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The Roma or Gypsies are a group of ethnic people who have migrated across Europe for thousands of years. They have faced discrimination for years due to being portrayed as exotic or strange. Today, they are one of the largest minority groups in Europe.

Source: https://www.livescience.com/44512-gypsy-culture.html

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Gypsies originated in India and migrated out from there. The Europeans thought they were from Egypt, hence the name "Gypsy."

Source:
https://www.ushmm.org/learn/students/learning-materials-and-resources/sinti-and-roma-victims-of-the-nazi-era/who-were-the-gypsies

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https://imgur.com/gallery/tVmn2

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Gypsies are firm believers in superstition. They hold beliefs in objects like charms, amulets, curses, bad luck, and ghosts. They have rituals where they try to ward off evil spirits and control fate. Gypsies even practice fortune telling.

Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Gypsy-Gypsies.html

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The majority of Gypsies are Roman Catholic although some practice forms of Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism, or Islam. Gypsies believe in a God who they call Del, and a Satan who they call Beng.

Source:
https://www.gotquestions.org/Gypsy-Gypsies.html

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Gypsy meals almost always include some sort of meat, bread, and potatoes. They have a unique method of cooking. Electric cooking and preparation machines are not used. They use their hands, a knife, and a spoon. Cooking is done outside in a cauldron over a food fire.

Sources:
https://comm220horchar.wordpress.com/gypsy-food/

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Clothing rituals reflect religious concern for purity. Clothing worn on the upper body must be kept separate from any surface or clothing that touches the lower body. Also, women's and men's clothing are kept separate. Women's skirts must reach the mid-calf.

Source:
https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/clothing-around-world/roma-gypsy-fashions

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Egypt lies in Northern Africa and is close to three continents.  This makes it a major trading route between countries.

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Source:
https://www.featureshoot.com/2014/09/gypsy-interiors-a-colorful-look-inside-the-homes-of-wealthy-roma/

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Egypt's position in the world makes it a very culturally rich area with people coming from Africa, Asia, and Europe to trade.

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Gypsy women are held to very high standards of purity. For example, virginity is a requirement for marriage, and the lower half of a women's body is considered unclean due to menstruation. Pregnant women are also considered unclean, along with anything the new mother touches.

Source:
https://www.gotquestions.org/Gypsy-Gypsies.html

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Egypt is Santiago's end goal and it keeps him persistent and gives him motive to keep going even when times look bad.

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The Great Pyramids symbolize his personal legend and where his dream takes place.

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The Great Pyramid of Giza are one of the seven wonders of the world.

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https://www.livescience.com/44512-gypsy-culture.html

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Paulo Coehlo was born in Rio de Janerio in the year 1947. He grew up going to Jesuit school and always dreamed of becoming a writer!

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Paulo Coehlo was kidnapped by a rivaling political group and tortured. After this traumatic event he began to write songs against the military of his home country. This caused him to be jailed for "political activism."

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Paulo Coehlo was a defiant child and because of that he was committed to an asylum three times where his parents approved the use of shock therapy for him.

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The Great Pyramids are the place where Santiago thought the treasure was. He later found out that through his journey and the people he met on the way what the real treasure was.

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Most Gypsies today travel from place to place in RVs or cars rather than horses or caravans. Due to continued discrimination most have settled into houses or apartments, and are hesitant to reveal their history. This makes them almost indistinguishable from ordinary people.

Sources:
https://www.livescience.com/44512-gypsy-culture.html

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Andalusia has a wide variety of land features and is considered to be the most diverse region in Spain. The terrain includes plateaus, mountains, flat lands,  sand dunes, and green areas (full of plant life. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-divergent-landscapes-of-andaluca

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Urim and Thummin are what Melchizdek takes off of his breastplate and gives to Santiago.

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Egypt in the Alchemist symbolizes a place where Santiago's dream lies with the pyramids.

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-The Romani have no one country of their own.
-They have no one formal religion.
-The term "gypsy" is actually considered a racial slur.

Sources:
https://listverse.com/2016/05/25/10-fascinating-facts-about-gypsies/

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Initially enrolled in law school, Coelho dropped out and pursued a "hippie life[style]". He traveled through South America, Mexico, and North Africa, discovering other cultures and perhaps sparking the idea for The Alchemist.

