Tombs of kings, queens and leading figures from the State, whose construction dates for the vast majority at the beginning of the ancient Egypt, the pyramid-shaped stone hosts one or more internal chambers connected by corridors.

The Great Pyramid of Giza, built by Cheops, is part of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Mastabas of the pyramids

Mastaba, quasi-rectangular building, was the burial of rulers of the Old Kingdom.

The reasons for the passage of mastabas the pyramids are not clearly established, but it generally refers to the desire to reach heights increasingly important to demonstrate the importance and power of the pharaoh deceased. The first mastabas, Single stage, have first evolved to mastabas two floors to accommodate new structures funeral, the second floor is not as wide and high as the first.

With the beginning OF the Third Dynasty (circa -2700 to -2600), the mastabas became pyramids tell degrees, consisting of several successive stages with the overall shape of a gigantic staircase “rising skyward. The first and most famous pyramids at these levels is the pyramid Djeser at Saqqara, which was the architect Imhotep. Imhotep wanted to build a pyramid amounting degrees, like a gigantic staircase towards the sky to symbolize the ascent of the deceased of the “underground world” to “heaven”.

between the pyramid degrees and the pyramid faces smooth. The rhomboid pyramid is a pyramid whose faces are smooth sections to a slope descending slopes toward the summit. The non-uniformity of the slope could be explained by difficulties architectural vis-à-vis the stability of the pyramid (original too steep slope) or his method of construction (delivery blocks up to a certain height …) difficulties in supply (quarries, labor, geopolitical situation), or a geometric voluntary.

This type of pyramid is the final step leading to the final stage of the evolution of the pyramids in Egypt to the pyramids with smooth faces OF the Fourth Dynasty (circa -2573 to -2454); among the most famous are the pyramids of pharaohs Cheops, Chefren and Mykerinos, Giza in Cairo.
Construction

The pyramids show for their time, the general knowledge of Egyptian engineers able to reach such monuments with very rudimentary. There are many theories about the method of construction of Egyptian pyramids but specialists generally agree on many points.

Most of the stone blocks were cut in quarries near the construction site. Others were imported from the South with huge rafts. The blocks were then placed on sleds and carried the force of arms to their location.

The pyramids are not built all in the same form. There are four main forms of pyramids:

• The pyramid degrees: pyramid-shaped staircase, originally a superposition of mastabas of different bases. For example, the pyramid Djeser which has six tiers, has a height of 60 meters for a base of 109 meters x 121 meters. The slices of masonry, tilted 16 degrees from vertical is 2.60 meters tall.

• The pyramid rhomboid: pyramid two inclined planes, one from the bottom until the middle of the building (58 ° slope), the other towards the edge (43 ° 22 ‘). This slope failure due to an error of appreciation of Architects.

• The pyramid slope right pyramid with four straight walls, covered with fine limestone giving them a smoother appearance. The Giza represent perfection in this field. The pyramid of Cheops was 146 meters high (currently 138 meters) for a base of 230 meters and a slope of 51 ° 50 ‘. Chefren That of a slope of 53 degrees for a height of 143.50 meters and a base 215 meters. As to that of Mykerinos, it measured 66 meters in height for a base of 105 meters and a slope of 51 ° 20 ‘.

• The pyramid-shaped sarcophagus despite some markings designating them as pyramids, we think that these mausoleums are not.

Mysteries and fantasies

Traditionally, these massive stone buildings have excited the imagination of people. The main reason may be that rarely in human history, elements that allowed their buildings do meet again: a theocratic power Almighty, a country rich and prosperous, a hand-d ‘ large work, a hotel highly developed and a large empirical knowledge. In these circumstances it is more rewarding to contemplate these civilizations “wonders,” to assign them an origin extraordinary to admit its own limitations.

The egyptian nascent NINETEENTH century poses more questions than it could provide answers, modern myths have quickly filled the hole she had left. It will take many years to Egyptologists to break down these myths one by one, but nevertheless they are still alive and well in contemporary culture.

What remains of “mysteries” are in fact only questions not answers yet unanimous. These include: whether there are hidden chambers in the pyramid of Cheops (with the “treasures” they may contain), the exact protocol construction of the pyramids (when he was single), the period Exact construction, or the symbolism that was these monuments in the eyes of their builders.

