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Category: History Articles

  • Flags at Half Mast


    Flags are used to symbolize many different things. Each of the elements in the flag represents something special. For example, each of the stars in the flag of the United States represents one of the States. The way a flag is displayed can also symbolize something special. A flag flown upside-down is a sign of great distress, and a flag flown at half-mast is a sign of mourning.

    Mourning is when we show how sad we are for the death of someone important to us. Flags are normally flown at full-mast. This means that they fly right at the top of the flagstaff. Sometimes, they are flown at half-mast. They are flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning. That is a perfectly good answer to why we fly them at half-mast, but it doesn’t explain the reasons behind it.


    When we talk about flying a flag at half-mast people think of flying them half way down the flagstaff. This is how we do it today. In some countries they still follow the old naval traditions from way back in the time of wooden sailing ships. That said that a flag flown at half-mast should be lowered until it is one flag depth below the top of the pole, mast or staff. The reason is that there is room to fly one flag above it. This is a symbol, the flag that should be above it is the “invisible” flag to represent that the person is ‘invisible” or no longer with us. Now in the United States there is a set of rules for exactly how to fly a flag, approved by Congress in 1942. They say that a flag at half-mast should be half way between the top and bottom of the flagstaff.

    Another important thing to remember is that the flag represents our country. Our country is more important than any one person. So during the flag ceremony, when the flag is raised, it should be raised ALL the way to the top of the flagstaff, and then lowered to show respect for the dead person. When it is time to remove the flag, it should first be raised to the top of the flagstaff and then lowered and removed. This is to show respect for our country. Our country is more important than any one person or group of people.



    The flag is a great symbol of national pride. It should be treated with respect. It should be flown correctly, and when raised and lowered, should not touch the ground. It should only be flown during daylight hours, and should not be flown during weather conditions that may tear or damage it. In special circumstances, and in order to show patriotism, the flag may also be flown at night, provided it is properly illuminated (lit up).


    Flags can only be flown at half-mast to represent the death of an important government official. In order to fly it half-mast for any other reason, the President must give his approval. This week the President gave his approval for all flags to be flown at half-mast. It is being flown at half-mast to mourn the deaths of the people who died in New York, Washington, and in the airplane in Pennsylvania. Other countries around the world have also ordered their flags flown at half-mast this week. They want to show the American people that they care about what happened, too.


  • World Coming Together

    The
    World is Not a Bad Place

    Coming Together


    Sometimes it seems like the world is a very bad place. Terrible things happen that
    scare us and make us sad. When things like this happen, everybody in the
    world is sad, not just the people it happened to. Just like at home,
    when you are sad, and your Mom gives you a hug, when the world is sad,
    everyone gives each other a big hug.

    Of course it isn’t really everyone giving everyone a hug, people in England
    can’t really hug people in America, their arms aren’t long enough! But people
    all around the world are showing, in different ways, how sad they are about what
    happened this week.

    Countries have flown their flags at half-mast. they have held ceremonies to
    show their feelings, and they have stood silent to think about all the other
    people.

    People all over the world have lit candles for each other, to let everyone
    know they care, and they don’t want anyone to be scared. Over the past few days
    something amazing has happened, the world has become a very small place. It is
    almost as if the people all around the world have held hands together.

    People in every continent have shown that they care. Some of the pictures on
    the television have been very scary, and you probably haven’t seen too many of
    them. You can see some pictures of people around the world showing
    how much they care. (This page is VERY slow to load, and you may need to hit
    refresh or reload several times to see all of the pictures). None of these
    pictures are scary, although they may make you sad. They show you that people
    everywhere care. The world is not a bad place; it is a place where people help
    each other and where people care about family, friends and complete strangers.

    Just like at school, or in the playground, there will always be a few bullies
    around who want to make you scared. At school and in the playground you have
    many, many friends to help you and to stop you being afraid. The world is just
    like that, there are a few bullies who want to make people afraid, but there are
    far more of us who are friends and will stick together, so we don’t need to be
    afraid of the bullies. We are all friends and will look out for each other.

