From a Bas-Relief of the Oldest Dynasty, Memphis. Depicts two men plowing with two oxen.

Egyptians Plowing

From a Bas-Relief of the Oldest Dynasty, Memphis. Depicts two men plowing with two oxen.

"The houses of the artisans and husbandmen were generally of brick, and were as well furnished as the houses of the workingmen of to-day, and perhaps better built. In humbler homes the stools and benches and cots were of primitive patterns and rude workmanship; but in the houses of the well-to-do and wealthy the tables, beds, and chairs were elaborately finished and ornamented in the highest style with foreign woods and quaint devices of workmanship." —Ridpath, 1885

Egyptian Dwelling

"The houses of the artisans and husbandmen were generally of brick, and were as well furnished as the…

"When an Egyptian died the friends of the deceased went at once to the embalmer, By him they were shown a set of models, that is, wooden images painted and wrapped in imitation of the different styles of mummies prepared at the establishment. The models were divided into three classes; first, second, and third; and among these the friends selected according to their rank and means. The dead body was then delivered to the embalmers, by whom the brain was removed through the nostrils. Then an incision was made in the left side with a sharp stone. Through this opening the entire viscera were removed, and being cleansed by washing with palm wine, were covered with pounded aromatics and deposited in four urns. The cavity of the body was filled with powdered myrrh, cassia, and other fragrant substances, and the wound carefully sewn up. The whole body was then packed for seventy days in salt and carbonate of soda, at the end of which time it was washed and then wrapped in linen bands anointed on the inner surface with a certain gum which acted as glue. The mummy was finally put into a wooden case in the form of a man, and delivered to the relatives, by whom it was set upright against the wall in one of the rooms of their house."—Ridpath 1885

Process of Embalming

"When an Egyptian died the friends of the deceased went at once to the embalmer, By him they were shown…

A column depicting the Egyptian god Osiris. Osiris is usually affiliated with the Afterlife, the underworld and the dead.

Column of Osiris

A column depicting the Egyptian god Osiris. Osiris is usually affiliated with the Afterlife, the underworld…

Column located in the Temple of Denderah, with masks of Hathor, an Egyptian sky goddess of love and joy, adorning the top.

Column from the Temple of Denderah, with Hathor Masks, Time of Cesar

Column located in the Temple of Denderah, with masks of Hathor, an Egyptian sky goddess of love and…

A column depicting carvings and images of life in Thebes.

Column from Thebes

A column depicting carvings and images of life in Thebes.

Portrait of Jean-Francois Champollion, a French scholar and decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Champollion

Portrait of Jean-Francois Champollion, a French scholar and decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs.

"The pyramids of Egypt are well entitled to a place among the most interesting curiosities in the world. The principal ones stand opposite Cairo, on the west side of the river Nile. They are built of stones, which overleap each other, and thus form steps from the bottom to the top. The perpendicular height of the largest is about 500 feet, and the area of its basis contains nearly 500,000 square feet, or something more than eleven English acres of ground."—Blake, 1825

Ancient Pyramid

"The pyramids of Egypt are well entitled to a place among the most interesting curiosities in the world.…

A wheel from an Ancient Egyptian chariot.

Chariot Wheel

A wheel from an Ancient Egyptian chariot.

"Early Egyptian Pictures. Ploughing, breaking clods, and sowing."—Gordy, 1912

Early Egyptian Pictures

"Early Egyptian Pictures. Ploughing, breaking clods, and sowing."—Gordy, 1912

"The skeleton lay on the left side with knees drawn up and hands raised to the head. About it were various articles of food and vessels of pottery."—Webster, 1913

A Prehistoric Egyptian Tomb

"The skeleton lay on the left side with knees drawn up and hands raised to the head. About it were various…

"1, 'war' (Dakota Indian); 2, 'morning' (Ojibwa Indian); 3, 'nothing' (Ojibwa Indian); 4 and 5, 'to eat' (Indian, Mexican, Egyptian, etc)."—Webster, 1913

Examples of Picture Writing

"1, 'war' (Dakota Indian); 2, 'morning' (Ojibwa Indian); 3, 'nothing' (Ojibwa Indian); 4 and 5, 'to…

A series of correspondence on clay tablets between the Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru.

