Possibly one of the most famous holiday destinations in the world, Egypt is not only a place for sun seekers. It’s a place for lovers of history too.
Read on for interesting facts about this stunning country!
Myths tell us that many Gods created life and Egypt from the water called Nun that covers the Earth.
This reflects the way of life and belief that the waters of the Nile are in their own respect, Holy.
The most well-known Egyptian Gods are:
- Ra, the God of the Sun. He had the head of a falcon and was crowned with a sun disk.
- Hathor, the Goddess of Music. She had the horns of a cow and a crowned with a sun disk.
- Sekhmet, the Goddess of Destruction. She had the head of a lion.
- Nut, the Goddess of the Sky. She is blue in color and adorned with golden stars’.
- Geb, the God of the Earth. He is the color of plants and Nile mud.
- Osiris, the God of the Dead. He is dressed in white and carries a crook and flail.
- Seth, the God of the Desert. He has an animal head with a long curved snout.
- Horus, the God of the Pharaohs. He has the head of a hawk and wears the crown of Egypt.
- Isis, the Goddess of Magic. She sits on a throne and is sometimes seen holding a baby.
- Thoth, the God of Wisdom. He has the head of the ibis bird.
- Anubis, the God of Embalming. He has the head of a jackal.
- Ma’at, the Goddess of Justice. She wears feathers in her hair.
- Amun, the God of Creation. He has a crown of feathers.
- Bastet, the Goddess of Cats. She has the head of a cat.
Cats have been household companions dating back to 600 BC in Egypt.
The Mummified remains were found by archaeologists in 1889 and in paintings, cats were often featured at the feet of noble ladies, suggesting their worth.
They were worshiped with Bastet as being mythical and creatures of great importance, especially for their hunting and night vision abilities.
The Egyptians even worshiped mythological sphinxes – the most notable statue is in the desert of Giza.
The Egyptian Sphinx has a male voice. He has the body of a lion, the wings of a bird and a human face.
He often told riddles and if the person answered wrong, they were eaten.
Still of the subjects of moggies, the Sphinx (hairless cats that have neither eyebrows or whiskers) and Egyptian Mau’s (cats with spotted fur, who hunted along the Nile) are breeds of cats that can be kept as pets.
The Nile River is 4,132 miles long and runs the length of Egypt.
Most people built homes on its banks as it offered them a rich source of food, irrigation (for crops) and transportation.
Papyrus reeds grew along the banks, which were dried and used for writing and boat building.
Many lived in fear of the beasts that roamed the waters, such as the infamous crocodile.
Whilst hot, Egypt had little rain. Every year, there was an annual flood, which happened when the bad weather of the neighboring countries, edged towards the Nile.
Crops could be grown from the soil that was left behind.
Most people visit Egypt for the heat.
But those seeking culture head for Luxor, which is the site of the old capital, Thebes.
Thebes homed the great leaders such as Tutankhamen, Ramses and Cleopatra, to name a few.
A short way into the wilderness takes you to the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, home to a great many pyramids that are now the burial chambers for the great rulers.
Anyone else fancy a vacation?
