INFO VINE * 50 Intriguing Facts About Ancient Egypt *

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Ancient Egypt Like You've Never Seen

One of the more fascinating ancient cultures was Egypt. They were responsible for a lot of innovative thinking and helped the world advance in ways that no one thought of back then. However, just like every other ancient culture, they also had facts about them that would make you scratch your head. Scroll through this gallery and let us know which facts surprised you and which made you have to stop and read again. Hope you enjoy it!

Cleopatra was Not Egyptian 

One of the names closely associated with Egyptian culture was Cleopatra. Cleopatra was probably the second most famous figure in Egyptian history next to King Tut. She was revered among her people and was one of the most centralized people in terms of being a leadership icon.



[Photo Courtesy: Cleopatra on the Throne / wikimediacommons.com ]


The most interesting aspect of this is that Cleopatra was not actually Egyptian. Cleopatra was actually from Greek Macedonia and was a direct descendant of one of Alexander the Great’s top lieutenants, Ptolemy I. 

Women were Always Seen as Equals

Throughout history, women have generally been seen as inferior. In most cultures, in particular the Western ones, women were predominantly thought of as property. They couldn’t hold political positions, they couldn’t fight in the military, and were generally thought of as subservient to the men. 



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


In Ancient Egypt, this was not the case. In that culture, women enjoyed a great deal of freedom, even in the early stages. They could buy and sell property and enter into legal contracts, which was in stark contrast to their neighboring women in Greece. 

People of Peace

The Ancient Egyptians are regarded in history as great innovators. The pyramids are a shining example of their accomplishments on that front. One fact about their history that is often overlooked, is that they were among the first civilizations to enter into a peace treaty. 



[Photo Courtesy: Egyptian-Hittite / wikimediacommons.com ]


For 200 years the Egyptians were embroiled in a bloody war against the Hittite Empire. In the era of Pharaoh Ramses II, the conflict was still ongoing, and neither side had made any significant progress. In order to save their people from bloodshed, Ramses and King Hattusili III negotiated the “Egyptian-Hittite” peace treaty, which not only ended the conflict but pledged to support one another should a third party invade either one of them. 

Very First Strike

The pyramids are one of the most impressive structures ever built by man. The fact that they were constructed without the use of modern technology, using only primitive tools and the labor of man is perhaps even more impressive. Many stories say that the structures were built by slaves. This is false. Plenty of working citizens were involved as well. Pharaohs were thought of as incarnations of Gods, but that did not stop the Egyptian workers from demanding fair treatment.



[Photo Courtesy: Kheops Pyramid / wikimediacommons.com ]


During the building of the Royal Necropolis, the workers were not receiving their usual payment of grain. Despite their protests, the shortage continued. The citizens then staged one of the very first labor strikes recorded in history. The strike was a sit-in, and most importantly, it worked, as the workers were awarded their overdue grain. 

First “Gamers”

One incredibly interesting factoid about the Ancient Egyptians is that they loved board games. They generally played them on a daily basis. After a hard day of work, the average Egyptian would go home and relax by playing a fun board game. Presumably, this helped the mind forget about work, and ease into a sense of deep relaxation.



[Photo Courtesy: Senet Game Board / wikimediacommons.com ]


The more popular games were known as “Mehen” and “Dogs and Jackals," but the most predominantly popular game was known as “Senet.” This was a dice game in which pieces were moved along a large grid painted board. Several paintings depict Egyptian legends like King Tut and Nefertari playing this game, even going as far as having their game boards entombed with them after death. 

Heavy Leadership

All of the historical statues and paintings depict ancient Egyptian pharaohs as lean, trimmed, and muscular entities. Their recorded figures were almost “God-Like '' which makes sense if you understand the culture. However, these records were not depictions of what these Pharaohs actually looked like. 



[Photo Courtesy: Egyptian Tutunkhamun Pharaoh / Pixabay]


The typical Egyptian diet consisted of bread, honey, and wine. Carbs and sugar mostly. The pharaohs ate more food than anyone else, as a result, their waistlines grew. New evidence from the mummified remains of these pharaohs suggests that the majority of them were actually overweight. 