Amr Ellaban
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/mysteries-of-the-pyramids-712281.html

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There is also the “Red Sea Riviera” on the Sinai Peninsula and eastern coast of Egypt as well. Most of this region is a National Park, both on land and in the sparkling waters of the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba. Areas such as Sharm-El-Sheikh, El-Gouna and Hurghada draw thousands of tourists whose vacations in Egypt will be all about scuba and snorkeling as well as basking in the sun along the region’s glorious white sand beaches. Some of these areas are also home to remaining Bedouin tribes, and many visitors take horse, camel or ATV rides into the surrounding deserts to visit them.

The interior of the Sinai Peninsula, with its long biblical and religious associations makes this area also popular for vacations in Egypt. Early Coptic monasteries still stand in the desert mountains, and many people interested in this period of egyptian history will have many unique locations to visit.

Of course, a majority of vacations in Egypt are dedicated to the ancient Pharaonic eras, which have their remains all along the great Nile River. Most visitors hoping to see the greatest sites from this period will take in the Cairo Museum and the pyramids of Giza, the Luxor temple complex and the Valley of the Kings. Many vacations in Egypt will also include a cruise along the Nile, with most heading up the river from Luxor to the southernmost city in the country, Aswan. While in the Aswan area, many visitors include tours of the temples at Abu Simbel in their vacations in Egypt.

Many people also want to see the historic city of Alexandria along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, and make a point of including the ancient city in their vacations in Egypt. The famous library has been rebuilt, and a never-ending cycle of archeological and historical exploration continues in the waters and neighborhoods throughout the area.

Finally, there are many vacations in Egypt dedicated to an exploration of the western parts of the country, which is a land of deserts and oases, including El-Fayoum, the largest in all of Egypt.

Amar Mahallati
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/popular-vacations-in-egypt-677223.html

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Towns & cities let in Alexandria, one of the great very old towns, Aswan, Asyut, Cairo, the contemporary egyptian capital, El-Mahalla El-Kubra, Giza, the site of the Pyramid of Khufu, Hurghada, Port Safaga Luxor, Kom Ombo, Port Said, Sharm el Sheikh, Shubra-El-Khema, Suez, in which the Suez Canal is settled, Zagazig, & Al-Minya.

Deserts: Egypt admits parts of the Sahara Desert & of the Libyan Desert. Those deserts were referred to as the “red land” in very old Egypt, & they secure the Kingdom of the Pharaohs given by western threats. Oases admit: Bahariya Oasis, Dakhleh Oasis, Farafra Oasis, Kharga Oasis, Siwa Oasis. An oasis is a fertile or green region in the midst of a desert.

Egypt’s working capital city, Cairo, is Africa’s largest city & has been famous for centuries as a center of learning, culture & mercantilism. The Egyptian Academy of the Arabic Language is responsible for modulating the Arabic Language throughout the world.

Egypt has had a thriving media & arts industry from the late 19th century, in todays world with more than 30 satellite channels and over 100 motion pictures produced every year. Cairo in fact has long been acknowledge as the “Hollywood of the East.” To bolster its media industry further, especially with the keen contest from the Persian Gulf Arab States and Lebanon, a big media city was built.

When you travel to Egypt, there are so several sites that you will want to explore, the length of your voyage will never seem long enough! I frequently meet people, on my tours, that have been to Egypt additional than 15 times, & they keep returning to see something new! They ask about this newly discovered site, or some new tomb that has been recently unveiled, or even places that they have found out more people talk about! Here in Egypt, you will forever find new sites to travel to and have a good time in.

The adventure that is Egypt never ends! That is why it is a shame if you come to Egypt, particularly for the first time, and miss the grandiose sites, like the pyramids of Giza, Abu Simbel or the west bank of Luxor, to name but two or three. In that location are so many travellers who fly direct to Upper Egypt to see Luxor & Aswan, hoping that they will be stumble through the Pyramids as well, and then they understand that they have to travel 720Km to Cairo, in which the Pyramids actually are, and end up paying $400 extra to travel and see one site, which is most likely about half of what they paid for their entire trip!

