Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt Gameplay Guide

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The Bent Pyramid of Dahshur

Learn about the Bent Pyramid of Dahshur.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Saqqara Nome

Key Questions:

What were the architectural innovations of the Bent Pyramid of Dashur, and how was it different from the Red Pyramid?

Tour Highlights:

Sneferu's Second Pyramid: Sneferu transferred his residence and the official necropolis to Dahshur, attempting to construct his second funerary monument.
A Design Transition: Though unstable and abandoned, the Bent Pyramid displays a shift from the step pyramid to a functional smooth-sided pyramid.
Too Small for a Human: The Bent Pyramid was unique in having two separate entrances and a small chamber inadequate for human burial.
Experimental Construction: Architects successfully experimented with a completely new idea: to build the pyramid with a core of huge stones settled on a horizontal design.

Amulets and Rituals

Understand how magic and religion was an essential aspect of Ancient Egyptian life.

Estimated Time: 4 minutes
Region: Green Mountains

Key Questions:

Why did Ancient Egyptians wear amulets?
How did religion permeate the daily lives of Ancient Egyptians?
Name some famous Oracles and related myths.

Tour Highlights:

Amulets & Charms: Amulets were highly personal objects that warded off dangers and disease while attracting success.
Magical Energy: Priests would infuse amulets with magical energy during religious ceremonies, imbuing them with protective magic to safeguard against supernatural powers.
Daily Religious Rituals: Religion was so important to Ancient Egyptians that it permeated every aspect of their daily lives.
Religious Calendars: There was a complete calendar of each religious day, illustrating the appropriate daily rituals.
Oracles: Deemed messengers of the gods, oracles offered guidance and judgment for all Egyptians over various issues, including legal decisions and farm management.
Consulting the Oracle: It was oracles that guided the Greek sailor Battos to the coast of Libya, where he founded the colony known as Cyrene.

Alexandria, City of Celebration

Learn about the various forms of entertainment that existed in Alexandria.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

What were some common sources of entertainment for people in Alexandria?
Imagine you were a citizen living in Alexandria; why would you need these entertainment activities?

Tour Highlights:

Greek Entertainment: Like most Greek cities, Alexandria offered multiple forms of entertainment, most of which were related to cults and religious practices.
Games & Competitions: Games and competitions were organized whenever possible in locations such as the stadium, the hippodrome, and the gymnasium.
The Theater of Alexandria: As a Greek city, Alexandria had a theater whose architecture was inclined toward the Roman style.
The Grouch: At the theater, one could witness the plays of contemporary comic and tragic authors.

Workers and Transport

Understand who were the people involved in the creation of Ancient Egyptian monuments, and understand the techniques used to quarry stone blocks and transport monuments.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Haueris Nome

Key Questions:

List the different types of workers that were employed to construct the remarkable Egyptian monuments.
How were stone blocks transported on land and water? What are some modern-day physics principles that were applied in transportation?

Tour Highlights:

Who Were The Workers?: Multiple skill levels were needed and utilized, from basic laborers preparing the gypsum to skilled stonemasons shaping the blocks.
Multiple Qualifications: Skilled architects and engineers were employed year-round, while support labor often consisted of farmers who worked in the quarries or on construction during the Nile's flood season.
An Efficient Administration: Workers received abundant rations of bread, beer and meat, and medical treatment from an administration outside the village.
Transportation on Land: To transport a block by land, workers first dug a track in the ground and sometimes reinforced it with rails.
Moving Stone Blocks: Workers toppled blocks onto a sled and then poured water onto the clay at the front of the sled, creating a slick surface to more easily move the load.
Transportation on Water: During flood season, the Nile was at its largest and deepest, which allowed for the transportation of the heaviest and biggest loads.
The Ouadi el-Jarf Papyri: The Ouadi el-Jarf papyri detail a limestone load intended for the Khufu pyramid that weighed in at 70-80 tons, or thirty blocks.
Stone Cargo: Stone cargo generally weighed 15 tons per boat, amounting to roughly six or seven blocks per trip.
River Transportation: River transportation was the most efficient way to ferry stone blocks between the quarry and the construction site.

The Siege of Alexandria

Learn about the siege of Alexandria, from Julius Caesar's perspective.

Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

What were the causes and consequences of the siege of Alexandria?
What were the key moves/tactics during the siege of Alexandria? Why do you think Caesar finally won the war?

Tour Highlights:

Texts by Julius Caesar: The archives, "Gallic Wars" and the "Commentaries on the Civil War" attributed to Julius Caesar, are his descriptions of the siege of Alexandria, which serve as the primary source of information but with limited perspective.
Civil War: The siege of Alexandria, how Caesar was besieged in the palace of the Ptolemies, closely relays the events of the Civil War that lead up to the event.
Pompey's Fate: On the advice of Potheinos, Ptolemy XIII had Pompey assassinated in the hopes of earning Caesar's favor.
Caesar is Not Pleased: Upon his arrival in Alexandria, Caesar was presented with Pompey's head, which displeased him.
A Bold Move: Cleopatra met with Caesar and earned his approval.
Assassination Attempt: During a banquet for the reconciliation between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, the assassination attempt on Caesar resulted in Potheinos being executed and Ptolemy XIII being held under guard.
Caught in the Palace: Trapped within the palace with roughly 4000 troops and with the knowledge that the arrival of enemy forces was imminent, Caesar sent for help from Syria, Rhodes, and Cilicia.
The War Begins: Though they were outnumbered and confined within the palace, Caesar's men could hold Achillas' troops back.
Blocking the Port: In reaction to Achillas's second move of capturing the Roman fleet, Caesar and his troops moved to the harbor to regain control of the port, maintaining the line of supplies and reinforcements.
Communication is Key: Upon reaching Pharos Island, Caesar got easy access to the open sea with better control of the harbor and sent messages to his allies.
Burning of the Library: Conflicting accounts raise questions about when, and even if, the Great Library of Alexandria was burned down at all.
Burning Manuscripts: It is believed that the Great Library was not completely destroyed, both according to later text references and its location distant from the harbor.
Lost Knowledge: The destruction of the Great Library may have been due to a number of fires over the ages, and its end was probably the Christian Emperor Theodosius I's order to close all pagan temples.
Achillas & Ganymedes: While Achillas was in control of the battle against Caesar, Ganymedes, an ally of Ptolemy XIII, provided valuable tactics for the Egyptian side.
Salting the Water: Ganymedes had his men pour salt water into the canals and cisterns that led to Caesar's camp in order to cut off Caesar's water supply.
The Legio XXXVII: Days later, the 37th Legion, comprised of Pompey's soldiers, arrived by ship and successfully met with Caesar.
The Battle of Eunostos Harbor: With help from the allied ships, Caesar was able to push the Egyptians back and secure the fortification at the Lighthouse on Pharos Island.
Caesar Swimming: After the debacle of resisting the Egyptian's subsequent attack, Caesar had to give up the island and swim to an allied ship farther out.
The Siege is Lifted: The Alexandrians approached Caesar with a compromise, but Ptolemy XIII defied the agreement and continued the war.
Mithridates to the Rescue: A faithful ally of Caesar's, Mithridates, arrived in Egypt and secured the region between Pelusium and Alexandria.
The Battle of the Nile: In the Battle of the Nile, the Romans defeated the Egyptians with the help of Mithridates, and Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile.
Cleopatra on the Throne: After the siege ended, Cleopatra VII married her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, enabling her reign over Egypt until 30 BCE.

Alexandria: Planning of the City

Learn about the design and layout of the city of Alexandria.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

Why was the placement of Alexandria strategically valuable? (Use a map to illustrate your argument)
What were the characteristics of the city plan of Alexandria? (Use the game world to demonstrate your answers)
Why did the principal architect choose a Hippodamian grid plan for the city?

Tour Highlights:

Legendary Site: Alexander's plan to build his great city began with a verse from Homer's Odyssey.
Choosing the Site: Alexander the Great recognized the true value of the location on the western end of the Nile Delta for its strategic emplacement.
The Walls of Alexandria: Due to the lack of chalk, architects were forced to use flour instead to outline the city's foundations for building the great walls.
Massive Proportions: Excavations led by Mahmoud bey El-Falaki in the 19th century revealed the massive dimensions of the walls.
Impregnable Defense: These formidable ancient walls would resist a number of attacks, including fending off the King of Syria in 169 BCE.
City Design: Alexandria's principal architect, Deinokrates, chose a Hippodamian grid plan, which serves military values.
Functional and Beautiful: The grid plan maximized functionality and beauty with straight roads and canals for transportation and grand buildings and parks.
A Greek City: Alexandria, most likely built upon an already existing Egyptian village, was reviled by the Egyptians as "Ra-qed" and was later Hellenized into "Rhakotis."

Artisans of Ancient Egypt

Learn about the daily life of artisans in Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 9 minutes
Region: Memphis

Key Questions:

Who would be considered artisans in Ancient Egypt, and what were the most significant art categories?
Compared with some modern artistic viewpoints and styles, what were the stylistic conventions of Ancient Egyptian art? What beliefs and worldviews were expressed through Ancient Egyptian artworks? Use specific examples like reliefs to support your answer.
Describe the hierarchy of the crafter profession in Ancient Egypt using detailed examples (e.g., domestic workshops, Deir el-Medina).

Tour Highlights:

Art in Ancient Egypt: Dissimilar to the modern concept of the word, the Ancient Egyptians developed a unique rendition of the world they lived in, which was reflected in their craft and architecture through drawing, painting, sculpture and metalworking.
Egyptian Craftspeople: Ancient Egyptian craftspeople created both art and a wide variety of mundane, everyday tools.
Stylistic Conventions: Ancient Egyptian art appears to follow a strict set of stylistic conventions that supported a worldview where the balance of order and chaos was crucial in both the physical and the metaphysical universes.
Drawing & Painting: In Ancient Egyptian culture, drawing was used as illustration, as seen in the Book of the Dead, and as the first step in creating a relief, painting, or statue.
Seeking Harmony: Stylistically, Egyptians were concerned with depicting the human form's inner self.
Chaos and Order: In hunting and battle scenes, the environment and enemies were depicted in lively, even chaotic ways while Egyptians were standing in solemn, disciplined poses, bringing order to the chaos.
Reliefs & Sculptures: Reliefs could be either in high relief or low relief, both methods requiring a surface suited to the desired technique.
Preliminary Sketches: Preliminary sketches for reliefs were drawn in red, then framed with a red grid to position the elements of the scenes.
Sculpture: Statues were believed to be vessels for the souls of the deceased or deities.
Social Status: There were three working levels for craftsmanship: domestic, large estates and within palace and temple workshops.
Skilled Artisans: While most Egyptians were craftspeople to a greater or lesser extent, the most skilled artisans were employed in royal or temple projects and benefited from special status.
Satires of the Trades: An ancient text known as the Satires of Trades has several descriptive summaries that offer teasing glimpses into how artisans were perceived.
Deir el-Medina: Located near the Valley of the Kings, Deir El-Medina was a settlement created by order of the king to honor the most skilled artisans.
A Window Into the Past: Archaeologists believe the Deir el-Medina site was home to skilled and respected artisans for over 400 years.

Important Monuments of Cyrene

Learn about the Sanctuary of Apollo & the Amphitheater of Cyrene

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Kyrenaika

Key Questions:

Choose one of the monuments in Cyrene, and describe its architectural characteristics.

Tour Highlights:

The Sanctuary of Apollo: The Sanctuary of Apollo sits on a prominent edge of the plateau of Cyrene.
Temples & Statues: The abundance of temples and statues throughout the city of Cyrene reflect the various Greco-Roman and Egyptian cultural influences over the centuries.
The Fountain of Apollo: The fountain of Apollo in Cyrene was highlighted by a vestibule entrance.
The Temple of Apollo: The temple of Apollo stretched more than 200 meters in length and roughly 50 meters in width and was surrounded by a vast Doric colonnade.
The Altar: The altar in front of the temple of Apollo was for sacrificing bulls in honour of Apollo.
The Apollo Citharede: An Apollo Citharede carved during the Roman era was discovered near the temple of Apollo, which inspired the recreation of the statue in the game world.
The Amphitheater of Cyrene: The amphitheater of Cyrene, located next to the Sanctuary of Apollo, was built on top of the old theater in the 2nd century.
The Structure of the Amphitheater: Entrances were placed at both ends of the amphitheater, and a wall replaced the first two rows of bleachers.
Making it Circular: The development team decided to create a perfectly round theater for technical reasons and used the structure of the Roman Theater as a reference.

