Ancient Egypt Pharaohs

The pharaohs were the kings and queens of Ancient Egypt. They were revered as god-like figures and were usually associated with certain gods and goddesses as though they were the living incarnation of them.

The Egyptians built vast tombs to the pharaohs, often using the labour of tens of thousands of workers. The foremost are the three pyramids of Giza outside Cairo, which were built for Khufu, Menkaure and Khafre around 2500 BC. The largest one, that of Khufu, is known as the Great Pyramid and is the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. However, there are over one hundred pyramids in total still standing across Egypt today.

Other pharaohs were buried in the vast Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens outside the city of Luxor to the south of Cairo. Here, the pharaohs were mummified and laid to rest in elaborate tombs, where they were buried with vast riches.

Most of the tombs were looted a long time ago, but one tomb for Pharaoh Tutankhamun was discovered in the early 1920s still intact. This contained enormous amounts of jewels and gold objects, most famously the Death Mask of Tutankhamun. These objects highlight how much the Egyptians revered the pharaohs.