E gyptian society was shaped like a pyramid. The pharaoh and queen are in the first place. Below them, nobles, high priests, scribes, ministers, and officers formed the upper class. The middle level is craftsmen and merchants, while workers and farmers formed the base. All…

A Abu Simbel A temple complex on the west bank of the Nile, above WADI HALFA in NUBIA, modern Sudan, erected by RAMESES II (r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.) early in his reign. The structures on the site honor the state gods of Egypt and the deified…

Building a pyramid During the Old Kingdom, pharaohs built huge tombs, called pyramids. Pyramids were constructed on the western bank of the Nile River because it was thought that the land of the dead lay to the west. A single pyramid could take up to…

Bastet, Originally taking the the shape of a desert cat or a lioness, Bastet was a fierce deity. She was the daughter of Ra and represented the power of the Sun to ripen crops. Around 1500 BCE, Egyptians began domesticating cats. Bastet then came to…

Writing Reading and writing were important skills in ancient Egypt. Scribes—official record-keepers—were among the few people who could read and write, and they held high positions in society. Royal scribes often advised pharaohs, helping them create laws. Writing tools Instead of paper, Egyptians used papyrus,…

RaThe Sun god Ra was one of the most popular gods of Egyptian religion. He was represented by the disk of the Sun, but in many places, he was combined with local gods to make a powerful deity. One such deity was Ra-Harakhty, who was…

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