Soaring limestone-faced pyramids and pillared temples, picture-writing and magical amulets, animal-faced deities and painted mummy cases ancient Egypt was as colorful as it was mysterious. It was also a major political power. Meet the priests, scribes and artists who enriched the culture, the peasants who labored by the Nile to support the population, and the pharaohs who kept the nation strong. Early Times is a series written for middle school students about major cultures of the past - from ancient times to the dawn of the twentieth century. Each volume focuses upon unique aspects of daily life as well as major innovations and creative achievements of a given people. Portraits of key figures of history pharaohs, kings, emperors, philosophers, playwrights, artists, and poets come alive as the story of their civilization unfolds.