The Importance of Mummies

Understand the importance of mummies for Ancient Egyptians.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Lake Mareotis

Key Questions:

How did the embalming practices differ according to social status?
How did the Egyptomania phenomenon impact historical relic conservation and popular culture?

Tour Highlights:

Who Are The Embalmers?: Embalmers had a hierarchy, and each embalmer specialized in a specific phase of the mummification process.
Secret Techniques: The mummification techniques were jealously guarded by embalmers from generation to generation.
The Ouabet: The "ouabet," meaning the pure place, was where the embalmers mummified the bodies of the deceased.
Embalming & Social Status: The pharaoh had access to the most elaborate mummification rituals, while the more affluent citizens also enjoyed complex embalming options, though none of them allowed for the removal of the brain or viscera.
Simpler Methods: The least costly embalming option was to simply inject a product called surmaïa and immerse the body in natron for up to forty days.
Mummies In Western Civilization: As early as the Middle Ages, mummies discovered by travelers were often sent back to Europe.
The Egyptomania Phenomenon: The Egyptomania phenomenon was heralded by Napoleon Bonaparte's Egyptian campaign, which lasted from 1798 to 1802, followed by a resurgence of interest from rich enthusiasts and scholars who exposed Egypt to the general populace.
The Desecration of Mummies: By 1868, mass tourism began in Egypt, and the rich would bring back mummies and unpack them at parties.
The Mummy Malediction: The mummy malediction myth has remained steady in popular culture since the desecration of mummies began.

The Faiyum

Learn about the geography and importance of the Faiyum.

Estimated Time: 9 minutes
Region: Haueris Nome

Key Questions:

Where was the Faiyum Oasis located?
What were some of the beliefs of the people in the Town of Sobek?

Tour Highlights:

The Oasis: The Faiyum Oasis is an enormous basin in the Western Desert formed from the Nile's overflow.
Lake Moeris: The Faiyum Oasis drains into Lake Moeris, which was a large freshwater lake but at some time became a saltwater lake.
Transports on Water: Reed boats, feluccas, triremes, and kerkouros were the most commonly found craft within the land-locked waters of Egypt and were used for various purposes.
Amenemhat III's Pyramid: During the Middle Kingdom, some pharaohs chose the Faiyum as their final resting place, such as the pyramid built by Amenemhat III.
Recreating the Pyramid: Ubisoft decided to give life back to Amenemhat III's Pyramid, built with a brick core and covered with stone slabs.
Krokodilopolis: During the Ptolemaic era, the metropolis was named Krokodilopolis by the Greeks, in honor of the crocodile god Sobek.
Town of Sobek: The region's main cult was Sobek of Shedet, a divinity associated with water and fertility.
Sobek or Soukhos: To honor Sobek, a living crocodile was worshipped and fed within the precinct of Krokodilopolis's main temple, and then mummified after its death.

The Paneion

Learn about the Paneion of Alexandria.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

Who was the god Pan?
Why did the Alexandrians build an artificial hill to house the temple?

Tour Highlights:

In Honor of Pan: The Paneion was a temple built in honor of the Greek half-man half-goat god Pan, the divinity of nature, and the protector of shepherds and herds.
The God With Cloven Hooves: Pan's attribute was his namesake musical instrument, the pan flute, and his temples were usually located in caves on high mountains.
An Artificial Hill: To give proper honor to the god, Alexandrians built an artificial hill upon which they housed his temple.

The Great Pyramid of Giza: Upper Chambers

Learn more about the internal structure of the Great Pyramid, and more specifically, the upper chambers.

Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

Briefly describe the Upper Chambers of the Great Pyramid of Giza and their supposed functions.

Tour Highlights:

The Ascending Passage: At the entrance of the ascending passage are three granite flagstones estimated to weigh up to 25 tons each.
Creation of Two Passages: Different from reality, the team created individual accesses to both passages in the game.
A Path to the Grand Gallery: The ascending passageway of the Great Pyramid provides a direct path into the Grand Gallery.
Smooth Masonry: The ascending corridor has smooth masonry on its walls, and the layout includes many trapezoidal stones.
Access to the Queen's Chamber: Access to the Queen's Chamber was at the beginning of the Grand Gallery.
The Queen's Chamber: Though this room is referred to as the Queen's Chamber, it was more likely intended as the king's serdab, a chamber meant to contain the ka statue.
The Queen's Chamber Dimensions: Situated exactly within the pyramid's center, the chamber has a vaulted ceiling and measures 5.7 by 5.2 meters.
Two Mysterious Shafts: In the 19th century, two shafts were found running through the north and south walls.
An Unknown Hidden Cavity: A recent scan of the room indicated an unknown cavity hidden behind the north face of the walls.
The Grand Gallery: The Grand Gallery is the longest corbelled vault ever built, measuring 47 meters long and 8.60 meters high.
A Practical Function: While the space is visually dramatic, the Gallery seemed to serve a practical function, though what exactly remains uncertain.
Two Upper Exits: At the end of the Grand Gallery is the entrance to the antechamber leading to the King's Chamber.
The Antechamber: The far end of the Grand Gallery leads to a small antechamber, with a portcullis preventing access to the King's Chamber.
The Portcullis Slabs: The team removed the portcullis slabs to grant the player access to the King's Chamber in the game.
The King's Chamber: The King's Chamber is built entirely out of red granite and measures 5.8 meters in height.
The Two Shafts of the King's Chamber: As in the Queen's Chamber, two shafts extend out from the room towards the north and south faces of the pyramid.
The Granite Sarcophagus: There is a granite sarcophagus at the west end of the room.
The Missing Mummy: Khufu's mummy was never found.

Khafre's Funerary Complex

Learn about Khafre's funerary complex.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

Who was Khafre?
What were the unique features of Khafre's funerary complex and how was it different from the funerary complexes of Khufu and Menkaure?

Tour Highlights:

Khafre's Mortuary Temple: Since the very beginning of the 4th dynasty, mortuary temples were built adjacent to pyramids on the eastern side.
Two Parts: A mortuary temple was divided into two parts: a front area which consisted of a vestibule and a courtyard, and an area in the back where all sacred elements were located.
The Largest Mortuary Temple: The largest of all such structures, Khafre's mortuary temple, was entirely built with megalithic blocks of limestone.
Khafre's Ambition: Khafre broke the tradition of establishing a new site for a king's funerary accommodation and returned to Giza, hoping to overshadow his father's monument.
The Pyramid of Khafre: Though Khafre's pyramid is smaller than Khufu's, it was cunningly built on a more elevated bedrock layer than the Great Pyramid, making it appear higher than any other pyramid at Giza.
The Enclosure Walls: An 8-meter thick Turah limestone wall surrounded the Great Pyramid.
The Subsidiary Pyramid of Khafre: From the reign of Sneferu and onwards, the subsidiary pyramid became a common feature within the pyramidal complex.
The Ka: Within the Ancient Egyptian funerary belief system, the ka was a component of a living person, which separated itself from the body at the time of death.
A Shrine on a Sled: A wooden box containing pieces of cedar was discovered by archaeologists, which turned out to be a shrine mounted on a sled after being reassembled.

Wine in Ancient Egypt

Learn about the origin, production and storage of wine in Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Kanopos Nome

Key Questions:

What is the legend describing the origin of wine in Ancient Egypt?
Use some examples to illustrate the significance of wine production in Ancient Egyptian life.

Tour Highlights:

A Gift From Horus: When the god Horus lost his eye in a war with Set, the Ancient Egyptians believe the eye turned into a vine, and the vine's tears became wine.
Wine Production: A millennia-old tradition, grape cultivation and wine production were regimented in the way typical of Ancient Egyptian bureaucracy.
Protected Designation: Documentation shows that only certain craftspeople were allowed to provide the containers required to store and transport wine.
A Taste for Quality: Egyptians had different kinds of wines, ranging in quality from good to very good.

Jean-Pierre Houdin's Theories

Learn about Jean-Pierre Houdin's theories on Ancient Egyptian construction techniques and the Great Pyramid.

Estimated Time: 7 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

Who is Jean-Pierre Houdin, and what are his theories about the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza?

Tour Highlights:

Exploring New Rooms: The development team decided that the internal design of the monument in the game would reflect Jean-Pierre Houdin's theories.
The Antechambers: In regular royal tombs, the antechambers were filled with all the material goods needed by the pharaoh in the afterlife.
The Noble Circuit: The pharaoh's mummy would have been transported to its final resting chamber through a corridor referred to as the Noble Circuit, according to Houdin's theory.
The Noble Circuit Entrance: Modern research has revealed that a cavity might be located behind the north face chevrons of the pyramid.
The Internal Ramp: Houdin posits two ramps for constructing the pyramid: an external ramp for about half of the height of the pyramid, which then became an internal ramp for the second half.
The Corner Room: Houdin's theory states that the internal ramp followed the sides of the pyramid in an ascending spiral pattern, at the corners of which there were large rooms allowing workers to turn the stone by 90 degrees.
A Double Ramp: Houdin posits that the ascending internal ramp had two levels, allowing workers to return safely to the bottom thanks to an additional corbelled upper section.
The Start of the Inner Ramp: According to Houdin, the start of the inner ramp was located at the base of the southeastern face of the pyramid.

Jean-François Champollion

Learn how hieroglyphs were identified and deciphered.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Herakleion Nome

Key Questions:

Who is Jean-François Champollion, and why is he an important figure?
Briefly describe the approach used by Jean-François Champollion to verify that hieroglyphs contain phonetic glyphs.
What does Jean-François Champollion's study tell you about scientific research?

Tour Highlights:

Lost Knowledge: Between the 5th century CE and the Renaissance, knowledge of hieroglyphs was lost.
The Rosetta Stone: The Rosetta Stone, written in Ancient Egyptian and Greek with three different scripts, was found in 1799 by Bouchard, a soldier in Napoleon's army.
Deciphering the Rosetta Stone: The Rosetta Stone was fully translated in 1823 by Jean-François Champollion, who worked with a facsimile.
Complex Writing: Champollion found out that hieroglyphs consist of phonetic glyphs, single characters and logograms.
The First Clue: Champollion realized a difference in the number of hieroglyphic characters in relation to the number of Greek characters for the same word, which led him to believe that hieroglyphs must have phonetic characteristics.
Phonetic Similarities: To prove his theory, Champollion first identified Egyptian rulers' names and then compared their phonetic pronunciation to the Greek version.
A Replicable Method: To verify his approach, Champollion conducted the same procedure using the Philae obelisk as an additional reference.
The Coptic Language: Champollion used his knowledge of Coptic to identify the solar disk hieroglyph on the obelisk as the phonetic translation of Ra.

The Agora and Thermal Baths

Learn about the communal public spaces of Alexandria and their function within the city.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Kyrenaika

Key Questions:

How did the agora serve people of the local community with respect to different social aspects like politics and economics? (e.g., There were temples at the agora for religious rituals and celebrations)
Name some of the artistic features discovered in the thermal baths of Cyrene.

Tour Highlights:

The Agora Of Cyrene: Cyrene's agora was the city's public marketplace and political hub.
Unnamed Statue: An unnamed statue representing naval victories was the centrepiece of the agora.
Celebrating Battos: The Cyrene agora displayed many temples and monuments celebrating its founding king Battos and the city gods.
Civic Buildings: The civic buildings included a court of law, complete with an archive library that housed legal and other vital documents.
The Thermal Baths: Public baths were common in Roman and Greek cities, and two thermal baths from different eras were discovered among the ruins of Cyrene.
Mosaics: Created for waterproof floors, mosaics as an art depicted scenes from daily life, marine fauna or mythological figures.
Decorations: As with many public buildings, the thermal baths were elaborately decorated with statues.
Different Pools: Visitors were welcomed with a pool of cold water, then tepid water, and finally hot water.
Trajan's Bath as a Reference: The development team relied on documentation describing the baths built under Trajan to create the game's location.

