Author: Junior

11 Things You May Not Know About Ancient Egypt. 1. Cleopatra was not Egyptian. Universal History Archive/Getty Images Along with King Tut, perhaps no figure is more famously associated with ancient Egypt than Cleopatra VII. But while she was born in Alexandria, Cleopatra was actually part of a long line of Greek Macedonians originally descended from Ptolemy I, one of Alexander the Great’s most trusted lieutenants. The Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled Egypt from 323 to 30 B.C., and most of its leaders remained largely Greek in their culture and sensibilities. In fact, Cleopatra was famous for being one of the first…

Egypt is the most popular tourist destination in Africa, and for excellent reason, it offers qualities that are difficult to find anywhere else in the world. It has impressive monuments, great food, rich history, and some of the most beautiful ruins. The country is also historically rich and has managed to keep the influences from outsiders at bay. The ancient Egyptians were prodigious builders, creating many colossal monuments whose forms have profoundly impacted their architectural style throughout history. 1. The revolution of Akhenaten  Akhenaten is one of the most intriguing and mysterious figures in ancient Egyptian history. He was very…

An ancient Egyptian painting is so detailed, researchers can determine which species of birds were featured in it. The birds painted in the facsimile are rock pigeons, which can still be found year-round in Egypt. (Image credit: Public Domain; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Antiquity Publications Ltd.) An ancient Egyptian “masterpiece” painting of birds flying and perching within a verdant marsh is so detailed, modern researchers can tell exactly which species artisans illustrated more than 3,300 years ago. The painting was discovered about a century ago on the walls of the palace at Amarna, an ancient Egyptian capital located about 186…