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Synopsis

Paulo Coelho was born on August 24, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was a rebellious teenager and his parents committed him to an asylum three times. When Coelho was 38 years old, he had a spiritual awakening in Spain and wrote about it in his first book, The Pilgrimage. It was his second book, The Alchemist, which made him famous. He's sold 35 million copies and now writes about one book every two years.

Early Life

Writer Paulo Coelho was born on August 24, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Coelho attended Jesuit schools and was raised by devout Catholic parents. He determined early on that he wanted to be a writer but was discouraged by his parents, who saw no future in that profession in Brazil. Coelho's rebellious adolescence spurred his parents to commit him to a mental asylum three times, starting when he was 17. "I have forgiven," Coelho said. "It happens with love, all the time - when you have this love towards someone else, but you want this person to change, to be like you. And then love can be very destructive."

Coelho eventually got out of institutional care and enrolled in law school, but dropped out to indulge in the "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" of hippie life in the 1970s. He wrote song lyrics for Brazilian musicians protesting the country's military rule. He was jailed three times for his political activism and subjected to torture in prison.

Pilgrimage

After drifting among several professions, Coelho changed his life's course while on a visit to Spain in 1986 at the age of 36. Coelho walked more than 500 miles along the Road to Santiago de Compostela, a site of Catholic pilgrimage. The walk and the spiritual awakening he experienced en route inspired him to write The Pilgrimage, an autobiographical account of the trek, in his native Portuguese. He quit his other jobs and devoted himself full-time to the craft of writing.

'The Alchemist'

In 1987, Coelho wrote a new book, The Alchemist, over the course of one two-week spurt of creativity. The allegorical novel was about an Andalusian shepherd boy who follows a mystical trek in which he learns to speak the "Language of the World" and thus receives his heart's desire. The book attracted little attention at first, until a French-language translation suddenly leapt onto bestseller lists in France in the early 1990s. New translations followed, and soon The Alchemist became a worldwide phenomenon. The book has sold, by Coelho's count, roughly 35 million copies, and is now the most translated book in the world by any living author.

Since the publication of The Alchemist, Coelho has produced a new book at a rate of about one every two years. In a somewhat unusual scheduling ritual, he allows himself to begin the writing process for a new book only after he has found a white feather in the January of an odd year. As odd as that may sound, it seems to be working. His 26 books have sold more than 65 million copies in at least 59 languages.

Personal Life

Coelho's fans call his books inspiring and life-changing. His critics dismiss his writing as New Age drivel, promoting a vague spirituality devoid of rigor. A confident writer who rejects the self-help label-"I am not a self-help writer; I am a self-problem writer"-Coelho dismisses his naysayers' critiques. "When I write a book I write a book for myself; the reaction is up to the reader," he says. "It's not my business whether people like or dislike it."

Coelho has been married to his wife, the artist Christina Oiticica, since 1980. Together the couple spends half the year in Rio de Janeiro and the other half in a country house in the Pyrenees Mountains of France. In 1996, Coelho founded the Paulo Coelho Institute, which provides support to children and the elderly. He continues to write, following his own version of The Alchemist's "Language of the World."

"[Jorge Luis] Borges said there are only four stories to tell: a love story between two people, a love story between three people, the struggle for power and the voyage," Coelho has said. "All of us writers rewrite these same stories ad infinitum."

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

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Paulo Coelho was born on August 24, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was a rebellious teenager and his parents committed him to an asylum three times. When Coelho was 38 years old, he had a spiritual awakening in Spain and wrote about it in his first book, The Pilgrimage.

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The Great Pyramids are located in   Al Haram, Nazlet El-Semman, Giza Governorate, Egypt.

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The Pyramids were built to serve as tombs for important pharaohs and leaders from Egypt. They were packed with gold and goods since they believed that their soul would be stuck with whatever was in their tomb.

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To build the pyramids the Egyptians used water and sand and used a contraption to haul the heavy stone blocks up to their spots.

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This video talks about how the pyramids were constructed.

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Watch Building the Pyramids Clip - Mankind The Story of All of Us | HISTORY

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Watch the Building the Pyramids video clip of HISTORY's series Mankind The Story of All of Us'. Find this and many more videos only on HISTORY.

