The ancient Egyptian empire is actually one of the most powerful
empires in the antiquity. Often regarded as the birth place of the world
civilization, even when most people usually disregard this facts. Quite
a lot is known about this land of Pharaohs, ranging form its huge
pyramids, down to the bandaged mummies and to its golden treasures. But
how much more do you actually know about this place? lets find out.
They never used camels
Most
people believe that Egypt was a place where camels were dominant as a
means of transportation. Being a place closed to the Sahara desert, it
should be rich in those animals. But according to history ancient
Egyptians never enjoyed the usage of camels. The animal arrived late in
Egypt, it actually came after the decline of the empire. The most
dominant and effective method of transportation before camels arrived
was the use of donkeys. Animals they used for several activities
including farming. They also used boat as a means of transportation in
sea.
Not everyone was mummified
To mummify means to preserve a dead body after burial. This was a very common practice among the Egyptians at that time which the whole world recognizes them for. Anyway the truth be told, the Egyptians never mummified everyone. Mummification was majorly the thing for the rich and the elites while the ordinary people who have died were taken to the deserts be to inhumed. The reason they mummified bodies was because they believed that there is life after death and that if a body is not completely decomposed the person could live again in the afterlife.
Egyptian women had equal rights with men
It seem Egypt was the birth place of feminism. That is quite wonderful though, considering the right all Egyptian women stood to enjoy. During the Egyptian empire you could barely differentiate between what men can do from what women can. The laws were made such that women enjoy the same right as the men, "no wonder Cleopatra could ascend the throne".
Egyptian
Men and women of equal societal status at that time were treated equal
before the law. Women could buy, sell, and inherit properties. Wives
could preside over family issues and businesses when their husband were
not around. When widowed or divorced, they could raise their own
children alone. Women could become rulers and stake holders in the
society.
Don't you think they deserve an applaud? holding to the fact that one could say they were primitive if compared with our present society, yet still went that far to protect women's interest. That's pretty cool of a law, don't you think so?
Women can be Pharaohs
If the law could see both men and women as equal in everything, then what's the issue as to whom ascends the throne? In ancient Egypt It is ideal that the male son of the previous king is entitled to inherit the throne but this was not always the case. There have been several occasions where women were made Pharaohs. Example includes Cleopatra VII Philapator, Twosret, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Sobekneferu and MerNeith who were among the few women of antiquity to reign during Egypt's long history.
Egyptian Kings married their siblings
Incestuous marriages were a common practice among the Egyptians especially the in the royal family. Several of the Egyptian Pharaohs married their siblings and had several children with them. For example, Tutankhamun married his half-sister Ankhesenamun, and was himself the child of an incestuous union between Akhenaten and an unidentified sister-wife.
These
incestuous marriages ensured that the queen was trained in her duties
from birth, and that she remained entirely loyal to her husband and
their children. They also do this in order to restrict potential
claimants to the throne.
The Great Pyramid was not built by slaves
It is a common belief that the Egyptians used slaves to build the great pyramid of Giza, which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Most historical pictures always depict this as well as in movies. There is also a popular belief that the Israelite during their persecution were the ones the Egyptians used in raising such an enigma. But according to archeological evidences, this is just a misconception.
Archaeological studies have found that the Great Pyramid was in
fact built by a workforce consisting of 5,000 permanent, salaried
employees and around 20,000 temporary workers. The studies shows that
these workers were free men, summoned under the corvée system of
national service to put in a three- or four-month shift on the building
site before returning home. Workers were provided food, shelter, and
medical attention as a form of payment. And for those that died during the process, they were either buried in near by commentary or taking
to their families for their funeral rites.