    How about, today, you give a friend a hug and tell them you will look out for
    them?

     

  • Colonies #1: A General Overview


    A colony is a place ruled by a foreign country. When we think of colonies
    we generally think of the colonies ruled by the Europeans, like America,
    Australia and Canada. The beginning of these European colonies happened
    during a time known as “The Age of Discovery”. Long before
    this though, the Romans had colonies as far away as the Middle East.

    Roman Colonies

    I expect you know all about some Roman colonies. Take for instance the Middle
    East. At the time of Jesus it was ruled by the Romans. That is why Jesus was
    taken before Pontius Pilate to be tried. Pontius Pilate was the ruler at that
    time. They also ruled a great deal of Europe, and you can see many ancient Roman
    ruins throughout places like Great Britain. When the Roman Empire was at it’s
    strongest, it stretched all the way from England, in the West, to the Persian
    Gulf in the East. Considering that they didn’t have firearms, or cannons, and
    that they used sailing ships, that was an amazingly large chunk of land for them
    to control. Most Historians will agree that it was too big, and that is one of
    the main reasons the Roman Empire eventually lost all its power.

    European Colonies

    Muslims of the Middle East used to send trading caravans to the Far East and
    India. They brought back things like exotic spices, perfumes, silk and other
    precious items. These caravans weren’t motor homes, of course. A caravan is the
    name used to describe a group of people traveling together on a long journey in
    search of things to trade. The Muslims used to take camels and horses with them,
    in order to carry the goods and themselves. The caravan was the whole thing,
    people, horses camels and everything else they took with them.

    By the 1400’s the Spanish and Portuguese had a fairly good idea about
    navigation, and sailing. They had seen what the Muslims had, and they wanted
    some for themselves. They decided that if they could trade directly with the
    people of the Far East, they could save money. So they set out to explore. They
    had to go by ship, since the Muslims controlled the land routes, and they
    weren’t going to give them up without a fight.

    Unfortunately, the Europeans didn’t know quite as much about navigation as
    they thought. Instead of finding India and the Far East, they found parts of
    Africa, and the America’s. When they landed at these places, they tried to do
    trade, but finding that they had much better weapons than the native
    inhabitants, they became greedy. They decided to take everything, instead of
    trading for it.

    They weren’t entirely successful in their takeovers, and in some places they
    set up trading posts. In the places that they gained control they took what they
    wanted, without payment, and ruled over the people there. Not only did they take
    goods, but they also took people, as slaves, to work for them.

    The Portuguese must have been better at navigation than the Spanish, because
    they set up trading posts in South Asia and India as well as Africa and they
    took control of parts of South America. The Spanish took control of parts of
    North America, and most of Central America.

    Once the Spanish and Portuguese started coming home, and boasting of their
    riches, the rest of the Europeans thought they had better see if they could do
    it, too. Pretty soon the Dutch, the British, and the French had established
    colonies and trading posts throughout the world. The countries ruling the
    colonies tried to force the people living there to become like them, and adopt
    the same religion and customs as the ruling country.

    In the beginning the colonies were just a way of getting rich quickly. Once
    everyone had colonies, and the industrial revolution began, colonies became far
    more important. Having a colony meant you had, more materials for making things,
    more people to rule over and more power. So, in the 1800’s they started grabbing
    even more land. Everyone wanted to have the biggest and best colonies.

    With this increase in colonies, came the dividing up of almost all of Africa,
    with everybody getting a little bit. The British took control of India and
    Australia. The Dutch took the East Indies (now Indonesia), and the French moved
    into Indochina (now Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos). Even the Americans, who had by
    then won their independence from Britain, took over the Philippines.

    Now read part #2 The
    Reasons for Colonization

  • The Big Dipper


    The Big Dipper was used by escaping slaves to point the way northwards to freedom. The slaves traveled along the underground railway. The Big Dipper can be seen in the Northern Hemishpere and is used to locate the North Star, or Polaris.

