Kerwin 1

Spencer Kerwin
Mr. Barone
Period 2
14 September 2014
Spencers Wonderful Adventures Through Time and Space: Egypt Edition
Modern society has benefited from the advances of the ancient Egyptian culture. The
ancient Egyptians improved technology, architecture, and increased the knowledge of medical
procedures. Without these contributions, modern society would be very different from what we
know today.
The ancient Egyptians were innovators in industry. The Egyptians developed papyrus,
one of the world's earliest examples of paper. Papyrus is made from the Cyperus papyrus plant
which grows well in the Nile's fresh water (Egyptian-papyrus.co.uk). The papyrus was used until
the Chinese developed new, a more modern form of wood-based paper. (Silkroad Foundation).
Paper aided accent Egyptians in communicating ideas, and also helped in recording information.
Laws could be written on paper. Governments could keep records and issue proclamations.
Cultural and religious ideas were written down, and no longer needed to be passed on by word of
mouth. In modern society, paper is still used as it was in Ancient times.
In the field of technology, Ancient Egyptians also advanced metallurgy, the science
concerned with the production and refinement of metals. Ancient Egyptians mined, and
developed uses for, many metals still used today. Bronze was commonly used by the Egyptians.
Bronze is an alloy of copper and of about 4% tin (Reshafim.org). Bronze is much stronger than

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copper and almost as strong as iron, but it is easier to work with. They used it for tools to build,
like chisels and hammers. Because bronze was easier to work with and more available, the
Egyptians could make more tools, and they learned to refine the process. With a big supply of
bronze tools, they could carve stone and build pyramids, and work wood into more complex
forms. Egyptians also used bronze to create better weapons. With better weapons, Egyptians
could build swords and armor to conquer other lands, defend against enemies, and maintain
order.
As well as using bronze, the Egyptians used paved roads. Most roads in ancient Egypt
could not be used when the Nile flooded, so the roads were not available year-round limiting
transportation. In order to be able to travel during flooding, Egyptians started building roads on
dykes. These roads generally survived the Nile floods and were usable year round, unlike those
which were washed out by the yearly floods (Reshafim.org). This engineering advancement has
been used by many other cultures, such as the Romans, who built roads as one of the first step in
the conquest of a region (Reshafim.org).
The ancient Egyptians were innovators in the field of medicine. They created many books
on medical procedures. These books were still used in medieval times, for example the Edwin
Smith Papyrus. This book, based on Egyptian medicine, described many important and useful
medical procedure, such as treating head wounds. (reshafim.org.) The Egyptians also used
herbal medicines. For example they thought garlic and onions aided endurance and coriander
was thought to have stimulant, digestive, and cooling properties (Reshafim.org). Modern
medicine has benefited from the Egyptians use of herbs and their ideas on medical procedures.
The ancient Egyptians are probably most known for their advancements in architecture.
The designs of their buildings still inspire people today. The Great Pyramid of Giza is still one of

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the most recognizable buildings today. The new entrance to the Louvre Museum, a huge glass
pyramid, was inspired by the Egyptian pyramids. The Washington Monument is a huge obelisk,
modeled after the Egyptian obelisks. The Egyptian architects made very stable buildings. The
pyramids and temples are still standing today. The Egyptians even put arches in buildings. They
werent common. It was only the Romans who succeeded in integrating arches and using them in
a grand manner (Reshafim.org). The designs of the ancient Egyptians still inspires architects to
day, and elements of the ancient Egyptian design can be seen in modern architecture.
Without the ancient Egyptian civilization, modern civilization would look and act much
differently. Without the ancient Egyptians advancements in industry, medical practices, and
architecture, modern culture would be less developed. The Egyptians had a huge impact on
modern society. Their search for knowledge has made modern civilization more advanced.

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Work Cited:

"Ancient Egyptian Medicine." Reshafim.org. 1 Aug. 2000. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.

<http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/medicine.htm>
"Ancient Egyptian Raw Materials." Reshafim.org. 1 Oct. 2003. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/trades/metals.htm>
"Egyptian Papyrus." Egyptian-papyrus.co.uk. 1 Jan. 2008. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.egyptian-papyrus.co.uk>
"The History of Paper." Silkroad Foundation. 1 Jan. 2000. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.silk-road.com/artl/papermaking.shtml>

"The Roads in Ancient Egypt." Reshafim.org. 1 May 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/trade/roads.htm>