Ancient Egyptian civilization dates back to 3000 BC. Many of the buildings built by ancient Egyptians are no more but the pyramids and other important monuments can still be seen. These old pyramids are the Ancient Egyptian Ruins.
These pyramids are the final resting place for the pharaohs. They are a marvel of engineering as these were built with heavy stones, mud, mortar and wood.
The Pyramids
Pyramids are the major landmark of Egypt. There are more than 50 pyramids found in Egypt. The major ones are:
Giza: Mykerinos The Divine
Chephren The Great
Cheops The Horizon
The smallest of the three is Mykerinos. The other name for Mykerinos is Menkaura(in Egyptian). This pyramid had a coffin which was lost when the ship carrying this coffin sunk. Mykerinos was a pharaoh.
Chephren is the second largest pyramid in Giza. Chephren is the closest pyramid to the Sphinx.It is called Khephren in Arabic.
Cheops was the father of Chephren. This is the largest pyramid in Giza. Each of these pyramids has a temple next to the lake near the pyramids.
Great Sphinx of Giza
The Sphinx is one of the most important Ancient Egyptian Ruins. It is made up of limestone. It has the body of a lion but has the head of a human. It stands on the west bank of the Nile.
Sphinx is the largest monolith statue in the world. IIt is also the oldest sculptured statue in the world.
Ancient Egyptian Ruins and the City of Luxor
The ancient name of Luxor was Thebes. It was built around the temple of Amon( the King of Gods), his consort Muns and their sons Khuns. This temple was built parallel to the River Nile after it was commissioned by Amenhotep III. Today it is known as the Temple of Luxor.
This temple was completed by Tutankhamen and Horemheb. It had a complex of courts and halls. One hall contains a shrine made of granite stones in memory of Alexander the Great.
The papyrus cluster columns surround the three sides of the pristine forecourt. This temple has an imposing row of 14 pillars, 52 feet high. These rows of pillars consist of papyrus-umbel capitals.
Other Important Sites of Ancient Egyptian Ruins
The other important sites where the ruins are located are Karnak, The Valley of Kings and The Valley of Queens. All these sites along with Luxor were designated the World Heritage Sites in the year 1979.
Importance of Ruins of Ancient Egypt in Today’s World
Though the great pyramids are in a state of ruins they have a profound effect on the people of present day Egypt. The livelihood of many people is still dependant on the Ancient Egyptian Ruins. Many facts about history can be known from the messages carved on the walls of these buildings.
Many papyrus scrolls offer us the opportunity to more about the socio-economic, political, religious as well as other important aspects of life of the Ancient Egyptians. Hence the ruins are an important source of knowledge.
