Ancint Egypt: a Modern Society in an Ancient World
Summary:
Describes life in ancient Egypt. Details its advances in architecture, art, and writing. Compares the worldview of modern Egypt with that of ancient Egypt.
Ancient Egypt was a fascinating culture. It excelled in architecture, art, writing, and society for their time. Great pharaohs ruled the Nile Valley as gods, artisans created beautiful objects of art, to survive for millennia, scribes created a writing system that would be lost for nearly 3,000 years before being decoded again. A great empire was created and lasted over 3,000 years before collapsing. This period was one of the greatest chapters in the history of humankind. Egypt was one of the greatest and most advanced civilizations ever built.
Many of the great monuments built by this great society still stand today, some over 6 millennia old. The Egyptians built tombs for their great rulers; many which even modern technology couldn't create, yet were created even without the wheel. Giant statues of gods, goddesses, and pharaohs were carved into the red sandstone cliffs of the Nile River Valley, the pharaohs immortalized in stone, their legacy to be remembered far past this day.
The culture of ancient Egypt was highly advanced for the time. Some aspects of their society were not even realized in modern western society until the last two centuries! Egyptians treated woman better than most societies of the time. Women could own property, propose marriage, file divorce, become priestesses, have a job, become educated, and do nearly everything that men could. At the time this type of thinking was considered "backwards" by most other societies, however the Egyptians, in the views of many modern people were actually quite advanced. Another reflection of the advancement of Egyptian society is that although they owned slaves, they found it morally wrong to mistreat or abuse slaves. Egypt was also a multicultural society, and despite the fact that it was of many different races, there was no racism.
Although their social taboos and architecture were advanced for their time their political system was not. Pharaohs ruled as gods, both respected and feared. Their power was supreme and unquestioned. Many pharaohs ruled wisely, and cared about the good of the common people, however others were greedy and warlike.
Overall, Egypt was a highly advanced culture, although not without flaw. They advanced in social advancement and architectural design. The legacy left by the ancient Egyptians has forever shaken the basis of society, which has never been the same since, and influenced cultures across the world for over three thousand years.
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