Egypt’s Rich Culture and Etiquette

Do not, under any circumstances, climb the pyramids. The stone used to build the pyramids is ancient, and climbing can wear down the surface. You will see when you are in close proximity that some sides of the pyramids are wearing down due to environmental factors. Recently a German tourist has been banned from Egypt for life for climbing the ancient structure.

I recently travelled to Egypt with a group of girlfriends. Despite the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine nearby, we felt secure, relying on safety in numbers as we explored a country steeped in history. Here’s what I can report: I had an absolutely wonderful time. It was incredible to walk through a place filled with history that I first learned about as a child in school.

Egypt, a land steeped in ancient history, has been known as Misr for millennia, up till today. Its civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished along the Nile River over 5,000 years ago. The pharaohs, powerful rulers who constructed magnificent pyramids and temples, left asolid and enduring legacy that still astounds us today and I was ‘astounded’. Over the centuries, Egypt has witnessed the rise and fall of empires. From the Persians and Greeks to the Romans and Byzantines, foreign powers have sought to control. However, it was the Arab conquest of 641 CE that significantly shaped Egypt's future, introducing Islam and paving the way for its evolution into the Arab Republic of Egypt we know today.

Arrival and First Impressions

From the airport, we quickly made our way to Giza, where many accommodations offer rooftop restaurants. There, we enjoyed coffee with an unbeatable view of the pyramids—a truly awe-inspiring experience, I really did need to pinch myself.

French and British colonial influence is evident in Cairo. Grand buildings with marble staircases and wooden panelling, reminiscent of the colonial past. Many businesses still bear French-inspired names, such as “Banque de Caire.” This legacy can be traced back to Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Egypt in 1798. Although French control was short-lived, it left an impact on Egyptian culture. In 1882, the British occupied Egypt and maintained control until 1954. But to this day, I was paying taxi drivers to food stall owners in Egyptian pounds.

We took a taxi to Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great. It was once a cultural and intellectual hub of the ancient world. Renowned for its iconic lighthouse ‘great library’, it attracted scholars and thinkers from across the Mediterranean. It fell into disrepair over the centuries due to lack of funding, however, a new one has been erected in its place. I found that Alexandria had a distinctly old French Riviera vibe, with charming maison apartments on one side and a stunning sea view on the other, the sky tinted in soft hues of pink and purple at sundown.

The people of Egypt are warm and kind-hearted, always ready to help, especially if they speak English or their native tongue - Arabic. I travelled with friends born in India but raised in Australia, and they were a huge hit with the locals! Egyptians are passionate about Bollywood, and shouted out names like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. Both are recognised and beloved in Egypt.

The Warmth of Egyptian Hospitality

Egyptians are renowned for their warm and welcoming nature. They are expressive and animated people who often convey their emotions openly, whether it's joy, gratitude, or sorrow. Their conversations are often punctuated with humour, and they appreciate a good laugh. When meeting someone for the first time, Egyptians often initiate the interaction witha friendly and light-hearted tone while smiling.

Egyptians have a notable sense of style, dressing neatly and modestly. Women’s attire ranges from full Islamic coverings to business suits with uncovered heads, while men wear everything from jeans and sportswear to formal pants with jackets. Some men also wear the galabeya, a traditional full-length robe with a head wrap. Before traveling to the region, it’s a good idea to research cultural attire norms, as Western clothing might not be suitable in certain areas.

Thanks to advances in science and archaeological preservation, Egyptian authorities now maintain police guards around monuments like the pyramids and statues.

Visiting the Pyramids: Etiquette and Preservation

Thanks to advances in science and archaeological preservation, Egyptian authorities now maintain police guards around monuments like the pyramids and statues. Here are a few essential etiquette tips for these sacred sites:

Do not, under any circumstances, climb the pyramids. The stone used to build the pyramids is ancient, and climbing can wear down the surface. You will see when you are in close proximity that some sides of the pyramids are wearing down due to environmental factors. Recently a German tourist has been banned from Egypt for life for climbing the ancient structure.

Refrain from touching statues or ancient buildings. Even durable materials like marble can become discoloured over time from the oils and bacteria on our hands. Wikipedia.org states that ‘rubbing statues can have negative effects on them as it causes erosion’.