The Origin of the Pyramid

Learn about early funerary monuments of Ancient Egypt, and their evolution into the pyramidal structure we know so well today.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

Trace the evolution of funerary architecture and practices during the early times of Egyptian history (e.g., change of the tombs' shape, increase in the complexity of decorations)

Tour Highlights:

The Cycle of the Sun: Pyramids represented the benben, the primordial mound of the Heliopolitan creation myth.
Early Burial Practices: There were the burial pits before the pyramid, and the funerary practices were different between Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt.
Predynastic Practices: In Upper Egypt, predynastic practices are divided into two cultural phases: Badarian and Nagada.
Rectangular Tombs: During the three Nagada periods, the shape of tombs changed from oval to rectangular, mimicking the homes of the living.
From Burial Pit to Mastabas: Mastaba refers to a form of funerary architecture present from the archaic period to the Middle Kingdom.
The Structure of a Mastaba: From the 5th dynasty onwards, mastabas often featured multi-roomed substructures.
Decorations of a Mastaba: The entire surface of a mastaba would be covered in scenes of daily life in the 6th dynasty.

The Great Pyramid: Subterranean Chamber

Learn more about the internal structure of the Great Pyramid, and more specifically, the subterranean chamber.

Estimated Time: 4 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

Describe some of the myths about the underground chamber of the Great Pyramid.

Tour Highlights:

The Descending Passage: From the original entrance of the Great Pyramid, there is a passage leading to the subterranean chamber.
The Constraints of Recreation: While the original passage was 145 meters long, the development team reduced its length and made it wider and higher.
The Well Shaft: The well shaft was a 58-meter vertical passage that connected the descending corridor to the Grand Gallery above.
An Air Supply?: There is much speculation over the purpose of the well shaft.
The Subterranean Chamber: There is a subterranean chamber at the end of the descending corridor, 30 meters below the Giza plateau's surface.
The Pit: The subterranean chamber contains an 11-meter pit near the east side.
Original Burial Chamber?: The subterranean chamber's original purpose remains a mystery.

Roman Military Equipment

Learn about the military equipment typical of Rome's armies.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Green Mountains

Key Questions:

What was the particular advantage of Roman military equipment?

Tour Highlights:

The Strength of Rome: The strength of Rome was directly dependent on its military supremacy and fundamentally militaristic society.
Foot Soldiers: The quality of the armor of a Roman foot soldier was intrinsically linked to his social status and wealth.
Legionary's Equipment: A legionary was equipped with two close-combat weapons: a dagger and a short sword known as a gladius.
Adopting the Enemy's Technology: During their conquests, the Romans regularly adapted enemy technologies to add to their formidable arsenal.

Deserts of Egypt

Learn about the deserts which cover 94% of Egypt.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Black Desert

Key Questions:

What were the differences between the Western Desert and the Eastern Desert divided by the Nile?

Tour Highlights:

Western & Eastern Deserts: Reaching out on either side of the lush Nile are the harsh arid Western Desert and the mountainous Eastern Desert, covering nearly 94% of Egypt.
White Desert: The White Desert in the northeast of the Sahara owes its name to its white limestone soil contrasting with the yellow sand.
Oceans of Sand: The Great Sand Sea is a sizeable unbroken desert that reaches out through western Egypt and eastern Libya.

The Serapeion of Alexandria

Learn about the Serapeion of Alexandria and its function within the city.

Estimated Time: 4 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

How did the cult of Serapis grow?
What do you think of the syncretism of different cults?
What were some of the reasons Ptolemy I could have had for creating the cult of Serapis?

Tour Highlights:

The Serapeion: The Serapeion, located southwest of the city on a small hill, was considered the most beautiful Alexandrian temple.
A Rich Complex: With libraries installed in the porticoes surrounding the square building and its roof and columns adorned with gold and gilded bronze, the temple was a rich complex.
Creation of Serapis: The Ptolemaic dynasty managed to accommodate two similar belief sets from the Egyptian cult of Osiris and the Hellenic cult of Apis to bring about a new dynastic cult called Serapis.
A Sanctuary: Since Serapis was also associated with other deities, including Asclepius, a Greek god of healing, the sick would probably visit this sanctuary in the hope of recovery.

The Egyptian Household

Learn about the family life and homes of Ancient Egyptians.

Estimated Time: 4 minutes
Region: Sapi-Res Nome

Key Questions:

How was an Ancient Egyptian house designed?
Illustrate the state of gender equality in Ancient Egypt using specific evidence and examples from gameplay.

Tour Highlights:

Men and Women: In pre-Greco-Roman culture, women were considered equal to men in many matters.
Professions: Certain professions were open only to women, such as weaving or professional mourning, while others were available to both genders.
House and Family: Homes were generally composed of three rooms: an entrance room, a ceremonial room, and a bedroom or kitchen.
Marriages and Family: Marriages were a social contract rather than a religious construct.
House Types: Status and wealth played a prominent role in the style and size of Ancient Egyptian homes.
Mansions: Town officials and the rich lived in mansions with numerous rooms that were luxuriously decorated.
Funeral Stones: Funeral stone inscriptions focused on the primary member of a household, whom a spouse, parents and children often surrounded.

The Hippodrome of Alexandria

Learn about the events held at the hippodrome.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

What were the Lageion and the Tethrippon?
What were the connections between the hippodrome of Alexandria and the Ancient Olympic Games of Greece?

Tour Highlights:

The Lageion: The main hippodrome of the city was called the Lageion, in honor of Lagos, the ancestor of the Ptolemies.
The Tethrippon: The most important chariot race was the tethrippon, where the charioteer would race with four horses for twelve laps, and victors were rewarded and acclaimed by the works of poets.
Drama & Glory: The station cites a short excerpt of a poem honoring the winners.

Menkaure's Funerary Complex

Learn about Menkaure's funerary complex.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

Who was Menkaure?
What were the unique features of Menkaure's funerary complex and how was it different from the funerary complexes of Khafre and Khufu?

Tour Highlights:

The Pyramid of Menkaure: Menkaure's pyramid shows a great deal of complexity in its internal and external finish.
Two Sloping Passages: Menkaure's pyramid contains two sloping passages, both located on the northern side of the structure.
The Pyramid Complex: Menkaure's pyramid complex was unfinished at the time of his death, and from then onwards, the pyramid shrank, whereas the mortuary temple expanded both in its quantitative and qualitative aspects.
Menkaure's Causeway: Menkaure's causeway was completed in mud-brick by the king's successor.
The Queens' Pyramid: Three small structures, referred to as Menkaure's Queens' Pyramids, were erected along the southern side of the main pyramid.
A Change of Purpose: It is assumed that the easternmost pyramid with the traditional rooms and corridors was first built as a satellite pyramid for the king's ka and then changed to a queen's tomb.

The Major Regions of Egypt

Learn about the major regions of Egypt.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Memphis

Key Questions:

Name the two primary regions of Ancient Egyptian life and culture.

Tour Highlights:

Lower & Upper Egypts: Lower Egypt (north) was situated on the Nile Delta near the Mediterranean, and Upper Egypt was at the south, reaching into Africa.
Two Pharaohs & Crowns: Until 3100 BCE and the unification of Egypt, each region had its own pharaoh and crown.
Memphis & Thebes: Both regions had competing major cities, most notably Memphis in Lower Egypt and Thebes in Upper Egypt.
Representation in Temples: Many of the temples were designed in such a way as to represent the two regions, and ceremonies often incorporated Upper and Lower Egypt in their rituals.

The Islands of Pharos

Learn about the Islands of Pharos, and the monuments located on the islands.

Estimated Time: 7 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

What were the functions of the Heptastadion bridge? (e.g., separating ports, serving as the main aqueduct)
Why was the Lighthouse of Alexandria a significant structure on the island of Pharos? (e.g., functioning lighthouse, incredible height, religious meanings)

Tour Highlights:

The Heptastadion: The Heptastadion was a bridge-like causeway connecting the island of Pharos to mainland Alexandria.
Separating Ports: The construction of the Heptastadion separated the Grand Port to the east and the Port of Eunostos to the west.
Protector & Aqueduct: The causeway served as the main aqueduct for the island's inhabitants, helping protect the island and its ports from rough wind and sea currents.
Greek Temples: While the Serapeion was the most celebrated of the temples in Alexandria, many other temples were built within the city.
Iset Fortuna: Iset Pharia was the divine protector of the lighthouse and, in her incarnation as Iset Fortuna, carried a rudder and a cornucopia, symbolizing good luck for navigators.
The Pharos: The Lighthouse of Alexandria was dedicated to the gods for the salvation of those who sail the sea.
A Three-Tiered Structure: Built on the island of Pharos, the stone structure was three tiers set on top of one another in a step formation.
A Functioning Lighthouse: The Pharos was a functioning lighthouse with a beam reportedly visible 50 kilometers away.
Skyscraper of Antiquity: For several centuries, the Pharos, roughly 110 meters in height, was one of the highest monuments ever built by man.

Temples and Priests

Learn about the influence of temples in Egyptian society, and the role of the pharaoh and priests in ancient rituals.

Estimated Time: 8 minutes
Region: Memphis

Key Questions:

Explain the significance of temples in Ancient Egyptian society with regards to politics, religion, economy, and education.
What was the House of Life, and what were its functions?
What was the Apis Bull?
What was the significance of temple rituals for Ancient Egyptians?

Tour Highlights:

Memphis & The Temple Of Ptah: The main temple of Ptah in Memphis was named Hut-ka-Ptah, meaning palace of the ka of Ptah.
Importance of Temples: Temples were the center of religious, political, and economic life in Ancient Egypt.
General Structure: Located in the center of Memphis, the temple of Ptah was the most prominent and imposing building in the city.
Popular Festivals: During special festivals, the general population was allowed to enter the portico of the temple of Ptah.
The Alabaster Sphinx Of Memphis: The Memphis Alabaster Sphinx discovered in 1912 was eight meters in height and weighed roughly 90 tons.
An Unidentified Figure: Egyptologists believe that the Memphis Alabaster Sphinx's facial likeness resembles Amenhotep II, and it could have been sculpted between 1700 and 1400 BCE.
A Witness of the Past: The size of the imposing Alabaster Sphinx reflects the importance it had to the temple during the New Kingdom.
The Apis Bull: The Apis Bull was believed to be a divine entity.
Apis, Osorapis, Serapis: Originally the symbol of fertility, the Apis Bull was linked to the god Ra and later was associated with Osiris.
A Living God: The Apis Bull lived with its harem in a sacred barn located in an enclosure in the temple of Ptah.
Apis Bull Burial: When it died, the Apis Bull was given a grand funeral which included mummification.
Maintaining Order: Ancient Egyptians believed that temple rituals were essential to maintain order in the cosmos and allow communication between humans and gods.
Daily Rituals: Daily rituals were performed three times a day to mirror human mealtimes, with each step accompanied by specific recitations.
Codified Practices: The high priest performed a series of steps to worship the gods.
Symbolic Procedures: The god was washed with incense-infused water, then the statue was adorned with jewels and royal garments, and the priest would sweep away footprints.
Priesthood: Heredity was the primary source of recruits for the priesthood.
The High Priest: High priest candidates made their way up the ranks of the temple hierarchy.
King-Priests of Thebes: In the 21st dynasty, the city of Thebes was headed by king-priests who spoke and governed in the name of the god Amun, causing a massive decentralization of power from ruling pharaohs.
House of Life: The educational institution in Ancient Egypt was known as the House of Life.
Temples and Education: It is presumed that every temple had a House of Life by the Late Kingdom.
A Center of Learning: The House of Life offered training for the elite destined for occupations such as astronomers, doctors, veterinarians, diplomats, or theologians.
Keepers of Wisdom: The House of Life was a source of reference for many scholars, with rooms dedicated to papyri of many disciplines.
Temple Economy: Ancient Egyptian economy was based on an unequal system of redistribution of goods.
Benefactors: There are records of pharaohs making offerings of large tracts of land and animals to temples to maintain their favor.
Centers of Power: The size of the recorded numbers of goods combined with every other function filled by temples confirms their might as economic, religious and political centers of power within Egypt.