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Santiago uses them to conduct an experiment. He comes to the conclusion that there are certain things that a person shouldn't ask about.

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The oldest and biggest pyramid of the three is known as the Great Pyramid. The middle pyramid was built for Khufu's son, Khafre. The final pyramid was built for Khafre's son, Menkaure.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glStPHUErJU

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These stones were one of the factors that motivated Santiago to continue on his journey, as they helped decipher omens.

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shows what lengths santagio is willing to go through to make his dream come true

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Coehlo has a strong connection to Santiago through his journey to "fame" and Santiago's path to finding his treasure. Just as in The Alchemist, the path to success was quite different and unusual compared to others'.

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Santiago meets a gypsy woman who interprets his dream and tells him that he will find his treasure at the Egyptian Pyramids.

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Alchemy has been practiced in Ancient Egypt, Persia, India, Japan, Korea, and China.

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In The Alchemist, the stones represent sureness and the ability to make personal decisions. Their frequency also represents Santiago's desire to give up his decision-making abilities.

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Urim and Thummim are fortune-telling stones that Melchizedek gives to Santiago. The stones are black and white, with their colors representing "yes" and "no" answers to questions-so Melchizedek tells Santiago that he must only ask objective questions of the stones. Because of this, Urim and Thummim symbolize certainty and objective knowledge. This type of certainty, however, is ultimately presented as less valuable than the opportunity to learn from the world and to make one's own choices. Santiago carries the stones with him throughout the novel, but never uses them, having promised to "make his own decisions." The constant presence of Urim and Thummim thus also represents the human desire to give up control and decision-making ability. The greatest lie in the world, as stated by Melchizedek, is that humans don't control their fates. Although Melchizedek is the one who offers the stones to Santiago, they also symbolize the very thing that he says Santiago should avoid: trusting in anything other than himself to make a decision.

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Urim and Thummim are fortune-telling stones that Melchizedek gives to Santiago. The stones are black and white, with their colors representing "yes" and "no" answers to questions-so Melchizedek tells Santiago that he must only ask objective questions of the stones. Because of this, Urim and Thummim symbolize certainty and objective knowledge.

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And its religious purpose in Saudi Arabia

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The original height of the Pyramids was 481 feet, but now the height is 451 feet because of erosion.

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Alchemy was first practiced in the 16th century and is made up chemistry, religious beliefs, art, medicine, astrology, and art.

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Egypt is also very important because Santigo realizes that not every thing is simple in life and sometimes you have to work for it and look for the omens that the old wise king told him about .

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Egypt is also very important because Santigo realizes that not every thing is simple in life and sometimes you have to work for it and look for the omens that the old wise king told him about .

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Alchemy is a chemical science and philosophy aiming to achieve the conversion of base metals into gold, finding a cure for all disease, and finding a way to lengthelife" -https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alchemy

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A glass that is highly transparent with a refractive index that is high.

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Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.

These are verses from The Bible. The first one shows that Urim and Thummim should be worn over your heart. In the second verse it talks about how the priest uses it to make a decision. This proves that the people who still use Urim and Thummim are probably of religous morals

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Here's probably the best word on the Urim and Thummim. It's a couple of paragraphs from Dr. Bruce Waltke's excellent book (which I highly recommend), entitled, "Finding the Will of God" (pp. 62-64):

"The priest could use the urim and thummin to determine God's will in a particular situation. We are not exactly sure what the urim and thummin were, but the priest carried in his breastplate perhaps two sticks or stones, one white and the other black, that would give a yes or no answer to a specific question. Should Israel be preparing for battle, they would somehow shake or toss the sticks. If they turned up black the Israelites would not go to battle, and if they turned up white they would proceed into battle with the knowledge that they were in the will of God. That is one form of divination that God allowed in the Old Testament. We read in Exodus 28:30, "Also put the Urim and the Thummin in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord."

