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Ancient Egypt may be long gone, but its treasures and mysteries live on to this day. With films like Elizabeth Taylor's 'Cleopatra' (1963) and the thrilling 'The Mummy' franchise, it's safe to say that this incredible civilization still amazes us centuries later.From mummies to pyramids and hieroglyphics, click through the following gallery to discover fascinating facts about ancient Egypt.
For more than 3,000 years, one of history’s greatest civilizations flourished along the Nile River, between 3150 BCE and 641 CE, leaving behind jaw-dropping treasures.
Although most rulers and prominent society members were men, ancient Egyptian women could own property and were legally equal to men in court.
Ancient Egyptians used a black paint called kohl and green malachite powder as eye makeup. This is believed to have helped protect their eyes from the sun.
The ancient Egyptians valued all animals, but cats were particularly appreciated for their intelligence, hunting skills, and companionship. Ancient Egyptians admired cats so much that there were strict penalties for anyone who harmed or smuggled them.
The brain was considered to be unimportant. Instead, ancient Egyptians believed that the heart controlled thoughts and emotions. They carefully removed and preserved the heart and other organs during the mummification process, but the brain was scooped out through the nasal cavity and discarded.
Cleopatra is renowned to this day for her beauty and elegance, but she was also admired for her intellect when she ruled. She spent a lot of time with scholars, and was fluent in several languages, as well as educated in mathematics and philosophy.
Considered to be very competitive, ancient Egyptians loved Senet, which was believed to be a start of backgammon. But it eventually evolved into something that's similar to a modern Ouija board.
Even if the temperatures outside are burning hot during summer, the interior of the Pyramids of Giza are naturally temperature controlled at a consistent 86°F(30°C).
This was common between royal families, as they believed that adding outsiders to their bloodline would stain their royal status. Cleopatra was the child of two siblings, and she married two of her brothers.
Mummifying a body was not a simple job. It required a special priest to remove all moisture from the body, including the organs. Then it would be treated with a drying property. But the most time-consuming process was the actual wrapping of the mummy. This took about a mile’s (1.6 km) worth of bandages.
The ancient Egyptians were skilled astronomers who researched without the aid of modern tools like telescopes or calculators. By recording the annual appearance of the star Sirius, they discovered the 365-day calendar, with 12 months of 30 days each and an extra five festival days at the end of the year.
Being hairy was a sign of inferior social status. Even ancient Egyptian priests would shave their entire body every three days. The society created tools for shaving, including the first-ever waxing paste, which consisted of a mix of sugar and beeswax.
To date, approximately 138 pyramids have been discovered across Egypt, mainly sited on the west bank of the Nile River, grouped together or as pyramid fields.
Cleopatra might be another notorious ancient Egyptian, but she actually had Macedonian Greek blood. A member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general.
The ancient Egyptians even mummified their pets, especially dogs and cats. Other mummified animals would also occasionally be buried with humans as a food offering for the afterlife.
Ancient Egyptians used a lot of different herbs and potions as medicine, and cannabis was the most common. It was regularly used to treat sore eyes.
Considered to be one of the earliest forms of written communication, hieroglyphics were the formal writing system used in ancient Egypt.
King Tut and his half sister, Ankhesenpaaten, had two daughters together, but neither survived infancy. Researchers believe it was due to a long lineage of inbreeding.
Religion and the afterlife were extremely important. The various gods covered all aspects of life, even chores. They were believed to help keep life in perfect balance.
Tutankhamun, otherwise known as King Tut, is the most well-known pharaoh of all. He took the throne when he was just nine years old, and died a decade later.
In ancient Egyptian belief, the afterlife was believed to be a continuation of the earthly life, so mummification was important in order to keep people’s remains preserved.
Ancient Egyptian art and sculptures might depict wealthy members of society and pharaohs as physically fit, but Egyptologists have discovered that most pharaohs were actually quite overweight. This is probably due to their diet, which consisted mainly of bread and beer.
The earliest surviving peace treaty was originally written in 1271 BCE by Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II, as well as Hattusilis III, King of the Hittites. However, the treaty didn't actually bring peace, and the conflict lasted for several more years.
Cleopatra and Julius Caesar had a mutually beneficial relationship: she required his army, while Caesar required her incredible wealth. The duo murdered Cleopatra’s brother-husband, Ptolemy XIV, so that her son could co-reign with her.
Beer was regularly consumed in ancient Egypt in both wealthy and poor households. Even children drank it, as it was considered to be a great source of nutrition.
These architectural wonders were actually built to be tombs for pharaohs during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.
The ancient Egyptians actually invented a lot of things that we still use to this day, such as doorstops (pictured above), pens, paper, and toothpaste, to name but a few items.
Dating back to 1170 BCE, the first strike was against the building of pyramids. Labor strikes were a regular occurrence, as workers demanded better working conditions.
The Pyramid of Khufu, also known as the Great Pyramid, is the second largest in the world, second only to the Quetzalcóatl Pyramid in Mexico.
Sources: (History) (Berkshire Museum) (Far & Wide)
See also: Random historical facts you didn't know
Fascinating facts about ancient Egypt
Looking at one of the world's most ancient civilizations
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Ancient Egypt may be long gone, but its treasures and mysteries live on to this day. With films like Elizabeth Taylor's 'Cleopatra' (1963) and the thrilling 'The Mummy' franchise, it's safe to say that this incredible civilization still amazes us centuries later.From mummies to pyramids and hieroglyphics, click through the following gallery to discover fascinating facts about ancient Egypt.