When did the ancient Egyptian civilisation begin?
The ancient Egyptian civilisation began 5,000 years ago when people started building villages next to the River Nile in north-east Africa. It lasted for around 3,000 years.
The river was helpful for growing food in a hot place, as well as crops that made clothes and paper.
Watch: An introduction to Ancient Egypt
What was life like for the ancient Egyptian people?
- The ancient Egyptians were good farmers and builders.
- They made paper and invented a writing system called hieroglyphs.
- Kings and queens were called pharaohs.
- Ancient Egyptians had lots of gods, and believed in life after death.
- They preserved bodies of pharaohs as mummies, and buried them in tombs in huge pyramids.
What were the pyramids?
The pyramids are giant tombs. Each side is a triangle, and they meet in a point at the top. The biggest is the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is built from 2.3 million big blocks of stone.
Near the group of pyramids at Giza is the sculpture of the Great Sphinx. A Sphinx is a mythical animal which is half lion, half human.
Activities
Activity 1: Quiz 鈥 Introduction to Ancient Egypt
Activity 2: Make your own pyramid treasure tomb
Make your own pyramid treasure tomb
Download our pyramid treasure tomb template. Follow our step-by-step guide to make your own pyramid. What secrets will you bury inside?
Activity 3: History Explorer game
Play this game to test your knowledge and learn even more facts about Ancient Egypt.
History Explorer: Secrets through time
History Explorer: Secrets through time: KS2 History
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