    The Big Dipper has been used by sailors and travelers, for centuries, to point the way north. It is part of the constellation known as Ursa Major, or the Big Bear. The short arm of the dipper points to the North Star. Sailors in the Southern Hemisphere use the Southern Cross to locate the North Star. This is because they cannot see the Big Dipper.


    You can make your own glow in the dark poster of the Big Dipper by following these simple instructions.

    Materials:

    Black construction paper

    A glow-in-the-dark marker

    Stick-on glow-in-the-dark stars (optional)

    Directions:

    Check picture below to see what the Big Dipper looks like.

    Copy the shape onto your construction paper. Mark each of the major stars
    with the glowing marker, or stick a star on them.

    Trace a thin line connecting each of your points.

    The end product should look like the picture at the top of this page.

    If you cannot get glow-in-the-dark markers, make a trail of glue between the stars, and sprinkle glitter on it, while it is still wet. Excess glitter can be brushed off after the glue dries.


    To learn more about the underground railway and what it meant to the slaves, read this article.

  • River Nile


    River Nile is considered the longest river of the world although there is a controversy revolving it. The Amazon in South America is the longest river according to some sources. This river in Africa ends in an outsized delta that pours into the Mediterranean Sea.

    Nile has two main tributaries namely the White Nile and the Blue Nile. White Nile is much longer comparatively while the other takes credit for having a lion’s share of Nile’s water and fertile soil. Great Lakes region of central Africa is where White Nile originates and it continues to flow all the way down to Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda and southern Sudan whereas Blue Nile begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia surging into Sudan from the east. Khartoum is the meeting point for both the rivers. You can find all of these if you intricately go through the world map.

    The Nile has made a significant contribution in the growth of ancient Egyptian civilization. River Nile was an eternal source of sustenance. The fertile lands and the occasional flooding or yearly inundation of Nile was certainly a blessing in disguise for the people of Egypt. This made them grow wheat and crops around the Nile.

    Reeds, called papyrus, were raised at the banks of the Nile. The Egyptians fabricated these into papers and boats to cruise along the river. The Nile was also a major source of food in form of fishes and birds for the Egyptians. You shouldn’t be surprised; this river is home to countless crocodiles. The initiation of the water game in the name of water buffalo came into being. It just goes without saying that water in whichever way was more than essential both for people and the livestock. And water as a means of transport is something that speaks for itself.

    Egypt’s stability no doubt stands tall in history. In fact, Cairo the capital of Egypt is one of the oldest living cities of the world. Truth be told, Nile’s fertility has much to do with it. You must also know that wheat; a chief crop in the Middle East was also traded. With trading system on a high, Egypt was extending political relationships with other nations of the world. All of this and much more contributed to a stable economy of Egypt.

    Whether it was politics or social life or spiritual dimension, river Nile was omnipresent in each aspect. Interestingly, God Hapi and the Pharaoh were believed to have control over the flooding of the Nile River. The river flooded each year between June and September, a season, which the Egyptians called akhet meaning inundation.

    River Nile continues to serve the people of Egypt even today. It thoroughly compensates for the unfriendly regions of the Sahara. The fertile lands have helped Egypt to thrive agriculturally. With the erection of the Aswan High Dam, the summer floods have been brought into halt. It has also fostered hydroelectricity.

    River Nile is unquestionably the be-all and end-all of Egypt.


  • Pyramids Giza


    The most mysterious and alluring architectural wonders are the Egyptian pyramids. Giza, situated in the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt is the location of the one and only surviving edifice of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid. Giza was the necropolis of ancient Memphis.

    History Of Pyramids Of Giza

    There have been lots of speculations regarding the purpose of the Pyramids of Giza. Some theories put up by different Egyptologist schools relate the making of pyramids to geometric constructions by an ancient civilization, cult worship places, astronomic observatories and some even proposed extra terrestrial theories.