Roman Forts

Learn about the structure and operation of Roman forts.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Marmarica

Key Questions:

How did the Roman forts offer battle advantages?

Tour Highlights:

The Castrum: A Roman military camp, known as a castrum, varied in size but shared common characteristics in design and construction.
The Fortifications: Rectangular in shape, the forts were heavily fortified by ramparts and a ditch system.
Spatial Organization: The commanding officer was positioned in the middle of the camp, and access doors on all four sides were each flanked by guard towers.
Thorough Planning: To ensure the health of the soldiers, every camp was equipped with medical staff and a hospital.

Major Exports of Cyrene

Learn about the major sources of economic wealth for Cyrene.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Kyrenaika

Key Questions:

What were the common uses of silphium in Ancient Egypt?
Why does silphium not exist anymore?

Tour Highlights:

Silphium and Poppy: Cyrene's leading source of economic wealth was the cultivation and export of poppies and silphium.
The Yellow Flower: Silphium grew solely in this region near the Mediterranean sea.
Medicine or Culinary Ingredient: Silphium's roots produced a resin used to cure cough, fever, indigestion, and many other ailments.
Extinction: High demand, overexploitation, and possibly a shift in climate all contributed to the eventual extinction of silphium around the 4th century CE.

The Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser

Learn about the layout of the first stone monument erected by mankind, the step pyramid complex of Djoser.

Estimated Time: 13 minutes
Region: Saqqara Nome

Key Questions:

Who was Pharaoh Djoser the Sacred, and what were his outstanding achievements?
Compared with other pyramids, what were the distinct features of the Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser?

Tour Highlights:

Djoser's Funeral Complex: The step pyramid is at the center of an enclosed complex comprised of temples, models of palaces and artificial constructions.
The Step Pyramid: The step pyramid, standing at 60 meters high, is the first monument built of stone.
The Enclosure Wall: The Step Pyramid complex is enclosed within a 1600-meter long wall that is 10 meters high.
A Symbolic Fortress: The design elements of the Step Pyramid complex, including false doorways and defensive walls, suggest a relation to the Heb Sed festival.
The Colonnade Entrance: The only actual entrance into the complex is at the end of a long narrow passageway.
A Work of Illusion: The red columns and black painted walls of the corridor would have created the illusion of columns standing on their own in contrast with walls blended into shadows.
Importance of Symbols: Chambers on either side of the columns are considered chapels representing Upper and Lower Egypt.
The South Tomb: The tomb is located at the southern end of the courtyard, below which the burial chamber was 30 meters deep.
South Underground Chambers: Underground apartments and rooms were intended to accommodate the king and his family in the afterlife.
Inventing & Building the Step Pyramid: The architect, Imhotep, set about stacking mastabas on top of each other.
A Spiritual Staircase: A tiered pyramid represented a staircase allowing the pharaoh to enter the divine world.
Djoser, Divine of the Body: Pharaoh Djoser the Sacred was the founder of the 3rd Dynasty and was known as Horus Netjerykhet, "Divine of the Body," during his reign.
Memphis's Necropolis: Djoser was the first to reside in Memphis and built many temples and monuments, making Memphis the central hub of government for the region.
Afterlife Palace: The funerary complex was built to resemble Djoser's palace.
T Temple: The T temple in the corner is among the most mysterious structures in the complex.
The Heb Sed: The Heb Sed festival enabled the pharaoh to maintain universal order and renew godly powers.
The Heb Sed Courtyard: The Heb Sed courtyard at the southeast of the pyramid is lined with false chapels and equipped with a platform featuring two staircases.
The North and South Pavilions: There were two pavilions in the courtyard believed to represent the palaces of Upper and Lower Egypt.
The Northern Funerary Temple & the Serdab: The funerary temple is on the north side of the complex, within which was the pharaoh's serdab or cellar.
Djoser Eternal: The north wall has two observation holes, where a statue of Djoser is seated, enabling the king to observe the ceremonies and receive offerings in the afterlife.

The Secrets of the Great Pyramid

Understand the structure of the Great pyramid.

Estimated Time: 9 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

What are some of the fascinating facts about the Great Pyramid of Giza?
Why is the Pyramid of Giza considered to be an architectural marvel?

Tour Highlights:

The Great Pyramid of Giza: Built around 2550 BCE, the Great Pyramid of Giza is considered one of the most iconic structures of Egypt.
Khufu's Legacy: The Great Pyramid's construction was a display of the power and opulence of Khufu.
Valuable Documents: New insights into engineering and Ancient Egyptian culture are still being revealed over 4500 years later.
An Old Mystery: The pyramid's celestial purpose, its construction and the function of its mysterious inner chambers were unclear even by Cleopatra's time.
A Design Marvel: The Great Pyramid's structural design has been considered to be nearly perfect by engineers and historians.
Some Numbers: The pyramid is a mere .05 percent error away from being a perfect square.
A Complex Construction: The shape of a true pyramid design required many considerations in the planning phases and precision during execution.
An Impressive Realization: Materials for the Great Pyramid consisted of quarried limestone blocks, weighing between 2 to 15 tons each.
An Artificial Mountain: It's estimated that it took between 600 000 and 2 million stone blocks to build the Great Pyramid.
The Stones of the Great Pyramid: While the interior chambers were built with red granite from Aswan, most of the pyramid was made from local limestone.
The Horizon of Khufu: The smooth white polished stone of the Great Pyramid would've reflected the sunlight like a beacon, earning it the name "The Horizon of Khufu."
A Visited Monument: Over the centuries, thieves and travelers attempted to access the Great Pyramid numerous times.
Entrances of the Great Pyramid: The main entrance of the Great Pyramid is located 17 meters above ground level facing north.
Robber's Entrance: The Robbers' Entrance is reported to have been opened in the 9th century by Caliph Al-Ma'mun.
Looking for Other Entrances: Attempts to gain entry to the Great Pyramid and uncover its potential secrets continued throughout the centuries.

Agriculture and Seasons

Learn about the basic agricultural food production techniques, and understand how the Nile was at the center of Ancient Egypt wealth.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Ineb-Hedjet Nome

Key Questions:

What were the major types of grain planted in Ancient Egypt and what was the corresponding Egyptian diet?
Name the three seasons and describe their connection to the river Nile and agricultural processes.
Briefly describe the story inscribed on the Famine Stela and explain its implications.

Tour Highlights:

The Importance of Agriculture: Two types of cereal grain were cultivated: barley and an ancient wheat known as emmer.
An Agricultural Revolution: The Ptolemaic era created an agricultural revolution by introducing advanced farming techniques and new grain types such as rice and pearl millet.
Tenenet, The Goddess of Beer: Beer was so important to Ancient Egyptians that they had a goddess of beer brewing: Tenenet.
Field Management: To increase agricultural production, fertile land was divided into plots, and large agricultural villages were encouraged.
Seasons: The three seasons known as Akhet, Peret, and Shemu corresponded to a specific phase of the agricultural process and the river's natural changes.
Provider of the People: The pharaoh's duty was to uphold order against chaos and provide for his people.
Egyptian Text - The Famine Stela: The story of Djoser and the temple of Khum highlighted the importance of the deity in everyone's daily lives while also demonstrating the crucial role that the priests and the king played in feeding and protecting the people of Egypt.

Ancient Egyptian Medicine

Learn about the balance of science and magic that was Ancient Egyptian medicine.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Siwa

Key Questions:

Why was Ancient Egyptian medicine called a blend of science and magic?

Tour Highlights:

A Blend of Science and Magic: The Edwin Smith Papyrus is one of the first documents in history that notes an association between the integrity of the brain and cognitive functions.
The Ebers Medical Papyrus: The Ebers Medical Papyrus details treatments of forty-eight surgical cases and contains 877 paragraphs describing various diseases, including both factual scientific approaches and magic formulas and incantations.
Medicines of the Time: Remedies were considered as medicine and carried by doctors and priests.

Sneferu's First Pyramid

Learn about Sneferu's Pyramid at Meidum.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Saqqara Nome

Key Questions:

What were the distinguishing innovations of the Meidum Pyramid?
What does the collapse of the outer casing of this pyramid tell you about the consequences or risks of innovation?

Tour Highlights:

The Meidum Pyramid: From the first king of the 4th Dynasty, funerary monument design moved from the step pyramid to the smooth-faced pyramid, the first attempt of which was the pyramid of Meidum.
Evolution of the Pyramid: Sneferu's monument started as a step pyramid and was finally covered with an outer casing to achieve a smooth surface.
The Collapse: The bases of the four outer buttress walls gave way, causing the walls to slide down and collapse.
The Ceremonial Pavement: It was the first time a ceremonial pavement was built, leading from the valley to the temple.

Bringer of Life, The River Nile

Learn about the river Nile and it's importance to the development of Ancient Egyptian civilization.

Estimated Time: 9 minutes
Region: Ineb-Hedjet Nome

Key Questions:

Why was the Nile important for Egyptians?
What were the major geographical characteristics of the Nile, and what natural resources did the river provide to Ancient Egypt?
Why did all of Egypt's significant cities settle and prosper along the Nile?

Tour Highlights:

Topology: The dark fertile soil of the Nile was called "the black lands," and the surrounding desert was referred to as "the red lands."
Three Seasons: The seasonal cycle of the Nile was so consistent that Ancient Egyptians created their calendar around it, namely, the flood season and the following growing and harvesting seasons.
Ribbon of Life: All of Egypt's major cities were built along this narrow ribbon of life, the Nile.
Hapi, Neilos, Nile: Stretching a distance of over 6700 kilometers, the Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world.
Geography: The river flows through African equatorial forests, swamps, volcanic lands, steppes, and deserts, splitting apart for a while and picking up various sediments from each region before carrying them to Egypt.
Cataracts of the Nile: The Nile crosses six cataracts from the south to the north, creating natural obstacles between the various sections of the river.
The Nile of Egypt: The Nile officially returns to Egypt after crossing Nubia and reaching the first cataract in Aswan, then flows over a thousand kilometers to Cairo and the Delta before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.
Water Sources: Ancient Egyptian irrigation and water use was centered around the Nile with the Delta as an example of a large irrigated area where the river splits into several tributaries.
Lakes: The Delta had several major brackish coastal lakes, bodies of water separated from the sea by thin strips of land, providing refuge to a wealth of species.

The Founding of Cyrene

Learn about the city of Cyrene.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Kyrenaika

Key Questions:

What were the geographical advantages of Cyrene that made it the capital of Pentapolis? (e.g., the port of Apollonia)
Because Cyrene was built by a colony of Greek settlers, which features of the city reflect its Hellenistic influence?

Tour Highlights:

Cyrenaica: Cyrenaica stretches across the coast of northwest Africa. It was known as Pentapolis in antiquity, a reference to the five main cities that formed the Greek colonies.
Cyrene: The city of Cyrene was founded by Battos Aristotle, guided by the Oracle of Delphi.
Cyrene's Key Features: The key features of Cyrene were temples dedicated to gods: Apollo, Demeter, and Zeus alongside Ptolemaic gods such as Iset and Serapis.
An Economic Powerhouse: Under Roman influence, Cyrene became an economic powerhouse, rising in status throughout the Mediterranean.
The Fall of Cyrene: Over time, a succession of battles, poor management of its silphium crop and earthquakes eventually took their toll on the city before it was abandoned entirely in 365 CE.
Cyrene & Apollonia: The nearby port of Apollonia was an ideal location with its natural cove, sheltered by two islands and rocky inlets.
Apollonia's Fate: With its success as a commercial trading port, Apollonia eventually surpassed Cyrene to become the capital of Pentapolis.