Egyptians wore lots of Make-up

Egyptians were a culture, like many, obsessed with vanity. Believing that Gods such as Ra and Horus would protect them so long as they looked a certain way. As a result, both men and women in ancient Egypt would wear large amounts of makeup on their faces. Their make-up was a mixture of ground malachite and galena (both ores) which was then heavily applied around the eyes.



[Photo Courtesy: Image by Heiko S. from Pixabay ]


Women would go the extra mile, using red paint to stain their cheeks and henna art to decorate their hands. The Egyptians believed their makeup had healing powers and they were partially correct, as the lead-based substances around the eye did help prevent eye infections. This is likely the chief reason Egyptian women were considered among the most beautiful in ancient culture. 

Egyptian PETA

For as hard of a culture as ancient Egypt was, they did have a soft spot. Believe it or not, the ancient Egyptians were animal lovers. This is because in their beliefs, animals were incarnations of gods, and they would be judged for how they treated them. As a result, animals held great reverence within civilization. 



[Photo Courtesy: Egypt Cat Goddess / Pixabay]


The most popular animal for the ancient Egyptians was the cat. The cat was associated with a beloved goddess by the name of Bastet. But their affinity for pets didn't just stop at cats, they kept any number of animals in their homes. Early versions of the Egyptian police were known to use dogs and even trained monkeys while on patrol. 

Hungry-Hungry Hippo

King Tutankhamen is one of the most fascinating pharaohs of all time. He spent very little time in rule, on account that he was killed as a mere boy. When his body was finally uncovered thousands of years after his death, scans revealed that he was buried without his heart or chest wall, which was very unusual in the culture. This prompted researchers to theorize that the boy suffered violent trauma in the area which caused his death.



[Photo Courtesy: King Tutankhamen / wikimediacommons.com ]


The most likely suspect of the suspected fatal wound that killed the young pharaoh, was the hippopotamus. Evidence was gathered suggesting that Tut took part in hunting the beast for sport, and if that were the case, it would add up that his death came at the hands of the hunted. 

Egyptians had Specialized Medicine

The Egyptians were peculiar in the way they approached medicine. While many physicians in that era were “Jacks-of all-trades” and treated every sort of ailment, Egyptians were among the first to have doctors for specific types of medical issues. This was a rather revolutionary discovery for the time period, as it represents an advanced medical understanding that was not thought to have existed at that time.



[Photo Courtesy: Egyptian Doctors / wikimediacommons.com ]


Herodotus, a Greek traveler, even wrote about it in one of his many works. He stated that the Egyptians had many physicians, and that “Each physician is a healer of one disease, and no more...some of the eye, some of the teeth and some to what pertains to the belly.” 

Camels were Used to Move Large objects, Not Ride

The camel was a very important animal in Egypt. However, contrary to popular belief, Camels were not a regular mode of personal transportation; people did not ride them in ancient Egypt. With the ancient Egyptians being a very architectural people, they would often move large piles of stone and other materials.



[Photo Courtesy: Egypt Camel / wikimediacommons.com ]


This is where Camels came into play. They were the “big rig” of the Ancient Egyptians. They would be loaded up with supplies or harnessed to a sled and utilized to pull large amounts of materials across great distances. They were more tools than a ride.

There were Pharaohs who defied traditions

Leaders of the ancient Egyptian people were known as “pharaohs.” Pharaohs were considered as living Gods, therefore, on death, they were mummified and buried in large tombs so that they could live again in the afterlife. These tombs were widely assumed to be inside of the massive pyramids. While a majority of them were, not every pharaoh chose this path. In fact, a large number chose another, simpler method of burial. 



[Photo Courtesy: Buried Pharaoh / SnappyGoat.com


In 1550 BC, pyramid building had gone out of fashion. In what was called “The start of the New Kingdom.” The pharaohs would build two separate funeral monuments. One would be a hidden rock-cut tomb, on the west bank of the Nile, which would house their mummies. The second was a visible monument that sat on the border of the lands of the living and the lands of the dead. 

Not Everyone Gets a Mummy

Mummification is synonymous with ancient Egypt. The legend of mummies has lived on through centuries and has widely been used as a basis for horror legends. Mummification, however, was an extremely time consuming and costly process. For that reason, only the wealthy elite were mummified, while the rest were buried in simple pits in the desert. 



