February 23

Pyramid Quest
In 802AD, the youngest son of Harun Al Rasheed set camp at the base of the pyramid at Cheops. The great pyramid "touched the sky" as described in his time. He brought hundreds of stone makers, engineers, and architects. His quest was to find the pharaoh's treasure and to discover the secret of the weapon that does not rust from blood and water, and glass that bends, but does not break. The Scribes believed the pyramids were guarded by The Sphinx, which they called "The Beast." This "Beast" is a statue, with a lions body and the head of a sage. The pyramids back then are different, from today. The sides were polished and not even a blade could go through them. On the side of the pyramid there is a stone that can be moved. Lifting the stone reveals a lifting passage to the pharaoh's grave. All the stones looked alike and was impossible to find the right one. They found no treasure inside, and there was nothing in the pharaoh's chamber. Under the pharaoh's chamber, was the queen's chamber which is sealed to this very day. The lowest part of this pyramid is the Grotto, which is not looked at.

Mummification
In the first century AD, Heracletes died at about 20 years old. Mummification was invented by the Egyptians, to preserve the body for afterlife. Usually all internal organs were removed before mummification, except the heart. This time, the heart was removed, but the lungs were not. Next, the body was covered in salt, and left for about 40 days, until all moisture was eliminated. Perfumed oils and plant resins were rubbed on the body. They used plant resin as glue, to seal the linen, that was wrapped around the body. The mummy was placed on a wooden board, and more wrappings bound them together. A pouch, of a religious significance, was placed on the chest. A waiting bird, called a mummified ibis, was placed on the abdomen. Long linen strips further secured the wrapping. A portrait of Heracletes was placed on the face and more linen was added. The linen was painted red, which is rare. Egyptian symbols of rebirth and protection, were painted with pigments and gold, on the last layer. Finally Heracletes name was written at the feet in Greek. Heracletes body is with us today.

Crash Course
Ancient Egyptian civilizations lasted from 3000BCE to 332BCE. The Nile shaped world view for the Egyptians. It was the safest and richest agricultural nation in the world. Flooding left rich silt for planting. The Egyptians would through the seeds, and cattle or pigs would press the seeds down. This lead to a surplus of food. Egyptian communities only existed along the Nile. They used basin irrigation, formed a basin and flooded with water. They had big surpluses, but only had to do little work. Pharaohs were worshiped and seen as gods. There were three categories in the Egyptian times, Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom. The Old Kingdom is when the pyramids were built.