Plan well for your trip before you come. Advance planning is the right way to save up time, money and effort, & of course to ensure that you get to see the locates that you have been dream about for some time.

Try, as much as possible, to travel to as several of the places that your voyage will allow! In that location is nothing worse than going home & wishing you had travelled to somewhere you didn’t! We each know that you don’t get the opportunity to travel to Egypt day-after-day!

Paul Everton
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/the-magnificent-egypt-96556.html

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A simple explanation of the Nile River in Egypt would illustrate how the six hundred and sixty mile canyon divides the nation into two separate regions. The western banks of the river extend briefly through a fertile strip of cultivated land which ends with the Sahara Desert. The eastern shore extends towards the Red Sea, where deep wadis (canyons) shelter some of the remaining trade routes of ancient history.

Anyone exploring the Nile River Valley is not likely to encounter much of the landscape beyond the flood plains which have been inhabited by Egyptians, and others, for centuries. What will they see? Visitors to this vast stretch of the river’s path will witness more then five thousand years of recorded history, numerous necropolis (burial grounds), pyramids, towns, villages, farms, wildlife, felucca (traditional sail boats) and much more.

Anyone hoping to visit some of the most significant historic sites in Egyptian history will generally be able to do so from the Nile’s waters. For example, anyone exploring the Nile River Valley will pass Karnak and Luxor – which were the home of the ancient egyptian capital region of Thebes, Abydos – which is the site of an amazing temple belonging to Seti I, Cairo – which is one of the largest cities on the African continent and home to an amazing number of relevant destinations and attractions, and many other towns, villages and locations.

Are there any guided opportunities for exploring the Nile River Valley? Actually, there are an almost limitless number of choices for anyone hoping to make such a journey. There are literally, hundreds of Nile River cruises that will focus on the history, scenery or pleasure of traveling the Nile. There are land tours dedicated to discovering the vast Pharaonic history of the entire region, and there are also many other “naturalist” tours that examine the wildlife, people and scenery of the region as well.

Clearly, exploring the Nile River Valley is an option for almost anyone and any budget. It is best to use the Internet as a good tool for identifying those of interest. For example, anyone exploring the Nile River Valley by water could seek out the many Nile River cruises to achieve their goals.

Amar Mahallati
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/exploring-the-nile-river-valley-756706.html

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Like millions of other world travelers, anyone planning to travel to Egypt will have a great deal to do before they even set out on their journey. First they must be certain to have the proper documentation and clearance to ensure easy entry across its borders or through its airports. Most visitors can simply submit visa applications when arriving, but there are some groups that are required to do more, and it is a good choice to investigate this issue long before departure.

Travel to Egypt can take many forms; it can be a journey through the ancient Pharaonic past or a relaxing cruise up or down the Nile. A trip to Egypt can have the beautiful Gulf of Suez or Aqaba as its destination, where white sand beaches and pristine waters await. Travel to Egypt can also be directed towards the religious history of the Sinai Peninsula where some of the world’s oldest original monasteries still stand, and still serve as houses of worship. There are even those who travel to Egypt to witness for themselves the baking sands of the western deserts and the beauty of the many large oases they contain.

Planning a single destination or itinerary for travel to Egypt is unnecessary as the ease of transportation around the country allows a variety of sightseeing and destinations to be included in anyone’s arrangements. For example, many full-time residents in Cairo make the coastal town of Hurghada their chosen location for rest and relaxation. Because of this there are frequent flights in and out of the area, and a visitor to the city could easily spend a weekend along the beautiful “Red Sea Riviera” as part of their trip.

There are dozens of travel and tour companies and thousands of accommodations providers making travel to Egypt affordable and easy for almost any budget. It is simply a matter of deciding which locations and areas to visit, and what to during a stay. The most common reasons that tourists travel to Egypt are the historical sites, including the pyramids of Giza, the Luxor temple complex, the cities of Cairo and Alexandria and even far-reaching areas such as Abu Simbel or Aswan. Additionally, many take advantage of the Sinai Peninsula and eastern shore’s wonderful water activities and luxurious resorts. In fact, this entire region is becoming such a “hot spot” that development is taking place at an advanced rate, making more hotels and resorts available each year. There are many other reasons people travel to Egypt, and it only continues to grow in popularity as the years pass!