[Photo Courtesy: Egyptian Funeral / New York Public Library's ]


The wealthy elite were afforded this option, as they believed they would receive a chance to live again but would need a recognizable body to do so. Hence the importance of doing everything possible to preserve the body. 

Appetites of the Dead

Tombs were designed to be an eternal resting place for mummified bodies. The Egyptians believed that each mummified body had a “ka” spirit that lived inside of it. There was a tomb chapel in which families of the entombed could visit and pay their respects. This was so that the offerings that the “ka” spirit needed to survive could be brought in, while a secret, hidden burial chamber, protected the mummy from harm.



[Photo Courtesy: Egypt Spirit Eye / SnappyGoat.com]


During the annual “feast of the valley” festival, food was offered to the “Ka” spirit. The spirit would spiritually consume the offering, and then the family member would physically consume it. This was considered a sacred act in order to keep the ka spirit alive and ready for reincarnation. 

Keeping it in the family

Incest was not popular among the common people; however, it did happen at a decent rate within the royal families. Some of Egypt’s kings married their sisters. These marriages ensured that the queen was trained in her duties from birth. This also had the advantage of limiting potential claimants to the throne, ensuring it stayed in the royal family. 



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


There was also a link among the gods they worshipped in those regards. Isis and Osiris were a brother and sister couple. That being said, all of these types of marriages were born out of convenience and political safeguards, as opposed to a Circe and Jamie Lannister type of passion. Cue the banjo music.  

Cleopatra may not have been as Beautiful as Legends Tell

Cleopatra VII was one of the most famous Queens in ancient Egyptian history. Tales of her renowned beauty were all over the world. Depictions of her always displayed her as an incredibly beautiful woman, with piercing eyes, soft glowing skin, and a heart-stopping beautiful face.



[Photo Courtesy: Cleopatra / wikimediacommons.com ]


However, there is no doubt that this may not be the case. There are no eyewitness accounts that depict Cleopatra’s features, but perhaps a conclusion can be drawn on what is not in the record. A well-regarded historian once recorded that Cleopatra's charm was from her demeanor and her beautiful voice. 

The Ruler of Egypt could be a Woman

This was extremely unusual given the time period. Women were considered subservient in most other cultures. No other civilized culture, at least not any of note, allowed women to hold any political power, let alone the title of “King.” However, Egypt realized that women were at least as smart and capable as men (probably more so) and had several noteworthy queens in their history, including Cleopatra. 



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


The most successful queen in Egypt’s history was Hatshepsut, and she ruled over the country for more than 20 years, all of which were highly prosperous. 

Hieroglyphics was not as easy to Write

One of the coolest features of Ancient Egyptian artifacts is the presence of hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics was a type of script which contained hundreds of intricate images. These images strung together told a story. It was astoundingly beautiful, and one of the most intriguing things to look at. 



[Photo Courtesy: Ancient Egypt Hieroglyphics / wikimediacommons.com ]


However, it was also extremely time-consuming to write out and was thus reserved for only the most important of events. These events were for writings that decorated the tombs of the mummified royalty, and walls of the surrounding temple, and for texts recording royal achievements. 

First Vibrator

Ancient Egyptians were far from shy when it came to sexual pleasure. They were incredibly vain and overt people. Sexual pleasure was something that was very open, honest, and raw within the community. It is, therefore, no surprise to learn that Cleopatra invented the first vibrator. 



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


The design of the device is the most shocking aspect of this story. The rudimentary device was a wooden box that was filled with bees. The box was then shaken to anger the bees. The buzzing of the angry bees caused the box to vibrate and the box was then pressed against... well you know the rest. 

Trained Baboons to do Every Day Chores

Egyptians were well-known animal lovers. While cats get all of the love, there were other animals that Ancient Egyptians held close to their hearts. Some of these animals were trained to do specific jobs, or tasks, to help out their human companions. This sort of animal-human bond was a very important part of Egyptian culture and society.



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


Baboons were an underrated animal in terms of ancient Egypt. Baboons were kept as pets and also trained to be police officers in Egypt. In addition, they were trained for other tasks, like picking fruit or making beer. Many mummies were actually uncovered with Baboons tattooed on their bodies. 