Much has been made of the urim and thummin by modern mystics, who want to find in them the key to the divine mind. All sorts of fanciful explanations have been put forward, including that the items may have glowed, that they had secret words engraved on them, or that they were ancient artifacts with magical powers. However, it should be noted that 1 Samuel 28:6 makes clear a definite answer was not always obtainable, so it may not have been as simple as tossing two stones on ground. Moses never used them; they were given for the high priest in aiding those who could not find God's guidance any other way.

Some translate the words urim and thummin to mean "curse" and "blessing," others simply "dark" and "light," although the literal translation seems to be "light" and "perfections." There is no proof that there were only two items; some early rabbis believed that the urim and thummin were a series of stones with Hebraic characters on them by which the Lord could spell out a message for the high priest. However, most scholars believe them to be two sticks or stones, perhaps precious stones, that God used in a miraculous way to reveal His will. They were used for national decisions like going to war, and for priestly matters.

The Old Testament seems to indicate that the urim and thummin faded from use during the early days of Israel's monarchy, and are only referred to once after the Babylonian exile. This may be so because the institution of monarchy God inaugurated the office of prophet. The prophets now participated in God's heavenly court and communicated God's messages to the courts in Jerusalem and Samaria. Apparently prophets who revealed God's word to the king replaced the urim and thummin, through which He revealed His mind to the priest. Nevertheless, we still find Ezra using this device to determine the ancestry of the priests who returned from the exile in Ezra 2:63. After this the Bible never mentions the urim and thummin again. God did not preserve it for His people. They are one more allowance from God to assist His people at a certain point in history."

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How did the Urim and the Thummim function?

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Here's probably the best word on the Urim and Thummim. It's a couple of paragraphs from Dr. Bruce Waltke's excellent book (which I highly recommend), entitled, "Finding the Will of God" (pp. 62-64): "The priest could use the urim and thummin to determine God's will in a particular situation.

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Santiago, although not to the extent of Coehlo, defied his parents too by becoming a shepherd rather than joining a monastery.

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Crystals are formed when any material's atoms form a symmetrical structure with a definite pattern.

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Crystal: Crystal, any solid material in which the component atoms are arranged in a definite pattern and whose surface regularity reflects its internal symmetry. The definition of a solid appears obvious; a solid is generally thought of as being hard and firm. Upon inspection, however, the definition

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The amount of people visiting The Great Pyramids is declining. About 15 million visited The Great Pyramids in 2010, but in 2017 only about 8 million people visited the pyramids which is a drastic drop in tourism.

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CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt is confident of luring back millions of foreign visitors and putting a smile on their faces, according to its new tourism minister, despite heavy first quarter losses and setbacks including a bomb that brought down a Russian passenger plane.

Yehia Rashed said the ancient land of the pyramids and Red Sea resorts was determined to secure a strong recovery even though the number of foreign tourists fell by 40 percent in the first quarter of 2016, compared with the same period last year.

The most populous Arab nation aims to attract 12 million tourists by the end of 2017 with a six-point plan, he said.

"I am very hopeful, optimistic about the future of tourism into Egypt," Rashed told Reuters in an interview. "I want to get that smile that you are smiling into the faces of everybody. We want to stay positive."

Egypt tourism revenue has taken a heavy hit since a Russian plane crashed in the Sinai last October, killing all 224 people on board in what President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called an act of terrorism. Islamic State said it planted a bomb on board.

Rashed said Egypt had improved airport security since the crash. "These people have worked day and night," he said. "Egypt is safe."

The torture of Italian graduate student Giulio Regeni, whose body was dumped on the side of a road in February, has also hurt Egypt's image.

Human rights groups say torture marks on his body fit a pattern that suggested Egyptian security services had killed him, an allegation the government has strongly denied.

Asked if Egypt would take action if it was determined that a policeman had killed Regeni, as widely suspected among human rights groups, Rashed said "justice is justice".

"We care big time about human rights. The best way, actually, is to create positive vibes in the mind of people that Egypt is safe and it is worth visiting," he added.

The Regeni case has brought allegations of widespread police brutality in Egypt under sharper focus.

HURTING EARNER

Egypt's tourism industry, a cornerstone of the economy and critical source of hard currency, has been struggling to rebound after the political and economic upheaval triggered by the 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.

More than 14.7 million tourists visited Egypt in 2010, dropping to 9.8 million in 2011.