Siwa

Learn about the geography and importance of the oasis of Siwa.

Estimated Time: 7 minutes
Region: Siwa

Key Questions:

Compared to other regions of Egypt, such as Memphis, what were the distinct geographical features of the oases?
Considering characteristics of the natural environment, what were the major human activities at oases?
How did the Oracle influence decision-making and the beliefs of people in Egypt?

Tour Highlights:

Introduction: The Siwa Oasis, located in the Western Desert of Egypt, had a unique society and language due to its isolation.
Oases: Due to their unique geographical structure, oases were crucial for nomadic tribes and caravans, becoming hubs for trade and areas of political control.
North-South Orientation: Since many oases have a north-south orientation parallel to the Nile, some geologists suggest they were once tributaries of the mighty river.
Libyan Oases: The Libyan oases are the best-known western oases that are geographically and culturally linked to the Nile Valley and the Delta.
Cleopatra's Bath: The Spring of the Sun is one of many thermal sources in Siwa, with the particularity that Cleopatra would have bathed in this one.
Oracle Of Amun: The Siwan Oracle was considered one of the three greatest of the ancient world, alongside the oracles of Delphi and Dodoni.
Alexander the Great: Alexander the Great made the perilous journey to Siwa to consult the oracle, who validated his claim as Pharaoh of Egypt.
Predicting Victory: The powerful and the rich would send gifts or travel great distances to ensure their good fortune by gaining the blessing of the Oracle of Siwa.
The Ram-Headed Sphinxes: In the game, the temple of the Oracle of Amun's entrance is guarded by ram-headed sphinxes, the animal representing Amun.

Natron

Learn about the uses of natron, and how it was mined and farmed in Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Saqqara Nome

Key Questions:

What is the molecular formula of natron?
What was the primary use of natron in Ancient Egypt?

Tour Highlights:

An Ancient Salt: Natron is a colourless salt used by Ancient Egyptians for food preservation, cleansing products and glassmaking.
Desiccating the Body: During the ceremonial embalmment ritual, the priests packed the body in natron to remove moisture.
Natron Mine: Natron was mined in Wadi Natron by either cutting slices out of the lakebed or raking through mineral-saturated water to gather the mineral salts.
Inspiration: Mining techniques inspired the development team in their recreation of the mines located in the mountains northwest of Memphis.

The Great Library Of Alexandria

Discover the history of the greatest library in antiquity and learn about the great minds of the ancient world.

Estimated Time: 7 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

Name some prominent philosophers or scientists who were part of the Library of Alexandria. What were their significant contributions?
How did the Library of Alexandria become an important center of knowledge and culture in Egypt and beyond?

Tour Highlights:

Introduction: The Library of Alexandria, located near the district of royal palaces and within the Mouseion, was built to house all human knowledge.
Recreating the Great Library: Throughout the centuries, fires and wars between Christianity and paganism destroyed the library, leaving nothing behind, the loss of which is immeasurable.
Building a Collection: While much of the collection was purchased at the government's expense, the library also obtained books through other means.
The Great Minds of Alexandria: Eminent scholars from Athens, Rhodes, and other Greek centers traveled to the city to learn and engage with other free thinkers.
Schools of Thought: The great minds of antiquity were usually well versed in many disciplines, which were often associated with specific schools of thought, among which the Peripatetics, the Stoics, and the Cynics were the most well-known.
Hypatia: Hypatia of Alexandria was a Greek female mathematician, philosopher, astronomer, and inventor.
Kallimachos: Though born in Cyrene and educated in Athens, Kallimachos moved to Alexandria to work in the Great Library and gained fame as a poet and a critic.
Euclid: It was in Alexandria that mathematician Euclid, the father of geometry, wrote The Elements.
Eratosthenes: Eratosthenes of Cyrene, inventor of the armillary sphere, created his principal work, Geography, when he was director of the Great Library of Alexandria.
The Zodiac Krikotoi: Known as the Zodiac Krikotoi amongst the Greeks, the Meteoroskopion was used to determine the location of celestial bodies around the Earth.
Pythagoras: Pythagoras of Samos was a well-known and respected philosopher and mathematician whose most notable contribution was the Pythagorean theorem.

Mummies Of Ancient Egypt

Learn about the process of mummification in Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 9 minutes
Region: Memphis

Key Questions:

Briefly describe the major steps involved in the mummification process?
Which chemicals were primarily used in mummification? Describe the (bio)chemical reactions that took place. (e.g., explain the use of natron in embalming and desiccation)

Tour Highlights:

A Pharaoh's Purification: The mummification process used by Ancient Egyptians was highly ceremonial.
Cleaning: Once bodies arrived at the mummification site, they were placed on inclined tables while the bodily fluids drained away.
Purifying: The priests first libated the body with sacred water, then fumigated the body with terebinth resin, further purified the body with oils, spices, and all kinds of essences, and finally removed body hair.
Extraction of the Brain: The brain was extracted by inserting a spoon through the nostril to break the ethmoid bone and then removed using a spatula.
Evisceration: After taking care of the brain, embalmers made an incision on the left flank to set aside the viscera, then rinsed the inside of the body with palm wine, filled the belly with pure myrrh, cinnamon, and other perfumes, and sewed it shut.
Preserving the Viscera: The viscera were wrapped in tissue and placed in canopic jars.
Canopic Jars: As the protectors of the viscera, canopic jars assumed the appearance of the four sons of Horus.
Natron Salt: Natron is a naturally occurring mineral found in an evaporite.
Natron and Desiccation: Embalmers used natron as a desiccant to dry the flesh and stop the corpse's putrefaction process.
Preparing the Body: Once the natron treatment fully desiccated the body, embalmers oiled, painted, and sometimes even added hair extensions to the body.
Linen and Mummy Wrappings: The wrapping of the body with linen gave mummies their most well-known appearance.
Addition of Amulets: Amulets were carefully arranged on the deceased's skin or inserted into the weaving of the linen strips.
Masks: Masks were an essential part of a mummy's finery and were created through a technique known as cartonnage.
Mummy Fashions: Cartonnage evolved to cover the entire body of the mummy during the 22nd Dynasty.
Cartonnage Decorations: Cartonnage envelopes were usually covered with inscriptions and polychrome decorations.
The Opening of the Mouth: The Opening of the Mouth was a vital step in the funerary process, meant to bring back to life the deceased themselves or an object representing the deceased.
The Opening of The Mouth - The Ingredients: There were no less than seventy-five different stages for the Opening of the Mouth.
The Opening of The Mouth - The Sarcophagus: The last stage of this long ritual was the act of touching the mouth with the adze to symbolically allow the breath of life to infuse an inert body.

Khufu's Funerary Complex

Learn about Khufu's funerary complex.

Estimated Time: 7 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

What were the unique features of Khufu's funerary complex, and how was Khufu's funerary complex different from those of Khafre and Menkaure?

Tour Highlights:

Khufu's Valley Temple: The valley temple was considered the official entrance of the tomb and mixed the structural components of both a temple and a portico.
Khufu's Causeway: Khufu's causeway ran from the floodplain up to the plateau, linking the valley temple and the mortuary temple.
Khufu's Causeway Decorations: The walls in Khufu's causeway were decorated with carvings and possibly paint.
Cemeteries of Mastabas: Private tombs, also known as mastabas, were aligned and laid out methodically in streets and avenues east and west of Khufu's pyramid.
The Three Queens' Pyramids: To the east of Khufu's pyramid reside three smaller constructions: the three Queens' Pyramids.
Queen Hetepheres' Pyramid: The northernmost pyramid was most likely meant for Queen Hetepheres, who is believed to have been Khufu's mother.
Khufu's Boat Pits: Within the vicinity of Khufu's pyramid, Egyptologists have uncovered seven boat-pits.
Khufu's Ship: The two southern boat-pits, each covered by a roof of huge limestone slabs, were discovered in 1954 by Kamal al-Mallakh.
The Pyramidion: The Greek term 'pyramidion' refers to the capstone of a pyramid or the tip of an obelisk.
Engraved Pyramidion: Some engraved pyramidia were recovered from private funerary chapels.
Reconstitution of Khufu's Pyramidion: The pyramidia of the pyramids of Giza in the game are fictional.

The City of Memphis

Learn about the city of Memphis and its place through various periods of Ancient Egyptian history.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Memphis

Key Questions:

Name some of the important cities of Ancient Egypt and state why they were important.

Tour Highlights:

Cities and Regions: Egyptians referred to the organization of their cities as a sepat, or later on by the Persian term, nome.
Memphis, Thebes & Sais: The city of Memphis was located in Lower Egypt. Thebes was located in Upper Egypt. Sais was the minor capital of the Saite dynasty.
The First Capital: During the 3rd Dynasty, under Pharaoh Djoser, Memphis became Egypt's first religious and administrative capital.
The White Walls: Memphis was also referred to as "the city with the hundred doors" or "the white walls".

Introduction to Alexandria

Learn about the city of Alexandria and the Canopic Way.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

How was the city of Alexandria founded, and by whom?
Why do you think Alexandria became the most important city in the Greek world, even supplanting Athens? (e.g., advantageous geographic location)
Explore the world and use the Photo Mode to show evidence of the beauty of Alexandria.

Tour Highlights:

The City of Alexander the Great: After conquering Egypt in 331 BCE, Alexander the Great decided to build a new city, which he named after himself.
Alexandria In A Nutshell: The city was built between the Mediterranean sea and Lake Mareotis.
A Rich Capital: Sumptuous buildings such as temples and lush public gardens could be seen wherever one turned their gaze.
A Legendary City: With its incomparable beauty and advantageous geographic location, Alexandria attracted foreigners, intellectuals, and traders.
Obelisks: Egyptian obelisks, generally located at the entrance of temples in pairs, indicated that Alexandria, though a Greek city, was significantly influenced by Egyptian culture.
The Canopic Way: Alexandria had several main streets, and its most famous artery was the Canopic Way.
An Extra Wide Avenue: The width of the Canopic Way, 30 meters, was abnormally large even by Greek standards.
The Canopic Door: The Canopic Way originated in the western cemeteries, skirted the gymnasium, and then exited the city to head east through a massive doorway towards Kanopos, known as the Canopic Door.

Crucifixion

Learn about crucifixion, the most severe form of Roman capital punishment.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Green Mountains

Key Questions:

What was Crucifixion, and how did citizens perceive it?

Tour Highlights:

Roman Capital Punishment: In terms of the severity of Roman justice, crucifixion was at the top of the list of corporal punishment.
A Popular Entertainment: Easily accessible, crucifixions were popular entertainment among the citizenry.
The Condemned: Those subjected to crucifixion were almost always slaves, traitors, and lower-class citizens.
Spartacus: A major slave uprising in Italia, repressed by the Roman army in 71 BCE, resulted in the crucifixion of 6000 men, including a former gladiator known as Spartacus.

Leather and Linen in Ancient Egypt

Learn about the uses of leather and linen in Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 4 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

Explain the uses of linen and leather in Ancient Egypt, considering the climate and natural resources.

Tour Highlights:

Tanning Leather: Due to the heat in Egypt, leather was reserved mainly for things such as sandals, leather bags, dagger sheaths, quivers, and other similar items.
Linen Fabric: Valued for its coolness and freshness in hot weather, linen was the fiber most commonly used for fabrics and textiles.
Dyeing: Various shades were achieved using woad, a dye produced from the leaves of Isatis Tinctoria.
The Tanneries of Fez, Morocco: The design of the tannery site in the game is strongly influenced by the dye baths and tanneries of modern-day Fez in Morocco.

Temples and Rituals of Ancient Egypt

Learn about the importance of the pharaoh and of the priests in ancient rituals, and understand the influence of temples in Ancient Egyptian society.

Estimated Time: 8 minutes
Region: Lake Mareotis

Key Questions:

What were the different roles of priests in the religious rituals and administration of Ancient Egypt?
How did religious festivals influence Ancient Egyptian society?

