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Want to make sure a body gets reunited with its spirit in the afterlife? Then join us here at National Geographic Kids as we head to Ancient Egypt to see how they made their mummies...!

1. First wash the dead body in wine and Nile water. Make a cut in the side and take out the organs. To get to the brain, shove a hook up the nose and jiggle it about. Then pull out this useless organ* and chuck it away.

2. Clean the liver, lungs, intestines and stomach, then pop them in four special canopic jars whose lids look like the gods that guard them. The heart will need to be put back in the body, though, as it's the centre of intelligence*.

3. Use a special Egyptian salt called natron to fill up the cavities and cover up the body. This will get rid of all the moisture. Leave it for about 40 days to dry out completely.

4. Next, scoop out the natron and stuff the body with spices, rags and plants so it doesn"t lose its shape.

5. Wrap up the body in fine linen bandages. Don't forget to tuck in some lucky amulets, and then utter spells to activate their magical protective powers. When the wrapping is all done, put the mummy in a coffin. Then put that coffin in a coffin, and that coffin in another one and so on. Then place the whole lot in a tomb.

Cool but creepy, eh?! Check out this cool clip for more about the Ancient Egyptians and how they made their mummies...

* They had some funny ideas, those Ancient Egyptians!

Illustrations: Marek Jagucki

Be sure to read our other fab features about Ancient Egypt, too...

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How to Make a Mummy! - National Geographic Kids

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Join us here at National Geographic Kids to find out how the Ancient Egyptians made their mummies!

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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Egyptian Mummies

To understand Egyptian mummies you have to first know about their religious beliefs.

Ancient Egyptians believed in many gods and that when a person died they passed into an 'afterlife'.

The thought was that the individual would have a life that was very close to the one that they lived with everyone else.

In order to have that kind of life, their body needed to be preserved and they needed to be buried with all of the possessions that they would take with them on their journey into the afterlife.

Ancient Egypt had a successful society that lasted over 3,000 years.

The priests of ancient Egypt developed ways to preserve or 'mummify' a body so that it would last.

They mummified people, as well as animals and archaeologists, have found entire burial chambers just devoted to the burial of mummified cats.

While other animals were found, cats were the favorite and most loved pet of the ancient Egyptians.

The process

The process involved to create a mummy properly can take up to 70 days.

It is not only a physical procedure but the ancient Egyptians also involved their religious beliefs in the right way to create a mummy.

There were various steps to mummification:

1. The body must be purified and washed.

2. All internal organs were removed, however, they left the heart in place.

3. They filled in the body with a kind of stuffing so that it would look normal.

4. They had to 'dry' the body out, so they placed it in a naturally found substance called 'natron'. This was

5. almost like salt and it drew out all of the moisture in the body.

6. In about 40-50 days, they removed the body from the natron and then replaced the original stuffing with new

7. stuffing made out of sawdust or linen.

8. The body was then carefully wrapped in layers of linen that covered every area of the body. Some special

9. oils were placed on the body to help in the preservation. A final covering was placed on it called a 'shroud'

10. The finished mummy was placed in a stone or wooden container called a 'sarcophagus'

The Body

The organs of the body that had been taken out were also mummified and placed in special containers that would be placed in the burial tomb with the body.

Both the sarcophagus and the jars containing the body parts were sealed with black resin.

They left the heart in the body as they thought this was required for part of the test needed to enter the afterlife.

They believed the heart was the center of all intelligence and emotion, but they removed the brain, thinking it wasn't important.

The Pharaohs

Pharaohs had the most expensive mummification of all people.

Since the pharaoh was considered a god they included many gems and amulets in between the layers of linen wrapping.

They would also use a special sarcophagus for the pharaoh that was carved and painted in his likeness.

Some were decorated with gold. Others had solid gold decorative masks placed on the head and face that looked like the pharaoh.

The pharaoh mummies were placed in special burial places along with many of the expensive items that they would take with them in the afterlife.

The Rich

Wealthy people would also have similar high-quality mummies.

Since it cost a lot of money to create a mummy, they were the only ones that could afford it.

Unlike the pharaoh, the burial tombs of the wealthy were usually in group burial grounds.

