Timeline of Ancient Egypt

First Egyptian Settlers7500 BCE

• The first settlers arrived in the Nile Valley around 7500 BCE. The climate was much wetter and the valley was green. The settlers survived by eating wild plants and animals. As the climate became drier an the area turned to desert, the settlers moved closer to the River Nile to farm along the banks

Hieroglyphic Writing3200 BCE

• The first Egyptian kings increased trade and distributed food throughout Egypt. They needed to communicate and keep records so they used hieroglyphs – language of symbols

• Ancient Egyptians were able to pass on their knowledge, history and beliefs by writing on tomb walls and special scrolls made from papyrus plants

The Egyptian State3000 BCE

• King Narmer, or warrior-king Menes as he was also known, was the first Egyptian pharaoh to rule a united Upper and Lower Egypt from 2950 BCE

• He built the city of Memphis and began the era of dynasties

The First Pyramid2600 BCE

• The first pyramid to be built was the Step Pyramid in Saqqara. It was built from sandstone encased in limestone for Pharaoh Djoser – it still stands over 70 meters tall

• Egyptians believed that if they mummified the pharaoh’s body and protected it in a pyramid he would live forever in the afterlife

The Giza Pyramids2500 BCE

• The Giza Pyramids were built around 2555-2450 BCE for the kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. They are in the dry desert across from the River Nile from Egypts huge current capital city, Cairo

• The largest (Great Pyramid) was built between 2555-2593 for Pharaoh Khufu and stands 146 meters tall and 200 meters in length!

Pyramid Texts2300 BCE

• Magical spells were discovered written on the walls of the pyramid of King Unas at Saqqara. They are thought to protect the dead king from danger.

• They are also some of the oldest known writings in the world

Valley of the Kings1500 BCE

• From 1539-1069, Egyptian kings decided to build their tombs in the Valley of the Kings

• Riches were buried with the kings because they could take them with them to the afterlife.

• So far, 63 tombs have been discovered. Tourists can visit Ramesses II and Tutankhamen here

Hatchepsut1473 BCE

• Queen Hatshepsut was one of the few female pharaohs. She ruled from 1473-1458

• Her husband was also her half brother.

Tutankhamen1350 BCE

• Probably the most famous pharaoh of our time because his tomb was discovered in 1922 by a team of British archaeologists – with mummy, sarcophagus and treasure intact!

• Probably died when he was only 18 years old

Ramesses II1350 BCE

• Thirty years old when he became the king of Egypt and he reigned for 67 years!

• Known as “Ramesses the Great” because he brought great peace to the country

• Had many wives and 111 sons and 51 daughters.

Alexander and Ptolemy350 BCE

• In 332BCE Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and was hailed as a pharaoh and a god by the Egyptian people.

• After he died, his close friend General Ptolemy became king and his family ruled for 300 years

Rosetta Stone196 BCE

• A slab of stone that provided the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

• Carved in 196BCE and displays three different forms of writings – Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphs and a cursive form of Egyptian called Demotic.

• Found in 1977

Cleopatra50 BCE

• Cleopatra VII was the last pharaoh of Egypt

• She had a child with Julius Caesar (Roman).