Amar Mahallati
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/planning-to-travel-to-egypt-685074.html

Mesopotamian, Ancient egyptian, Hellenistic Greek, and Roman were great civilizations that enormously influenced the following development of the world. Each civilization contributed a large amount of it’s achievements to the overall progress of the world. However, I think that Hellenistic Greek was the most important out of the chosen civilizations to impact the world. Hellenistic Greek was the culmination of the advancement of the ancient world. By using the following comparison of these civilizations I will try to prove my point of view of Hellenistic Greek being the greatest.

Mesopotamian is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. It is very interesting that Mesopotamians had a started some sort of democracy. They solved all the rising questions and problems by public assemblies and voting. They used debates to have pros and cons presented and then decided about the following actions or solutions. However, their class structure was sharply divided. At the top were kings and noble classes. There were also slaves who could engage in business, own property, and even testify in court.

The daily life of Mesopotamians was very boring. They only worked and worshiped their gods. The main industry that people were engaged in was agriculture. The tools used to work in the field were made out of stone. This shows not much of the progress in innovations that would make the very day life much easier.

The main reminding of Mesopotamian art are the frescoes that were found as decorations of sanctuary rooms. Bull and bear heads were also used as decorations. Scholars also found drawings that probably were the musical notes for Mesopotamians. Mesopotamian did not achieve much in architecture. Their houses were plain without any decorations which is probably the result of people being busy working and not having time to decorate their houses.

Mesopotamian philosophy is revealed in their myths that were the combination of Babylonian, Assyrian, Akkadian and Sumerian myths. Each of these regions had their own myths but due to the closeness all of them were related and had a lot of similarities. Myths were mostly about the religious events and importance of worshiping their ancestors. Most of the writing, though, that survived from Mesopotamian times consist of laws, accounting records, list of kings and enemies.

Ancient Egypt had a different concept of political structure comparing to Mesopotamia. In Egypt it was all up to the pharaoh and there were no debates and public discussions. The social structure was similar to the Mesopotamian. On the very top was the pharaoh, then vizier, then high priests and nobles, then priests, engineers and doctors, then scribes and craftsmen. On the very bottom of the social pyramid were soldiers, farmers and tomb builders.

Agriculture was the main occupation for Egyptians just like for Mesopotamians. The Egyptians were one of the first groups on earth to begin farming, probably around 10,000 BC. They were also great at building. The Egyptian pyramids were built throughout ages and still remain one of the wonders of the world.

Most of what we know about Egyptian art comes from the paintings the Egyptians created in the tombs of rich people when they died. It is very similar to Mesopotamians. These pictures were supposed to help the dead person when he or she reached the next world, where the Egyptians thought a person lived after the death in this world. So the paintings showed all sorts of things that people did in their regular lives.

Egyptian homes were made of dried mud bricks. Towns had small narrow streets. Throughout the Egyptian history the styles in architecture were changing. In the beginning, they built mainly mastabas, a kind of tomb with a flat roof like a house. Then during most of the Old Kingdom, the Egyptians built the pyramid tombs which are now so famous. In the Middle Kingdom, the mastaba tomb came back again, although in a more elaborate form for the Pharaohs. No more pyramids were built. Finally in the New Kingdom there was a lot of building that was not tombs: temples for the gods especially, but also palaces for the Pharaohs.

The main philosophy of the Egyptians was to be afraid of nature gods. They believed in Gods, sacrificed, and were afraid of them. Each natural thing had its own God. What we have left of Egyptian writing, like Egyptian art, mostly comes out of tombs. Because of this, most of what we have left is prayers. Other writing like laws and lists of who gave their fair share to the temple mostly has rotted away over the years. We do not know whether the Egyptians wrote novels or stories, but if they did then these stories have also rotted away.