"The first quarter is down about 40 percent compared to last year. However, there is a positive with every negative. The Gulf business is up about 45 percent from last year," said Rashed.

Egyptian tourism has survived hard times in the past.

In 1997 Islamic militants killed 58 tourists and four Egyptians at a temple in Luxor, on the Nile.

Rashed seemed optimistic. He said the new six-point plan to boost tourism would include increasing the presence of national carrier EgyptAir abroad, working with low-cost airlines and the improvement of services.

Asked how the state would fund these projects, he said:

"We are not doing new things what we are doing is stimulation programs. Taking from the current funding and putting it into where our bread and butter is," said Rashed.

"We don't have the figures of the total cost of this. We are currently working on the costing."

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Egypt has high hopes for tourism despite grim statistics, setbacks

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Egypt is confident of luring back millions of foreign visitors and putting a smile on their faces, according to its new tourism minister, despite heavy first quarter losses and setbacks including a bomb that brought down a Russian passenger plane.

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In the book, The Alchemist, Santiago runs into a very hardworking merchant who sells a wide variety of crystals. The merchant allows Santiago to work for him, but doesn't take any suggestions from him because the merchant is scared of change.

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The Crystal Merchant finally listened to Santiago's idea to put tea in the crystal glasses to attract more customers. The new idea brought in many customers allowing the merchant's business to thrive.

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After being released from prison, with a new mindset and a fresh start, Coelho embarked on a trip through Europe and Africa. It was during this visit in 1980 that he "walked the route" of Santiago, and eight years later, the story came to life.

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The following video talks about the ancient history to modern times of the history of Egypt.

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In The Alchemist, the Oasis is considered neutral territory in the desert tribal wars.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x5rYEUIFdo

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Alchemy combines parts of chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiotics, mysticism, spiritualism, and art.
http://www.crystalinks.com/alchemy.html

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Agriculture is a core supply of food in Andalusia. Andalusian's practice full year farming on the fertile silt provided by the region. Agricultural products such as olive trees, mangoes, strawberries, cotton, and potatoes are grown.
www.andalucia.com/gastronomy/fruitveg.htm

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Metal was a really important element during ancient time so therefore it became important to alchemy. Because of the importance of metal, metalworking became popular.

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Egypt has had acient civilzations thrive in it such as the egyptians who created monumental structures which still stand to this day and none of this could have ever happned if it was not for the Nile or any other non major rivers flowing through Egypt.

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the population of Mecca is 1,919,900. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/biggest-cities-in-saudi-arabia.html

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Urim and Thummim are two stones (one black, one white) that represent "yes" and "no". In the Alchemist they were meant to aid Santiago in seeing the future. In biblical times, they were never meant to fortune tell, but to translate ancient scripture.

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For a book with a lot of magical realism in it, Coelho's The Alchemist also has many religious symbols presented from Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Paganism. The Urim and Thummim are symbols from the Judeo-Christian history. Coelho presents these stones from Melchizedek (an Old Testament name) to Santiago as wishing stones that can help him to perceive the future. However, historically, these stones were never used as fortune telling tools. In biblical times, these stones were actually used as translators so prophets could translate ancient scripture. That said, Coelho's choice to use the Urim and Thummim in this way for his story is very creative and logical.

A good essay on the use of the Urim and Thummim in The Alchemist would discuss the symbolic nature of how and why Santiago, a lowly shepherd, obtains them from a king. Melchizedek's highest goal is that Santiago discovers his "Personal Legend." Melchizedek offers advice and encouragement to the boy so that Santiago will decide to give up everything that is distracting him from obtaining his full potential in life. Lovingly, Melchizedek answers why he has appeared to Santiago by saying, "Because you are trying to realize your Personal Legend. And you are at the point where you're about to give it all up"(23). With such love and devotion towards a young boy's need to achieve his highest potential, Melchizedek (a god-like archetype) also gives him the Urim and Thummim as a gift to help him along his journey.

