Ancient Egypt Legacy

Ancient Egyptians and Their Legacy “The Ancient Egyptians were possibly the first civilization to practice the scientific arts” (legacyoftheancientegyptians). In fact, they were one of the most advanced civilizations of their time. The Egyptians built massive pyramids, preserved their dead, created explanations for natural phenomena, and paved the way for some modern technologies. They created gods and goddesses to try to explain certain natural processes such as the rising and setting of the sun. The Egyptians also preserved their dead in a process called mummification. The bodies they preserved still have great detail even after thousands of years underground. The Ancient Egyptians have built many large pyramids which were believed to

“The Egyptians believed that the mummified body was the home for the soul or spirit. If the body was destroyed, the spirit might be lost” (si). The priests of the Egyptian temples were in charge of completing this process. Mummification took approximately 60 days because the body had to be dried and pre-wrapped. The priests often wore jackal masks to represent Anubis, the god of the dead. The first part in the mummification process was the removal of all internal organs. “The heart, which the Ancient Egyptians believed to be the center of emotion and intelligence, was left in the body for use in the next life” (historyonthenet). The brain was thought to be useless so it was discarded. The rest of the organs were stored in canopic jars which helped preserve them. The body was then bathed in oils and fragrances and left to dry for 40 days. The body was wrapped again several times and magic charms were placed between the bandages for luck. Once the wrapping is finished, the body was placed in a sarcophagus with 3 layers. The first, or top layer, is the most detailed layer with a very accurate mold of the person’s entire body and intricately painted features. The middle layer is also a detailed layer, but it does not outline the exact shape of the body or have as much paint as the first layer does. The third and final layer is the least detailed out of all the layers and just has a basic

“Their creations changed everything so drastically that we still see their influence today” (science.howstuffworks). The Egyptians created some of the first paper called papyrus that was used for writing hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics were one of the first complex systems of writing used in the world. They paved the way for many modern systems of writing. Only the scribes were able to write in hieroglyphics because it was almost impossible to learn what the symbols meant. “The picture symbols represent a combination of alphabet and syllabic sounds together with images that determine or clarify meaning and descriptions of actual objects” (discoveringegypt). The same symbol could represent several different objects and sounds so deciphering this language could become very confusing. The Ancient Egyptians were also the first humans to use makeup and wigs. All the Egyptians valued beauty very much so they always tried their best to look beautiful. The most wealthy Egyptian men and women wore wigs and used some of the first eyeliner known to man. The common Egyptian children were also succumbed to this fashion fad. They shaved all of their hair except for a long braided lock. The lock was adorned with jewelry, as were the wigs and natural hair of the