For numerous reasons, Egypt is a fascinating country.
In terms of history, it's one of the richest countries in the world and there is no shortage of places to visit to experience that wealth.
Egypt thrived for thousands of years as an independent nation whose culture was famous for great human advances in every area of knowledge, from the arts and sciences to technology and religion.
The great monuments, which Egypt is still celebrated for today, reflect the depth and grandeur of Egyptian culture, which influenced so many ancient civilisations, including Greece and Rome.
Today, researchers and archaeologists continue to find artefacts in Egypt.
Here is a list of 6 of the most incredible discoveries made in Egypt to date:
1. The Tomb of Tutankhamun
If you thought those movies and TV series about mummies were nothing but feigned, Tutankhamun's tomb will most likely make you question your opinion.
This Egyptian national treasure is considered the most famous archaeological discovery to date.
The tomb was found in November 1922 by British Egyptologist Howard Carter.
After careful examination, Carter's team found that the king's body was covered in three gold coffins, with the innermost filled with treasures and Tutankhamun's death mask.
Rumour has it that when the tomb was opened, a curse was unleashed.
It is widely claimed that many people associated with the opening of the tomb soon fell victim to the curse, dying in mysterious circumstances.
The legend gained traction because a few of the people who were involved in finding the tomb did, in fact, die not long after it was opened.
2. The Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone dates back to 196 BC and is considered to be the single-most important conduit of understanding between the modern world and ancient Egypt.
Inscribed on it is an injunction by a panel of priests who allowed 13-year-old Ptolemy V to rule over Egypt. However, that's not all...
The decree was written in three languages: >Hieroglyphic, >Demotic, and Greek.
The stone was discovered in July 1799, one year after the French had arrived in Egypt. When Napoleon's scientific team discovered it, the only known language out of those three was Greek.
With the help of the stone, scientists were able to decipher the two other languages.
The British government put the stone on display at the British Museum in London. In the past, Egyptians have continuously asked for its return.
3. The Temples of Abu Simbel
The construction of the temple began around 1279-13 BC, in an attempt to strengthen the status of Egyptian religion in Nubia.
Over the years, the temple, known as "Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun" was neglected and completely covered in sand.
It wasn't until 1813 that Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, a Swiss scholar, rediscovered the temple and dug out an entrance with the help of his Italian friend and explorer Giovanni Belzoni.
Every year, numerous Egyptians gather before sunrise to observe the stream of light gradually sneaking through the stone and illuminating the statuettes of Ramses, Ra, and Amun in the central chamber.
This popular event is known as ">The Sun Festival".
4. The Khufu Ship
The Khufu Ship is a relic discovered by Egyptian archaeologist Kamal El Mallakh in 1954.
It was hidden, along with other "grave goods" Egyptians collected at the time for use in the afterlife.
The vessel was reconstructed using cedar wood from Lebanon and is currently displayed in the Giza Solar Boat Museum.
Khufu's ship is one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved vessels from antiquity. It measures 43.6 meters (143 ft) long and 5.9 m (19.5 ft) wide.
5. The Cairo Manuscript
This long-forgotten manuscript was donated to the Museum of Cairo in 2015.
The document was shared several times among multiple museums and eventually returned to Egypt's capital city in pieces.
After delicately reconstructing it, archaeologists realized that it was, in fact, a 4000-year-old manuscript that detailed religious spells and contained colorful images of supernatural and holy entities.
6. The Plague of Cyprian
Between 1997 and 2012, at the funerary complex of Harwa and Akhimenru (modern day Luxor), a team of archaeologists found the remains of several dead bodies.
Upon further examination, scholars were able to confirm that the remains dated back to the 3rd century AD. It was the time when a plague ravaged the world.
The human remains that archaeologists found at the site were covered with a thick layer of lime, used historically as a disinfectant.
The bodies were burned by the ancient Egyptians to prevent the blight from spreading.
Additional inspection proved that the victims died so rapidly that they didn't even receive proper burial rites.