"The ancient Egyptians believed that a king called Menes had once ruled over the south (Upper Egypt) and fought a war with the north (Lower Egypt), and around 3000 B.C. Egypt became one country under Menes, who ruled from his new capital, Memphis."
"Egypt never forgot that it was once two countries. The King (Pharaoh) was always called the 'Lord of the Two Lands', the 'King of Upper and Lower Egypt'. He wore a double crown made from the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower Egypt. He was often shown protected by 'The Two Ladies' -- Nekhbet, the vulture goddess of the south, and Wadjet, the cobra goddess of the north."
"The Kings of Egypt were supposed to 'live in truth', rule with impartial justice and make Egyptian society adhere to the divine order established by the gods. Because kings were thought to be more than mere human, they could stand between ordinary mankind and the gods and ask for peace and prosperity for Egypt."
"If a King reigned for 30 years he celebrated a 'Sed' festival. During the festival the King went through days of complex rites to win renewed life and strength. Everything had to be down twice -- once for Upper Egypt and once for Lower Egypt. In one of the most important rites, the King ran around and around a special track to prove that he was still fit to rule as the living image of the Sun God. In very ancient times a King who failed to run the whole course was probably ritually murdered."
"The Great Pyramid is now the same color as the desert, but when it was first built it was cased in gleaming white limestone and capped with a gilded capstone."
"Both men and women used eye make-up and a typical Egyptian cosmetic kit would contain a mirror, a copper razor and tweezers, rouge, lipstick, green eye-shadow, black eye-liner, and jars of scented oils that the Egyptians loved to rub on their bodies."
"The Gods Taweret and Bes, though fierce to look at, were the much loved protectors of women and children. They were often carved on the beds and headrests to guard the sleeper against snakes, scorpions, and other dangers of the night."
"The Egyptians had great faith in amulets and their magical powers. Nearly all Egyptian jewelry consisted of amulets and everyone wore them for protection from early age."
"Julius Caesar arrived in Egypt in 48 B.C. to make Egypt part of the Roman empire. He instead was 'conquered' by Cleopatra, who bore him is only son."
"Cleopatra's cunning and charm kept Egypt independent from Rome under Caesar and then Mark Antony. But in 30 B.C., she and Mark Antony were defeated by Octavian and Egypt became a province of Rome. The conquerors, however, were fascinated by Egyptian culture and cults of Isis and Osiris spread across the Roman Empire. A temple of Isis was even built in England at London."
"Ramses II fought a great battle against the Hittites and their allies at 'Kadesh'. Accounts of the battle insist that only the personal courage of Pharaoh saved the Egyptians: 'My Majesty caused the forces of the Hittites to fall on their faces on top of each other, like crocodiles dropping into the river. I was after them like a griffin; I alone attacked all the foreign enemies, because my infantry and chariotry had deserted me. Not one of them looked back as he fled. As Ra loves me and as Atum favors me, everything that my majesty says is the truth.' Is this true? Who knows. Both sides claimed victory at Kadesh, and a peace treaty was struck and kept between the two enemies."
"FROM A LETTER: 'And you are to look after the little children and take care of them properly . . . and you shall look after their need . . . And you shall not let Hemesheri and Shedemdua nor their little children be lacking in anything.'"
"FROM A LETTER: 'What's the meaning of your getting into such a bad mood as you are in that nobody's speech can enter you ears as a consequence of your inflated ego?'"
"FROM A LETTER: 'What is the meaning of this negative attitude that you are adopting toward me? I'm like a donkey to you. If there is work, bring the donkey! And if there is fodder, bring the ox! If there is beer, you never ask for me. Only if there is work to be done, will you ask for me.'"
"FROM A LETTER: 'I inform you of the property that was stolen from the house of Ipuy: one mat, fifty pieces of wood veneer, one pair of men's sandals, one deben of incense, three necklaces, and three signet rings.'"
