Artifacts from tombs of the Pre-Dynastic Period found in Abydos show that there was already a high level of artistry and civilisation in Egypt before 3,000 BCE. This alone makes Egypt one of the oldest civilisations in the world. During the 3rd dynasty, which was the end of the Archaic period and beginning of the Old Kingdom, Kings built pyramids at Saqqara and Giza and secured Egypt’s place in history. These pyramids are the only survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The first major pyramid was the Step Pyramid built by Djoser at Saqqara nearly 5,000 years ago and although this was innovative and used stone it still followed the same pattern as the earlier brick mastaba tombs built at Abydos. Many more pyramids were built at Saqqara before the magnificent structures at Giza were completed. People have speculated that the architects of the pyramids were aliens from another planet but one look at the area around Giza and Saqqara shows that a great deal of trial and error occurred over a period of several hundred years before the art of pyramid building was perfected. Scanning of the Step Pyramid began in 2007. (Al-Ahram report)

Khufu (Cheops) built the great pyramid in Giza and may have been the builder of the Sphinx. However, archaeologists now believe the Sphinx to be much older The pyramids of Khafra and Menkaura followed soon after, and there are scores of smaller pyramids close by. The sheer scale of these buildings indicate just how technically advanced this civilisation was. It fills us with awe, and admiration. Since August 2005 archaeologists have been using highly sophisticated equipment to explore the possibility of finding hidden chambers beneath the pyramids. This could lead to some exciting discoveries in the future regarding this fascinating period of Egyptian history.

In religious terms, the fertility god Min is attested from the Pre-dynastic period and is usually depicted holding his penis in his fist. The cult of Re is first attested in the name of the 2nd dynasty ruler, Raneb. By the 4th dynasty worship of the god reached its peak and by the time of Khafre was linked in various ways to the pyramids. During the 5th Dynasty, Re had risen to the head of the pantheon and became the State god. His main temple was at Heliopolis. During the pyramid era of the 5th Dynasty the “Pyramid Texts” become evident. These are magical sayings designed to guide the King through the underworld and signified that a belief in the god Osiris was also becoming more popular throughout the land.

During the 7th and 8th Dynasties the power of the Old Kingdom waned and Egypt fell into hardship with a series of famines and civil unrest. This period between the end of the Old Kingdom which came to an end circa 2195 bce up to the Middle Kingdom, circa 2066 is known as the lst Intermediate period. It is thought to be one of misery decline and chaos. Towards the end of the First Intermediate Period, the Prince of Thebes (x/xi dynasty) Montuhotep I proclaimed himself king even though the Herakleopolite kings were still ruling at the time. The rise of power by Montuhotep I initiated a period of increasing prosperity and influence.