Tour Highlights:

The Sacred Barge: During rituals and festivals, the god was carried on a solar barge between the areas of a temple or the temples of different cities.
The Travels of Ra: Ancient Egyptians believed that Ra, the sun god, traveled the skies in a boat known as the solar barge.
The Destruction Of Mankind: Ra ordered Sekhmet, the lion-headed war goddess, to kill all humans, but the drunkenness of Sekhmet on beer stopped the extinction.
Festivals: In reflecting the cycles of life, festivals offered a sense of consistency and structure for the regular citizens, thus reinforcing the social order.
Longevity of the Festivals: The importance of these festivals is demonstrated by their longevity.
Temple Hierarchy: The temple hierarchy consisted of high priests, other types of priests, scribes, and servants.
Temple Personnel: Egyptian priests were not confined to solely religious tasks and had crucial roles in Egypt's administration, most of which reaffirmed the pharaoh as the proper vessel for the gods.
Scribes & Priests: Scribes were custodians of the sacred sciences.
Three Months a Year: Priests and all the officials who served the temple worked only three months a year.
The Holy of Holies: The most sacred part of the temple was referred to as "djesr djesru," the "holy of holies."
The Foundation of a Temple: Pharaohs and their priests often chose the site of these sacred temples because of some mythological connection or an alignment with the cardinal points and certain stars.
The Naos: The naos was where the god statue stood.

Education in Alexandria

Learn how young Alexandrians were educated.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

What were the key features of the education system in Alexandria, considering essential subjects, learning environments, and schooling trajectories?
What are the differences and similarities between the education system of Alexandria and modern society?

Tour Highlights:

Essential Knowledge: At the age of seven, children were taken into the charge of a tutor, who then became responsible for instilling an elementary education, as well as sound moral principles.
Not Just Sports: In the gymnasium, students were taught not only sports but also topics such as rhetoric, philosophy, music, and poetry.
Inclusive Gameplay: Although it is historically inaccurate, the development team chose to show both genders attending class to avoid highlighting historical sexism.

Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Learn about hieroglyphs, how they evolved through time, and what they can teach us about Ancient Egyptian culture.

Estimated Time: 7 minutes
Region: Siwa

Key Questions:

What were the distinct features of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs?

Tour Highlights:

The Different Scripts: Hieroglyphics were used as sacred writing, appearing on monuments, statues and sacred papyrus texts.
A Difficult Language: Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs were intended for pharaohs, nobility and priests, and meant to be used in ceremonies, within tombs and for government records.
Insight Into Egyptian Culture: The structure of hieroglyphs offers insight into Egyptian culture through the symbols' structure.
Spells and Offerings: In many temples, priests would perform rituals and daily offerings, which were accompanied by hieroglyphs used as spells.
The Book of the Dead: The most famous Ancient Egyptian document written in hieroglyphs and hieratic texts is the Book of the Dead.
Reading Hieroglyphs: The reading of hieroglyphs remained challenging due to the many directions in which they can be read.
Reading Directions: A clue on which way to read is to notice which direction the figurative signs are facing.
Writing with Hieroglyphs: Text written on tomb walls resembles the structure of a page from a comic book.
Use of Symbols: Compared to alphabetical languages, Egyptian hieroglyphs have more symbols.
The Number of Hieroglyphs: Middle Egyptian hieroglyphs contained a little more than 700 signs.
The Egyptian Language: Ancient Egyptian languages belong to the Chamito-Semitic group and have many similarities with Asian and African languages.
Recreating the Egyptian Language: To help resurrect a dead language, the team consulted Egyptologists and dialogue coaches to establish the target sound and cast actors with Arabic, Hebraic and African backgrounds to bring the game to life.
Passage Into History: After Alexander the Great established his reign in Egypt, Greek became the language used by the governing bodies.
End of Hieroglyphs: The spread of Christianity marked the end of hieroglyphic writing and understanding.

The Temple of Zeus in Cyrene

Learn about the Temple of Zeus, in Cyrene.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Kyrenaika

Key Questions:

What is the architectural style of the temple of Zeus in Cyrene, and which specific architectural features support your judgment?

Tour Highlights:

The Temple of Zeus: The temple of Zeus in Cyrene was built in the 5th century BCE and was the most prominent Greek temple in Africa.
Doric Architecture: The exterior of the temple was designed with decorative elements common to Doric architecture.
Corinthian Columns: When reconstructing the temple after the Jewish rebellion, Emperor Hadrian restored the new Corinthian columns in marble.
Imitation of the Olympian Zeus: Emperor Hadrian installed a 12-meter high marble statue matching the statue of Zeus in Olympia for worship.
Using a Zeus-Ammon Statue: The development team elected to place a statue of Zeus-Ammon in this location, knowing that Cyrene was central to the spread of this cult.

The Riddles of the Sphinx

Learn about the Great Sphinx of Giza, and different changes the Sphinx endured through time.

Estimated Time: 15 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

What were the significant features of the Sphinx of Giza that impressed you?
Briefly describe the theories about the origins of the Sphinx of Giza and their central arguments.
What is a popular cultural legend about the Sphinx of Giza's missing nose, and what does the manipulation of the legend tell you about scientific discovery?
What methods do historians adopt to uncover ancient truths?

Tour Highlights:

What is a Sphinx?: A sphinx was originally meant to be a personification of the king and was considered a symbol of protection.
When Was It Built & Who Does It Represent?: These questions about the Sphinx remain unanswered with several unproven theories.
Khafre's Legacy: One theory suggests that Khafre built the Sphinx to represent himself, while others believe that Khufu built it.
The Lost Colors: The glorious colors of the Sphinx of Giza were unfortunately destroyed by the sun, the sand, the climate, and the implacable impact of time.
The Importance of Red: As symbolism in Ancient Egypt, the color red was both the color of life and death, associated with the sands, the sun, or the god Seth.
The Great Sphinx of Giza: Dating approximately 2600-2500 BCE, the Great Sphinx of Giza is the oldest and largest Sphinx that we know of.
Use of Limestone: Several limestone blocks were added after the initial construction phase for a more polished, imposing monument.
A Natural Stone Promontory: The Sphinx as a whole was carved in situ from a natural stone promontory.
Natural Bedrock: The natural bedrock of the Sphinx's body is similar to the surrounding limestone.
Sphinx Openings: Numerous attempts to pierce the Sphinx's secrets have been carried out since the First Intermediate Period, leaving indelible scars upon the monument.
The Back Entrance: There is a mystic entrance in the back of the Sphinx.
Theories and Science: In recent years, theories and hypotheses continue to emerge around the Sphinx of Giza without validation provided by archeological sources.
Anubis Theory: The first of the main theories as to the Sphinx of Giza's meaning posits that the Sphinx was originally a massive representation of the god Anubis.
Recreating the Sphinx: The team decided to use photogrammetry mapping to reproduce the proportions of the Sphinx faithfully.
Amenhotep II's Revival: It is theorized that kings of the New Kingdom believed that the Sphinx of Giza was the one who recognized and legitimized the ruler of Egypt.
The Setepet: Amenhotep II built a second temple dedicated to the Sphinx-as-Horemakhet, to pay homage to Khufu and Khafre.
Leaving Marks: Egyptologist Mark Lehner believed that Amenhotep II built a statue of himself anchored between the paws of the Sphinx, likely to legitimize his reign.
Thutmose IV & The Sphinx: While sleeping between the Sphinx's paws, the future Thutmose IV saw in a dream the god Horemakhet proclaiming his coming accession.
The Dream Stela: An Italian Egyptologist, Giovanni Battista Caviglia, discovered the 15-ton dream stela built by Thutmose IV to commemorate his dream.
The Sphinx's Beard: In 1818, Caviglia discovered fragments of the Sphinx's beard that had probably been added during the New Kingdom.
The Missing Nose: Though a popular cultural legend purports that the nose of the Sphinx of Giza was lost during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, there was falsified evidence for it.
An Iconoclastic Act: Historian Ulrich Haarmann argued that a Sufi broke the nose of the Sphinx in an iconoclastic act around 1378.

Ancient Egyptian Cultivation

Learn about the Ancient Egyptian agricultural techniques.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Kanopos Nome

Key Questions:

Describe the two irrigation tools - shadoof and sakia.
What were the main steps involved in processing grain to produce flour?

Tour Highlights:

Irrigation & Shadoof: The Nile's rising and receding waters naturally irrigated most of the crops, and areas where the Nile didn't reach required an irrigation tool known as the shadoof.
Bringing Water to the Fields: A water well was later invented, improving water supply for larger areas.
Threshing & Winnowing: The threshing process separated the grain from its husk through animals trampling the grain.
Recycling Chaff: Winnowing was the process where workers used wooden scoops to throw grain in the air and let the wind carry off the chaff.
Transport: The goods were moved during the Nile's flooding season when the river was deep enough for large ships.
Grain Distribution: At Alexandria, portions of the wheat crop were distributed to Alexandria's city market, and the remaining stockpile was either exported or stored in warehouses.
Granaries: Grain storage facilities were located across all of Egypt.
Grain Processing: When the grain was ready for processing, it was poured into bowls and pounded into a coarse flour.
Sand Everywhere: The sieves used by Ancient Egyptians were unable to filter out sand and stones.

Roman Aqueducts

Learn about the aqueducts and water management in Cyraneica.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Green Mountains

Key Questions:

What were the benefits of aqueducts?

Tour Highlights:

Water Management: Water management was taken seriously by the Romans, and many aqueducts were built at the foot of the mountains.
Aqueducts: The ability to transport water over a greater distance increased agricultural production.
Advanced Construction Techniques: The engineering methods used to create aqueducts were constantly reviewed, with a clear focus on exploiting the local environment.
Bringing Water to the City: The water was distributed based on the collective needs of the city before the personal needs of an individual.
Cleaning the Streets: Almost all aqueducts ended in a fountain where the water circulated to clean the streets and supply bathhouses and latrines.

Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt

Learn about Cleopatra, the last of the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs.

Estimated Time: 9 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

What were Cleopatra's contributions to society in Egypt and around the Mediterranean Sea during her rule? (List out significant events and their consequences)
How would you describe Cleopatra VII, the most influential woman in Egyptian history? (State your reasons and perspectives)

Tour Highlights:

Introduction: Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator ascended the throne in 51 BCE at the age of eighteen.
Protector of the Two Lands: By associating herself with the goddess Iset, Cleopatra firmly established herself as the Protector of the Two Lands and legitimized her place on the throne.
Co-rule with Ptolemy XIII & Exile: During the early years of co-ruling Egypt between 50 to 48 BCE, Cleopatra VII faced many problems such as droughts and floods and was finally exiled by the co-ruler, her brother husband, Ptolemy XIII.
Pompey's Fate: After being defeated by Caesar in 48 BCE, Pompey fled to Alexandria in the hope of finding refuge but was assassinated by Ptolemy XIII for Caesar's favor.
Cleopatra's Gambit: Cleopatra, aware of Caesar's anger against Ptolemy XIII for the murder of Pompey, decided to establish an alliance with Caesar and return to Egypt to regain her power.
Claiming the Throne: After the victory in the siege of Alexandria in 47 BCE with the help of Caesar and the death of Ptolemy XIII during the battle, Cleopatra married her other much younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, and finally claimed the throne of Egypt.
Cleopatra in Rome: Cleopatra and her entourage remained in Rome until March 44 BCE, when Caesar was murdered.
Cleopatra and Antony: Mark Antony, Caesar's former faithful supporter, became Cleopatra's powerful ally to fight against Octavian and claim the Roman Empire with the riches of Egypt.
A New Egyptian Empire: Cleopatra increased her kingdom's territory and started political propaganda alongside Antony in Egypt and beyond, hoping to establish a Ptolemaic federal empire.
War with Rome: Octavian declared war against Egypt and defeated Egyptian fleets led by Cleopatra and Antony in 31 BCE at Actium.
The Last Pharaoh of Egypt: Due to the many versions and legends spreading around, it is believed that both Cleopatra and Antony committed suicide after the defeat, but detailed events remain difficult to confirm.