The stones are given to Santiago as an emergency guide when situations on his journey might be difficult. Melchizedek directs, "When you are unable to read the omens, they will help you to do so. Always ask an objective question"(30). Santiago is directed to ask only 'yes' or 'no' questions when consulting the stones, though. In this way, as with all religions, it's as if Santiago is directed to pray and ask for help when he finds himself lost or confused during his journey. The Urim and Thummim are really reminders to pray and to realize one's need to ask for help every once in awhile. Throughout the story, though, too, Santiago only consults the stones once because he desires to learn to listen and read the omens that life and the world around him provide on their own. And, he does this quite well by the end of the story when he gets to talk wtih the sand, the moon, and the sun.

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From Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, what is significant about the use of the Urim and Thummim, and how can the stones be used in an essay? | eNotes

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Get an answer for 'From Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, what is significant about the use of the Urim and Thummim, and how can the stones be used in an essay?' and find homework help for other Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist questions at eNotes

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Alchemy was first developed in Ancient Egypt as an early form of chemistry and metallurgy.

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Coehlo's life changed when he met a stranger at a coffee shop in Amsterdam. The man told Coehlo of a pilgrimage he had been on and how he had followed his dreams, inspiring Coehlo to pursue his dream of being a writer.

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On the way to the Pyramids Santiago meets the Englishman who gives him an introduction to alchemy. Which will help Santiago later on in the book.

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Urim and Thummim have also been translated to mean "blessing" and "curse" "and also "light" and "dark".

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Mecca is a city in the country of Saudi Arabia, which is in the Middle East

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Santiago, a native-born Andalusian, is surrounded by the perfect environment to shepherd his sheep in Andalusia. The fertile silt contains a constant flow of greens and multiple bodies of water to supply his sheep with.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Andalusia-region-Spain#ref92368

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Santiago only used Urim and Thummim one time. This is because he desired the ability to understand natural omens on his own. He used Urim and Thummim for moments when he felt lost persuing his personal legend

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For a book with a lot of magical realism in it, Coelho's The Alchemist also has many religious symbols presented from Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Paganism. The Urim and Thummim are symbols from the Judeo-Christian history. Coelho presents these stones from Melchizedek (an Old Testament name) to Santiago as wishing stones that can help him to perceive the future. However, historically, these stones were never used as fortune telling tools. In biblical times, these stones were actually used as translators so prophets could translate ancient scripture. That said, Coelho's choice to use the Urim and Thummim in this way for his story is very creative and logical.

A good essay on the use of the Urim and Thummim in The Alchemist would discuss the symbolic nature of how and why Santiago, a lowly shepherd, obtains them from a king. Melchizedek's highest goal is that Santiago discovers his "Personal Legend." Melchizedek offers advice and encouragement to the boy so that Santiago will decide to give up everything that is distracting him from obtaining his full potential in life. Lovingly, Melchizedek answers why he has appeared to Santiago by saying, "Because you are trying to realize your Personal Legend. And you are at the point where you're about to give it all up"(23). With such love and devotion towards a young boy's need to achieve his highest potential, Melchizedek (a god-like archetype) also gives him the Urim and Thummim as a gift to help him along his journey.

The stones are given to Santiago as an emergency guide when situations on his journey might be difficult. Melchizedek directs, "When you are unable to read the omens, they will help you to do so. Always ask an objective question"(30). Santiago is directed to ask only 'yes' or 'no' questions when consulting the stones, though. In this way, as with all religions, it's as if Santiago is directed to pray and ask for help when he finds himself lost or confused during his journey. The Urim and Thummim are really reminders to pray and to realize one's need to ask for help every once in awhile. Throughout the story, though, too, Santiago only consults the stones once because he desires to learn to listen and read the omens that life and the world around him provide on their own. And, he does this quite well by the end of the story when he gets to talk wtih the sand, the moon, and the sun.

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From Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, what is significant about the use of the Urim and Thummim, and how can the stones be used in an essay? | eNotes

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Get an answer for 'From Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, what is significant about the use of the Urim and Thummim, and how can the stones be used in an essay?' and find homework help for other Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist questions at eNotes

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His first attempt at publishing his novel, The Alchemist, was shut down by his first publisher and sent to a different publisher, later becoming a Golden Bestseller book, globally.

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Alchemy is a form of chemistry, and alchemy is also discovering methods of making metals into gold, and finding the " elixir of life"

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The Great Pyramids face the cardinal directions. The entrances of the pyramids are on the north side and the temples on the east. The Pyramid of Giza is the most aligned with true north of any other building. Although, the building was exactly  at one point, but true north moves over time.

