Anyone visiting Luxor or Cairo stands before monuments spanning 3,000 years of history. A little background makes the visit immeasurably richer.
The three main periods
*Old Kingdom (c. 2700–2200 BC)* — The age of the pyramids. Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure commissioned the Pyramids of Giza — as tombs and an expression of divine power. The pharaoh was literally considered a god on earth.
*Middle Kingdom (c. 2050–1650 BC)* — Reunification after a period of fragmentation. The golden age of literature and art. Pharaohs shifted their focus southward — Luxor grew in importance.
*New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BC)* — The most glorious era. Ramesses II, Tutankhamun, Hatshepsut, Akhenaten. The Valley of the Kings was created during this time. Egypt was a superpower.
The most famous pharaohs
*Khufu (Cheops)* — Builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World.
*Ramesses II* — The great warrior king and builder. Ruled for 67 years, built Abu Simbel and immortalised himself on virtually every temple in Egypt.
*Hatshepsut* — Egypt's most significant female ruler. Reigned as pharaoh for over 20 years, built the temple at Deir el-Bahari and led trade expeditions to Punt.
*Tutankhamun* — Famous not for his reign (he died aged around 18) but for Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of his untouched tomb containing over 5,000 golden treasures.
**What you'll see differently on your visit** With this knowledge you will read hieroglyphs as historical narratives, identify depictions, and truly grasp the scale of the monuments.