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

be crucial to living on after death. “The pyramid’s smooth, angled sides are believed to have symbolized the rays of the sun and were designed to help the pharaoh's soul ascend to heaven and join the gods” (history). The Egyptians actually believed that the pharaoh was a god himself, so they treated him like one by waiting on him hand and foot. In fact, his or her burial was “so much more elaborate than other Egyptians’ that it was thought to be an important event” (kingtutone). The pharaohs “showed off their status in life by being buried in enormous pyramid tombs in death” (thesun.co). They were also buried with enormous amounts of riches and items from their life on Earth. These items could have been their mummified pets or jewelry and gold. The pharaoh’s tomb usually contained many wax figures called shabtis. Shabtis were the servants for the afterlife and were inscribed with the duties they could help the pharaoh fulfill. Particularly needy pharaohs were buried with hordes of shabtis to assist them. Pharaohs that were very wealthy had boats in their tombs to help them reach the afterlife. The boats symbolized Ra’s daily journey from the human world to the underworld and back.
The Ancient Egyptians also mummified their dead through a process called mummification.

“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

shape of the body. The body was then paraded through town followed by a massive caravan until the body reached the tomb.
Probably one of the most fascinating attributes of the Egyptians were how they created elaborate explanations for natural phenomena. “Lacking any real scientific understanding, they answered their own questions with a series of myths and legends designed to explain the otherwise inexplicable” (bbc.co.uk). The myths and legends the Egyptians made were derived around gods and goddesses that represented things or phenomena in nature. For example, the god that was thought to be the creator of all living things was named Ra who was the sun god. “Each day, Ra’s golden ship would sail across the sky, and each night he would travel through the underground world of the Duat” (rickriordan). Ra was believed to be the protector of the Earth and was worshipped heavily and given many gifts and sacrifices. Ra and many other gods and goddesses were honored in the burial of someone. Anubis, the god of the dead, was in charge of weighing everyone’s hearts against the feather of truth. The feather of truth decided if the person could enter the afterlife. It judged people based on how truthful they were. If a person’s heart was heavier than the feather of truth, their soul was cast out to remain wandering through the dunes of the desert. All of the gods and goddesses were depicted with human and animal body parts. For example, Ra has the head of a hawk and the body of a human. Animals in Egypt were often worshipped because of this. They were pampered and treated like royalty. Cats were worshipped in Egypt because the goddess Bast often took the form of a house cat. Cats and other animals were worshipped to an extent that their burials were as lavish as that of a rich and powerful pharaoh.
The Ancient Egyptians contributed to many of the things we use every day such as makeup and paper.

“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

adults.
The legacy of the Ancient Egyptians is truly fascinating because of their massive pyramids, elaborate burials of the dead, undying belief in their gods, and inventions that we still use today. There is still much to learn about this fascinating culture. There are still artifacts waiting to be discovered and questions still to be answered. The Egyptians are undeniably mysterious and intriguing. Their unique culture, lifestyle, and legacy will no doubt live with us for years and years to come.