There were special religious burial rites that had to be performed by the temple priests at each step of the mummification.

This was done to help make sure that the person who had passed away would enter the afterlife properly.

There were special oils that were used that were purified by the priests but were also developed over the years to help preserve the body.

Mummies have been discovered that are over 3,000 years old and when they are uncovered some still have hair and skin.

Facts about Egyptian Mummies

Ancient Egyptians believed that mummification was necessary to gain access to the afterlife

Mummification was really expensive

Animals such as bulls, crocodiles, cats, and falcons, were also mummified.

The Ancient Egyptians kept some of the body parts lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines in canopic jars.

It took about 70 days to complete the embalming of a body

The body was wrapped in linen and was then covered in a sheet called a shroud.

The mummy was placed in a stone coffin called a sarcophagus

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To understand Egyptian mummies you have to first know about their religious beliefs. Ancient Egyptians believed in many gods and that when a person died they passed into an 'afterlife'. The thought was that the individual would have a life that was very close to the one that they lived with everyone else.

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Ancient Egyptian History for Kids: Mummies

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Kids learn about Ancient Egyptian Mummies. The afterlife of this world civilization.

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@Let's Go See - The Great Pyramids 🇪🇬 | Exploration for Kids

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The INCREDIBLE Ancient Engineering That Built the Pyramids

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Ancient Egyptian History for Kids: Pyramids

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Kids learn about Ancient Egyptian Pyramids. The great structures of this world civilization.

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September 10, 2020

Welcome to Egypt. The Pyramids of Giza have stood here for thousands of years. Each pyramid was built for a different pharaoh. Pharaohs were the rulers of ancient Egypt. The largest pyramid shown here is 455 feet tall. It is called the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is made of more than 2 million stones.

A pyramid is a structure with four triangular sides. Long ago, Egyptians built giant pyramids as monuments to the pharaohs. The pyramids were also tombs for the pharaohs. They were designed to protect a pharaoh and his belongings after death.

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Welcome to Egypt. The Pyramids of Giza have stood here for thousands of years. Each pyramid was built for a different pharaoh. Pharaohs were the rulers of ancient Egypt. The largest pyramid shown here is 455 feet tall. It is…

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In ancient Egypt, pyramids were built during the time of the Old Kingdom. Pyramids were tombs, royal tombs, where the ancient Egyptians buried their kings. The first pyramid was the Step Pyramid. It was built about 5,000 years ago! You could see it for miles!

Beautifully Decorated: Most pyramids were huge. They had rooms inside like store rooms, bedrooms, and even inside courtyards. Pyramids took many years to build. The inside walls of the pyramids were beautifully decorated.

False Doors: As well as messages and prayers and stories painted on the inside walls in hieroglyphics, the walls were also painted with fake doors. These were not painted to trick anyone into walking into a solid wall. Painted false doors were considered the connectors between the living and the dead.

Pyramid Cities: Cities grew up around the base of a pyramid that was under construction. These cities were called pyramid cities. Pharaoh provided food, shelter, and clothing for the workers and their families. This is how the workers were paid.

After the pyramid was built, the pyramid city continued to flourish. The workers might be gone, but in their place were guards. A pyramid had to be guarded. Pharaohs, like all ancient Egyptians, were buried with grave goods so they could enjoy their afterlife. A pharaoh's grave goods were made of gold and encrusted with jewels. Since pyramids were huge, there was no hiding them. Everybody knew that a pyramid held great wealth. This tempted many robbers. So the expense of a pyramid was not only in construction costs, it continued after the pyramid was built.

Tomb Robbing: To discourage theft, the punishment for robbing a tomb was severe. Traps and secret passages were built inside a pyramid to catch robbers. The pyramid was guarded. Just the same, robbers could not seem to resist the lure of the great wealth inside. Many tombs were successfully robbed.

