Destination Diversity: Investigating the Unique Culture of Egypt

With its arid deserts filled with sandy dunes and minimal
vegetation, Egypt is usually not the first location that comes to mind
when people are questioned about places that hold a vast amount of
biodiversity. Common stereotypes associated with the land of Egypt,
such as desert, camels and heat often cause outsiders to overlook
what the region really has to offer. With that being said, despite the
stereotype the country holds, when one takes a deeper look into the
past and present lives of the Egyptian people, they can see just how
much Egyptian lives have been influenced by the biodiversity of the
land.
To begin with, anyone who has ever learned about the ancient
Egyptians knows that one animal sacred to the ancient people was in
fact a feline. Cats were highly respected in the ancient world and were
often associated with gods and goddesses. (Hill, 2010). Looking deeper
into the lives of the ancient Egyptians, it is easy to see why. In ancient
Egyptian times, society was primarily agricultural which lead to people
of these times having issues with animals such as: mice, rats and
snakes. These critters often threatened the Egyptians grain crops, and
shortly after discovering that cats quickly took care of these threats,
the feline was regarded as being essential to the household.

Cats, also known as miut to the ancient Egyptians, were

domesticated from two main breeds that were native to the ancient
Egyptian world. (Hill, 2010). According to Hill, the two main breeds
were the jungle cat and the African wildcat. Both breeds eventually
merged as time went on and Egyptians began to mix the two. When
recording of life began in the ancient kingdom, it was not unusual for
Egyptian families to create paintings of themselves doing activities
with their pet cat. Activities would include things such as hunting
where the family cat would retrieve fish and birds for their human
caregivers.

Tomb painting of cat owner and companion. (Hill, 2010).

Felines were so sacred to these people, that there were harsh

penalties for harming these precious pets. In Hills article concerning
the status of felines in the ancient world he quotes Diodorus Siculus
who says: Whoever kills a cat in Egypt is condemned to death,

whether he committed this crime deliberately or not. The people

gather and kill him. An unfortunate Roman, who accidentally killed a
cat, could not be saved, either by King Ptolemy of Egypt or by the fear
which Rome inspired. (2010). In addition to providing laws that
protected this Egyptian-bred species, cats were also mummified at
their time of death and thousands of cat corpses have been discovered
in various tombs, such as the famous tomb of Giza. (Hill, 2010).
Since the spread of religion and the diversity of religious beliefs,
cats have taken a step down in their importance in the homes of
modern Egyptians. They are no longer viewed as being associated with
gods and goddesses and their hunting skills have been put to rest
since essential food needs can be met by taking a trip to the local
grocer. However, those who are cat lovers have the ancient Egyptians
to thank for their furry companions, for there is evidence that the
majority of the worlds cats can trace their ancestry to an Egyptian
cat. (Hill, 2010).
In addition to cherishing native animals, the ancient Egyptians
also found great significance in the abundance of flowers the land
provided. As stated in Jane Howards article: The Flowers of Ancient
Egypt and Today, Pharaohs once adorned their war carts with flowers
before heading off to war, while even peasants adorned themselves,
their animals as well as the coffins of their dead with various flowers.
Yet, flowers were not strictly used for decoration purposes in these

times. One of the most meaningful flowers to the ancient Egyptians

was the lotus flower, which represented rebirth. The Egyptians adored
this particular flower so much that men and women alike would wear it
in their hair at festivals and often, the flower can be found in paintings
in the tombs of the deceased. (Howard).
As well as using the flower for decoration and art, the Egyptians
had also found medical use for the flower that continues to be used
today. In modern times, the flower is still commonly used amongst the
people and the purposes of using the flower include using it as a
remedy against illness. (Lotus Flower).

A drawing of the sacred Egyptian lotus flower. (Egyptian Lotus

Flower).

Perhaps the most important diverse feature to the land of Egypt

that is the source of almost all of the biodiversity found in this region
is: the Nile River. The fruitfulness of the river was recognized from an
early point in the ancient society. Like the cat and the lotus flower, the
river was seen as being more than just a river that provided for the

land. In fact, the river was seen as a supreme act of grace during its
annual rise. (Egyptian Nature Mysticism). The Nile was even
associated with Osiris, the god of fertility because of the abundance of
nutrients it provided for the country.

A painting of the ancient uses of the Nile River. (The Uses of the
River Nile).

Today, the Nile River is still seen as being a vital resource for the
people of Egypt. The Nile is an iconic landmark in the region and
attracts numerous tourists throughout the years. Tours to the famous
tombs such as Giza are also extremely popular in the country of Egypt
and these tours give visitors a glimpse at how impactful this countrys
biodiversity has been to the ancient people of Egypt and how these
bio-diverse elements continue to hold a significant place in the
Egyptian peoples hearts today.

Resources:
Egyptian Lotus Flower. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2015, from
http://ldykalypso.deviantart.com/art/EGYPTIAN-LOTUS-FLOWER37802692
Egyptian Nature Mysticism. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2015, from
http://hummingbirdworld.com/spiritnature/egyptian_nature.htm
Hill, J. (2010, January 1). Cats in Ancient Egypt. Retrieved April 6, 2015,
from http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/cat.html
Howard, J. (n.d.). The Flowers of Ancient Egypt and Today. Retrieved
April

6, 2015, from
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/flowers.htm
Lotus Flower. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2015, from
http://www.kingtutshop.com/freeinfo/Lotus-Flower.htm
The Uses of the River Nile. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2015, from
http://egyptiansyear4.weebly.com/the-uses-of-the-river-nile.html