Oil in Ancient Egypt

Learn about the cultivation and use of oil in Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Haueris Nome

Key Questions:

What were the common uses of oil in Ancient Egypt?

Tour Highlights:

The Various Uses of Oil: Oil was used for various purposes: cosmetics, medical treatments, nutrition, perfume, athletics, and rituals, to name a few.
Castor Oil: Ancient Egyptians originally used castor oil in wick lamps and cosmetics, such as facial and hair treatments.
Olive Trees: The use of olive oil and the cultivation of olive trees remained uncommon until the mass arrival of Greek settlers during the reign of the Ptolemies.

The Gladiator Arena

Learn about gladiator arenas in the Roman Republic.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Kyrenaika

Key Questions:

Who were the Roman gladiators? Were they always slaves or convicts?
Was death the only outcome for losers at the arena?

Tour Highlights:

A Justified Anachronism: While gladiators would not perform in Cyrene until later in the Roman era, the development team decided to include a gladiatorial arena in the game.
Roman Gladiators: The first gladiators at the arena were prisoners of war, and they fought against wild beasts.
The Profession of Gladiator: The profession of gladiator came to be when many of the skilled combatants enter the arena for status and money, leading to increased quality of entertainment.
Different Specialties: Gladiators were separated into heavy and light armored fighters, each with their specific armor and weapons.
Rock Stars of Antiquity: Several gladiators were released due to their performance at the arena and gained great notoriety as celebrities.

Rediscovering Egypt

Learn about the beginnings of modern archeology.

Estimated Time: 7 minutes
Region: Faiyum Oasis

Key Questions:

How has Egyptology and its techniques transformed over the decades?
What was the critical step in conserving Egypt's archaeological heritage?
Name some of the key persons and their contributions to Egyptology.

Tour Highlights:

Mass Pillaging: In the 19th century, the increased intensity of tourism and excavations, as well as the outflow of antiquities to other countries, threatened Egypt's archaeological heritage.
Early Organization: In 1858, the Viceroy of Egypt created the Antiquities Service, supported by a team of foreign scholars.
The Dawn of Scientific Archeology: As of the mid-19th century, Egyptology quickly became a recognized discipline within private institutions and learned societies.
A Unique Contribution: A French architect, archeologist and former researcher, Jean-Claude Golvin, specializes in the artistic reconstruction of ancient cities and monuments.
The Art of Jean-Claude Golvin: The team collaborated with Jean-Claude Golvin to recreate Egypt for the game.
A New Era of Egyptology: Rather than single-mindedly retrieving impressive artifacts, Egyptologists today focus instead on increasing the body of knowledge.
Excavations Today: Today, archaeology in Egypt relies on an interdisciplinary approach where traditional Egyptologists are helped by a broad spectrum of scientists from other disciplines and new, non-invasive techniques.

Alexandria: A Commercial Hub

Learn about the major economical role of Alexandria during ancient times.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

How did Alexandria contribute to the economy of Egypt? (e.g., banking and tax)
On the Egyptian side, what were the major exports and imports at Alexandria?
Create a trade map around the Mediterranean Sea to explore the trading connections between Egypt and other regions during the Ptolemaic dynasty.

Tour Highlights:

A Major Commercial Hub: The ports of Alexandria were a central commercial hub, effectively connecting Egypt with the Mediterranean regions and beyond.
Exchange Hub: Food and artisan work like ceramics and glass streamed out of Egypt, while what Egypt did not produce itself, like pinewood, was acquired through trade for local resources such as wheat and papyrus.
Shipyards: The wood imported to Port Mareotis through Alexandria's seaward ports was used in the nearby shipyards, where most of Egypt's ships were built.
Mareotis Port: The southern port of Lake Mareotis was the biggest in Alexandria.
Banking: Banking was one of the most distinctive innovations brought by the Greeks to Egypt, and the centerpiece of Alexandria's wealth was the royal systematization of taxes on almost everything.
Lake Mareotis' Reduction: Lake Mareotis lost its connection to the Mediterranean and most of its water due to the silt of the channel that fed the lake from the Nile by the late 12th century.

Osiris, The First Mummy

Understand the significance of the mummies for Ancient Egyptians.

Estimated Time: 4 minutes
Region: Siwa

Key Questions:

What is the story of the death and resurgence of Osiris - a mythological deity?
How was the myth of Osiris connected to the practice of mummification?

Tour Highlights:

Early Natural Mummies: At first, the body was mummified through environmental desiccation by leveraging the dryness of the environment and the heat of the climate.
Osiris: It was not until the emergence of the myth of Osiris in the Egyptian religion, around the 5th Dynasty, that mummification was thoroughly conceptualized.
Genesis Myth: Osiris was mainly known as the god of the dead and resurrection.
Osiris, Seth & Iset: According to Plutarch, Osiris, the first king to rule Egypt, was killed and dismembered by his brother Seth, and then Iset, the Great of Magic, traveled all over Egypt to search and recover all pieces of Osiris's body.
Iset, Nephthys & Horus: Aided by her sister Nephthys, Iset reassembled the body of her husband, Osiris, by binding it together with strips of linen, brought him back from the dead, and conceived Osiris's successor, Horus.
The First Mummy: The ritual used to bring Osiris back to life essentially depicts how he became the first mummy.

Inside Djoser's Step Pyramid

Learn about Djoser's Step Pyramid and Imhotep's influence on the evolution of the pyramidal architecture.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Saqqara Nome

Key Questions:

What architectural innovations did Imhotep implement for Djoser's Step Pyramid?
Briefly introduce one feature of the underground palace that impresses you.

Tour Highlights:

Divine Imhotep: The architect of the Step Pyramid, Imhotep, was a man of great importance to pharaoh Djoser and Ancient Egyptians in general.
Imhotep & The Importance of the Complex: The Step Pyramid was the first monument made from stone blocks instead of mud-brick and was the highest during that time.
A Pharaonic Undertaking: In addition to the central subterranean palace built for Djoser, eleven wells were dug, each connected with a horizontal gallery.
The Magazine Gallery: Two passages lead underground and branch off in three directions to various magazine galleries for storage and ceremonial offerings.
The Burial Chamber: The burial chamber of Djoser is located at the bottom of a 28-meter deep central shaft.
A Maze for the Afterlife: Many tunnels stretch in all directions over 5 kilometers at the foot of the chamber.
Djoser and Jean-Philippe Lauer: The French Egyptologist Jean-Philippe Lauer devoted his whole life to meticulously exploring the Step Pyramid complex.
The King's Apartments: The pharaoh's apartments, also known as the blue chambers, are decorated with blue-green tiles.
False Doors and Treasures: The south room has false doors separated by stone panels, while the north room is a corridor that allows access to side chambers.
Wonders to Discover: It is clear from the elaborate detail and scale of the complex that this funerary monument was a technological marvel of its time.

Pyramids of the Middle Kingdom

Learn about the various funerary monuments of the Middle Kingdom.

Estimated Time: 4 minutes
Region: Haueris Nome

Key Questions:

What were the construction trends for pyramids during the Middle Kingdom?

Tour Highlights:

Revival of Pyramids: During the Middle Kingdom era, the powerful rulers of the 12th dynasty resumed the tradition of elaborate pyramidal tombs.
Smaller & Elaborate: The architectural plans of the Hawara pyramid were simpler than the one at Dahshur, while the means used to protect it from looters were much more elaborate.
The Decline of Pyramids: The construction of pyramids gradually slowed until kings of the 18th dynasty gave up the shape of the pyramid as a royal tomb.
A Legacy: Pyramids remain a symbol of the religious dedication of the pharaohs and the grandeur of Ancient Egypt.

The Qattara Depression

Learn about the Qattara Depression, in north-western Egypt.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Qattara Depression

Key Questions:

What were the distinguishing features of the Qattara Depression?

Tour Highlights:

Sand and Salt: The Qattara Depression, located in the northwest part of Egypt, covers 18,000 square kilometers, with the basin 133 meters below sea and covered with salt.
Inhospitable Environment: The climate is very arid, with average temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius.

An Overview of the Giza Necropolis

Learn about the plateau hosting most famous necropolis of Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Giza

Key Questions:

Identify the Giza plateau on the game map and describe the alignment of the three famous pyramids.

Tour Highlights:

The Giza Plateau: The Giza plateau is located on the west bank of the Nile and was considered by Ancient Egyptians as the domain of the dead.
An Immense Funerary Complex: The Giza area, now famous for its three pyramids, is part of a wider group of funerary complexes.
A Strict Alignment: The placement of the Giza monuments, and particularly that of the pyramids, followed a practical yet strict alignment.

The Mouseion of Alexandria

Learn about the Mouseion of Alexandria and its function within the city.

Estimated Time: 4 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

What were the functions and contributions of the Mouseion to Egypt and beyond?

Tour Highlights:

The Mouseion: The Mouseion was a sector of the city commissioned by Ptolemy I to rival Athens' Academy as an institute of intellectual pursuit, welcoming scholars to share knowledge in literature, science, and geography.
University of Antiquity: The Mouseion was designed so that its buildings and grounds would accommodate free-thinking, debate, and presentations.
Herophilos: Herophilos was a physician who performed the dissection of human cadavers on a large scale and made some discoveries about the human nervous system.
The Modern Museum's Ancestor: Scholars were fed and housed at the Mouseion at the government's expense, and that support lives on in the legacy of modern museums.

The Acropolis of Cyrene

Learn about the acropolis ward in the city of Cyrene.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Kyrenaika

Key Questions:

Where was the Acropolis of Cyrene located, and what was its function?

Tour Highlights:

The Acropolis Ward: The acropolis of Cyrene is set on the city's western edge.
Statuette of Berenice: Many figurines have been excavated from the site.
20th Century Fortification: In the 20th century, a fortification was built above the ward, which covered the ancient remains of nearby Roman houses entirely.

The Forts of Cyrenaica

Learn about the fortifications discovered in Cyrenaica, and their purpose.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Green Mountains

Key Questions:

What was the use of the Forts of Cyrenaica?

Tour Highlights:

Ancient Defenders: Ancient fortifications in the southwest of Cyrenaica were of Libyan origin, rebuilt and modified by Roman engineers when Cyrenaica was part of the Empire.
A Fortress of Stone: Stone was the most commonly used material to build forts in Egypt and Cyrenaica.
Protecting the Main Route: The forts of Cyrenaica were intended to prevent invaders from gaining access to the main route that leads to the country's five most important cities.
Roman Military Presence: We still know little of the Roman military presence in Cyrenaica.

Flora of Ancient Egypt

Learn about the flora of Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Region: Herakleion Nome

Key Questions:

Which plant species grew at the Nile Delta based on its unique climate and other geographical features?
Name some of the trees and their religious significance.

Tour Highlights:

A Wide Variety of Plants: The climate and unique geography of the Nile Delta offered a wide variety of plant species.
Papyrus: Papyrus grew in abundance along the water's edge of the Nile and served many functions such as paper and mats.
Fruit Trees: There were many types of trees along the river Nile, such as the date palm, carob, and tamarisk.
Embodiments of Divinity: Some trees were associated with gods, such as the acacia with Horus.

Fauna of Ancient Egypt

Learn about the fauna of Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Sap-Meh Nome

Key Questions:

Observe Egypt's terrain on a map, and explain why there was a diverse range of wildlife.
Name some of the representative animals in Ancient Egypt.
What was the connection between animals and Ancient Egyptian culture and art?

Tour Highlights:

The Importance of Animals: Both domesticated and wild animals were features in Ancient Egyptian bas reliefs as early as the 1st Dynasty.
Wildlife: Egypt's terrain allowed for a diverse variety of animals.
Lords of the Nile: The Nile was home to many fish species, hippopotami, and crocodiles.
Birds Everywhere: The wide variety of birds, reptiles and insects influenced Egyptian hieroglyphs and art.
Lions: While all animals had sacred meanings, lions represented power and royalty to Ancient Egyptians.