Avoid acting stupidly. When you arrive in places such as Giza, Abu Simbel, Luxor or Aswan, be mindful of the culture and preservation of ancient history. It’s so important to ‘keep within the lines’. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities understands that the longevity of preservation is important to serve many more generations. Keep your hands by your side and be simply an observer. Take in what for many is a once in a lifetime experience.

Another point of concern is the apparent disregard for cultural dress codes. It was disheartening for the Egyptians to witness women, particularly, wearing revealing clothing such as “boob-tube” tops, low-cut dresses, or short skirts with thigh-high boots, especially in sacred or culturally significant sites like the pyramids or near long-suffering camels, to capture that ‘influencer moment’. 

Such attire can be disrespectful to local customs and sensitivities. It is worth noting for these individuals can count themselves fortunate as there is a tussle outside these national monuments to get work as a guide. This creates a complex situation where cultural respect and economic realities intersect.

Navigating Haggling and Tipping Culture

In Egypt, haggling is part of the experience, from taxis to souvenirs. Before hopping into a local taxi, check Uber prices as a reference point to negotiate fairly with your driver. Tipping is customary and expected for a range of services—from restaurant staff to restroom attendants, and even in emergency situations, as one friend discovered after a dog bite when entering a hospital. A small tip shows appreciation and can make a difference in service and being pushed to the beginning of the line.

Use Translation Apps

There is a minority of people that are fluent in English in Egypt, so learning a few Arabic phrases goes a long way with locals. Arabic can be a complex language, so downloading Google Translate on your phone is invaluable for communicating effectively and asking those trickier questions or trying to haggle.

Smoking Culture

In Egypt, smoking rules are more relaxed than in many other countries. Smoking in public spaces, restaurants, hotels and even taxis is still common for men and woman. Men can often be seen smoking hookah outside cafés, chatting with friends, or scrolling through their phones. The only place where smoking is strictly off-limits is on airplanes.

I loved travelling through Egypt, it was an incredible adventure and an unforgettable journey. From meeting Exploring the pyramids, temples, and tombs was a truly humbling experience. Documentaries like “Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb” provided invaluable context, deepening my appreciation for Egypt's rich history and its etiquette and cultural perspectives.

For many years, Etiquipedia contributor, Elizabeth Soos, has had a keen interest in cultural customs. With her European background and extensive travel, Soos developed an interest in the many forms of respect and cultural expectations in the countries she has visited. With her 20 years’ experience in customer service within private international companies based in Australia, and her lifetime interest in manners and research, she decided to branch out into the field of etiquette and deportment. Through her self-directed studies and by completing the Train-The-Trainer’s course offered by Emma Dupont’s School of Etiquette in London and by Guillaume Rue de Bernadac at Academie de Bernadac based in Paris and Shanghai, she founded Auersmont School of Etiquette. Elizabeth is currently traveling throughout India and brushing up on her Hindi.

www.auersmont.com | +61 466 344 331 | auersmont@gmail.

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia © Etiquette Encyclopedia

Fans of Prince Forget Manners

Abbas Hilmi Pasha, the last Khedive and second Viceroy of Egypt
–Public domain image, 

The other Eastern Prince now in Europe, the Viceroy of Egypt, has been mobbed in London. The unfortunate man went to the Zoological Gardens, and in a moment became an attraction greater then even the monkeys or the cockatoos. Whether the hippopotamus from the banks of the Nile recognized his Sovereign Lord or not we cannot say, but the well-behaved public gave chase to the new lion and pursued him down all sorts of avenues and walks until, as we read, he regained his carriage, scared and breathless. So much for the politeness of Londoners. The Horse Guards had better detach a squadron to assist the Viceroy in his explorations of the English metropolis, or he may go away with the impression that the manners of the people are modeled upon the habits of the wild beasts in their show gardens.– New York Times, 1867

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Etiquette and Egyptian Harem Women

Veiled, Egyptian Harem Women, in a Dressmaker's Shoppe, circa 1918– "The women's movement in Egypt began during the last decades of the 19th century, when social and political changes overturned traditional Egyptian life. Until then, upper-class domestic life was defined by the harem, the part of the household where a man’s wives, concubines and young children lived in seclusion and were serviced by slaves. When these women went out they put on veils to ensure they could not be seen by men. Harem women were envied by the rest of society for their pampered and easy lives. And although less well-off urban women also veiled in public, women in the countryside did not, making the veil a kind of status symbol." –From The Middle East: A Guide to Politics, Economics, Society and Culture By Barry Rubin

