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About Egypt
Language Spoken: Egyptian (ancient), Arabic (modern)
Religion: Egyptian polytheism (ancient), Islam (modern)
Currency: Grain (ancient), Egyptian Pound (modern)
Capital: Cairo
Area: 622,301 mi2 (1,001,450 km2) (CIA)
Government: Theocracy/monarchy (ancient), Republic (modern)
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal (CIA) |  Red, White, and Black with gold eagle emblem | |
History in Brief: The Egyptian culture began to flourish in approximately 3000 BC. The Nile river was a perfect spot for civilization to take root—the fertile soil was the perfect catalyst for one of the richest of ancient cultures. For three thousand years, the culture on the river evolved and flourished. Egyptians managed architectural feats which were unmatched in that age. The pyramids, Sphinx, and other such large monuments of Egyptian culture are still in existence today, creating a great tourist incentive. Around 500 BC, Egypt fell for some unknown reason. From then to 700 BC, the Egyptians were in the midst of a great struggle, ruled by many different groups of people. Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans all conquered and claimed Egypt. Finally, in 700 BC, Arabic people began to emigrate to Egypt, and from then until 1500, the Egyptians enjoyed peace. Britain took control of Egypt in 1822 and "owned" Egypt for a century until the end of the second World War, when a weakened Britain could not hold its assets without exhausting its resources. Today, Egypt is still an important cultural center. Modern Egypt retains the river which made its predecessor so powerful—the Nile River—and also the more modern Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean. (CIA World Factbook) (History for Kids)
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Egyptian Clothing
The Ancient Egyptian Empire was a very fascinating era in history. It began in approximately 3000 B.C. and lasted until 300 B.C. (Ancient Egypt: A History of Art and Culture). Artifacts found from Egypt revealed how the empire was run and most importantly, the clothing fashions of the era.
Culture and fashion was a reflection of the status of the Ancient Egyptian Empire. For instance, royalty, such as pharaohs, preferred to wear a lot of jewelry made out of gold. Their abundance of the metal revealed they prospered and showed they had an efficient economy. Also, silk fabric found in tombs of priests showed archaeologists Mediterranean trading between Egypt and other cultures did, in fact, occur. (Ancient Egypt: Clothing)
In addition, Ancient Egyptian clothing can be broken down by the caste system. The way one dressed revealed one’s status in society. For instance, different ranks in Ancient Egypt include royalty, such as the pharaoh, high priests and nobles, priests, engineer, doctors, scribes, craftsmen, soldiers, farmers, and tomb builders. (Ancient Egyptian Social Life) Though fashion stayed consistent throughout the era of Ancient Egypt, it can be broken down into the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. (Cultural Timeline of Ancient Egypt)
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