Weird Pregnancy Test

Ancient Egyptians invented the first-ever pregnancy test recorded in history. The most popular method of testing for pregnancy involved wheat and barley. The woman would urinate on the mixture, and if it sprouted, she was deemed pregnant. If the barley sprouted it was a girl and if the wheat sprouted, it was a boy. 



[Photo Courtesy: John Luiz Felipe / YouTube]


Another method was to stick an onion into the vagina. If the breath smelled of onions the next day, the belly was empty. If there was no mouth odor, there was a baby in the stomach. Well, these methods were good at the time, there are a lot of thankful women that technology in that area has greatly improved. 

They Mummified Crocodiles 

Although the Ancient Egyptians were not big meat eaters, they did tend to make good sport of hunting large and wild game. The hippopotamus was a general favor to hunt, but another common hunt was the crocodiles in the Nile River. Nature's perfect killing machines, they made for great hunts and amazing stories of bravery or terrifying stories of being ripped apart. 



[Photo Courtesy: Mummified Crocodiles / wikimediacommons.com


When the crocodiles were killed, they were then mummified. As terrifying as a mummified crocodile sounds, it was done as a way to honor Sobek an Egyptian deity who was associated with the Nile Crocodile. 

Oral Hygiene 

Different cultures had different means of personal Hygiene. One of the more varying parts of hygiene throughout ancient society was oral hygiene. Toothpaste has not been invented yet, so cultures were forced to get creative on what they used in terms of bad breath and tooth decay. Some chose to use nothing at all (gross).



[Photo Courtesy: Jaw-Dropping Facts / YouTube]


Ancient Egyptians were especially creative in their solution to this issue. They opted to use a powder that was made from a combination of burnt eggshells, pumice, ox hooves, and ash. No accounts were made of how well it worked, but still creative nonetheless. 

Ancient Beer

There are few things more celebrated through universal cultures than beer. Nothing better than coming home after a long hot day at work to an ice-cold beer. The Ancient Egyptians are responsible for the invention of beer. They are the first recorded culture in history to have been brewing beer.



[Photo Courtesy: Jaw-Dropping Facts / YouTube]


The speculation is that the water from the Nile river was too contaminated to drink, even after boiling. Using it in the fermentation process of wheat and barley killed the harmful bacterias, and also made you feel really good when you drank it. 

King Tut was an Incest Baby

Incest was not super prevalent in ancient Egyptian culture. However, in some cases, it did happen. This was more so an occurrence within royalty and elite members of society. The reason for this was to control political power and to ensure leadership claims remained in the bloodline.



[Photo Courtesy: Jaw-Dropping Facts / YouTube]


Believe it or not, one of the most famous rulers in Egyptian history was the product of incest. King Tut was in fact, an incest baby. According to a DNA sample taken of his mummified remains, Tut's parents were also brother and sister. 

Punishment for Killing Cats

Ancient Egyptians were dedicated, animal lovers. Cats were revered in their culture. As a matter of fact, if one were to be killed by a citizen, the punishment for that crime would be death. Many families owned cats as pets and they were depicted in many artworks and drawings throughout the civilization.



[Photo Courtesy: Baster Cats / wikimediacommons.com ]


Egyptian families loved and respected cats so much that when a cat died, every member of the household would shave their eyebrows in honor of the death. Cats were so loved that if a house was on fire, the priority would be to rescue the cat before putting the fire out. 

Egyptians Invented Finger Printing 

The Ancient Egyptians were certainly inventive people. They created the first versions of many things that we still use today. It is, therefore, no surprise that they were the inventors of a tool that is invaluable to the police force that is still used today, although it was not used in the same manner back then. 



[Photo Courtesy: Finger Print / Snappygoat.com]


Egyptian synthetic blue is a specialized powder that originated in Ancient Egypt. It is named for its blue pigmentation. It is commonly used by police forces for fingerprinting dust and has been a very valuable resource for law enforcement.  

Egyptians Allowed Same-Sex Relationships 

Unlike many early cultures, Ancient Egypt had no roots in Christianity. The same sorts of laws and general beliefs that we are accustomed to seeing in early civilizations had no holds in Egypt. That includes sexuality. Ancient Egypt was the first early society to allow same-sex relationships. 



