Ancient Egypt, starting from 3100 B.C., formed a civilization that was virtually a superpower in its region for a full 3,000 years. The people forming the Egyptian civilization transitioned to a settled agricultural life, leading to significant advancements in urbanization and the economy.

This settled life began in 6000 B.C. Ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphs as their writing tool. Egypt was growing stronger, and record-keeping was crucial for them in state affairs. Egyptians excelled in literature, and they transcribed their works onto papyrus, clay tablets, and stones. Some of these works have managed to survive to the present day.

Wealthy Egyptians had a tradition of building large tombs for their deceased. These tombs are considered predecessors to the great pyramids. Contrary to popular belief, not only slaves but also unemployed villagers, left without work at the end of the agricultural season, participated in the construction of pyramids. Additionally, those who could not pay their taxes also worked on the construction of pyramids in exchange for their tax debts.

The Nile River held special importance for Ancient Egypt. When the Nile overflowed, years of abundance in agriculture were experienced. However, in years when the Nile did not flood, it signaled unproductive times in agriculture.

Historical Temples And Pyramids In Luxor

Luxor is the world’s largest and most mysterious open-air museum. Luxor also hosts the magnificent temples shedding light on Egypt’s ancient civilization. It is one of the world’s oldest capitals, and its status as the capital contributed significantly to its development.

Some indicators of this development are their magnificent temples and monumental architectures. The main temples and monuments among Luxor’s temples include Luxor Temple, Goornah, Ramesseum, Memnon Statues, Deir-el Bahari, and Karnak Temple.

Egypt’s pyramids were mostly built as tombs for their kings. Over 100 pyramids have managed to reach our time, and the Great Pyramid of Giza, with a height of 145.75 meters, has been registered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The oldest pyramid in Egypt is the Pyramid of Djoser. These structures are so mysterious that workers and even architects were killed to keep their secrets after the completion of the pyramids.

Twenty-ton stone blocks were used in pyramids with many secrets yet to be solved. How they were transported from hundreds of kilometers away and placed on the pyramids is still a mysterious subject. Whoever the pyramid was built for, after their death, they were mummified and buried here.

One remarkable feature of these structures is that, during the dates when the king buried in the pyramid was born and ascended to the throne, sunlight enters the burial chamber only twice a year. Some radioactive substances were found in mummies, and the first 12 archaeologists unaware of this died.

Glyphs inside the pyramids contain astonishing drawings of spacecraft, helicopters, tanks, and planes. The most famous pyramids are Giza, Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure, Sphinx, Saqqara, and many more can be added to our list.

A Luxurious Journey On The Nile

The Nile River, born in Lake Victoria in Africa, is perhaps the most talked-about and most curious river in the world. With a length of 6,650 km, the Nile is the longest river globally. Flowing through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, it covers a very long distance and flows into the Mediterranean.

The Nile was one of the greatest supports for the ancient civilization established by Ancient Egypt. Two dams have also been built on this river for tourism activities, besides its agricultural and commercial importance.

Most of these trips take place between the Luxor and Aswan regions. I recommend taking a peaceful trip on this river to feel the Nile and touch the history of Ancient Egypt. These trips are usually carried out with luxury cruise ships, offering a service and comfort that rivals five-star hotels. The journey on the Nile can take between 3 to 5 hours. Some temples of Ancient Egypt, such as the Kom Ombo and Edfu Temples, can only be seen with these boat tours.

Boat Tours And Ancient Coastal Villages In Aswan

Aswan is almost a magnet for Egypt, with all the beauty of the Nile reflected in this region. If you come to Egypt, I recommend visiting the magnificent coastal villages in this region. The Nubian village is, so to speak, inundated by tourists. Transportation to these villages is generally provided by motorized boats, and many boat tours are organized.

They are built with a kind of building material made of straw, sand, clay, and water, in difficult-to-describe beautiful architectures. Domes are placed on the ceilings of houses to evenly distribute the heat and light of the sun inside.

The walls of the houses are painted with warm colors that warm your heart and some decorative embellishments are added. You can also have a fantastic experience by sailing on the Nile with sailboats. Trips made with these wooden boats are also highly preferred by tourists.

Ancient Egyptian History: Karnak Temple And Luxor Temple

The mysterious history of Ancient Egypt has yet to be solved, and this situation turns into a passion for people to visit Egypt. The Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple receive their share of this interest. It is thought that the Karnak Temple was under continuous construction for a full 2,000 years.

It is built on an area of 200 acres and is the world’s largest temple. Sphinx statues will greet you at the entrance of the temple. Inside this structure, there is the Grand Hypostyle Hall with an area of 54,000 square meters and its gigantic 134 columns.

The Luxor Temple was built in 1400 B.C. in ancient Egypt. In terms of the history of humanity, this temple is a very important work. It is a quite magnificent structure supported by colossal columns reaching lengths of up to 61 meters.

It has survived quite well to the present day. One reason for this good preservation is that all the pharaohs of the period made additions and reinforcements to the Luxor Temple. It is a must-see and a must-visit place in Egypt.

Visit To Nubian Culture And Villages

Ancient Egypt is a unique indicator for learning the past of humanity and has turned into a passion for people. Nubian culture harbors tremendous historical richness. This region is located between Southern Egypt and Central Northern Sudan.

Nubians did not marry men and women who were not of their own lineage. The weddings lasted about 1 week. In Nubian traditions, there is also a tradition of applying henna before the wedding. Women wore special dresses called gergar during weddings. Just before the wedding, the groom and his relatives would tour the entire city and Nubian villages to invite people to the wedding.

Nubians used the agricultural products they produced themselves in their meals. They often planted sorghum and barley and benefited from them. They baked special bread called kadeb. This bread later turned into the main ingredient of some meals. They loved to eat raw camel liver.

See you in the next post,

Anil UZUN