
Nothing tantalizes the imagination like ancient Egypt. The mystical
religions, stunning temples, and rich history of pharaohs and conquerors has
intrigued students, historians, and Hollywood alike. So much of what we know
about ancient Egypt is taken from books and movies, it is sometimes an
effort to sort fact from fiction.
We’ve collected a list of the best ancient Egypt resources here. These
highly reputable sites will clear up any questions, and many of them come
right from experts—the only better sources would be ancient Egyptians
themselves!
- The British Museum
Egyptian Collection has one of the most extensive and best
documented collections of Egyptian relics in the world. Their website
has not only photographs and descriptions straight from the collection,
but a fun-to-navigate menu that is sure to delight the inner child in
anyone.
- The Ancient Egypt Site is
administered by Jacques Kinnaer, a Belgian scientist and “Egypt
enthusiast.” He is an expert in hieroglyphics and has written books
and articles on the subject. The website is full of history and
photographs, and there’s even a section dedicated to learning the
language of the ancient Egyptians.
- The
Religion of Ancient Egypt is dedicated to exploring and explaining
the religion and belief system of ancient Egyptians. Maintained by
Minnesota State University, this site doesn’t have the beautiful
pictures that other sites do, but is full of great information.
- Overview
of Ancient Egyptian Religion, written by John Watson, can be found
on the Tour Egypt website. It is one of the best sources available if
you’re looking for ancient Egyptian information. The article is
illustrated with lots of photos and includes a long list of other
resources available.
- Ancient
Egypt is a large section devoted to Egypt on the HistoryForKids.org
website. While the bright colors of the banner and large print might
seem childish at first, even adults will find the information at this
site a great introduction to ancient Egypt. Even better: the site is
organized into helpful sections, like religion, clothing, and food.
- Egyptology is the official
Egyptian history section on Egypt’s government web page. If you want
the best information, common sense says to go straight to the source,
and you can’t get any closer than modern Egypt’s lovely, streamlined
website.
- Ancient Egypt Online
offers thousands of photos, timelines, and pages of history. It is
generally organized according to dynasties, but a great search feature
allows you find the exact piece of information you want.
- Egypt
State Information Services offers a rundown of Egyptian
history. Less flashy as other sites, this overview of history is meant
as a quick introduction to the subject.
- Dr. Zahi Hawass is one of the
leading Egyptologists, and a citizen of Egypt as well. The subject is
close to his heart, and he brings his passion to the subject with his
Indiana Jones-like take on the subject. His methods can be
controversial, but his website is well-designed and very informative.
- Egypt:
People and History is the part of the history section of the U.S.
State Department website. It is their business to know everything about
the world, and their Egyptian history section is extremely thorough.
From the first settlers of the Nile Delta to modern Egypt, you can get
the full story here.
- King Tut is one of the most
famous Egyptian pharaohs, a boy king who has captured the imagination of
millions since the discovery of his tomb in 1922. This website is
dedicated to his story, ongoing research into his life, and ancient
Egyptian history as well. Find out the story behind mummification,
temples, and religion at this website.
- Egypt: A Brief
History is a great overview of ancient Egypt from MidEaseWeb.org, an
organization dedicated to clearing up misunderstandings between our two
cultures. The historical timeline at this site starts 700,000 years ago
when the first settlers left artifacts behind, and continues right up to
present times.
- Mummies of Ancient
Egypt is a website created by the University of Michigan. The simple
layout is great for younger students but will not turn away adults,
either.
- Life In Ancient
Egypt is an online resource meant to be both a quick and in-depth
introduction to ancient Egypt. All the basic information appears right
on the home page, and anyone interested in studying further can click on
any of the many links or find a reading list at the bottom of the page.
- Nova: Pyramids
is the companion website to the PBS show, Nova, which did a special on
Egypt and pyramids. Their website is highly respected and
well-researched, and the interactive menu is almost like a game in which
you get to explore ancient Egypt for yourself.
- PyramidCam.com
may not contain a lot of information, but they provide a live camera
feed of the pyramids (including the current weather). If you can’t
travel to see the pyramids yourself, bring the pyramids into your home!
- Any list about ancient history and far away destinations must include
National Geographic. National
Geographic: Egypt has pictures from the best photographers in the
world, history from the best historians in the world, and fun stuff too,
like quizzes and videos.
- UCLA: Egyptology is the
home page for the University of California’s Egyptology department.
They are one of the leading research teams into Egyptian history, and
their department is currently involved in a lot of fascinating research
into the lives of ancient Egyptians. If you’re looking into becoming
an Egyptologist or just interested in what’s going on in Egyptian
research, this page bears periodic checking.
- The Field
Museum: Inside Ancient Egypt is a permanent exhibit at the Field
Museum in Chicago, Illinois. Their webpage is beautifully designed and
full of pictures with accompanying history. There is also a great
section on Cleopatra.
- Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum,
located in San Jose, California, has one of the largest Egyptian
collections in North America. The museum is built in the style of the
Temple of Amon, and is dedicated to educating the public about ancient
Egypt. Their website is well-designed and incredibly helpful.
- Guardian’s Egypt is a
privately maintained website about ancient Egypt, but is also one of the
most well-respected. It is run by a Yale University alumnus who has
always been fascinated with Egypt. It began as a list of all the
websites about Egypt, and has now grown to the go-to spot for Egypt
enthusiasts everywhere. One of its best features is the “CyberJourney
to Egypt,” which takes armchair travelers on a tour of Egyptian
monuments.