Ancient Egypt Essay Assignments
Compose a paper (2 ½ pages min., 3 ½ pages max.) on ONE of the following topics.
Due Wednesday, March 31st
1. The Sphinx has for some time been considered a wonder of the ancient world. Most
people think that it represented a combination of a man’s head and a lion’s body.
Imagine that you are a modern archaeologist. Research the Sphinx of Giza and write a
report on how you think the Sphinx lost its nose. Your essay, though, must contain
believable and plausible details. It should also reveal the facts that you found about the
Sphinx.
2. Imagine that you are a modern archaeologist on site in Egypt. You have just
uncovered a temple that appears to have been built by Julius Caesar. In it, you find
several volumes of books in Latin, several statues, and a huge pile of valuable treasure.
So far, you are the only one who knows about this temple. What do you do with these
findings? Would you keep anything for yourself? Would you give or sell some items to
a museum?
3. Many of the artifacts that we see in museums today had been removed from their
original location without the permission of the local government. For example, the
Roman Emperor Augustus brought several obelisks all the way to Rome. In addition,
many of the ancient Egyptian artifacts in American and European museums are
considered stolen. Do you think this is fair and ethical?
4. Ancient cultures, especially the Egyptians, took great care in burying their dead
because they wanted their loved ones to rest in eternal peace. Even we imagine our loved
ones to be in a peaceful and pleasant place. However, most of what we know about
ancient cultures is derived from the archaeological evidence from tombs and grave sites.
Is there some possible way to investigate an ancient culture without disturbing its dead?
5. The library at Alexandria contained the greatest books of the ancient Greeks and
Romans. By reading these books, people throughout time have learned a great deal about
ancient Greece and Rome, and they also found enjoyment from Greek and Roman
literature. If our nation’s capital were to be uncovered 3,000 years from now, what four
books do you hope the archaeologists of that time will find, and why?