After the time of the Old Kingdom, pyramids fell out of style. They cost a lot of time and money, and made it far too easy for robbers to know exactly where great wealth was buried.
Digital Giza
How were the pyramids built? (cartoon for kids)

Build a pyramid game - interactive (not flash)
The Great Pyramid (Wonder of the Ancient World, ppt, loads online, give it a few seconds) Pyramids (British Museum, story)
Explore and Play with Pyramids - interactive (not flash)
How they built the pyramids (Tour Egypt)

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Ancient Egypt for Kids - Pyramids - Ancient Egypt for Kids

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In ancient Egypt, pyramids were built during the time of the Old Kingdom . Pyramids were tombs, royal tombs, where the ancient Egyptians buried their kings. The first pyramid was the Step Pyramid. It was built about 5,000 years ago! You could see it for miles! Beautifully Decorated: Most pyramids were huge.

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Ancient Egyptian History for Kids: Pharaohs

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Kids learn about Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs. The rulers and kings of this world civilization.

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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Egyptian Pharaohs

Ancient Egypt was a thriving civilization, lasting over 3,000 years.

The pharaoh that was the leader was thought to be both a man and a god.

There were about 170+ pharaohs that were the leaders of Egypt, and it covered over thirty dynasties.

There were many cases where the title had to be given to the closest male relative.

Only males were supposed to have the title of pharaoh, but if the pharaoh was a young child, the wife of the former pharaoh would step in as a 'regent' and make the decisions for him.

In one case, a woman took the title of regent and then assigned herself the title of pharaoh.

Hatshepsut was the first known female pharaoh in the history of Egypt.

Later in time, Cleopatra gave herself the same title.

Egyptologists

Egyptologists (the people that study ancient Egypt) haven't agreed as to who the first pharaoh was.

Some think it may have been a man named Aha, while others believe that it was someone named Menes.

Each time a new pharaoh family takes the throne it is referred to as a 'dynasty' and there is not much information available on the first and second dynasties.

Archeologists have found a record called the Palermo stone which is a tablet containing some of the names of the pharaohs but it isn't complete.

Because the pharaoh was considered to be a god, his duties included making sure the people were safe and the country made a profit.

Many pharaohs did this by making war and conquering nearby cultures so that they could take their wealth and make sure they couldn't attack them.

Other pharaohs took a more peaceful choice and established good relations as well as trade with other countries.

Egyptian Pharaoh Family

People in the time of ancient Egypt thought that they needed to strengthen the bloodline of the pharaoh and they did this by marrying many of their own family members.

They didn't know the biology that we know today and that what they were actually doing was causing the line to weaken.

Many of the pharaohs had children that died at birth or had severe medical problems.

When a pharaoh took the throne it was a tradition that they begin working on their burial tomb.

This is because it took so many years to build and create very large structures.

The pharaoh usually selected the location of the tomb.

Traveling up the Nile River, they would choose a place on the west side of the Nile.

Many of the tombs of the pharaohs have been discovered in an area known as the 'Valley of the Kings', but due to grave robbing, it is believed that there are more hidden tombs that are yet to be found.

How many pharaohs were there in Egypt?

About 170 pharaohs in total before the Roman period in 30 BC.

The first pharaoh was Menes and Caesarion the son of Cleopatra are believed to be the last before being killed by Octavian in 30 BC.

Pharaoh the King of Egypt

In the class system of the ancient Egyptians, the pharaoh was at the top.

Most pharaohs had one main wife that was the queen but might have other wives as well.

The oldest male child would be the heir to the throne.

This rule cause a lot of problems as it encouraged people to murder the heir so that the next boy in line could become the pharaoh.

A pharaoh was believed to be able to speak to the gods, therefore, anything that the pharaoh requested was obeyed.

There were groups of advisers that helped the pharaoh in making decisions.

The pharaoh also had the temple priests to advise him.

11 Famous Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs

Djoser (reign 2667 BC - 2648 BC)
Khufu (reign 2589 ‒ 2566 BC)
Hatshepsut (reign 1473-1458 BC)
Thutmose III (reign 1479-1425 BC)
Amenhotep III (reign 1390-1352 BC)
Akhenaten (reign 1352-1336 BC)
Tutankhamun (reign 1336-1327 BC)
Ramses II (reign 1279-1213 BC)
Cleopatra VII (51-30 BC)

Djoser (reign 2667 BC - 2648 BC)

The second ruler of the 3rd Dynasty was buried in the Step Pyramid at SAQQARA.

