360
Egypt
Everything about Egypt on 360n60: 3 history, 4 dates in history, 2 future. Each told in 60 words.
History · 3
- History · 4 November 1922
Howard Carter finds the tomb of Tutankhamun
On 4 November 1922, in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, workers for the archaeologist Howard Carter found a step cut into the rock. It led to the tomb of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun, hidden for more than 3,000 years. Inside were more than 5,000 objects, including his famous gold mask, now in the Grand Egyptian Museum.
- History · 17 November 1869
The Suez Canal opens, linking the Mediterranean and the Red Sea
On 17 November 1869, the Suez Canal in Egypt opened after ten years of construction. The 164 km waterway joined the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, so ships between Europe and Asia no longer had to sail around Africa. The voyage from London to Mumbai became about 7,000 km shorter.
- History · 15 July 1799
The Rosetta Stone is found
On 15 July 1799, French soldiers rebuilding a fort near Rashid, known to Europeans as Rosetta, in Egypt, found a stone carved with the same decree in three scripts: hieroglyphs, demotic and ancient Greek. Because scholars could read the Greek, it became the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian writing, which Jean-François Champollion achieved in 1822.
On this day · 4
- On this day · 16 February 1923
Howard Carter opens Tutankhamun's burial chamber
On 16 February 1923, the archaeologist Howard Carter opened the sealed burial chamber of the pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. Inside stood a huge gilded shrine. It took years more to reach the king's coffins and his famous gold mask.
- On this day · 26 November 1922
Howard Carter sees 'wonderful things' in Tutankhamun's tomb
On 26 November 1922, the archaeologist Howard Carter made a small hole in a sealed doorway in Egypt's Valley of the Kings and looked in by candlelight. Asked if he could see anything, he replied: 'Yes, wonderful things.' The nearly untouched tomb of Tutankhamun became the most famous archaeological find.
- On this day · 17 November 1869
The Suez Canal opens
On 17 November 1869, the Suez Canal opened in Egypt, linking the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Ships between Europe and Asia no longer had to sail around Africa, cutting thousands of kilometres from the journey. It remains one of the world's busiest shipping routes.
- On this day · 15 July 1799
The Rosetta Stone is found
On 15 July 1799, French soldiers rebuilding a fort near Rashid, known to Europeans as Rosetta, in Egypt, found a stone carved with the same text in three scripts, including Greek and hieroglyphs. It became the key that let the scholar Jean-François Champollion decipher ancient Egyptian writing in 1822.
Future · 2
- Future · 2 August 2027 · Predicted
The century's longest total solar eclipse on land
On 2 August 2027, the Moon will completely cover the Sun along a path crossing Spain, North Africa, Egypt and western Saudi Arabia, including Jeddah and Makkah. Near Luxor in Egypt, totality will last about six minutes and 23 seconds, the longest total eclipse on land this century.
- Future · 17 November 2069 · Anniversary
The Suez Canal turns 200
On 17 November 2069, the Suez Canal reaches 200 years since it opened, joining the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Widened and deepened many times, it remains one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.