The Amarna Tablet

A series of correspondence on clay tablets between the Egyptian administration and its representatives…

"A black granite statue of the youthful Ramses II. It is probably a faithful portrait. No better work was ever produced by the Egyptian sculpture."—Webster, 1913

Ramses II Seated

"A black granite statue of the youthful Ramses II. It is probably a faithful portrait. No better work…

A fragment of an Ancient Egyptian text, which provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphics.

The Rosetta Stone, Front View

A fragment of an Ancient Egyptian text, which provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian…

An ancient amulet of Egypt.

An Egyptian Scarab

An ancient amulet of Egypt.

An Ancient Egyptian temple complex founded in 1400 B.C.E.

Luxor Temple

An Ancient Egyptian temple complex founded in 1400 B.C.E.

A statue of a man who recorded books and/or documents during the era of Ancient Egypt.

An Egyptian Scribe

A statue of a man who recorded books and/or documents during the era of Ancient Egypt.

"Supposed portrait of one of the overseers of the work on the Great Pyramid. This is one of the masterpieces of Egyptian sculpture."—Myers, 1904

The Sheikh-El-Beled

"Supposed portrait of one of the overseers of the work on the Great Pyramid. This is one of the masterpieces…

A species of beet.

Crosby's Improved Egyptian

A species of beet.

An hieroglyph-style drawing of a plow and plowman. A plow was a device used to make furrows in the earth for agricultural purposes.

Plowing

An hieroglyph-style drawing of a plow and plowman. A plow was a device used to make furrows in the earth…

Eight styles of beards from ancient Egyptian paintings.

Egyptian Beards

Eight styles of beards from ancient Egyptian paintings.

An image of the Egyptian brick-making process. Bricks were usually made by foreigners. Exodus 5 records the story of the Israelites making bricks in Egypt.

Egyptian Brick-Making

An image of the Egyptian brick-making process. Bricks were usually made by foreigners. Exodus 5 records…

This illustration shows a lentil plant. Lentils are the round, flat seeds of a small leguminous plant <i>(Vicia (Lens) hirsuta)</i>, of which numerous varieties are cultivated in the countries bordering the Mediterranean and elsewhere. The seeds are highly nitrogenous, and of great food value. They form the principal constituent of the well-known <i>Revalenta arabica</i> of commerce. They consist of -- starch, 50 percent; casein, 24 percent; fat, 2 percent; and water, 14 percent. The dark green German lentils are much more palatable than the reddish-yellow Egyptian variety.

The Lentil Plant

This illustration shows a lentil plant. Lentils are the round, flat seeds of a small leguminous plant…

Egyptian headdress.

Egyptian Headdress

Egyptian headdress.

An Egyptian sandal, with a curved front.

Egyptian Sandal

An Egyptian sandal, with a curved front.

Ancient Egyptian sandal.

Ancient Egyptian Sandal

Ancient Egyptian sandal.

An Egyptian crocodile (C. niloticus).

Crocodile

An Egyptian crocodile (C. niloticus).

An example of Egyptian agriculture.  1, the reapers; 2, reaper drinking from cup; 3, 4, Gleaners - the first of which ask the reapers for a drink; 5, carrying the ears in a rope basket - showing the ears have been cut off; 8, winnowing; 9-11, the tritura, answering to our thrashing; 12, drinking from a water-skin suspended from a tree; 14, scribe who notes the number of bushels in heap; 16, checking the account by noting those taken away to the granary.

Egyptian Agriculture

An example of Egyptian agriculture. 1, the reapers; 2, reaper drinking from cup; 3, 4, Gleaners - the…

View of the Piazza del Popolo looking west from the Pincian Hill. On the left are the twin churches of Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto. In the center of the plaza is an Egyptian obelisk of Sety I from Heliopolis. The twin churches were completed in 1681 and the engraving was published in 1872 and so must represent a time between those two dates.

The Piazza del Popolo in Rome

View of the Piazza del Popolo looking west from the Pincian Hill. On the left are the twin churches…