A superbly written narrative that provides a comprehensive overview of this most fascinating of ancient civilizations. Its story begins with the first nomads who settled in the lush valley of the Nile and examines in detail the major accomplishments of the three great epochs of ancient Egyptian history. Among the topics covered are the development of writing, the rituals associated with death and the hope for an afterlife, the discoveries made in science and mathematics, and the achievements of Egyptian artists and architects. Lively descriptions help the students envision the lives of peasants and pharaohs alike, and a chart of commonly used hieroglyphs enables them to write in the style of the scribes. The Early Times Series is written for students in grades 5-8, each of the six texts in this series provides a comprehensive overview of a particular culture. The evolution of political thought, economics, science, art and literature are made to come alive for young readers through the author"s detailed descriptions of everyday life and provocative portraits of key personalities. Every chapter is followed by review questions, Ideas to think about and Projects.