Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Facts about Pharaohs

Pharaoh: Amenhotep III (1377-1351 B.C)

Interesting facts

Amenhotep III mask

1. He ruled during a time of peace, called the Amarna period.

2. He had around 317 wives! It has been said that his most loved queen was Tiy. On their wedding he took her on a very fancy boat with many flowers and decorations, and he rode it with her on the NIle river so everyone could see her with them. This is known as the most romantic and fanciest wedding of all ancient Egypt. He married her at the age of 11 or 12. 

3. He became pharaoh at the age of 12 and ruled egypt for 39 years.

4. Known as the pharaoh who beautified ancient egypt because he made many monuments during his time. One of the most famous temples, The Temple of Luxor (also known as Temple of Amun during their time) was built by him.

5. His son, Akenhaten, became pharaoh after him and Akenhaten was never in family portraits. Akenhaten also tried to take away all egyptian beliefs.

6. Amenhotep III's name means 'Amun is pleased, Ruler of Thebes'.

7. He was the ninth ruler Egypt.

8. He was born to Pharaoh Thutmose and Queen Mutemwiya.

9. All his wives were taken care of very well, but it's said that Tiy was the most intelligent of them all.

10. He died of an unknown disease at the age of 50.


King Khufu

Pharaoh: Khufu (2551 - 2528 B.C)

Interesting facts

1. He was cruel and heartless.

2. Known as the pharaoh who put himself first of everyone else.

3.Killed many people and he was hated by all egyptians, when he died they burnt all his stuff.

4. He had 6 sons and 15 daughters. 

5. He built the pyramid Giza, it stayed the strongest all these years too.

6. His body was so well hidden no one has ever found it. 

7. He didn't believe in the Egyptian Gods, he only believed in one.

8. Egyptians thought he was crazy.Those who told him he was wrong or something he didn't want to hear, got killed, tortured or became a slave if lucky.

9. He sold his daughter so he would get money.

10. He ruled for 23 years. 



King Tutenkhamen

Pharaoh: Tutenkhamen (1360 - 1343 B.C) 

Interesting facts

1. 8-9 years old when he became a pharaoh.

2. Major accomplishment was hiding his tomb. No robber could find it. 

3. No one know how he died, Guesses are a sickness because there was lots of egyptian medicine in his tombs. It's also been said he had a curse, everyone who visited his tomb died. 

4. He was 180 cm tall

5. He died at the age of 18. 


That's all for today! 










Cartouche


This is an egyptian cartouche! Inside are the letters, going up and then down to read it, then inside the
border to protect the name.
Make your own at this website: http://www.virtual-egypt.com/newhtml/glyph/glyph.html

Monday, September 17, 2012

Pyramid Timeline


PYRAMID TIMELINE

Pyramids are great monuments from Ancient Egypt. Here is a timeline of what order the biggest ones came in and some interesting facts.

Djoser pyramid
 62 meter high Steppe pyramid of Djose, built by Pharaoh Djose in Saqqara 2630 BC began as a mastaba, but by the Pharaoh’s death it had rised to six stepped layers. It also had many hidden tunnels to discourage robbers, but unfortunately some robbers found al the pharaohs belongings in the pyramid and all stuff are now 
gone.


Maidum Pyramid
The second pyramid is the 92 meter high Maidum pyramid. Pharaoh Snefru made it in the city Maidum 2600 BC. It was the first pyramid with an aboveground burial chamber. The pyramid was temporarily left for 15 years, but later finished.
The Bent pyramid, 105 meter high in Dahshur was made by Snefru 2600 BC. The pyramid had two burial chambers and it was the first pyramid to try having smooth sides, but it didn’t work very good so Snefru made some other tries with other 
pyramids as well.


The Red Pyramid
The next pyramid is known as the Red Pyramid. It was also a pyramid made by Snefru, 2600 BC in the city Dahshur and 104 meters high. This pyramid was Snefru’s third try at making a smooth-sided pyramid. When Snefru later on died, his son Khufu hurriedly finished the pyramid.


The Great Pyramid of Giza
Pharaoh Khufu, son of Snefru, decided then to make a pyramid himself as well. This pyramid was the biggest of them all. The Giza pyramid. It was built in Giza around 2550 BC. It’s 147 meters tall. The Giza pyramid is made up of 2.3 million stone blocks, which weighs about 2.5 – 15 tons each.


The Pyramid of Khafre
Next in line is the pyramid of Khafre. The pharaoh Khafre made this pyramid which is 144 meters tall and was built 2520 BC in Giza. Khafre’s father’s pyramid was bigger so Khafre wanted to have it even, so he made a neater surrounding. Later on, explorers found a pit in the floor of the pyramid. It is guessed that it held the first canopic chest in a pyramid.

Pyramid of Menkaure
Last but not least, comes the Pyramid of Menkaure. It was made by Pharaoh Menkaure year 2490 BC in Giza. The pyramid is 65 meters tall. Menkaure died suddenly while the pyramid wasn’t finished and the work was left abandoned. But one of his hiers decided to complete the pyramid after a while. Unlike other 
pyramids, this one was sheathed with granite.



Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Hieroglyphics



HIEROGLYPHICS

In Ancient Egypt they used hieroglyphics to write down important events and happenings on walls in tombs. The word hieroglyphics means sacred writing and in Greek it means holy carvings, which fits very well because hieroglyphics are either written on papyrus or they carved it on stones. Hieroglyphics were very important then and now since they could write down all their important events and what happened to them. We can also learn a little how they lived and what happened. Hieroglyphics could be read up to down or left to right.