Despite being famous and well-known for this tomb there are very few known facts concerning him or even the events of his regime.

The step design and structure of the pyramid in which Djoser was buried was actually the first structure to be seen of this now-famous iconic design.

Khufu (reign 2589 ‒ 2566 BC)

Khufu (Cheops) was the second ruler of the 4th Dynasty

He was the builder of the Great Pyramid at GIZA which is one of the seven wonders of the world.

His own burial chamber was found to contain only an empty sarcophagus.

It is reputed that he was a cruel and dictatorial ruler, although these rumors cannot be substantiated by contemporary evidence perhaps it is related simply to the imposing scale of his pyramid.

Hatshepsut (reign 1473-1458 BC)

Hatshepsut was the daughter of Thutmose I, she was married to her half-brother Thutmose II.

They had a son Thutmose III who was too young to become King when his father (Thutmose II) died.

So, Hatshepsut was appointed regent, and she took the further step of having herself crowned King allowing her to continue to enjoy time with the young Thutmose, thus effectively blocking him from full power.

When Thutmose III was old enough, he eventually became king, there is no evidence to suggest if Hatshepsut simply died or was forcibly removed from power.

Thutmose III (reign 1479-1425 BC)

Son of Thutmose II and Hatshepsut

He finally became king in 1458BC after the death of his mother Hatshepsut who had ruled for a long time.

Late into his reign as Pharaoh he began systematically removing his mother's name from any monuments and replacing her name with his own.

He had a lot of military training which stood for him when he went into battle.

He also built many temples. His tomb is in the Valley of the Kings and is decorated with scenes from Amduat.

Amenhotep III (reign 1390-1352 BC)

Amenhotep III seems to have taken very little interest in any type of military affairs and is more peaceful in nature.

He is more known for his accomplishments in artistic and architectural achievements.

He was responsible for the construction of the colonnade at the Luxor Temple.

Akhenaten (reign 1352-1336 BC)

Akhenaten was the son of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy he was originally called Amenhotep IV but in the fifth year of his reign, he changed this.

In the early years of his reign, he established a new temple at KARNAK and instead of dedicating this to the God AMUN he change this to the God ATEN "The Sun God" also in the early years of his reign, he constructed a new capital city called Akhetaten.

He was very dedicated to the promotion and worship of ATEN leaving out some of the older well-known Egyptian gods.

His reign as Pharaoh lasted 18 years and not much is known about what happened afterward.

The royal tomb that he started to build was never actually completed and there is little evidence showing or suggesting where his body or his family's bodies were laid to rest.

Tutankhamun (reign 1336-1327 BC)

King Tut (as he was better known) was the ruler in the 18th dynasty he wasn't really that popular amongst the many pharaohs until his tomb was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter.

He was only 8 or 9 years old when he became pharaoh.

He only rained for about 10 years and died at the young age of 20. Mystery still surrounds his death and Egyptologists are unaware as to how he died.

His tomb was found in excellent condition although it had been robbed and resealed in ancient times.

Inside they found the best preservation of any royal tomb including the contents.

His tomb was architecturally different from other pharaohs' tombs in that it only had four very small rooms rather than a long corridor.

Cleopatra VII (51-30 BC)

Cleopatra VII was very intelligent and politically astute and one of the few Queens who learned the Egyptian language.

In 47 BC she had a son (Caesarion) she claimed that Caesar (Roman dictator and military general) was the father.

When she was in Rome Caesar was assassinated and when she returned back to Egypt a similar fate happened to her brother who she replaced with Caesarion.

She married Mark Antony and had twins (34 BC), later in 32 BC Mark Antony's Roman wife brother (Octavian) led a campaign against him and Cleopatra in the Naval battle of Actium.

Cleopatra's troops withdrew and fled unexpectedly and Octavian pursue them into Egypt but Anthony committed suicide and Cleopatra followed shortly after.

Octavian also killed Cleopatra's son Caesarion and made himself Pharaoh.

Who was second in command to the Pharaoh?

The vizier was the highest official in ancient Egypt to serve the pharaoh.

Who is the most famous pharaoh of Egypt?

The most famous pharaoh today is Tutankhamen, who is also called King Tut.