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is one of the earliest cultures that was very complex and influenced eastern Europe as we know it today.

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To this day, Paulo Coelho and his wife, Christina Oiticica, spend half of their year and the other at a country home in France. The cuple remains happily married, both pursuing their passions.

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An example of alchemy actually being used in "The Alchemist" is when  the alchemist uses the monastery's kitchen to turn lead into gold. The alchemist splits the gold into four sections. One for himself, another for the monastery, one for Santiago and the last is for the monk in case Santiago needs it in the future.

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And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets

This helps to understand that Urim and Thummim are used to help a person talk to God.

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https://www.biography.com/people/paulo-coelho-5524

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/paulo-coelho-2540.php

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/566.Paulo_Coelho

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The language spoken in Saudi Arabia is Arabic.

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Andalusia is the start and end of Santiago's journey, and ultimately represents Santiago as a whole. Being the true place of the treasure, Santiago learns that if you look with new eyes you can make observations about the world that others can't. The land offers life and unworldly possessions to Santiago that he never truly appreciates until after his trip.

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Built during a time when Egypt was one of the richest and most powerful civilizations in the world, the pyramids-especially the Great Pyramids of Giza-are some of the most magnificent man-made structures in history. Their massive scale reflects the unique role that the pharaoh, or king, played in ancient Egyptian society. Though pyramids were built from the beginning of the Old Kingdom to the close of the Ptolemaic period in the fourth century A.D., the peak of pyramid building began with the late third dynasty and continued until roughly the sixth (c. 2325 B.C.). More than 4,000 years later, the Egyptian pyramids still retain much of their majesty, providing a glimpse into the country's rich and glorious past.

The Pharaoh in Egyptian Society

During the third and fourth dynasties of the Old Kingdom, Egypt enjoyed tremendous economic prosperity and stability. Kings held a unique position in Egyptian society. Somewhere in between human and divine, they were believed to have been chosen by the gods themselves to serve as their mediators on earth. Because of this, it was in everyone's interest to keep the king's majesty intact even after his death, when he was believed to become Osiris, god of the dead. The new pharaoh, in turn, became Horus, the falcon-god who served as protector of the sun god, Ra.

Did you know? The pyramid's smooth, angled sides symbolized the rays of the sun and were designed to help the king's soul ascend to heaven and join the gods, particularly the sun god Ra.

Ancient Egyptians believed that when the king died, part of his spirit (known as "ka") remained with his body. To properly care for his spirit, the corpse was mummified, and everything the king would need in the afterlife was buried with him, including gold vessels, food, furniture and other offerings. The pyramids became the focus of a cult of the dead king that was supposed to continue well after his death. Their riches would provide not only for him, but also for the relatives, officials and priests who were buried near him.

The Early Pyramids

From the beginning of the Dynastic Era (2950 B.C.), royal tombs were carved into rock and covered with flat-roofed rectangular structures known as "mastabas," which were precursors to the pyramids. The oldest known pyramid in Egypt was built around 2630 B.C. at Saqqara, for the third dynasty's King Djoser. Known as the Step Pyramid, it began as a traditional mastaba but grew into something much more ambitious. As the story goes, the pyramid's architect was Imhotep, a priest and healer who some 1,400 years later would be deified as the patron saint of scribes and physicians. Over the course of Djoser's nearly 20-year reign, pyramid builders assembled six stepped layers of stone (as opposed to mud-brick, like most earlier tombs) that eventually reached a height of 204 feet (62 meters); it was the tallest building of its time. The Step Pyramid was surrounded by a complex of courtyards, temples and shrines where Djoser could enjoy his afterlife.

After Djoser, the stepped pyramid became the norm for royal burials, although none of those planned by his dynastic successors were completed (probably due to their relatively short reigns). The earliest tomb constructed as a "true" (smooth-sided, not stepped) pyramid was the Red Pyramid at Dahshur, one of three burial structures built for the first king of the fourth dynasty, Sneferu (2613-2589 B.C.) It was named for the color of the limestone blocks used to construct the pyramid's core.