"FROM A LETTER: 'I have heeded what you told me: 'Let Ib work with you.' Now look, he spends all day bringing the jug of water, there being no other task charged to him, each and every day. He hasn't heeded your admonition to ask of him, 'What have you accomplished today?' See, the sun has set, and he is still far off with the jug of water.'"
"FROM A LETTER: 'Isn't it so that if you cease your kindness toward me, I shall do the same?'"
"FROM A LETTER: 'Now such is my luck; in short, I find no letter from you. What's the use of my sending you this string of letters when you aren't answering me a one of them? Farewell!'"
"FROM A LETTER (from the Hittite King to Ramses II at the battle of Kadesh): 'I, your humble servant, speak so as to let it be understood that you are the Son of Re, who has issued from his body. He has given you all lands united together. As for the land of Egypt and the land of Khatti, they are yours; and your servants, they are under your feet. Pre, your august father, has given them to you. Do not overwhelm us, for your power is great and your strength weighs heavily upon the land of Khatti. Is it proper for you to keep on slaying your servants with your face savage among then, showing no mercy? Now you spent yesterday slaying myriads, and today you have come back and left no heirs. Do not be harsh in your dealings, O victorious king! Peace is more profitable than warfare. Give us breath!'"
"FROM A LETTER 'I am calling upon Horus of Kuban, Horus of Aniba, and Atum, the lord of the earth, to give you life, prosperity and health, a long lifetime, and a good ripe old age and to let Amon of the Thrones of the Two Lands, my good lord, bring me back alive from the wilds, the place where I am abandoned in this far-off land of Nubia, and let me fill my embrace with you.'"
"The Egyptians used the simple bow from prehistoric times, but the composite bow, examples of which are found in Tutankhamun's tomb, was not introduced until the Hyksos brought it when they conquered Egypt 300 years before Tutankhamun. The compound bow made from sinew gummed to a simple bow has much greater strength and range. It was this weapon, along with the chariot, that likely enabled the Hyksos to subjugate the Egyptians in the first place."
"In 1977 the Egyptian Museum in Cairo discovered a real mummy's curse: Pharaoh Ramses II was covered with 60 types of fungi and two types of insects. The other 26 royal mummies proved to be in similar shape. The mummies were removed from public view and preservationists are working to stabilize the mummies."
"Many mummy's lungs, upon examination, look like those of heavy cigarette smokers. Cooking fires in poorly ventilated rooms and a life inhaling sand crystals clogged their lungs."
"The oldest Egyptian mummies are 4000 years old. The oldest mummies, however, are from the South American Chinchorros, an ancient indian society, which are 7800 years old!"
"Setna Khaemwaset was the fourth son of Ramses II. His mother was the Great Royal Wife Isetnofret. Prince Khaemwaset was born during the reign of this grandfather, Seti I. The first record we have of him is a depiction of a battle scene in which he is accompanying his father, then Prince-Regent, on campaign in Nubia. While still young, Setna was made a priest of Ptah at Memphis, and rose to be high priest of that cult. He took an interest in renewing the ancient monuments and the Old Kingdom pyramids. His inquiries into the past earned him a reputation as a great magician that survived even 1000 years after his death. His three elder brothers died and left Setna heir to the throne but Setna died in about year 60 of his father's reign. His place of burial still remains unknown, although the recent discovery of the tomb KV5 may answer this question."
"Women in royal families were generally considered the equal of the men. Two of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings belong to women rulers Hatshepsut and Twosret."
"Nefertari (whose portrait adorns the 'farewell screen') was Ramses II's first wife, his chief queen, and mother of his first-born (Amen-hir-Khopshef). She often appeared next to her husband's side on state occasions and religious ceremonies. Her statue stands next to Ramses II's at Abu Simbel. Ramses dedicated Abu Simbel to Nefertari thus: 'Nefertari, for whose sake the very sun does shine!' Nefertari died in the 24th year of Ramses reign."