His tomb was one of the few that was discovered that had not been robbed of all of its treasure.

King Tut took the throne as a boy and then mysteriously died at the age of 20.

His death was so sudden and unexpected that some of the burial tomb items are believed to have actually belonged to other kings, that they reused and applied his name to them.

Fun Facts about Pharaohs

Pharaoh comes from the Greek word (per-aa) which translates to Great House

Pepy II was only 6 years old when he became the Pharaoh

Mene (sometimes called Narmer) is believed to have been the first Pharaoh

Mene was the founder of the Egyptian state and responsible for the unification of the two lands (Upper and Lower Egypt).

Thutmose III was a great military leader

The Pharaohs built tombs mainly in the valley of the king

Pharaohs often had several wives

Tutankhamun was 8 when he became Pharaoh

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Ancient Egypt was a thriving civilization, lasting over 3,000 years. The pharaoh that was the leader was thought to be both a man and a god. There were about 170+ pharaohs that were the leaders of Egypt, and it covered over thirty dynasties.

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The term pharaoh comes from a word that meant " great house" in terms of a kingdom or the palace of the king. The pharaoh's wife was considered the queen of Egypt and her title was the "Great Royal Wife." Some women became pharaohs themselves, but the majority of pharaohs were men.

The title was passed down through families, with the oldest son of the pharaoh at a given time eventually becoming pharaoh himself.

© Xuan Che - Pharaoh's Bust

Historians who study ancient Egypt divide its history through the different pharaoh dynasties. When one family stayed in power for a long time, that was considered a dynasty. There were about 31 dynasties in the 3,000 years of ancient Egypt's existence and about 170 rulers during that time period.

Symbols of the King

The pharaohs wore a variety of different items that symbolized their rule.

The White Crown was worn by the pharaoh when he presided over issues concerning Upper Egypt.

He used the Red Crown when dealing with Lower Egypt.

The Double Crown symbolized his rule over both and consisted of the White Crown within the Red Crown.

The Blue Crown is the famous blue and gold one often seen in art about ancient Egypt. This was a ceremonial or battle crown.

The Atef Crown was worn in religious ceremonies.

The Nemes Headdress was often worn as a death mask.

Other symbolic items were the Crook, the Flail, the Cartouche and the Serekh.

© Jan - 17th Dynasty Diadem

The Pharaoh's Life

The pharaoh began as the crown prince, which was usually the current pharaoh's oldest son. The crown prince spent much of his early life training to be the leader of the country, testing his endurance in long foot races and spending time in the royal stables learning to ride and train horses. They also learned to hunt and fish.

When the current pharaoh died, the crown prince attended the burial and then prepared to be crowned on the first day of the new season.

The new pharaoh was then the living incarnation of Horus and son of the god Ra.

The Pharaoh's Death

© Mary Harrsch - King Tut's Sarcophagus

The ancient Egyptians believed that preservation of the body would allow the soul to survive in the afterlife. They also believed that whatever was buried with the person would be of use to him in the afterlife. Thus the pharaohs were mummified and buried with a variety of objects to help them survive in the afterlife.

Burials were elaborate and the tombs eventually followed suit.

The first tombs were the bench-like mastaba tombs, but then a pyramid was built with several mastabas atop each other. This is now known as the Step Pyramid of Djoser. The pyramids that followed became the most famous pyramids people recognize today.

© Bruno Girin - The pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure

Famous Pharaohs

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The term pharaoh comes from a word that meant " great house" in terms of a kingdom or the palace of the king. The pharaoh's wife was considered the queen of Egypt and her title was the "Great Royal Wife." Some women became pharaohs themselves, but the majority of pharaohs were men.

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Hieroglyphics For Kids 🐍 Under 10 Minutes!

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Facts about hieroglyphics | National Geographic Kids

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Join us here at Nat Geo Kids to discover fascinating facts about hieroglyphics. Discover the Egyptian symbols, what they mean and even spell your own name!

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Hieroglyphics is a writing system that uses pictures and symbols instead of letters and words. It is most often associated with the ancient Egyptians. However, other groups, including the Maya, used similar writing systems.

