The culture of Ancient Egypt has always been and remains the subject of curiosity for people around the world. They write about it, make films and documentaries, but it still remains intriguing and mysterious, as it was thousands of years ago, which, of course, guarantees a constantly increasing influx of tourists into the country.
The history of ancient Egyptian civilization is a story about the greatest cultural era in the history of all mankind, helping to understand many of the secrets of the universe. Having begun its existence in centuries covered with fog of time, Ancient Egypt passed many tests in the glorious evolution of cult, intellectual, political organizations. Having achieved a unique social, economic and cultural order, he peacefully flourished for more than three thousand years in the rich Nile Valley.
All civilizations of the ancient world have, to one degree or another, influenced the modern world. Of course, Ancient Egypt is no exception. The material culture of Ancient Egypt was a discovery for the whole world after the Egyptian expedition of the French army, led by Napoleon Bonaparte.
The French “sparked” an incredible interest in Egypt, bringing to Europe amazing treasures and monuments that were not even suspected then. With them began the full-scale looting of a unique heritage. Archaeologists, historians, scientists, treasure hunters, adventurers of all stripes literally flooded the ancient land.
The culture of Ancient Egypt is amazing in every aspect, including art, grand architecture, magic, a complex religion, literature, scientific achievements. One of her most outstanding achievements is the invention of writing, a hieroglyphic system consisting of more than 700 characters, in which pictures and symbols represented words and sounds.
The isolation of the Nile Valley - in the north the Mediterranean Sea, from the west and east - vast deserts, dense jungle in the south - allowed Egyptian civilization to develop peacefully, without fear of external threats.
Indeed, it is interesting to note the fact that before the reign of the last pharaoh, the country did not experience any foreign influences, only after the Roman Empire conquered other foreign powers, and the culture of Ancient Egypt fell under the influence of the outside world.
Modern Egypt is a combination of many brought interesting traditions, but its exceptional primordial nature will never cease to exist.
The ancient Egyptians excelled in various forms of material art - in pottery, sculpture, painting and so on. It is noteworthy that ancient Egyptian artists did not create art forms for the sake of art and aesthetic emotions, but to achieve a specific goal, following strictly established canons for millennia. Artists occupied a privileged position in Egyptian society, their services were in great demand. After all, the illustrated description, first of all, was an important aspect of religious rites.
The artistic culture of ancient Egypt is reflected in images on steles, walls of temples, pyramids, papyrus scrolls - on any flat surfaces you can read myths, scenes from the lives of pharaohs and ordinary people. The sculpture was also highly professional. One of the most famous masterpieces among ancient Egyptian sculpture is the bust of Nefertiti, the wife of the pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Akhenaten, the work of the sculptor Thutmose.
The ancient Egyptians were productive builders. They erected a huge number of not only temples, pyramids, but also secular buildings. The remains of some palaces discovered by archaeologists wonderfully illustrate the luxurious lifestyle of members of the royal families.
Religion was the guiding principle in the life of the country. The whole multidimensional culture of ancient Egypt developed around religion: art, architecture, science, music, literature, social order and so on. The ancient Egyptians practiced a multi-theistic religion, worshiping many gods, goddesses.
Death and a happy afterlife was the central idea of ancient Egyptian society. Most of the wealth and human capabilities were devoted to creating a comfortable afterlife. The construction of pyramids and mastabs, donations, rituals, mummification was a means for a prosperous existence in the Duat (afterlife).