    But the most prevalent theory supported by scientific and historical evidences is that the Great Pyramids were built to serve as the tombs of the mighty pharaohs of ancient Egypt. The three main pyramids are the tombs of Khufu, Khefre and Menkaure.

    An Account Of The Great Pyramid

    There is a misconception among people that all the three Great Pyramids adorns top places in the ancient list of wonders. Only The Great Pyramid of Khufu, also famous as the Pyramid of Cheops is on the top place in the list.

    This pyramid was built around the year 2560 BC by Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty to serve as his tomb after his death.
     
    How The Great Pyramid Was Built?

    It is believed that it took 20 years to complete the Great Pyramid. First the spot was made ready, and then stone blocks were transported to the site and properly placed. Though even today it remains a mystery how the large stone blocks were placed. Several theories does the round regarding the placing process. One theory says that with long levers along with a short angled foot the blocks were placed. A second theory is of a spiral or straight ramp that was raised as the building of the structure continued. The next step-involved preparation of an outer case to smoothen the surface. When the Great Pyramid was built it was 481 ft high. The architecture of the Great Pyramid is credited to Khufu’s vizier Hemon.

    The Structure Of The Great Pyramid

    The Great Pyramid is believed to consist 2 million blocks of stone each weighing more than two tons approximately. It is said that the Great Pyramid has room for the cathedrals in Florence and Milan, Westminster and St Paul in London and St Peter’s in Rome. The entrance is in the north. The King’s chamber is at the heart of the pyramid. The King’s sarcophagus and the interior walls of the king’s chamber are made of red granite stone.

    Today, the Giza plateau hems in the Great Pyramid, the stunning Sphinx and the other pyramids. The museum here houses the mysterious Sun Boat, which was discovered in 1954. This boat is believed to be the vehicle, which carried the body of Khufu in his last journey before his burial in the pyramid.

    The Great Pyramids of Giza were referred to as “ The Mountains of Pharaoh” and “ The Granaries of Joseph”. I can quote here Napoleon’s famous quote after his invasion of Egypt in 1798, “Soldiers! From the top of these Pyramids, 40 centuries are looking at us”

    Throughout ages men have been stirred by the mystic of the ancient pyramids of Giza that embeds silent mystery in its heart.


  • Queen Elizabeth


    Queen Elizabeth, the mighty monarch of England made the nation a powerful contestant in European power map.  Elizabeth was the queen of trinity, Queen of England (from 1558 to 1603), Queen of Ireland (1558-1603) and Queen of France (in name only). She was the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty and ruled England with a strong hand for 45 years guiding the destiny of the nation through an era of great political and religious unrest.

    Life Of Queen Elizabeth I

    Elizabeth was born on September 7,1533 to King Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn in Greenwich Palace, London. She became the ruler of England in 1558 and ruled the nation till her death in 1603. Elizabeth is famously known as the Virgin Queen as she never married. She entertained both Catholic people and Protestants to keep religious unrest at bay. She was named Elizabeth I after the succession of Elizabeth ii in 1952.

    Achievements Of Elizabeth

    • Under the rule of Elizabeth I, English merchant ships challenged the supremacy of Spanish cruises in the high seas
    • English Navy defeated Spanish Armada
    • Queen Elizabeth endorsed the treaty of Cateau – Cambresis of 1559 and established peace with France.
    • As for Scotland, her cousin Catholic Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland and wife of French King Francis II, declared herself the Queen of England with French support. But ultimately Mary’s people signed the “Treaty of Edinburgh” which made the French troops retreat.
    • Elizabeth proclaimed the Church of England, a Protestant denomination as the state religion of England while tactfully avoiding clashes with the Catholic contingents. She passed the Act Of Uniformity in 1559, which entitled the Protestant Book of Common Prayer to be used in church services. Elizabeth I assumed the title of the “Supreme Governor of the Church of England”.
    • Elizabeth’s chief advisor was Sir William Cecil. Court conflicts were much reduced during her rule.
    • The reign of Queen Elizabeth, popularly known as Elizabethan era is famously regarded as the Golden Age. This is the golden age of opulence in explorations, colonization, literature and culture.
    • English literature reached its peak with the exquisite writings of Christopher Marlow, Ben Johnson, Francis Bacon and the immortal ‘ Bard of Avon’, William Shakespeare.
    • Francis Drake went around the globe.
    • The vast land of North America was colonized under Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Humphrey Gilbert. Large number of settlers went to America starting up an enormous colonial empire giving a gigantic boost to the economy of England.

