Egypt has one of the longest histories of any country, tracing its heritage along the Nile Delta back to the 6th–4th millennia BCE. Considered a cradle of civilisation, Ancient Egypt saw some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation, organised religion and central government. Egypt was an early and important centre of Christianity, later adopting Islam from the seventh century onwards. Cairo became the capital of the Fatimid Caliphate in the tenth century and of the subsequent Mamluk Sultanate in the 13th century. Egypt then became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517, until its local ruler Muhammad Ali established modern Egypt as an autonomous Khedivate in 1867. The country was then occupied by the British Empire along with Sudan and gained independence in 1922 as a monarchy.
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals that formed an integral part of ancient Egyptian culture. It centered on the Egyptians' interactions with many deities believed to be present and in control of the world. About 1,500 deities are known. Rituals such as prayer and offerings were provided to the gods to gain their favor. Formal religious practice centered on the pharaohs, the rulers of Egypt, believed to possess divine powers by virtue of their positions. They acted as intermediaries between their people and the gods, and were obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain Ma'at, the order of the cosmos, and repel Isfet, which was chaos. The state dedicated enormous resources to religious rituals and to the construction of temples.
Individuals could interact with the gods for their own purposes, appealing for help through prayer or compelling the gods to act through magic. These practices were distinct from, but closely linked with, the formal rituals and institutions. The popular religious tradition grew more prominent over the course of Egyptian history as the status of the pharaoh declined. Egyptian belief in the afterlife and the importance of funerary practices is evident in the great efforts made to ensure the survival of their souls after death – via the provision of tombs, grave goods and offerings to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased. (Full article...)
Image 12A tomb relief depicts workers plowing the fields, harvesting the crops, and threshing the grain under the direction of an overseer, painting in the tomb of Nakht. (from Ancient Egypt)
Image 13The Amr ibn al-As mosque in Cairo, recognised as the oldest in Africa (from Egypt)
Image 14Change in per capita GDP of Egypt, 1820–2018. Figures are inflation-adjusted to 2011 International dollars. (from Egypt)
Image 60Rectangular fishpond with ducks and lotus planted round with date palms and fruit trees, Tomb of Nebamun, Thebes, 18th Dynasty (from Ancient Egypt)
Image 65A figure wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt, most probably Amenemhat II or Senwosret II. It functioned as a divine guardian for the imiut; the divine kilt suggests that the statuette was not merely a representation of the living ruler. (from Ancient Egypt)
Image 66Painted limestone relief of a noble member of Ancient Egyptian society during the New Kingdom (from Ancient Egypt)
Image 67Female nationalists demonstrating in Cairo, 1919 (from Egypt)
Image 68Early tomb painting from Nekhen, c. 3500 BC, Naqada, possibly Gerzeh culture (from Ancient Egypt)
Image 69Coffin of Khnumnakht in 12th dynasty style, with palace facade, columns of inscriptions, and two Wedjat eyes (from Ancient Egypt)
... that the four sons of Horus were believed to have protected deceased people in the afterlife by creating a specialized connection with the deceased's internal organs?
... that Rabab Al-Kadhimi was threatened with deportation from Egypt due to the political nature of her poetry?
Born in Kavala in the Rumelia Eyalet, Ali was a military commander in an Albanian Ottoman force sent to recover Egypt from French occupation following Napoleon's withdrawal. He rose to power through a series of political maneuvers, and in 1805 he was named Wāli (governor) of Egypt and gained the rank of Pasha. As Wāli, Ali attempted to modernize Egypt by instituting dramatic reforms in the military, economic and cultural spheres. He also initiated a violent purge of the Mamluks, consolidating his rule and permanently ending the Mamluk hold over Egypt. (Full article...)
Selected cuisines, dishes and foods - show another
Hawawshi (sometimes spelled hawwaoshi; Egyptian Arabic: حواوشي; IPA:[ħæˈwæwʃi]) is a traditional Egyptian dish. It is a pita stuffed with minced meat and spiced with onions, pepper, parsley, and occasionally chilies. The major variants of hawawshi are "baladi" (standard) and Alexandrian. In most of Egypt, it is baked by filling the flat Egyptian bread with the meat mix and then baking it in the oven. In Alexandria, the ingredients are placed between two circular layers of dough, then baked in an oven. Alexandrian hawawshi also usually have different spices and seasonings. Hawawshi has spread to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa with some variation. In the Levant, it is made using saj bread and includes hot peppers in the filling. In Algeria, it is known as "muhajib" and is eaten with soup or a yoghurt salad. (Full article...)
... that the entrance of Djoser’s pyramid complex features columns fashioned to resemble bundled reeds and ceiling blocks carved into the shape of tree trunks?
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