Must See Egypt Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mt. Sinai

The word "Sinai" means bush. St. Catherine's, a Greek Orthodox monastery, is built on the site of where Moses saw the burning bush. In fact, there is a living bush on grounds believed to be the very one that Moses saw. From the monastery, tourists can either walk or ride camels to the top of the mountain. On top of Mt. Sinai one can find a mosque that is still used, a Greek Orthodox chapel, and view a spectacular sunrise.

Answer: Thebes

In ancient times, the Karnak Temple was believed to be the home of the gods, therefore it was not constructed for public worship. Today its standout-feature is considered to be the hypostyle hall of 134 seventy-foot columns. The columns are so large that fifty people can stand on top of them!

Answer: West

The side of the river was significant in ancient Egypt. After the weighing of the heart ceremony, the deceased would begin a dangerous journey to an afterlife that was beyond the western desert. It was treacherous enough to find the western desert, but to have to cross the Nile first was so difficult that it would mean eternal death for most. As a tourist visiting the Valley of the Kings, one must remember they can only visit three tombs a day - to cut down on the wear and tear caused by hundreds of visitors - so choose wisely!

Answer: Abydos

Abydos is an extremely significant site in Egypt. It was occupied in predynastic times, and continued to be inhabited for centuries after. It is the burial site of Narmer, the first Egyptian pharaoh, and buildings were built and rebuilt there through thirty dynasties of Egyptian history.

The "King List" shows names and cartouches of seventy-six pharaohs; it is the only recorded history of some.

Answer: Amarna

The Amarna period was a short-lived time in Egyptian history when Ikhnaton made the attempt to change Egypt from a polytheistic state to a monotheistic one. Ikhnaton and his successor, Tutankamun, were so unpopular that their names were not included on the King's List at Abydos Temple.

When Ikhnaton died, the site of his capital was abandoned and Tut's new government moved back to Thebes.

Answer: Memphis

When Narmer united Upper and Lower Egypt, he built his capital at the site where the two kingdoms joined. According to the ancient religion, Memphis was guarded by Ptah, who was the god of creation and the arts in ancient Egypt. The city was the most important port in Egypt until the founding of Alexandria by Alexander the Great. Today the area is uninhabited.

Answer: Dahshur

Both the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid at Dahshur are attributed to Sneferu, who was the father of Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid at Gizeh. It appears that pyramid building was evolving here from step pyramids to ones with smooth sides; the Red Pyramid is considered to be the world's first smooth-sided pyramid.

Answer: Plateau

The ancient Egyptians called the Gizeh Plateau "imentet", which means "The West". It is comprised of the Mokattam Formation, which to the north and east has two steep escarpments that are about ninety-two feet high. It is said that Khufu chose this location for his pyramid because the base was solid, it could be used as a quarry, and it had a "dominating position" overlooking the Nile Valley.

Answer: Limestone

The Muggatam Formation was formed fifty million years ago from sediments deposited at the bottom of the existing sea that covered northeast Africa. The layers were then petrified by carbonate mud, which gave ancient Egyptian sculptors the material to carve out the Sphinx.

Answer: Cairo

The Egyptian Museum was established in 1835, but outgrew its building several times until being moved to its current location in 1902. The collection of the museum boasts over twenty royal mummies, including those of Hatshepsut, the first female pharaoh, and Ramses II, who ruled Egypt during the Exodus.

There is a room set aside for the 1,700 objects found in King Tut's tomb, including the famous gold death mask found in his coffin covering his face. If it is only possible to choose one destination to visit while in Egypt, the museum would provide the widest range of historical artifacts to view.