Ancient Egyptian discoveries

Egyptian discoveries: hieroglyphs, mathematics, the 365-day calendar, astronomy and the Sphinx. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.

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Knowledge that survived

Papyrus grew all along the Nile. The Rosetta Stone helped people read hieroglyphs again in modern times.
The pharaoh was king and religious leader; mummies were made because the body was needed later. The shaduf lifted water to the fields; wheat for bread.
Tomb paintings of farmers are a visual source from the time. Artists painted deep inside dark tombs by the light of oil lamps, because there was no electricity.
Maths: the Egyptians counted in tens, with separate signs for 1, 10, 100 and 1 000, and used geometry to measure fields and plan the pyramids. Astronomy: when the bright star Sirius appeared just before sunrise, they knew the flood was coming.

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Order

Rule

Oldest first: the Great Pyramid is built → the Rosetta Stone is deciphered (1822) → you are born.

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Remember this and test yourself

Remember this: your summary

Hieroglyphs used hundreds of signs; only a few people (scribes) were taught to read.
After each flood the fields had to be measured again; maths also helped build the pyramids.
They studied the stars (astronomy) to know when the Nile would flood.
The Egyptians made a 365-day calendar: 12 months of 30 days plus 5 extra days. Our calendar today developed from it.
The Great Sphinx at Giza: a lion’s strength, a king’s wisdom.

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Memory trick

The Egyptians read the stars to predict the river: 365 days later the flood comes again.

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Important words

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Test yourself · Part 2

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