What Questions Might You Have???While I am in Egypt I will be looking for the answers to the questions you have asked about Egyptian, history and culture. Look for the answers as I get them! Ancient History 1. Who's head is on the Sphinx? It's the Pharaoh Khufre who had the sphinx built at the bottom of the causeway to his pyramid. 2. Why were cats so important to the ancient Egyptians? Cats helped kill rats and snakes that would do harm to the crops and harvests. In time they became thought of as god-like and worshipped. Some cats were even mummified! 3. How long did pharaohs rule Egypt? When did they stop ruling? Pharonic Egypt lasted three thousand years, starting in 3100 BCE with King Narmer. The title "pharaoh" meaning great house was first given to the king in 1554 BCE. The last pharaoh was Cleopatra VII in 30BCE. 4. How long ago were the pyramids made? The pyramids were made over 4,500 years ago. The oldest pyramid was built by King Zoser in 2650 BCE. Most pyramids were built between 2575 and 2150 BCE, most located near Cairo. 5. How were the pyramids made? There are 138 pyramids throughout Egypt. 6. Can you go inside the pyramids? Yes, some of them at least that are open to tourists. I went inside the Great pyramid at Giza. 7. What's the tallest pyramid? The Khufu pyramid at Giza. Medieval/Modern History 1.. When did slavery end in Egypt? Late 19th century. Language 1. What language do they speak in Egypt? Egyptian Arabic. 2. Do Egyptians write or read hieroglyphics? No. By the late 4th century few people could read or write hieroglyphics. It officially ceased to be a writing style when the Roman emperor Theodosios I closed all non-Christian temples. Economy 1. How much does the average Egyptian make? The "average" Egyptian makes $6,000 a year. Compare this to the average American income of $47,000. 2. What is Egyptian currency called? Egyptian Pound Daily Life 1. What are the outdoor markets like? They are very active places, where you can find just about anything. There are lots of people buying and selling all sorts of merchandise and food. 2. Are there many cats in Egypt? Yes. Most are outdoor cats, not pets. I did see one girl with an indoor cat. 3. Do they have malls in Egypt? Yes 4. What do Egyptian homes look like? 5. What do Egyptians do for fun? 6. Do they have arranged marriages in Egypt? 7. What do they wear in Egypt? 8. What are some traditional foods? 9. What are some holidays? 10. Do Egyptian women cover their whole bodies with a burka? No, women and men in Egypt wear a variety of modest dress. Women in Egypt may not wear a head covering, many wear an hijab (head covering) along with long sleeve dresses and shirts and pants, and some women wear the traditional egyptian dress or the black burqa. 11. How modern or urban is Egypt? 12. What is the most common first name in Egypt? Mohammad
Government 1. Is Egypt still in a state of revolution? Yes, no, maybe...revolutions are not so simple. We'll have to wait and see what the future holds. 2. What are they doing to reconstruct their government now that they had a revolution? 3. What is it like to be a citizen in Egypt today? 4. What type of government do they have now? Transitional Military government 5. How has the revolution affected Egypt's ancient culture? No, but it has affected the tourist trade. 6. Where did Egypt's former President Mubarak go after he resigned? He's in a prison. 7. Who is the new president of Egypt? ???? Let's see in December. 8. Why does the Nile flow North? 9. Are there still kings, queens and pharaohs? No. |
Religion 1. What is the main religion in Egypt? Islam 2. What types of religion are there in Egypt? Islam, Christianity, Judaism 3. How many mosques are there in Cairo? Cairo is historically known as the "city of 1,000 minarets." There are many thousands of mosques, both old and new in Cairo today. 4. Do past rituals affect today? 5. When is Egypt's weekend? Egypt's weekend starts on Friday, the Muslim day of rest. Saturday can also be a weekend day. Sunday is the first day back to work. Sport 1. Is there a sport that everyone in Egypt plays? The national sport is Soccer or "futball" although 'everyone" doesn't play it. 2. What other sports do Egyptians teenagers play? 3. What do Egyptians teenagers do for fun? Geography 1. How many dust storms does Egypt experience each year on average? 2. Where are the pyramids in relation to the city of Cairo? The pyramids of Giza are right outside the city limits. 3. How many seasons does Egypt have? 4. How big is the city of Cairo? 5. What is the longitude and latitude of Cairo? 6. Is it hot during the Spring in Cairo? Alexandria? 7. What's the population of Egypt? Cairo? 80 million/ 20 million 8. What kind of animals do they have in Egypt? 9. Is Cairo the biggest city in Egypt? Yes. School 1. What do kids learn in school? Arabic, Math, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art, Physical Education 2. Do they get lots of homework? Do you? I think they're just like American students. 3. How many students in a class? 45 4. How do children get to school? They walk or take public transportation. 5. What foreign languages do Egyptian students study? Mainly English. 6.. How many days do children go to school? Five Pop Culture 1. Where did the song "Walk Like an Egyptian" come from? The "Bangles" in 1986. 2. What kind of music do Egyptians listen to? Pop, classical arabic music. 3. What television shows do Egyptians watch? |