Each symbol in hieroglyphic writing is called a hieroglyph. The word hieroglyph means "holy carving." The Egyptians used hieroglyphs on their temple walls and public monuments. They carved them in stone but also painted them on wood and other smooth surfaces.

Hieroglyphs were used in several ways. Some represented the objects that they depict. For example, the word sun would be represented by a large circle with a smaller circle in its center. Other hieroglyphs represented ideas that were associated with the picture. The sign for "sun" might serve as the sign for "day." Hieroglyphs could also stand for particular sounds or groups of sounds.

Hieroglyphics developed thousands of years ago. By 2900 bce, the Egyptians were using hieroglyphic writing. It remained in use for more than 3,000 years. During the 100s and 200s ce, many Egyptians became Christians. Egyptian Christians used the Greek alphabet. Slowly, people stopped using hieroglyphics. Eventually, no one could read hieroglyphic writing anymore.

In 1822 a French scholar rediscovered the meaning of hieroglyphics. He did it by studying the Rosetta Stone. Soldiers had found the stone in 1799. The message on it was written in both hieroglyphics and Greek. The scholar could read Greek, so he could figure out what the hieroglyphs on the stone meant.

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Hieroglyphics is a writing system that uses pictures and symbols instead of letters and words. It is most often associated with the ancient Egyptians. However, other groups,...

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What do we call the writing of the ancient Egyptians? Answer: Hieroglyphics.

Over 5000 years ago, in ancient Egypt, scribes wrote things down. That was a scribe's job, to write things down. Scribes used a system of pictures to do so. These pictures were called hieroglyphics. It was beautiful art. Each symbol had a meaning. But it took time to write things down using hieroglyphics. The scribes needed a faster way to write, because the ancient Egyptians loved to write things down. They especially loved lists, endless lists of just about everything. The scribes created a new written language called Demotic script, which was much faster to use.

Many years later, when archaeologists discovered hieroglyphic writing on the walls of tombs, they could not read it. They knew the pictures had meaning. But the best they could do was to guess what those pictures meant.

One day, about 200 years ago, someone found a stone in ancient Egypt, a very old stone. There was some writing on the stone. It was a very short story. The same story was written in Greek, in Demotic script, and again in hieroglyphics. Scientists could read Greek. They could even read Demotic script. Thanks to the brilliant translation done by Jean-Francois Champollion, they could now read hieroglyphics! Champollion was so good at ancient languages that he was on the staff of Grenoble University when he was only nineteen years old! His job was made a easier because the ancient Egyptians surrounded royal names with an oval call a cartouche. Archaeologists had discovered two ancient Egyptian royal names written in Greek - Ptolemy and Cleopatra. Champollion's job was to find those two names in the hieroglyphics. He did!

This stone was named the Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone is currently on display at the British Museum in London, England.
What were Egyptian hieroglyphics?
The hieroglypic typewritter - interactive

Write your name in Egyptian hieroglypics - interactive

Game interactive: Write like a scribe

Game interactive: Crack the hieroglyphic code
Writing (story) Egypt: Rosetta Stone
Jean-Francois Champollion - the father of Egyptology

Free Powerpoints about the Rosetta Stone

Free Powerpoints about Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics

See also: What is a cartouche?

Interactive Quiz about Ancient Egypt (with answers)

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Ancient Egypt for Kids - Hieroglyphics & the Rosetta Stone - Ancient Egypt for Kids

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What do we call the writing of the ancient Egyptians? Answer: Hieroglyphics. Over 5000 years ago, in ancient Egypt, scribes wrote things down. That was a scribe's job, to write things down. Scribes used a system of pictures to do so. These pictures were called hieroglyphics. It was beautiful art.

