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(More customer reviews)In 3100 B.C. the Egyptians created a magnificent civilization in northeastern Africa. They created some of the most recognizable and fantastic architecture the world has ever seen. During this time the pharaohs ruled over Egypt's four social classes. There were the slowest ("slaves and servants"), workers, skilled professionals and the nobles. Once born into a class it tended to be static, unless you were extremely talented. Living so close to the mighty Nile, Egyptian lives centered around the river. They were "expert shipbuilders" and the soil was very fertile so they could grow vegetables, fruit trees and grains. They also ate fish, fowl and consumed a lot of bread, "their favorite food." Meats like beef were expensive and reserved for the rich. They had "hundreds of gods and goddesses" and thanked them for their good lives in many temples.
The common people lived in "plain houses made from mud and bricks." They wore linen clothing and often children wore no clothing at all. They loved to adorn themselves with jewelry and anoint their bodies with perfume and oil. To finish off the picture they used green and black makeup to make their eyes appear larger. The women were homemakers and family oriented. The children played outside a lot, but also had chores and responsibilities. Children did not attend school, but "they learned what they needed to know from their parents." In this book you will learn about their temples, their gods with animal heads, how "priests turned the bodies into mummies" after death, how the Egyptians believed in the afterlife, the impressive building feats such as the Great Sphinx, you'll learn about their scribes, the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, their notable pharaohs, how the pharaohs (men and women) dressed, Egyptologists, archaeology, and a bit about modern day Egyptian influence.
This is a very nice, basic introduction to ancient Egyptian history. This book was very well written and researched and held my attention quite nicely. There were many colorful graphic style illustrations and photographs that were additional informative vignettes. For example, the reader can see an illustration of several workers attempting to move a large block up the side of a pyramid. We learn that "Each block that workers lifted onto the `Great Pyramid' weighed about 5,000 pounds (2,270 kilograms)." The ancient looking art work made this book look very appealing. In the back of the book is a timeline (ca. 3500 B.C. to 2007), a pronunciation guide, an index, a glossary, and additional recommended book and website resources. Did you know that Egyptians loved their cats and often mummified them?
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Egyptians (Life in Ancient Civilizations)The Ancient Egyptians were known for their large stone pyramids, but did you also know that the Egyptians turned some cats into mummies after they died? They also made a strong kind of paper by pressing together layers of a plant, and they performed surgery as early as 4,500 years ago. Find out what life was like in the mighty empire of Ancient Egypt. In this book, you'll learn about people's daily activities, religion, buildings, inventions, and leaders. Photographs and vivid comic-style illustrations help bring this culture to life!--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.
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