    The End Of Elizabeth’s Reign

    Upheavals and conflicts at home ringed the last bells of the grand reign of Queen Elizabeth I. England faced the storm of Irish rebellion. Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex piloted a rebellion against the state government. Queen Elizabeth breathed her last on March 23, 1603. During her rule, England from its diminutive stature rose to be one of the mightiest authorities in the European continent.

    Succession After Elizabeth I

    To speak, Elizabeth I was the last legitimate heir of King Henry VIII. James I, son of Mary Queen Of Scots and her second husband Lord Darnley succeeded after Elizabeth’s demise.

    Conclusion

    Queen Elizabeth I was one of the most popular, powerful and wise rulers of England. During her rule England reached the zenith of success in every aspect.


  • Nile Cruise


    A Nile cruise in actuality, is a journey through the history and culture of Egypt. As you stroll along the Nile river and gaze over the river valley, you will be greeted with myriad motifs, patterns, colors and textures of life and be surprised to discover that there are many parts of the country that still bear the remnants of the ancient Egyptian style of living. Nile cruises bring you up, close and personal to an diverse, vibrant and inspiring culture, that had once been the cradle of humanity.

    Nile Cruises In Their Various Forms

    There’s no one Nile river cruise. The cruises come in quite a range, with the platter spanning the entire range from the short three or four nights tours to the lengthy seven nights cruises. These tours are hectic to say the least and you can be sure that you will see and experience quite a chunk of Egypt within a short span of time.

    To elaborate, the three nights Nile cruises, from Aswan to Luxor, will take you through the High Dam at Aswan, the temples of Philae, Kom Ombo Edfu and Esna and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Luxor. Besides, the cruise will also cover the famed and the legendary Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and the Unfinished Obelisk.

    The four nights Nile cruises, apart from the destinations covered by the three nights tours, will additionally include the temples of Luxor and Karnak. Herein you also have the option of visiting a Nubian village and the Botanical Island aboard the “falucca” (a traditional Egyptian sailing boat commonly seen on the Nile) and the Elephantine Island and the Tombs of the Nobles.

    The seven nights Nile river tours have the same itinerary as the aforementioned two, but you get to do your sightseeing at an easier pace, with two nights of complete rest.

    Your choice of a cruise will also include the kind of conveyance: boats or ships. You can either opt for the conventional Nile cruiser that is more along the lines of a floating hotel providing you all conceivable forms of amenities or go in for the “falucca”. 

    To harp more on the kind of accommodation package that the various Nile river cruises have in store for you; the Nile cruiser is basically a mammoth ship with amenities and services that will put even the Ritz-Carlton to shame. The cruiser will have on offer luxurious rooms and opulent suites with private bathrooms, air conditioning and varied entertainment options, exotic and extensive choices in terms of the cuisine offered on board and even libraries, swimming pools and stores.

    For the more wild-at-heart traveler looking for a taste of how Egyptians lead their lives, a trip along the waters of the Nile atop the “falucca” is a must. Herein accommodation arrangements are basic and you will have to sleep out in the deck. But that would be a whole new way of experiencing Egypt: the sphinx might just reveal its long-held secrets to you as you glide past the sandy dunes and valleys or you might spot Ra moving across the night sky as you gaze up from the deck.

