The Rosetta Stone, discovered in 1799, features the same decree written in three different scripts: hieroglyphs, Demotic, and Ancient Greek. Because scholars could read Greek, they used it as a key to unlock the long-lost meaning of the hieroglyphs. It is now housed in the British Museum in London.

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Ancient Egyptians believed the heart was the center of human intelligence and emotion, and it was needed for the final judgment in the afterlife. Other organs, like the lungs and liver, were placed in canopic jars, while the brain was considered useless and was pulled out through the nose and discarded.

Photo: Hunefer, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

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Howard Carter spent years searching the Valley of the Kings before discovering the steps leading to Tutankhamun's tomb in November 1922. The find sparked a global obsession with Egyptology. Amazingly, the tomb had remained largely undisturbed for over 3,000 years, preserving an incredible treasure trove of gold and artifacts.

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Although she ruled Egypt, Cleopatra was actually of Macedonian Greek descent, tracing her lineage back to Ptolemy I, one of Alexander the Great's generals. She was highly unusual in her dynasty because she actually took the time to learn the Egyptian language, whereas most of her ancestors spoke only Greek.

Photo: Louis le Grand, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

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For a long time, popular culture claimed that slaves built the pyramids. However, excavations of the builders' town and tombs near the pyramids show that the workers were actually conscripted Egyptian citizens who were well-fed, respected, and paid. They even received proper burials nearby if they died on duty.

Photo: Douwe C. van der Zee, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Hatshepsut was one of Egypt's most successful rulers, reigning for over two decades. To assert her authority in a male-dominated role, she was depicted in statues wearing the traditional royal kilt and false beard. She established major trade routes and built the spectacular Djeser-Djeseru temple.

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Most scholars agree that the Great Sphinx was built during the reign of Pharaoh Khafre, who also built the second-largest pyramid at Giza. The monument's face is thought to represent him, guarding his pyramid complex. Interestingly, the Sphinx was carved directly out of a single massive block of natural limestone bedrock.

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Thebes, located in southern Egypt, was the religious and political heart of the New Kingdom. Today, the modern city of Luxor stands on its ruins. While Memphis was the capital during the Old Kingdom, Thebes rose to prominence later, boasting massive temple complexes like Karnak and Luxor.

Photo: Marc Ryckaert, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Senet is one of the oldest known board games in the world, dating back to around 3100 BC. It was a game of strategy and luck representing the journey of the soul into the afterlife. Boards made of wood, faience, and ivory have been found in royal tombs, including that of King Tutankhamun.

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The Egyptians created a highly accurate solar calendar with 365 days, consisting of 12 months of 30 days each, plus an extra 5 festival days at the end of the year. This calendar was designed to align with the annual flooding of the Nile River, which was crucial for their agriculture.

Photo: Ad Meskens, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

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