Egypt from almost all corners of the world.
Below are 5 unique facts about the Egyptian culture and history:
Ancient Egypt and its famous mummies
From time immemorial the issue of the Egyptian mummification procedure has mesmerized quite a number of generations. Ancient Egypt commenced this embalming process way back in 3000BC, and was primarily utilized to preserve their dead royalty. The most famous mummy to date happens to be that of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, which archaeologists believe was embalmed at around 1570-1095BC. The whole mummification process was naturally intricate and usually lasted the upwards of 40 days. It involved removal of all internal organs, save the heart, before the body was dried, stuffed and wrapped in linen.
The ubiquitous pyramids of Egypt
The Egyptian pyramids are some of the most spectacular architectural structures the world has ever seen, with the great pyramid of Giza taking centre stage. This imposing structure is said to have been built with 2,300,000 blocks of stones, each having an average weight of 30tons. Due to the dense attributes of these building blocks, its internal temperature is always constant at around 20 degrees Celsius. Its base spreads across 55,000m squared. The other striking pyramids include those of Menkara, Khafra, Khufra and Nebra.
The Nile River and its indispensable role in Egyptian civilization
The river Nile happens to be longest in the world, and was obviously an integral component of ancient Egypt. Many of the nation’s earliest settlements were established around it, and the ancient Egyptians depended on it for virtually all their immediate needs. The Nile valley, which was and still is a very fertile strip of land, provided their agricultural needs, and the river provided water to both man and beasts. The Nile also played a fundamental role in their religious beliefs and practices, largely due to its life-sustaining attributes.
Egyptian food culture
Modern Egypt boasts of a wide and varied culinary delights, which incorporate diverse foods from many foreign nations, most notably Lebanon, Syria and even Europe. However, the ancient Egyptians are believed to have invented bread, which they made from wheat and barley. They are also accredited with making the first form of beer, which was noted for its many nutritional benefits.
Egyptian Cultural dances and songs
Song and dance has since the time of the pharaohs been a major part of the Egyptian way of life. To date there are diverse kinds of dances, for almost all stages of human life. For instance, the tahtib dance, which is an ancient form of Egyptian martial arts, or the tellanin and bambitia, which are fishermen dances. The awalem happens to be a wedding dance, and the muraddida is a dirge.
In the general, the Middle East offers its visitor many other cultural experiences. If you plan a holiday to this region, it is highly recommend including few additional destinations, such as Petra in Jordan, for your itinerary.