    Handy Tips To Think Over Before Your Nile River Cruise

    Before you book the tours and sign the check, there are certain things to be kept in mind about a Nile river cruise:

    • The stretch between October and middle of April is the ideal time for a cruise on the Nile. You will not have to contend with the scorching sun and the Nile river locks will be open.
    • Expect a rise of 25-50% in the usual prices of the tours during peak tourist seasons like Christmas and Easter.
    • Ensure that your cruise is “all-inclusive”, that is to say, the package includes accommodation, sightseeing and also the transportation.
    • Accommodation in the lower decks come cheaper than the ones on the upper deck.

    The Nile cruise is an excellent way of experiencing the magic and mystery of Egypt.


  • Cairo Egypt


    Cairo, Egypt is one of the great capital cities of the world, an absolute melting pot of cultures, ancient and new. Add to it, the illustrious history that the city has stood witness to and you have a heady place that is rich in charm, elegance, peppiness and aristocracy, all at the same time. 

    About Cairo’s Geography

    Cairo, the capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa, stands on the banks of the mighty river Nile in the northern part of the country. To be more precise, Cairo lies to the south of the place where the Nile branches out into the Nile Delta region.

    Cairo is a popular tourist destination and if you have the destination in your itinerary, then it is always worthwhile to gather the facts about the best times to travel to the place. And in this context, you have to take into account the weather of the place. The hot and dry summers are definite no-nos when it comes to visiting Cairo. The cooler months between November and March are the times to travel to Cairo and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the city.

    A Short History Of Cairo, Egypt

    The roots of Cairo can be traced back to Memphis, established around 3100 B.C. and went on to become the erstwhile capital of Ancient Egypt. The capital of Egypt further changed locations with Heliopolis to the south of Thebes and later to Alexandria under the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty.

    Cairo, Egypt as it stands today, had its moorings in the Babylon Fort, a Roman fort built in and around AD 150, in the vicinity of a canal running from the river Nile to the Red Sea. The proximity to a water body and the security provided by the fortified structure lead to the establishment of a miniscule town, inhabited mostly by Coptic Christians, in the region.

    This town was later occupied by the Arabs under the leadership of Amr Ibn Al-As in AD 642. Their garrisons eventually came to constitute the permanent base of the Arab forces in Egypt under the Umayyads and Abbasids. This predominantly military base also houses the first mosque in Africa.

    Egypt had a new capital when in the year ad 972, the North African Shi’i Fatimid dynasty invaded the country and built their capital north of the old Arab garrison, at Al-Mansuriyyah.

    Throughout its history, there has been no dearth of foreign invaders setting foot on the soil of Egypt and with them the fortunes of the country’s capitals have swayed. Thus in the mid-1100s, Cairo was taken over by the Seljuks and Saladin and his descendents brought about a massive expansion in the structural dimensions of the city.

    Cairo, Egypt was brought under the aegis of the Ottoman Empire by Selim I in 1517, only to see the ruling Mameluks take over the reins in the capacity of vassals of the Ottoman Sultan. Henceforth, Cairo has been under the control of Napoleon, who took over Egypt in 1798 and General Kleber, who took upon the mantle of the ruler after defeating Napoleon in the Battle of Aboukir Bay in August 1798.  

    Ismail Pasha And The Fortunes Of Cairo

    The prosperity and the progress of Cairo, as you witness it now, owes its origins to a certain visionary named Ismail Pasha. During his rule, Ismail Pasha wrought in radical changes in the city’s landscape with the construction of the Suez Canal in 1863. This, in turn opened up Cairo and Egypt, for that matter, to the world and had the westerners flocking to this exotic land.

    It was also during the reign of Ismail Pasha that an extensive network of gas lighting was installed and the railway lines were expanded to bring in far-flung areas into the fold.

    Westernization of Cairo in the true sense of the term took place with Ismail Pasha deciding to revamp Cairo in the lines of Haussmann, a booming European city that he was greatly impressed with. His grand dreams with the city were carried on by his successor Ali Pasha Mubarak.

    Cairo: From The Perspective of The Tourist

    Holidays in Cairo promise loads of fun and frolic by way of the hordes of historical remains and sites to visit, reveling in the eclectic culture of the region and of course, immersing oneself in the vibrancy and exuberance of the population.

