The world’s first major civilization developed in Egypt more
than five thousand years ago. It flourished longer than
almost any society in human history. The Egyptians, who were
very concerned about what happens in the afterlife—that is, in
a life after death—built vast tombs called pyramids for their
kings, the pharaohs. Many of the pyramids are still standing.
They represent some of the greatest architectural achievements
of human history. Closer to home, a legacy (a gift from
the past) of ancient Egypt can be found in many a modern
household, thanks to the Egyptians’domestication, or taming,
of the house cat. The Egyptians were also one of the first peoples
to develop a system of writing, which they called hieroglyphics;
and a basic type of “paper,” derived from the papyrus
(pronounced puh-PIE-russ) plant. (The word paper comes from
papyrus.) Though Egyptian society declined after 332 B.C., it
exerted a huge influence over Greece and Rome. Out of Greek
and Roman civilizations ultimately came the cultures of
Europe and the nations influenced by those cultures—including
the United States.
Where to find Egypt
Egypt lies in the northeastern corner of the African
continent, along the Nile River. The Nile flows through a vast
desert, including the Sahara, which separates Egypt from most
of Africa. To the northeast of Egypt is the Sinai (SIGH-nye)
Peninsula, which links Africa with the Asian land mass. To the
east is the Red Sea, which separates Africa from the Arabian
Peninsula. North of Egypt is the Mediterranean Sea, on the
shores of which many ancient civilizations developed. Today,
the region around Egypt is called the Middle East. To historians
studying the ancient world, this area is known as the Fertile
Crescent.