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


Niankhnum and Khnumhotep were the first-ever recorded homosexual couple. They had paintings and drawings dedicated to their love and the backgrounds of the paintings suggest that it was not viewed as “wrong” by the rest of society. There is not much evidence that expressly says that it was okay, but there was also no evidence that it was punished. 

The were Vegetarians

Egyptians were known as sporting hunters. They often pursued large and dangerous animals, such as the hippopotamus, and even crocodiles. While many cultures hunted large game, it was mainly to provide meat, as it was a staple in the diet. For the Ancient Egyptians, it was purely for sport.



[Photo Courtesy: Jaw-Dropping Facts / YouTube]


Believe it or not, the Ancient Egyptians were mainly vegetarians. They lived primarily off of vegetables, fruits, bread, honey, and beer (a balanced diet). They would consume some meat, but only sparingly, living mainly off of what their surroundings could provide. 

Citizens built the Pyramids

The most well-known feature of Ancient Egyptian culture is the pyramids. The structures are full of mystery and intrigue, with many people speculating today that they were built by aliens. One of the most popular stories of the pyramids was that they were built by slaves, however, that is not accurate.



[Photo Courtesy: Jaw-Dropping Facts / YouTube]


All of the evidence suggests that the pyramids were in fact built by laborers. Laborers who were paid (in grain) for their contributions. The life of a pyramid builder was far from easy though, as many skeletons of such works show signs of bone and joint degradation due to arthritis and other ailments. One thing is certain, and that is that the pyramids were not built at the crack of a whip. 

Early Erotica

The Ancient Egyptians were highly promiscuous people. They lauded sexuality. They place a great onus on women remaining virgins, they did not shame homosexuality, and they were responsible for the first sexual pleasure divide for women. Therefore, it should not at all come as a shock that they also were the pioneers of early erotica. 



[Photo Courtesy: Jaw-Dropping Facts / YouTube]


However, this is very little evidence that proves this to be true. All that remains of such things are small bits and pieces of papyrus (early paper) which seem to point to the notion that such things existed. 

Bug Repellent

As it happens, bugs were just as much of a nuisance back then as they are today. In Egypt, large flies and mosquitoes were constant pests. Since bug spray was a few thousand years away from existing, the Ancient Egyptians again displayed their out of the box thinking to come up with a solution. 



[Photo Courtesy: Jaw-Dropping Facts / YouTube]


Unfortunately for those unlucky enough to be servants, that solution was them. Their masters would smear their servants in honey, and force them to stand near, but away from them, in order to attract the flies to them and away from the elite. 

Impractical Jokers

Cleopatra’s beauty was her most legendary attribute. Her flawless beauty made her immortal among the legends of Ancient Egypt. One prime example of this was her lover, Mark Antony. Antony was a leader of Rome, sent to conquer the lands; instead, he fell in love with Cleopatra and spared her people and her culture. 



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


One of Cleopatra’s other personality traits came to light during these moments. It was her sense of humor. According to legend, one of her favorite pastimes was to get drunk with Marc Antony, and the two would don disguises and pull pranks on people all over the city. 

Crappy Endings

Egyptian pharaohs and royalty had some of the most decked out tombs imaginable. Most of the time, the tombs were designed to bring small comforts of their lives into the afterlife with them. As it happens, some of these tombs had more than just some comfort items built in.



[Photo Courtesy: Jaw-Dropping Facts / YouTube]


Some of the tombs had toilets built inside of them, The reasoning for this is unknown, but it is assumed it was for the visitors so that if anyone stayed overnight performing any rituals, they would have a proper place to relieve themselves, away from the Ka spirit. 

Mummys Were Used as Paint

Ancient Egyptians were mummified with respect to their cultural remains. Apparently, the future did not receive that memo. While it has always been customary to respect the dead, apparently the renaissance had different ideas. They utilized mummified corpses in a very bizarre manner.



[Photo Courtesy: Painted Mummy / wikimediacommons.com ]


The renaissance period was an age in which some of the very best artists made some absolute masterpieces. People would have died to get a hold of those artworks, in fact, some died trying to acquire them. As it turns out death also helped make them. Mummified corpses were ground up to make a special paint color known as “mummy brown.”  

