Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt

Using objects from Cairo's three great museums, trace 5,000 years of Egyptian history and culture, and the 31 dynasties that comprised ancient Egypt. Observe how the famous Narmer Palette set the conventions for Egyptian art, and see what a statue of King Khafre, the sphinx of Amenemhet III, Tutankhamun's golden throne, and Seti I's mummy can tell us.

Investigate the origins of the Egyptian pyramids and the symbolism of their architectural form. Delve into the complex methods of pyramid building, the pyramid's orientation to the cardinal points, how the work was organized, and the techniques of construction, and visualize the funerary rituals that accompanied royal interments.

Take the measure of Khufu, builder of the Great Pyramid, and marvel at the engineering and administrative feat of the pyramid's construction. Travel the pyramid's network of internal passages and funerary chambers, examine their ingenious architectural features, and observe how the burial chambers were sealed. Learn also about the royal necropolis complex that adjoins the pyramid.

Explore the pyramid complex of Khafre and its remarkable necropolis. Then study the legendary Sphinx and its symbolism, as well as the Sphinx Temple and the richly adorned tomb of Queen Meresankh. Conclude with the pyramid complex of Menkaure and its innovative architecture, and the recently discovered Lost City of the Pyramid Builders.

King Djoser's Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara was a milestone in the development of monumental architecture. Learn how a traditional mastaba tomb was transformed into the famous Step Pyramid. Then travel the astonishing 37-acre complex, with its courtyards, chapels, palaces, temples, and underground tombs and galleries, highlighting their extraordinary architectural features and decor.

Here, encounter Memphis, ancient Egypt's great capital: an epicenter of trade, religion, and education. Make an in-depth visit to the massive Temple of Ptah, taking stock of its remarkable statuary, shrines, and cult structures. Then proceed to the Necropolis of Saqqara and study the artistic riches of the Pyramid of King Unas, the Tomb of the Two Brothers, and the Tomb of Nefer and Kahay.

Delve further into the extraordinary treasures of Saqqara. First, explore the New Kingdom cemetery, containing mastaba tombs with unparalleled relief carvings. Then visit the Pyramid of King Teti and the spectacular tombs of his officials, Mereruka and Kagemni, with their exquisitely carved decoration. Finish with a visit to the Serapeum, the sacred burial ground of the Apis bulls.

Now visit what many consider to be the Old Kingdom's finest mastaba tombs. Begin at the 5th-Dynasty mastabas of Akhethotep and Ptahhotep II, father and son viziers, focusing on the magnificent painted reliefs of daily life. Continue with the elaborate mastaba of Ti, an important 5th-Dynasty official, taking account of the superlative artistry, symbolism, and detail of the painted reliefs.

Learn how builders under the ambitious King Sneferu, through trial and error, constructed the first smooth-sided pyramids. At the pyramid complex of Meidum, view its masterpieces of decoration, and investigate the structural issues which led to the pyramid's collapse. Study the many architectural innovations that produced the Bent Pyramid and Sneferu's final achievement of the Red Pyramid.