About 5,000 years ago, the civilization of ancient Egypt began in the Nile River valley of northeastern Africa. Ancient Egypt was one of the world’s first civilizations. It is also one of the most famous civilizations in history. The ancient Egyptians built huge pyramids, temples, palaces, and tombs. Their paintings and carvings are among the most splendid ever created. They also produced art with simple scenes of everyday life, work, and play that shows many details of their lives.

Egypt’s dry climate has helped to preserve many of the things that the ancient Egyptians made. Archaeologists first started to uncover the remains of ancient Egypt in the late 1700s. Through those remains historians have been able to learn a great deal about the world of the ancient Egyptians.

Art and Architecture