Cleopatra was much more than just Beauty

Cleopatra was considered one of the most beautiful women to have ever lived with her olive skin and piercing eyes, she was said to be a real heartthrob. This would make sense, considering she was able to seduce the likes of Mark Antony and Caesar himself, and use those relationships to better her nation, a nation they were intent on conquering. 



[Photo Courtesy: Grunge / YouTube]


However, Cleopatra was so much more than just a beautiful woman. She was also incredibly smart. She was highly educated, well studied in math, philosophy, and astronomy. So much more than just a pretty face. 

Egyptians Traveled to America

The discovery of King Tut’s tomb shined a new light on the civilization unknown to most researchers before. For example, from the wounds on Tut’s body, as mentioned earlier historians were able to theorize that King Tut was likely killed by a hippo. But that wasn't the only surprising discovery. 



[Photo Courtesy: Egypt and American Flag / US National Archives ]


When the Mummy of Priestess Hemet Tui was found, scientists were shocked to discover traces of nicotine cocaine, and hash in her system. These substances were unique to America, suggesting that the Ancient Egyptians reached the new world far before Columbus. 

The Mummification Process

Mummification was done as a way to help preserve the body. Royalty and elite members of society believed that they would someday live again but would need their bodies intact (ish) in order to do so. This made the process of preserving the body tenuous, and difficult. 



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


In order to preserve the body, the brain was pulled out through the nostrils. The intestines and soft organs were also all removed and placed in preservation jars. The heart was left intact, and in the body, as the Egyptians believed that the heart is where the soul resides.  

Egyptians did not Invent Mummification

The Egyptians are often associated with inventing mummifications. Mummies and pyramids seemingly go together like peanut butter and jelly. The stories of mummification and pharaohs stretch all the way back to the dawn of civilizations. Since the Egyptians were at the forefront of innovation, it was reasonable to assume that they invented this process too.



[Photo Courtesy: Mummy / wikimediacommons.com ]


Surprisingly, the Ancient Egyptian were not the pioneers of mummification. They were actually quite behind in the process. The South African's actually hold the honor of pioneering mummification, doing it about 2,000 years prior to the Egyptians. 

Early Contraception

The Egyptians loved sex. They would flaunt that fact openly and proudly. They had early forms of homosexuality and prostitution. Unwanted pregnancies would sometimes occur due to their free love methods. They were actually some of the first utilizers of abortion methods to prevent just that.



[Photo Courtesy: contraceptives]


On that same note, historians believe that Egyptians were ahead of the times on early contraception devices as well. It was widely theorized that the loincloths worn by Egyptian men, doubled as makeshift condoms. It was also believed that if you put Crocodile dung in your vagina, it would then block the sperm. Not a pleasant thing to think about. 

Night of the Tear Drop

Nearly every single culture throughout history has its own celebrations based on their cultural beliefs and religion. Ancient Egypt was no different. Many of their customs, such as mummification were widely known. However, several of their highly touted holidays go mostly unknown in history.



[Photo Courtesy: Egypt Nile / wikimediacommons.com ]


One of these celebrations was an annual event. The Nile River would swell once a year. It was believed that this was due to the goddess Isis, falling into the river. This event was marked a specific day and celebrated every year as the “Night of the Tear Drop.” They would sometimes sacrifice virgins during this time. 

Egyptians Had the Most Gods

While many religions had their fair share of gods to worship, none boasted the dazzling array of gods that ancient Egypt did. Christianity held there was “one true God.” The Muslim religion believes in Allah. The Vikings were close, with their many gods and goddesses, but still, ancient Egypt stood alone.



[Photo Courtesy: Ancient Egypt Gods / wikimediacommons.com ]


Ancient Egyptian culture seemingly had a God for everything. The Ancient Egyptians worshipped over 1,000 different gods and goddesses, making it the largest collection of religious figures in any religion. 

Long Live the Pharaoh 

There have been many Pharaohs and Queens who have ruled ancient Egypt over the years. Most of them had mid-level rules, spanning around 12-20 years. One of the most famous pharaohs, King Tut, ruled for only a couple of years and made very little impact. However, there was one Pharaoh that was blessed to live an incredibly long life.



[Photo Courtesy: Ramses the Great Statue / wikimediacommons.com ]


Ramses the Great lived for over 90 years before his death in 123 BC. He kept himself respectably busy though, taking 8 wives in his lifetime, to go along with over 100 concubines. Perhaps that is the true secret to mortality.