The civilization that I believe is the greatest is Hellenistic Greek. During the Hellenic era Macedon was the most popular, important, and interesting city-state of Greece. Hellenistic Greece was more similar to Mesopotamia than to Egypt in its political structure. Huge Greece was divided into city-states that has own governing bodies. Macedon was also kind of buffer to protect the rest of the Greek empire from the aggressive neighbors. However, Macedonians were always unappreciated by their fellow Greeks. Hellenistic era was also called “the age of the Greeks” because Greeks’ culture was spread all over the world.

Unlike the previous civilizations Greeks were not afraid of finding something new about the Earth. Greeks were the first to find out that the earth was round. Greeks wanted to know more about the universe, heavens, and themselves. They studied the sky, moon, connection to other planets.

The main fact that reminds us about the Hellenic architecture is Hellenic Pyramids. Greeks borrowed the idea from the Egyptians. Greeks also got a lot assembled in their culture from different cultures. By doing this they created the best known culture at that time. By the 300’s BC, in the Hellenistic period, there are some new architectural types. Less time is spent on temples. The new form is the theater, and many theaters are built all over the Greek world. Also, there is new interest in town planning at this time: streets begin to be laid out in straight lines, instead of just developing naturally. With the conquests of Alexander the Great, architecture becomes an important way to spread Greek culture and show who is in

charge in the conquered countries.

The main trend in philosophy at that time was unique that was never practiced before. It was called autarkeia which meant self-sufficiency. It was introduced by cynics who were headed by Diogenes. Behind his rejection of traditional allegiances lay a profound concern with moral values. What matters to human beings, he taught, was not social status or nationality but individual well-being.

The Hellenic language is the most perfect human achievement in the linguistic field. And this, of course, is not incidental. This language, therefore, is the creation of people with superior thought and mental consistency. The qualities characterizing the language of the Hellenes, also characterize their being. Proof is that the same qualities (clarity, providence, power, expressional wealth etc) are found in their mental and artistic creations.

Roman civilization was basically a copy of Greek. That is the main reason why I think it is not as great as Greek. The conduct of political affairs was heavily dominated by the senatorial class, particularly by a small number of noble families. The upper classes generally followed one of two informal political factions: Populares (”the party of the people”) Optimates (”the party of the best men” or of the aristocrats).

The main occupation of Romans was agriculture. Latium which was the area around Rome was an agricultural region. That is very similar to all civilizations that I wrote before. Romans also had a new industry – pottery. Pottery was introduced from Campania and the art of bronze-casting from Etruria. A Roman would usually get up early and work a six hour day.

One distinct difference between the civilized Roman world and others was their housing. Whereas others lived in primitive huts, Rome took to housing its people in sophisticated brick-built houses, not so different from what people live in today. The Romans brought a lot of new ideas to architecture, of which the three most important are the arch, the baked brick, and the use of cement and concrete.

Roman art grows out of Etruscan art and at first it is a lot like Etruscan art. Because of this, it has a close relationship to Greek art as well. Roman art as a type of its own really gets going around 500 BC. The Romans were particularly interested in portraiture: in making statues that really looked like one particular person, especially a famous person. As was the habit of Roman society, the Romans did not invent their music. The music of Rome has its origins in Greek traditions. Our term for music itself is derived from the Greek term Mousike, which means “the art of the muses.” Early Greek music was purely melodic, or homophonic, utilizing only one melody without chordal accompaniment. The Greek musical system used Pythagorean mathematics to organize the chief concodant intervals according to simple numerical ratios.

Roman philosophy is thoroughly grounded in the traditions of Greek philosophy. Interest in the subject was first excited at Rome in 155 BC by an Athenian embassy, consisting of the Academic Carneades, the Stoic Diogenes, and the Peripatetic Critolaus. Of more permanent influence was the work of the Stoic Panaetius, the friend of the younger Scipio and of Laelius; but a thorough study of Greek philosophy was first introduced in the time of Cicero and Varro. In a number of works they tried to make it accessible even to those of their countrymen who were outside the learned circles.

Roman authors turned primarily to Greek sources, when composing the cultural heritage that became known as Roman ancient culture. For example Virgil, when describing the mythical origins of Rome in his Aeneid, turned to Homer’s tales about Troy.

Jeff Stats
http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/comparing-civilizations-134376.html