    Cairo is the chosen base of the countless millions of tourists who visit Egypt every year, lured by the magic and mystery of the Pyramid at Giza, the majesty of the sphinx and the fabulous tales that abound about the gods and goddesses of Egypt.

    When you travel to Cairo, Egypt be sure to take the trip to its old (Coptic) and the medieval (Islamic) quarters to understand the influences that shaped the city. The Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue (Egypt’s oldest synagogue) are the places to visit when you are wandering down the cobbled streets of the Coptic regions of the city.

    The Islamic quarters of the city is home to the Ibn Tulun, one of the largest mosques in the world and the oldest university in the world, which is housed inside the Al-Azhar mosque. Besides, you can also roam about the colorful bazaars herein.

    Other places worth a visit when you are in Cairo are the Egyptian Museum, that houses amongst other lavish and stunning exhibits, the exquisitely crafted solid gold mask belonging to Tutankhamen; Qarafa or the City of the Dead, a one-of-a-kind “living cemetery” and of course, the massive Citadel wherein you can also catch the Whirling Dervishes giving a soul-stirring and entrancing performance.

    Cairo, Egypt presents a wonderful kaleidoscope of colors and motifs and there are not many cities in the world that can offer this exhilarating blend of sheer spiritual and sensorial pleasure. 


  • Egyptian Pyramids


    The Egyptian pyramids are one of the grandest edifices of ancient world architecture indicating a grand leap of human civilization.

    In Egypt, pyramids were built as the tombs of the pharaohs. The first Pharaohs erected simple tombs called ‘mastabas’, which consisted square rooms with coffins, mummies and some belongings. Then came the stylish step pyramid. In the Fourth Dynasty, during the rule of king Snefru pyramids became smooth sided. The scholars accept that pyramids were built as monuments of royal solar and stellar cults.

    Some Popular Pyramid Sites:

    Lepsius in 1842 made a list of pyramids, which counted the number of pyramids at 67, but since his time more pyramids, has been discovered. The present number of Egyptian pyramids as per the sources ranges from 80 to 110.

    Some Important Pyramid Sites As Per The Archaeologists:

    Abu Rawash

    Abu Rawash is the most northerly pyramid site. Present archaeological surveys regard this as the third largest pyramid about the same size of the pyramid of Menkaure, the third largest Giza pyramid.

    Giza

    Pyramid of Khufu, popularly known as The Great Pyramid is located in Giza, in outer reaches the city of Cairo. Pyramid of Khafre, which is relatively small and Pyramid of Menkaure are also located here. Great Sphinx also resides here. Giza also consists of a number of satellite edifices called the Leen pyramids.

    Giza Necropolis became popular since the Hellenistic era when Antipater of Sidon listed the Great Pyramid as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It has been a hotspot tourist destination since the yore and is the only remaining wonder of the ancient world.

    Zawyet el Aryan

    This is the site of two unfinished Old Kingdom Pyramids. The northern monument is believed to be of Pharaoh Nebka’s and the southern one is of the Third Dynasty Pharaoh Khaba’s.

    Abu Sir

    Abu Sir was the main royal necropolis during the Fifth Dynasty. Seven Egyptian pyramids adorn this site. Though the architectural excellence is not up to the level of the Fourth dynasty. This site speaks of a less glorious period in rule and of economics. All the chief pyramids of Abu Sir are built as step pyramids. The three prominent pyramids are Sahure, Neferirkare Kakai and Niuserre.

    The other famous pyramid sites are Saqqara, Dahshur, Hawarra , El- Lahun, Mazghuna, Lisht and Meidum. Some archaeologists opine that the Meidum pyramid, one of the three pyramids constructed during the reign of Sneferu, might be the first failed attempt of constructing a ‘true’ or smooth sided pyramid.

    The great Egyptian Pyramids exudes the charm and mystery and arouses the curiosity and interest of the travelers and scholars worldwide. It is the mystifying edifice of the mystic ancient Egypt.