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Ancient Egypt: Hieroglyphs and writing systems | National Museums Liverpool

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Ancient Egypt for Kids - Maps & Timelines - Ancient Egypt for Kids

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Where did the ancient Egyptians make their home? In Africa! The ancient Egyptians settled at the mouth of the Nile River, where the Nile runs into the Mediterranean Sea. It was a wonderful place to live. But the ancient Egyptians were not alone. The Nile River is the longest river in the world. Further upstream, other civilizations sprang up along the Nile River. But Egypt was the crown. Egypt had the best land, easy access to the sea for trade with other civilizations around the Mediterranean, and food galore from fish and water fowl and berries and vegetables growing wild. They also planted food. Each year, when the Nile flooded, it left behind a layer of new, rich soil. The Nile River runs through a huge desert. Once you adventure away from the shores along the Nile, this section of Africa is a dangerous place indeed. Let’s take a look:

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The first people to live on the banks of the Nile were hunters and fishermen, who settled there over 8,000 years ago. They learned to grow crops and raise animals, and they began to build villages and towns. They traded with their neighbors and learned to sail boats. By 3000 B.C., a civilization was established.

Around 3100 B.C., the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were unified under a powerful king, later called a pharaoh. These kings built huge pyramids, temples, and other monuments. They also conquered other lands.

By 1000 B.C., Egypt had split into smaller parts and the kingdom was in decline. Strong neighbors attacked and took over Egyptian territory. In 31 B.C., Egypt fell under Roman control. In A.D. 640, Muslim warriors took over Egypt and founded the modern capital, Cairo. They ruled for several centuries. In the 16th century, Egypt became part of the Ottoman Turkish Empire.

European powers played an increasing role in Egypt starting in the late 18th century. In 1882, the British invaded and occupied Egypt. The British wanted control of the Suez Canal, which linked the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea and greatly shortened the sailing trip from Asia to Europe. Egypt gained full independence from Great Britain in 1952 and took control of the Suez Canal in 1956.

Egypt and other neighboring Arab countries fought a series of wars with the Jewish state of Israel into the 1970s. In 1979 Egypt and Israel signed a peace agreement.

In 2011, a popular uprising toppled Egypt's long-time president, Hosni Mubarek. The country has held several democratic elections since 2011, but the role of the military in government remains strong.

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Egypt Country Profile - National Geographic Kids

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Without the Nile River, all of Egypt would be desert.

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Egypt Facts for Kids | Egypt for Kids | Geography | Africa | Landmarks

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Our Egypt Facts for Kids will provide info about the North African country, geography, landmarks, people, animals, economy, food and much more

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Join us, ancient explorers, as we head back 5,000 years through history to discover fascinating facts about Ancient Egypt, from its ancient beginnings to Egypt today...
Discover facts about Ancient Egypt below or skip to our facts about modern-day Egypt.

Facts about Ancient Egypt

1) Most Ancient Egyptian pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs (rulers of Ancient Egypt) and their families. To date, over 130 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt.

2) The afterlife was incredibly important to the Egyptians. They believed that by preserving a dead person's body - which they did through the process of mummification - their soul would live on in the afterlife forever.

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3) The Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid. This incredible structure weighs as much as 16 Empire State buildings!

4) Both Egyptian men and women wore make-up. The eye paint was usually green (made from copper) or black (made from lead). As well as offering protection from the sun, the Egyptians believed make-up had magical healing powers, too!

5) Unwrapped, the bandages of an Ancient Egyptian mummy could stretch for 1.6km. Yikes!

6) The Egyptian alphabet contained more than 700 hieroglyphs! Uncover the meaning behind these ancient symbols by checking out our awesome hieroglyphics feature.

7) Ancient Egyptians believed in more than 2,000 deities! They had gods for everything, from dangers to chores! Each had different responsibilities and needed to be worshipped so that life could be kept in balance.

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Ancient Egypt primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

8) Cats were considered sacred animals by the Ancient Egyptians. It's thought that most families kept a cat as a pet, which they believed would bring the household good luck!

9) Love playing board games with your pals? Well, gang, so did the Ancient Egyptians! One popular game was , which was played for over 2,000 years! The game involved throwing sticks (in the same way we throw dice) to see how many squares to move your piece forward on the board.

10) The Ancient Egyptians invented lots of things we still use today, such as paper, pens, locks and keys and - believe it or not - toothpaste!

If you enjoyed these facts about Ancient Egypt, make sure you check out our other Ancient Egypt pages! Discover the Nile River, figure out hieroglyphics and learn about Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses.

Country fact file: Egypt today

Incredible ancient monuments, scorching deserts and bustling cities - this ancient country is now a sprawling, modern landscape! Read on to learn about the Egypt of today...

