20 Things You Didn’t Know About Egypt

In ancient Egypt, men could take time off of work to care for menstruating wives and daughters.

Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)- located in the western desert in Egypt contains the fossilized remains of whales that show their evolution from life as a land-based animal to becoming an ocean-going mammal.

In ancient Egypt, couples were considered married whenever they moved in together. Wedding ceremonies were reserved for the upper classes.

In Ancient Egypt, dwarfs were seen as people who had celestial gifts, were treated with the greatest respect and enjoyed the highest social positions.

There is evidence to support that Ancient Egypt had proctologists and their term for the position literally translates to "shepherd of the anus."

Egypt has compulsory military service for males, but only if they have a brother. If they have no siblings or only a sister, they are exempt.

In Ancient Egypt, Pharaoh Pepi II despised flies so much that he would keep naked slaves smeared with honey near him in order to keep flies away.

In ancient Egypt, pharaohs were always depicted in paintings and statues wearing a ceremonial prosthetic beard. Since the pharaohs were regarded as children of God, the beard also indicated divinity, and was thus worn even by female pharoahs like Hatshepsut.

There was a group of raider colonies in ancient Egypt who terrorized the Mediterranian coast, that has gone relatively unidentified to this day. They are collectively known as the Sea Peoples, and according to Ramesses II, no one knew how to fight against them or could withstand them.

In Ancient Egypt, killing a cat, even accidentally, incurred the death penalty.