EGYPT, the mother of the world, dates back to the prehistoric era, when man led a primitive, wild sort of life. He used to hunt animals for food and even his fellow man, plundering whatever he could from him. He wandered from land to land and place to place, to satisfy his desire for food to eat. His was a barbaric existence. Man often settled on riverbanks, where he could cultivate crops. People lived in groups and tribes and they gradually became more sophisticated, learning how to store their crops and barter. They also learned how to build and gradually became more stable and sociable; they also decided on rules to follow. On the banks of the Nile, they established their own kingdom, called Egypt, the world's first country. So it was Egypt that taught the world the meaning of civilisation and the concept of nationhood. And that's why we call Egypt the mother of the world, while the historian Herodotus said that Egypt is the gift of the Nile. All the rules followed by civilised countries were first created in Egypt, as were sports, music and singing, that go back to the Pharaohs. If you really want to know real history, read about Egypt's history. Read about Ramses, the greatest King in history, who built Abu Simbel Temple in Aswan, which never ceases to amaze scientists, archaeologists and architects. Read about the Giza Pyramids and the mystery surrounding their construction. Read about the kings of Ancient Egypt, including the founder Hyksos (Asiatic rulers of Egypt), invaded Palestine, and re-exerted Egypt's hegemony over northern Nubia, to the south. Ahmose crushed Hyksos' allies in Middle Egypt, advancing down the Nile River, captured Memphis, the one-time capital of Egypt, near present-day Cairo. Read about Hatshepsut, the Queen of Egypt, who founded el- Deir el Bahri, home to Djeser Djeseru, her famous mortuary temple, built on the site of an even older temple, Mentuhotep I's mortuary temple, that dates to the 11th Dynasty. Read about Egypt's monuments that are found in other parts of Africa, including Sudan, and even in Mexico. Just keep on reading about our wonderful civilisation! Abdel-Fattah is an Egyptian writer for children [email protected]