Bug Worship

The ancient Egyptian people worshipped some very curious things in their life span. One of the most notable of these was the cat. Cats were sacred in Egyptian culture, and many depictions of half cat-half people survived history. It was a strange fixation for the people, but then again, they were proud animal lovers.



[Photo Courtesy: egypt scarab / wikimediacommons.com ]


Apparently, the love for animals also extended to instincts. Among one of the most revered symbols in Egyptian history was a beetle. Specifically, the Scarab Beetle. The scarab symbolizes both death and life. 

Original Flat-Earthers

The Egyptians were incredibly educated and intelligent people in ancient times. Their innovations and their architecture were bar none, the most wonderous marvels in the world at the time. However, as much reverence as we give their intellect, there was one area where they got it very, very wrong.



[Photo Courtesy: Earth / wikimediacommons.com


The Ancient Egyptians believed that the earth was flat, and completely round, like a big pancake. As we now know, there is ample evidence to prove that the earth is in fact, round, so, big miss on that one, despite the alarming number of people who still float the flat earth theory. 

The Pyramid of Giza had Vents

One of the most impressive architectural models that the Ancient Egyptians designed, were the pyramids. One pyramid in particular stands above them all. The pyramid of Giza, constructed of over 2 million individual stone blocks, is perhaps the most noteworthy pyramid in history. 



[Photo Courtesy: The Pyramid of Giza / wikimediacommons.com ]


As it happens, the pyramid of Giza features some very interesting design aspects that go underappreciated. The pyramid had vents at the top that pointed straight to the constellation of Orion, so that spirit could fly straight through and into the heavens. 

They used Three Different Calendars 

The Ancient Egyptians are thought of as the creators of one of the earliest versions of the calendar. They used these devices to make sure they were on track with the celebration for the Gods and to gain knowledge and make farming much more efficient. Using the information they gained throughout the years, they began adapting their calendars.



[Photo Courtesy: Egyptian Calendar / Pixabay]


The result was the formation of three different calendars. The first was a lunar calendar, to keep track of the cycles of the moon. The second was an astrological calendar, to track the movements of the constellations, and the third was a self-explanatory farming calendar.

Imhotep was wrongly Depicted 

Ancient Egyptian culture is basically a culture of firsts. They were constantly at the forefront of innovation, agriculture, architecture, sex, and pretty much everything else imaginary. There was almost nothing that the Ancient Egyptians didn’t invent. However, there is one name that stands alone as the first of the firsts. 



[Photo Courtesy: Imhotep / wikimediacommons.com ]


Imhotep was the name of the mummy in Brendan Frasier’s movie. As it happens, the real Imhotep was not an evil vengeance-seeking Pharaoh, but a man who sought knowledge. He was widely considered to be the first physician, the first engineer, and the first architect.

Pin the Tail on the...Giraffe?

Flies were a major problem in Egypt. Large blood-sucking mosquitoes would fly freely and bite on anyone they could find. With lots of warm bodies around, the army of bloodsuckers would descend on the citizens daily, leaving them with lots of itchy bites that lead to a very uncomfortable night's sleep. While royalty had servants as fly repellents, the people needed their own defense.



[Photo Courtesy: Fly Swatter / wikimediacommons.com ]


This sparked the invention of the first fly swatters. Designed like large fans, they were designed to swat the pests out of the air and away from the exposed flesh. These contraptions were regularly made from Giraffe tails. 

Cats Would End up being their Demise

As mentioned cats were incredibly important in Egyptian culture. The animals were revered, and they were thought to be embodiments of the Gods. Cats were treated like royalty and as a result, the idea of harming a cat was completely inconceivable and illegal. However, it is almost a cruel twist of fate that cats would be responsible for their demise.



[Photo Courtesy: Hoax Factor / YouTube]


At the end of the Ancient Egyptian Empire, the Persians were invading and seeking to take over the Egyptians. The Egyptians were holding them off quite well. The Persians suddenly switched tactics. They began capturing cats and tying them to their shields. As a result, the Egyptians would not attack them, so the Persians moved in, and slaughtered them all, effectively ending the Ancient Egyptians for good.