Ancient Egypt continues to captivate our imagination with its rich history, powerful rulers, and intricate customs. Among the most intriguing aspects of this ancient civilization are its iconic figures like Cleopatra and its elaborate practices like mummification.
Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt
Cleopatra, despite not being Egyptian, reigned as Queen of Egypt. But how did that happen?
Alexander the Great, from Macedonia in northern Greece, conquered Egypt in 332 B.C.E. After his death, one of his generals, Ptolemy I Soter, declared himself the new pharaoh of Egypt. The royal family and their inner circle were more Greek than Egyptian. Cleopatra was the first Ptolemy to speak the Egyptian language!
To emulate the pharaohs and keep power within the family, Ptolemaic kings married their sisters, reigning as co-rulers.
Cleopatra's Legacy
Historians agree that Cleopatra was exceptionally intelligent and a skilled political and military operator. She was an effective leader, ruling Egypt for 18 years under the Roman empire's watchful eye. In defeat, she chose death over surrender.
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Very few images of Cleopatra from her lifetime survive today-just a few sculptures and coins. Most Egyptian images were idealized, not realistic. Only about 10 coins showing Cleopatra's face survive in good condition, displaying a variety of profiles. One coin shows her with a strong jaw and curved nose. Another, featuring both her and Mark Antony's faces, makes her look almost like his twin!
Coins could function as political propaganda, spreading a message. A square jaw and hooked nose made her look like her father, possibly cementing her claim to the throne in a battle with her brother.
Her epic love affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony are the subject of countless works of poetry and drama. Perhaps it's because her story is so full of tragic romance.
Cleopatra in the Arts
Perhaps the best-known literary work to feature her is William Shakespeare’s play "Antony and Cleopatra", written around 1606. Shakespeare presents Cleopatra as the epitome of sensuality, and she and Antony constantly make public and outrageous declarations of love for one another.
A very different Cleopatra appears in George Bernard Shaw’s 1901 play Caesar and Cleopatra. Here, the queen is portrayed as a spoiled, vengeful 16-year-old, instead of a mature love goddess. The focus of the play is political, not romantic-the plot shows how Caesar, the master politician, teaches the immature Cleopatra how to rule her kingdom.
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In film, TV, and theater, Cleopatra is usually presented as an extraordinarily beautiful woman.
Cleopatra on the Big Screen
In the early 1960s, the film studio 20th Century Fox decided that their best bet would be an epic retelling of the story of Cleopatra. Filming started in England in 1960, but star Elizabeth Taylor (pictured) became ill with pneumonia and couldn’t work. To make matters worse, the cold English weather proved bad for her health, so the studio moved the whole production to Rome.
The price went up from there. Elizabeth Taylor’s wardrobe consisted of 65 separate costumes, one of which was a dress made out of actual gold! All in all, Cleopatra cost $44 million to make-that’s more than $286 million in 2007 dollars!
Mummification: Preserving the Body for the Afterlife
The Ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife. They had to travel through the Duat, the land of the dead, to reach the afterlife. An animation shows Moby's spirit glide down into a forest with red rivers. Your spirit had to pass through twelve gates.
This was the ritual known as the Weighing of the Heart. If you lived a good life your heart would be light. If the heart was heavier than the feather, it would be devoured.
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You'd meet up with loved ones, and there was no more pain or suffering.
That's why the Egyptians developed a process called mummification.
The Mummification Process
ANCIENT MUMMIFICATION PROCESS REVEALED | Secrets of Ancient Egypt
Only special priests could mummify a body.
First, the priests made a cut in the left side of the body. The animation changes to show one of the priests prying open Moby's chest plate with their tools. It opens up and the two priests peer inside.
Next was a tricky operation--using a hook entering a man's skull through the nostrils--one false move, and you could damage the face.
The animation changes to show a hook entering a man's skull through the nostrils. Ah, don't worry, I'm sure they'll give up soon.
The priests then used natron. That's a kind of salt found in dried-up Egyptian lake beds. Like table salt, it’s a preservative: It prevents decay, mainly by killing germs and drying things up.
After forty days in the desert, the body would be completely dried out. This part of the process took another 30 days. At that point, the body was mummified, and it was time to dress it. The priests carefully wrapped it in linen bandages.
The whole process took 70 days and was extremely expensive. Only the super-wealthy could afford it. Regular folks who wanted a chance to reach Aaru used natural mummification. The hot, dry air did a pretty good job of preserving the remains.
Steps of Mummification
The following table shows the main steps of mummification:
| Step | Description | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washing the body | - |
| 2 | Removal of the brain | - |
| 3 | Making an incision and removing internal organs | - |
| 4 | Drying the body with natron | 40 days |
| 5 | Wrapping and dressing the body | 30 days |
| Total | Total duration of mummification | 70 days |
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