Egyptian flag

OFFICIAL NAME: Arab Republic of Egypt
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Republic
CAPITAL: Cairo
POPULATION: 87, 562, 261
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Arabic
MONEY: Egyptian pound, guinay
AREA: 1,001,449 square kilometres
MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: Eastern Highlands
MAJOR RIVER: Nile
FLAG:

Map of Egypt

Egypt: geography and landscape

Without the Nile River, all of Egypt would be desert. Only about an 2.5cm of rain falls throughout Egypt each year. But each summer, the Nile river rises because of rains at its source, far to the south in Ethiopia. When this happens, floods cover the river's valleys, leaving sediments needed for trees, plants and crops to grow.

Egypt is often divided into two sections - Upper Egypt in the south and Lower Egypt in the north. The sections are named this way because the Nile flows from south to north. The river empties into the Mediterranean Sea, on the country's north coast.

Southern Egypt's landscape contains low mountains and desert. Northern Egypt has wide valleys near the Nile, and desert to the east and west. North of Cairo (Egypt's capital city) is the sprawling, triangular Nile River Delta. This fertile land is completely covered with farms.

Egypt's incredible nature

Egypt is home to a wide variety of animals and plants, including cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and cobras. The best places to see Egypt's wildlife are in its 21 protected regions, which include oases, deserts, mountains, coastal areas, river islands and wetlands.

Egyptians have always been close to the natural world. The ancient Egyptians left paintings and carvings (which can still be seen today!) of large animals like elephants, hippos, leopards and cheetahs. These animals were once common in Egypt, but they are now rare or extinct because of hunting and habitat loss.

The history of Egypt

The first people to live on the banks of the Nile were hunters and fishermen, who settled there over 8,000 years ago. They learned to grow crops and raise animals, and they began to build villages and towns. They traded with their neighbours and learned to sail boats. By 3000 B.C., a civilisation was established.

Around 3100 B.C., the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were unified under a powerful king, later called a pharaoh. These kings built huge pyramids, temples and other impressive monuments. They also conquered other lands.

By 1000 B.C., Egypt had split into smaller parts and the kingdom was in decline. Strong neighbours attacked and took over Egyptian territory - in 31 B.C., Egypt fell under Roman control and centuries later, in A.D. 640, Muslim warriors took over Egypt. These Arab forces ruled Egypt for several centuries and founded the modern capital, Cairo.

In 1882, the British invaded and occupied Egypt. The British wanted control of the Suez Canal, which linked the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea and greatly shortened the sailing trip from Asia to Europe. The British stayed until Egypt declared independence in 1952.

Egyptian people and culture

About 90 percent of Egyptians are Muslim, which means they are followers of the Islam religion. About ten percent of Egyptians are Copts, one of the oldest branches of the Christian religion.

Egypt's population is growing rapidly. This puts strain on Egypt's resources, since most people live in a narrow strip of land along the Nile River. Having so many people in such a small area causes overcrowding everywhere, from schools and hospitals to apartment buildings and public transport.

Children are highly valued in Egypt, especially in rural areas where they help on family farms. Children are also expected to look after their parents in their old age.

Egyptian government and economy

Egypt's geography, population, history and military strength have made it highly influential in the region. Egypt is a democratic republic, although some critics claim that it is not truly democratic. Until 2005, there was never more than one presidential candidate to vote for.

Egypt's most valuable resources are oil and gas, which are exported to other countries. Other exports include metals, textiles, livestock and chemical products. Tourism is also an important part of Egypt's economy, with visitors flocking to see the famous ancient monuments and to enjoy the country's beautiful beaches.

Want to learn more about awesome ancient cultures? Then check out our Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece features. Plus, discover more amazing facts from around the world in National Geographic Kids magazine!

Image credits: Egypt map: National Geographic Maps. Mosque in Egypt: Rraheb, Dreamstime. Man pouring juice, Cairo, Egypt: Jackmalipan, Dreamstime. Outdoor cafe in Cairo, Egypt: Jackmalipan, Dreamstime. Sphinx and pyramid at Giza, Egypt: Javarman, Dreamstime. All other photographs and illustrations: Getty Images UK

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