The Great Pyramids of Giza

No pyramids are more celebrated than the Great Pyramids of Giza, located on a plateau on the west bank of the Nile River, on the outskirts of modern-day Cairo. The oldest and largest of the three pyramids at Giza, known as the Great Pyramid, is the only surviving structure out of the famed Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was built for Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops, in Greek), Sneferu's successor and the second of the eight kings of the fourth dynasty. Though Khufu reigned for 23 years (2589-2566 B.C.), relatively little is known of his reign beyond the grandeur of his pyramid. The sides of the pyramid's base average 755.75 feet (230 meters), and its original height was 481.4 feet (147 meters), making it the largest pyramid in the world. Three small pyramids built for Khufu's queens are lined up next to the Great Pyramid, and a tomb was found nearby containing the empty sarcophagus of his mother, Queen Hetepheres. Like other pyramids, Khufu's is surrounded by rows of mastabas, where relatives or officials of the king were buried to accompany and support him in the afterlife.

The middle pyramid at Giza was built for Khufu's son Pharaoh Khafre (2558-2532 B.C). The Pyramid of Khafre is the second tallest pyramid at Giza and contains Pharaoh Khafre's tomb. A unique feature built inside Khafre's pyramid complex was the Great Sphinx, a guardian statue carved in limestone with the head of a man and the body of a lion. It was the largest statue in the ancient world, measuring 240 feet long and 66 feet high. In the 18th dynasty (c. 1500 B.C.) the Great Sphinx would come to be worshiped itself, as the image of a local form of the god Horus. The southernmost pyramid at Giza was built for Khafre's son Menkaure (2532-2503 B.C.). It is the shortest of the three pyramids (218 feet) and is a precursor of the smaller pyramids that would be constructed during the fifth and sixth dynasties.

Who Built The Pyramids?

Though some popular versions of history held that the pyramids were built by slaves or foreigners forced into labor, skeletons excavated from the area show that the workers were probably native Egyptian agricultural laborers who worked on the pyramids during the time of year when the Nile River flooded much of the land nearby. Approximately 2.3 million blocks of stone (averaging about 2.5 tons each) had to be cut, transported and assembled to build Khufu's Great Pyramid. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote that it took 20 years to build and required the labor of 100,000 men, but later archaeological evidence suggests that the workforce might actually have been around 20,000.

The End of the Pyramid Era

Pyramids continued to be built throughout the fifth and sixth dynasties, but the general quality and scale of their construction declined over this period, along with the power and wealth of the kings themselves. In the later Old Kingdom pyramids, beginning with that of King Unas (2375-2345 B.C), pyramid builders began to inscribe written accounts of events in the king's reign on the walls of the burial chamber and the rest of the pyramid's interior. Known as pyramid texts, these are the earliest significant religious compositions known from ancient Egypt.

The last of the great pyramid builders was Pepy II (2278-2184 B.C.), the second king of the sixth dynasty, who came to power as a young boy and ruled for 94 years. By the time of his rule, Old Kingdom prosperity was dwindling, and the pharaoh had lost some of his quasi-divine status as the power of non-royal administrative officials grew. Pepy II's pyramid, built at Saqqara and completed some 30 years into his reign, was much shorter (172 feet) than others of the Old Kingdom. With Pepy's death, the kingdom and strong central government virtually collapsed, and Egypt entered a turbulent phase known as the First Intermediate Period. Later kings, of the 12th dynasty, would return to pyramid building during the so-called Middle Kingdom phase, but it was never on the same scale as the Great Pyramids.

The Pyramids Today

Tomb robbers and other vandals in both ancient and modern times removed most of the bodies and funeral goods from Egypt's pyramids and plundered their exteriors as well. Stripped of most of their smooth white limestone coverings, the Great Pyramids no longer reach their original heights; Khufu's, for example, measures only 451 feet high. Nonetheless, millions of people continue to visit the pyramids each year, drawn by their towering grandeur and the enduring allure of Egypt's rich and glorious past.

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Egyptian Pyramids - Facts, Use & Construction

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Built during a time when Egypt was one of the richest and most powerful civilizations in the world, the pyramids-especially the Great Pyramids of Giza-are some of the most magnificent man-made structures in history.