A considerable minority of Egyptians are Christians known as Copts, whose liturgical language, Coptic, is the most recent stage of the ancient Egyptian language and is still used in prayers along with Egyptian Arabic. Enter the world of the ancient Egyptians. Find out why their mysterious civilisation, gods, godesses and pyramids capture the imagination.

Understanding the Context

Ancient Egyptians believed death marked the beginning of a journey to eternal life. Learn more at Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt at the National Museum of Natural History, and explore related collections from across the Smithsonian.