1More than five thousand years ago, one of the greatest civilisations in history rose along the banks of the River Nile. The ancient Egyptians built towering monuments, developed one of the earliest writing systems, and created a society so sophisticated that its achievements still astonish the world today.
2The Nile was the lifeblood of ancient Egypt. Every year, the river flooded its banks and left behind a layer of rich, dark soil called silt. This fertile land allowed farmers to grow wheat and barley in an otherwise vast and unforgiving desert. Without the Nile, Egyptian civilisation could never have existed.
3The pharaoh stood at the very top of Egyptian society. Believed to be a living god, the pharaoh had absolute power over the land and its people. Below the pharaoh were priests, scribes, craftsmen and farmers, each playing a vital role in keeping the kingdom running smoothly.
4The ancient Egyptians are perhaps best known for their extraordinary pyramids. Built as tombs for the pharaohs, these massive structures were constructed with astonishing precision. The Great Pyramid of Giza, built for Pharaoh Khufu, took approximately twenty years and hundreds of thousands of workers to complete.
5The Egyptians also developed hieroglyphics, a writing system that used pictures and symbols to represent sounds and ideas. Scribes spent years learning to read and write these complex symbols. It was not until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 that modern scholars were finally able to decipher this ancient language.
Match each word from the passage to its correct meaning. Tap a word, then tap its meaning.
The Nile left behind rich on the riverbanks. Pyramids were built as for pharaohs. Hieroglyphics used pictures and to represent sounds. spent years learning to write.