Beer and Bread

Learn about the production steps of brewing beer and bread making, and their importance in Ancient Egyptians' lives.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Sapi-Res Nome

Key Questions:

What were the steps involved in making beer in Ancient Egypt?
What were the steps involved in making bread in Ancient Egypt?
Describe the (bio)chemical reactions that were part of these processes, especially the fermentation process.

Tour Highlights:

The Importance of Beer: During the Pharaonic era, beer was the most commonly used and crucial alcoholic beverage.
Daily Intakes: Egyptian adults and children consumed beer with all of their meals, and medical texts include hundreds of remedies that contain beer.
D.I.Y. B.C.E.: The most basic recipe for beer used malted cereal as the main ingredient, and fruit such as dates were added along with honey and spices.
Brewing Beer: Baked bread would be crumbled into the brew to start the fermentation process.
Beer Filtering: The bread and grain mixture was compressed and then strained through a sieve with water into the mix of malt beer.
Storage: The beer was stored in pottery jars and sealed with a clay stopper.
Lost Recipes: Experts cannot replicate an authentic beer since not all of the techniques and ingredients used by Ancient Egyptians are known yet.
Bread Making: The introduction of durum wheat improved bread quality.
Different Techniques: For bread making, the dough was first kneaded by hand or foot, then was flavored with ingredients such as fruits, nuts, honey and spices, and was leavened with sourdough or leavening from beer brewing.
The Omnipresence of Sand: Ancient Egyptians always had to fight off the omnipresent sand particles blown towards them, which caused the problem of worn teeth.

Building Ancient Egypt

Understand the different techniques used by Ancient Egyptians to quarry stone blocks, and build their monuments.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Haueris Nome

Key Questions:

What materials were used most commonly for construction in Ancient Egyptian architecture?
What were the two techniques used to extract limestone?
Who was the deity considered popular among quarry workers?

Tour Highlights:

The Quarries: For religious temples and funerary monuments, Egyptians used limestone, sandstone, and harder materials such as granite, quartzite and travertine.
Limestone: Limestone was common and easy to extract from quarries on the east bank of the Nile.
The Open Pit Quarry: Open-pit quarries enabled many workers to work simultaneously on many blocks, which allowed for better productivity.
Cutting Technique: To cut stones, workers used iron chisels for hard rock and bronze or copper tools for softer rocks such as limestone.
Accessing Finer Limestone: The gallery extraction technique was used when the desired rock was buried under layers of rubble.
Splitting Technique: To cut the stone, they created a longitudinal kerf, or slit, and then cut the rock at a 90-degree angle.
Support Sections: To maintain the stability of mining pits throughout quarrying, workers would leave support sections of unexcavated rock.
The Workers' Shrine: In every quarry, dedicated shrines were established to protect the workers.

The Red Pyramid of Dahshur

Learn about the Red Pyramid of Dahshur.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Saqqara Nome

Key Questions:

What were the distinct features of the Red Pyramid of Dashur, and how was it different from the Bent Pyramid?

Tour Highlights:

A True Pyramid: The Red Pyramid is a geometrical, true flat-face pyramid named due to the reddish limestone used in its construction.
Always Aligned: Two almost identical spectacular chambers with high ceilings aligned north to south inside the pyramid.
Lost Annexes: The annexes of the Red Pyramid consist of a small funerary temple located to the east.
Sneferu's Final Rest: The Red Pyramid was structurally sound and marked a remarkable design milestone.

Domesticated Animals of Ancient Egypt

Learn about the various domesticated animals of Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Faiyum

Key Questions:

Which animals were primarily domesticated in Ancient Egypt, and what roles did they play in Ancient Egyptian life?

Tour Highlights:

A Very Old Tradition: Agriculture and domesticated livestock, including cattle, donkeys, pigs and dogs, were introduced 6000 years ago.
Pets: Pets were deeply cherished in Ancient Egypt.
Introduction of Cats: Since they were so highly capable of killing snakes and rodents, cats were present throughout Ancient Egyptian history, but they only became pets sometime during the Middle Kingdom.
Dogs & Family Ties: Dogs and other pets were mummified and buried with as much ceremony as any family member.

The Greek Pharaohs

Learn about the founding of the Ptolemaic Dynasty.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Region: Alexandria

Key Questions:

Who was Ptolemy Lagos, and what were his significant contributions to history?
What was the connection between Ptolemy Lagos and Alexander the Great?

Tour Highlights:

The Divine Pharaoh: Pharaohs were considered divine incarnations of the gods to preserve fundamental values and universal harmony.
The Ptolemaic Dynasty: The Ptolemaic dynasty was founded by the Greek general Ptolemy Lagos and reigned over Egypt from 305 BCE to 30 BCE.
Alexander the Great: Alexander the Great became the King of Macedonia in 336 BCE after his father's assassination and then started his conquest to reclaim the Greek cities of Asia Minor.
Son of Ammon: Alexander the Great marched on to Egypt, defeated the Persians there, and became pharaoh in due course by making a sacrifice to Apis and being proclaimed son of Ammon at the Oasis of Siwa.
Ptolemy I Soter: Ptolemy Lagos succeeded Alexander the Great as the ruler of Egypt in 323 BCE and became well respected for his successful domination in the Mediterranean area by 305 BCE.
The Tomb of Alexander The Great: Alexander died in Babylon in 323 BCE, with his remains placed in a solid gold coffin.
The Last Hero of Antiquity: Though many influential leaders such as Julius Caesar and the Roman Emperor Augustus claimed to have visited Alexander's tomb, its location has gone missing from history.

Ancient Egyptian Fashions

Learn about Ancient Egyptian fashions.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes
Region: Lake Mareotis

Key Questions:

What do we know about the fashion preferences for people of different ages, gender and social status in Ancient Egypt? Choose one aspect of jewelry, clothing, cosmetics, and hairstyle to illustrate.
Reflect on your daily life and find similarities and differences between fashion styles of modern society and Ancient Egypt.

Tour Highlights:

Connecting with the Past: The life of Ancient Egyptians presents many differences from, and yet also surprising similarities to, how people might live today.
Jewelry: Both men and women of all social standings wore earrings, rings and bracelets, but the quantity and quality of jewelry were determined by social status.
The Flesh of the Gods: The jewelry of the elite was made from gold, silver, and other precious stones because gold never lost its shine and was considered akin to the flesh of the gods.
Changing Fashions: Egyptians took appearance and cleanliness very seriously and were diligent about their fashion, hair, jewelry, and grooming habits.
Clothing: The fabric of Ancient Egyptian clothing was almost entirely made from various grades of linen.
Cosmetic: Cosmetics, including concoctions to prevent body odor and bad breath, were an integral part of everyday life for Egyptians.
Kohl: Egyptians believed kohl had magical powers, wearing it as black eyeliner to protect their eyes from the sun and prevent eye infections.
Hair Fashion: Women and teenage girls wore their hair long and often braided while the length of men's hair rarely dropped past the shoulders.
Wigs: Wigs were trendy and used for special occasions or to conceal grey hair or baldness.
Children's Hairstyles: Prepubescent children generally had their heads shaved.

Evolution of Pottery in Ancient Egypt

Learn about the pottery and its various uses in Ancient Egypt.

Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Region: Atef-Pehu Nome

Key Questions:

Why was pottery essential in the daily lives of Ancient Egyptians?
Briefly describe the pottery techniques and artistic styles.

Tour Highlights:

Pottery: Excavations all over Egypt have uncovered enormous quantities of pottery vessels of all shapes and sizes.
Essential Containers: Pottery was used in all aspects of life, from the storage of grains and liquids to containers within the tombs and necropolises.
Pottery Techniques: Early pots were made from pinched or coiled clay mixed with straw, ashes and other minerals, after which the pots were smoothed and decorated before being put in the oven.
The Potter's Wheel: The potter's wheel was utilized during the Old Kingdom.
Different Styles: Quartzite particles, which created the rich blue or green glazing, became common during the New Kingdom.
Ostraca: Ostraca or potsherds contained records of daily life, letters, or sketches for temples and tombs.

Play Behavior:

Use Game Map

Description

View the entire map of Ancient Egypt in Discovery Tour. Find and teleport directly (fast travel) to the starting location of any tour or point of interest in the game.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

Students can use the map to set markers or 'fast travel' to any location of interest in the game world. They can use the map to practice geographic skills. They can also learn about the various sub-regions of Ancient Egypt from the map.

Play Behavior:

Use Game Timeline

Description

View the game timeline to learn about historical figures from different periods in Ancient Egypt.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

The timeline is helpful to identify different periods with representative rulers in Ancient Egyptian history from the Old Kingdom to the Ptolemaic Era.

Play Behavior:

Learn from Tour Stations (Behind the Scenes Info)

Description

Use this section to understand the challenges and experiences of the team of developers, historians, and artists involved in the creation of the game. Read narrative text and view pictures of associated historical artifacts of archaeological value.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

These stations serve as a pause point for reflection on historical thinking. Students understand how historians work with limited sources and unclear evidence to discover and recreate the world of Ancient Egypt.

Play Behavior:

Take a Guided Tour

Description

Follow a defined path in the game to take one of the many guided tours curated by historians and archeologists about life, politics, philosophy, and art in Ancient Egypt. Watch explanatory videos that present historical knowledge and link it with the game environment. Read narrative text and consult pictures of historical artifacts of archeological value associated with the tours.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

Taking a tour is the central gameplay of Discovery Tour games. Offering engaging and interactive gameplay, each tour can be used as the main text to provide knowledge about a topic. Discussions, reflections, and content knowledge quizzes can be designed around each tour depending on the lesson's learning objectives. Students can also find answers to pre-defined questions or analyze the arguments included in the tours. Refer to the list of tours for detailed information on each one.

Play Behavior:

Explore the Rich, Interactive World

Description

Explore and interact with the rich and detailed 3D world of Ancient Egypt, observe the various NPCs (e.g., soldiers, merchants, guards, citizens, etc.) in action.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

Various discovery tasks can be designed for students (e.g., explore Alexandria to collect information about its wealth) in the open world of Ancient Egypt. The opportunity to freely investigate the world makes it possible for students to observe the relived details of the architecture, fashion, human activities, and other aspects of Ancient Egyptian civilization.

Play Behavior:

Learn from Transition Scenes

Description

Find useful tips about gameplay and short pieces of information of historical significance as you transition between tours and game menus.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

The information provided during transition scenes can add to the knowledge obtained from gameplay.

Play Behavior:

Use Photo Mode

Description

Set up a virtual camera anywhere in the 3D world of Ancient Egypt to take and save photos of your favorite locations, objects, and characters. Export your photos to your Ubisoft Account or store them on a local disk.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

Students can use this feature to capture their gameplay experience or illustrate a specific concept or theme.

Play Behavior:

Use Bird's Eye View

Description

Control your character's Falcon to get a bird's eye view of the environment around your character's current location. Navigate and control your bird using the in-game controls.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

Students can use this feature to identify nearby points of interest, set markers, and obtain an aerial view of the world.

Play Behavior:

Navigate the Open World

Description

Based on the terrain and features of the physical environment around your character, use the multiple ways of navigating Ancient Egypt. Players can walk, climb, jump, kneel, use boats, swim, dive and use torchlight at night and in darker areas as they explore the game world.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

Play Behavior:

Play Tours in Specific Order

Description

Select the order of play for various tours of Ancient Egypt. Play the tours following the five in-game categories.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

Students could start playing by choosing a category. Playing all tours from one category provides holistic knowledge of the subject from different perspectives.

Play Behavior:

Unlock various Characters

Description

Unlock and choose from a range of playable characters as you finish tours in the game.

“Playing to Learn” Recommendation

Unlocking various fictional and non-fictional characters can be viewed as a reward or reinforcement to boost students' motivation. Moreover, playing the role of game characters with a first-person perspective increases their sense of belonging and promotes historical empathy.

Finalize Selection

Ancient Egypt Gameplay Map

Ancient Egypt Gameplay Map