Prove Your Expertise With This Ancient Egypt Quiz

“Foie gras” translates to “fatty liver” in English and is often considered an indulgent and luxury food item. While well known in French cuisine, foie gras dates back to the ancient Egyptians. The civilization force-fed geese, ducks, and hyenas to produce their own foie gras varieties, a tradition that has carried over into France for millennia.

While many Egyptian gods were portrayed with various animal heads, the sun god Ra was almost always portrayed as a falcon. To the ancient Egyptians, falcons could fly to great heights, putting them closer to the sun than any other beast.

The short story behind the end of Egyptian pharaohs largely comes down to Cleopatra’s entanglements with many now-famous Romans, including Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After her death in 30 BCE, the monarchy unraveled as the country was incorporated into the Roman Empire.

The Egyptians were believed to have had mirrors in their homes as early as 2900 BCE. Unlike today’s polished glass surfaces, these original mirrors were actually polished bronze. These mirrors were typically round to represent the Egyptian sun god, Ra, and had handles made of wood, metal, or ivory.

Cartouches were oval-shaped stones that displayed a royal family member’s name and title. Cartouches were important because of “ba” and “ka,” the two parts of the soul. After death, the ba gets to have fun, while the ka takes care of loved ones. Each night, the two parts come back together to rest with the body. Cartouches were necessary because if the ba and ka couldn’t find the body, they would disappear forever.

The Egyptians thought a lot about life after death. So much so that they devised primitive braces that were placed on the teeth after someone had died — the idea being the braces would help the deceased keep a “lifelike smile” long after they were gone.

Egyptian pyramids are essentially very elaborate and fancy tombs. And naturally, given the wealth of the people buried inside, they were magnets for tomb raiders. To combat the problem, Amenhotep I commissioned a special final resting place for the remaining Egyptian royals; this place was located near the River Thebes and known as the Valley of the Kings.

The ancient pyramids of Giza began with Pharaoh Khufu, who launched the project around 2550 BCE. He actually commissioned the Great Pyramid (the biggest of the bunch), while his son Khafre built the second one and the sphinx. The final pyramid was built by Pharaoh Menkaure in 2490 BCE.

It might seem like the pyramids were always designed to be the same golden hue as the sand surrounding them, but when they were first built, the Giza pyramids were originally covered in highly polished white limestone. Not only that, but it's believed the capstones were plated in gold. While this finery has long been stripped off, there's still a hint of white atop the middle pyramid.

A 5th Dynasty Egyptian tomb revealed a painting showing a monkey assisting a police officer with an arrest. Along with trained dogs, these mischievous sidekicks could serve as restraints and distractions for criminals.

King Tut's sandals were found buried alongside him in his tomb. A painting of his enemies on their soles allowed the king to trample on his enemies for all of eternity.

Egypt wasn’t the only ancient civilization to use mold to treat wounds, but it sure was on to something. Centuries later, penicillin would be derived from the Penicillium fungi to treat infections.

In a departure from traditional mummification practices, King Tutankhamun or "Tut" was buried without his heart or anterior chest wall. Some researchers have hypothesized that the pharaoh may have sustained crushing injuries from a hippopotamus — supported by Tut's fractured ribs and fondness for hippo hunting.

An ancient game called “senet,” the oldest known board game, was adored by many ancient Egyptians. A painting on the wall of Queen Nefertiti’s tomb displays her playing the game. King Tut is said to have been buried with five boxes of the game — fitting, as the goal is for players to journey through obstacles and reach eternal life.

Beer was so integral in ancient Egypt that it was an accepted form of currency. Many revered the drink with a belief that it promoted a lighter spirit and happy heart. The Nile River was frequently polluted, so beer was also a healthier beverage than plain water.

Despite being born in Egypt, Cleopatra's ancestral roots are planted in Macedonian Greece. Her strong commitment to learning the Egyptian language and adhering to ancient tradition enabled her rise to power, and she remains one of Egypt's most remembered historical figures.

The word “pharaoh” didn't always refer to a person. In fact, it originally referred to a place — specifically, a great house, or the place where the rulers of Egypt resided. It wasn't until the 18th century that people started using it metonymically for the Egyptian king. Even then, it's worth noting that the rulers themselves never used the title.

Most of a body’s internal organs were removed as part of the mummification process, but the heart had a special purpose. The deceased would need their heart in the Hall of Judgment, so that organ was left in the body. Ancient Egyptian embalmers would place other organs, including the stomach, lungs, and liver, into jars that would remain next to the mummified body.

Life didn’t stop at death for ancient Egyptians. According to their beliefs, objects placed in the tombs with the dead would be useful for their rich afterlives. A wide variety of items, including food, wine, vehicles, tools, even pets and servants, have been found in tombs of pharaohs.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still intact, but it has two accompanying pyramids. The three pyramids at Giza are named after the kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is as famous as the majestic pyramids themselves. The statue takes the form of a colossal sphinx, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. This iconic monument likely dates to the time of King Khafre, between 2575 and 2465 BCE, and is one of Egypt’s most famous ancient landmarks.