Egypt Essay

Ancient Egypt was a civilization of rich culture, advanced techniques, and societal prosperity. Depending heavily on the Nile River for its resources, Egypt often found itself with an abundance of crops. This surplus was much to thank for the peace among Egypt’s society, without the lack of material, there was no need for disputing among themselves or other civilizations. Egypt was well organized, and utilized a monarchical government system that was influenced by their religious ideals and beliefs, as well as implementing roles for women in the society. The success of Ancient Egypt took hold for many years, and grew to become a model for the surrounding societies and groups. The Nile River was Egypt’s primary source of consumables, as well

“Measuring and recording the level of the annual flood was a matter of national importance; the device used for this task was called a “Nilometer”.” The Nile River flooded annually during the time of late summer to autumn, and left behind a mass of perfect soil for the Egyptians. These crops would sprout and flourish during the winter, ready to harvest in the spring. The Egyptians were wary of the seasons, as they discovered that a year consists of 365 days. It was a simple, and convenient method of survival, especially as Egypt contains the Sahara Desert, a harsh and prominently desolate region. There was no need for complex irrigation systems in Egypt, but the river was also utilized in the form of canals, dykes, and dams. The canals were used for the spread of the Nile’s floodwaters to maximize the amount of harvesting area. The Egyptians were smart; in that they knew not to take the river’s floods for granted.

The chief deities include the Ra, the sun god, and Osiris, the god of the dead, which among many others, control many major and minute aspects of life in Egypt. The gods were often expressed in the forms of beings with heads of the animals sacred to them. “The hawk was sacred to Ra and Horus, the ibis to Thoth, and the jackal to Anubis.” (“Egypt, Ancient”) Which led to the idea that animals were very symbolic in the religious beliefs of Egypt, and exact symbols and images depicting this, can be seen in ancient Hieroglyphics found in Egypt. Hieroglyphics were the magic writing system conserved for the use of the Pharaoh and his closest advisors only. They believed it had been gifted from the god Horus himself, and to be used with care. The Pharaoh himself (and rarely, herself) were seen as gods. The Egyptians had vast beliefs in the idea of an afterlife, they took care to ensure proper measures were made to lead the dead to the afterlife in a sacred and organized manner. They would build pyramids out of stone blocks, placed in the form of a point, often to lead the spirit of the Pharaoh to the gods or afterlife. Eventually, the Egyptians began to use Hieroglyphics instead to ensure that the Pharaoh’s soul would make its way smoothly to the afterlife. The pyramids contained tombs, which consisted of items that would help the dead maintain success and happiness in the afterlife. “The