In 1550BC, the capital of Egypt moved south to Thebes. This marked the beginning of the New Kingdom. The ancient Egyptians no longer built pyramids as they were obvious targets for tomb robbers. The people still raised great temples to honour their dead rulers, but now the pharaohs were buried in secret [...]

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When they were on campaign, Egyptian soldiers made camp every night. Workers piled up a mound of earth and planted shields on top to form a defensive wall. This protected the troops within from all but the most determined attack. Behind the wall, troops erected tents in neat rows with the king’s [...]

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New Kingdom infantry contained three kinds of soldiers. The elite troops were the “Braves” - the commandos of the day. Few in number, they undertook the most dangerous assignments. The bulk of the army were the “Veterans”, seasoned troops who formed the front ranks in battle. Then there were the “Recruits”, [...]

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The catastrophic invasions and civil wars of the First Intermediate Period (2100-2040BC) made the Egyptians realise that they needed to guard their frontiers and trade routes effectively.
Around 2000BC the king ordered the building of two lines of fortresses: one along the eastern frontier and the other around the Second Cataract. During the New Kingdom [...]

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Here are some quick facts on Egypt’s first armies:
During the Old Kingdom (2700-2100BC), the kings of Egypt possessed a troop of bodyguards and a small regular army. These forces were usually enough to protect trade and deal with border raids by neighbouring states. All Egyptians owed the king a labour tax, so if [...]

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Egyptian palaces were vast complexes. They included splendid public buildings where the pharaoh would meet foreign rulers and carry out important ceremonies. Members of the royal family lived in luxury in beautiful townhouses with painted walls and tiled floors near the palace.
The governors of Egypt’s regions also lived like princes, and pharaohs had [...]

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Although life for the poor was hard in Ancient Egypt, by comparison to other societies of the time, even they were comparatively well-off and had a reasonably high standard of living. Most peasants worked in the fields, while many others were employed in the massive building programmes of the pharaohs. Most were well [...]

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As is the case for all societies at any period in the past, what remains are the belongings of the wealthy and, more especially, royalty. While the magnificent buildings, art and artefacts tell us a great deal about the sophistication and wealth of the Ancient Eygptians –they tell us little about daily life of [...]

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The Ancient Egyptian infuence on the occult is reinforced by many tales of the “mummy’s curse” which continue to capture public imagination. The earliest record of a ghost story involving a mummy was written in France in 1699. The mummy, together with Dracula and Frankenstein, prove the the theme has remained ever-popular for [...]

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Medical papyri mention recipes for creams and oils to keep the skin soft and supple after exposure to the hot Egyptian sun. Perfumes, some of which took months to prepare, were popular and were also worn by men during certain festivals. A popular form of incense cone was worn by women on top [...]

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