Egypt is a country that has always fascinated those of us with a love of ancient history and archaeology.
From the Great Pyramid to the intricate hieroglyphs emblazoned the tombs of the Pharaohs, we just want to know more about this weird and wonderful civilisation from the desert. Here are 5 incredible things to whet your appetite for future Egypt holidays.
The Strange Curse of Tutankhamun
In 1922, when the tomb of Tutankhamun was famously opened by British adventurer and archaeologist Lord Carnarvon, little did he know that he would release an ancient and terrible curse upon the world? The belief in this curse began after a series of mysterious deaths occurred when the tomb was first opened after thousands of years.
These include Lord Carnarvon himself in 1923 and Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid in 1924 – the first man to X-ray Tutankhamun’s mummy after the initial discovery.
The Mythical Tomb of Osiris, God of the Dead
This recently discovered tomb was found by Spanish-Italian archaeologists on the West Bank at Thebes. It is a huge reproduction of the mythical tomb of Osiris built by ancient craftsman to honour the god. If you are lucky enough to visit you will find many shafts and chambers inside the tomb complex, as well as a wall relief showing a demon holding knives. Scary stuff!
The Manchester Statue that Moved
There are mysteries that dwarf both man and time and this surely has to be one of those. An ancient Egyptian statue housed in a museum in Manchester, England, started moving of its own accord in 2013. Is this the trapped spirit of an Egyptian Deity trying to get out after being locked in stone since 1800BC? Decide for yourself by watching this video.
Grief-Stricken Egyptians Shaved for Their Cats
In ancient times, Egyptians worshipped cats above any other animal – and even above some humans! They liked them so much that when a cat passed away, people would shave their eyebrows as a sign of mourning. Other strange feline customs included laws forbidding the export of cats and the death penalty for killing a cat. Miaow!
Cleopatra was not Egyptian
It turns out that the most famous Egyptian queen of them all was not actually ethnically Egyptian – can you believe it? While she was born in Egypt, her family origins can be traced back to Macedonian Greece (to one of Alexander The Great’s generals, no less). Although not ethnically Egyptian, Cleopatra is now a symbol of this beautiful and ancient land.
Wake up your inner explorer and embark on an adventure into the desert. Make sure to explore a range of travel options to ensure your Indiana Jones adventure doesn’t break the bank. Don’t forget your camel!
Images by Daveness_98, Kačka a Ondra and Kyle Rush used under Creative Commons License.