"The bible says that the Hebrews in bondage in Egypt were working on the Pharaoh's treasure cities 'Pithom and Raamses'. Many scholars believe this to be Ramses II's great capital Pi-Rameses built by him in the east Delta. Although the Hebrews are not mentioned until later in the Egyptian record where, on a stela, it says 'The Israelite cities are laid waste; they have no seed.'"
"A 'cartouche' really represents a length of rope formed into a loop by tying the ends together. The underlying idea appears to have been to represent the king as ruler of all that the sun encircles."
"BD: 'Chapter for not letting Ani's heart create opposition against him in the God's Domain: O my heart which I had from my mother! O my heart which I had from my mother! O my heart of different ages! Do not stand up as a witness against me, do not be opposed to me in the tribunal, do not be hostile to me in the presence of the Keeper of the Balance, for you are my Ka which was in my body, the protector who made my members hale. Go forth to the happy place whereto we speed; do not make my name stink to the Entourage who make men. Do not tell lies about me in the presence of the god; it is well that you should here!"
"BD (As Horus, son of Isis, presents Ani to Osiris, Lord of Eternity): 'Thus says Ani: Here I am in your presence, O Lord of the West. There is no wrongdoing in my body, I have not wittingly told lies, there has been no second fault. Grant that I may be like the favored ones who are in your suite, O Osiris, one greatly favored by the good god, one loved of the Lord of the Two Lands, Ani, vindicated before Osiris.'"
"BD (chapter 15, as Re replies to Ani's worship): 'You shall ascend to the sky, you shall traverse the firmament, you shall associated with the stars, who shall make acclamation to you in the Sacred Bark. You shall be summoned into the Day-bark. you shall see Re within his shrine, you shall propitiate his disk daily, you shall see the Inet-fish in its shape in the stream of turquoise . . .'"
"The ancient Egyptians were the first people to use pigeons as messengers -- releasing them from their boats during the 'invasion of the Sea Peoples'. Tens of thousands of them were kept in pigeon houses."
"Many Egyptians believed the cat to be their ancestor. Women used make-up to give themselves a cat-like look and children were often consecrated to Bastet (the cat goddess) by making a cut on the arm into which a priest poured drops of cat blood. When a cat died, the owners sorrow was so great that they often shaved off their eyebrows as a sign of mourning."
"Monkeys were sacred animals; a sign of Thoth. They lived in the houses of princes and kings much like a pet cat or dog of today. Geese also had similar favored status and were considered a pet animal rather than a barnyard fowl, and were also free to wander about the house."
"Egyptians did not seem to show much affection for dogs -- no scenes exist showing them playing with or petting dogs."
"The ancient Egyptians never celebrated birthdays -- it just wasn't the custom."
"The Egyptians were far ahead of other civilizations in medicine and Egyptian doctors were sought the world over. Although their medicine had its share of magic, spells, etc., it was extremely practical when treating physical injuries and wounds. Treatments included reducing dislocations, healing fractures by use of splints and casts, bringing open wounds together with sutures, etc."
"The Egyptians had a 365 days a year solar calendar. It had 12 thirty day months + 5 additional days. The beginning of the year was the rise of the star Sirius, just before dawn, on the eastern horizon. This also marked the start of the annual flood of the Nile."
"Feasts were a frequent and often disorderly diversion of the wealthy Egyptians. Guest drank quantities of beer and wine, and feasted on pigeon, duck, oxen, and some 40 varieties of cakes and breads. Women sat with cones of greasy perfumed incense as part of their coiffures and as the party wore on, the slowly melting grease bathed their shoulders in the sticky, sweet perfume."
"An ancient scribe wrote: 'Come, I will speak to you of the ills of the infantryman. He is awakened while there is still an hour for sleeping. He is driven like a jackass and he works until the sun sets beneath its darkness of night. He hungers and his belly aches. He is dead while he lives . . . calling to his god, 'come to me that you may rescue me . . ."
