Akhenaten was the first ruler to decree statuary & a temple in honor of his queen instead of only for himself or the gods. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. There is absolutely no evidence that the monuments of the Giza plateau - or any others in Egypt - were built by slave labor nor is there any evidence to support a historical reading of the biblical Book of Exodus. It is believed by historians to portray the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt by King Narmer. Artist's Depiction of an Excavation in Egyptby Mohawk Games (Copyright) To the Egyptians, life on earth was only one aspect of an eternal journey. Akhenaten and his queen, Nefertiti, renounced the traditional religious beliefs and customs of Egypt and instituted a new religion based upon the recognition of one god. The earliest settlers in the Nile River valley came into the region around 3,500 BC. The ancient Egyptians worshiped over 2,000 gods and goddesses. The cult of Amun, at this time, had grown so wealthy that the priests were almost as powerful as the pharaoh. Many theories abound regarding how these monuments and tombs were constructed, but modern architects and scholars are far from agreement on any single one. This is known as The Amarna Period (1353-1336 BCE) during which Amarna grew as the capital of the country and polytheistic religious customs were banned. Because the desert sand caused problems with their teeth, they invented toothpaste out of eggshells, ox hooves (ground up), ashes, and they invented the toothbrush. The era known as the First Intermediate Period of Egypt (2181-2040 BCE) saw a decline in the power of the central government following its collapse. ; Alexandria – Capital city of the Greco-Roman Period of ancient Egypt. At death, one would meet with judgment in the Hall of Truth and, if justified, would move on to an eternal paradise known as The Field of Reeds which was a mirror image of one's life on earth. After his death in 323 BCE his general, Ptolemy I Soter, brought his body back to Alexandria and founded the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BCE). Ancient Egyptians had a great grasp of math and geometry. Naqada II potteryby Guillaume Blanchard (CC BY-SA). Memphis was the first capital of Egypt and a famous religious and trade center; its high status is attested to by the Greeks alluding to the entire country by that name. His reign was followed by his son, the most recognizable Egyptian ruler in the modern day, Tutankhamun, who reigned from c. 1336 - c. 1327 BCE. ... Magic and Superstitions. escramble() Everyone wore jewelry and makeup (usually eye paint). We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Once one had reached paradise one could live peacefully in the company of those one had loved while on earth, including one's pets, in the same neighborhood by the same stream, beneath the very same trees one thought had been lost at death. It is largely due to Khaemweset's initiative that Ramesses II's name is so prominent at so many ancient sites in Egypt. The 13th Dynasty, however, was weaker than the 12th and distracted by internal problems which allowed for a foreign people known as the Hyksos to gain power in Lower Egypt around the Nile Delta. His reign was cut short by his death and, today, he is most famous for the intact grandeur of his tomb, discovered in 1922 CE, which became an international sensation at the time. We are now World History Encyclopedia to better reflect the breadth of our non-profit organization's mission. The ancient Egyptian civilization has been an attractive exploration subject for hundreds of years. Spells could be cast to help them get through these perils, and these spells were written out and left in or near the sarcophagus.