"It is been pretended that it is not the jealousy of the husband which, in Mohammedan countries, confines the wife to her apartments; but the influence of laws and customs, enforced long before the time of Mohammed. From this peculiarity in their manners proceeds the style in which the Turks construct their houses, which are divided into two parts; one called a salamlik, corresponding to the andron of the Greeks, inhabited by the master of the family; the other, called harem (the retired or sacred apartments), in which the women reside.

The passages conducting from the former to the latter are reserved entirely to the master of the family; no servant, not even the eunuchs, ever entering the harem, where everything is performed by female slaves. Near relations are admitted twice a year, during the festival of Bairam, and on occasion of a marriage, lying-in, or circumcision; but their visits must be short, and in the presence of female slaves.

These—the only men before whom the ladies can appear unveiled—are denominated Mahhrem, and all strangers, to whom the harem is interdicted, Na-Mahhrem. According to the strict etiquette required by ancient usage, a lady cannot appear unveiled before a physician, even in presence of her husband, or have her pulse felt except through a muslin sleeve; but, in cases of danger, the law relaxes its severity.

Physic is generally practiced by women, who are the only accoucheurs in the empire. The employment of a man on such occasions would disgrace a family forever; so that these barbarians, gross and ignorant as they are, display infinitely more delicacy on this point then civilized nation."– From Egypt and Mohammed Ali; or, Travels in the valley of the Nile, Volume 2, By James Augustus St. John, Muḥammad 'Alî (pasha of Egypt.)

Women of Egypt Break Harem Laws

The “new woman” movement in Egypt is rapidly growing in strength, and despite the traditions of the Mohammedans is being favorably received. Harem laws are being broken with impunity and many of the younger women have discarded their face veils and are taking part in political processions engineered by the Egyptian nationalists. At the beginning of the political riots women of the lower classes took part in the looting, but now the cry for "emancipation" has spread to all classes. The girls in the government school joined the boy students when they went on strike against British rule. –Los Angeles Herald, March 5, 1920

‘Egyptian Princess’ Jailed in S. F. 

SAN FRANCISCO, July 14—Della Pattra, who claims to be an Egyptian princess, was sent to jail when she could not satisfactorily explain to the judge why she wore a harem costume in court.–Los Angeles Herald, July 14, 1920

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber is the Site Editor for Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

The "Father of Diplomacy"

… and Diplomatic Etiquette

Amenhotep III, "The Father of Diplomacy": 
Diplomacy is defined as "the conduct of the relations of one state with another by peaceful means. Skill in the management of international relations. Tact, skill, or cunning in dealing with people." With the earliest known diplomatic records are the Amarna Letters written between the pharaohs of the 18th dynasty of Egypt and the Amurru rulers of Canaan during the 14th century B.C.', Egypt's Golden Empire.

The "Amarna Letters" (or tablets) are clay tablet-form letters of the pharaohs Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, with some letters from Tutankhamen's reign. The correspondents were mostly Great Kings of Syria-Palestine, as well as Egyptian vassals, but letters also came from the Egyptian rulers.  The Amarna correspondence is a set of mostly diplomatic letters, on topics like exchanges of gifts, disputes, requests for resources, and marriage.  From internal evidence, the earliest possible date for this correspondence is the final decade of the reign of Amenhotep III, who ruled from 1388 to 1351 BC (or 1391 to 1353 BC), possibly as early as this king's 30th regnal year; the latest date any of these letters were written is the desertion of the city of Amarna, commonly believed to have happened in the second year of the reign of Tutankhamun later in the same century in 1332 BC.

Amenhotep III - The Father of Diplomacy 
The father of diplomacy has been well established as Amenhotep III, who reigned from 1391–1353 B.C., after going as historically deep as possible to find a person who successfully used diplomacy to reach his or her country's foreign policy objectives. The oldest detailed records found were the "Amarna Letters."  From this diplomatic correspondence one finds a diplomat that towers above all others in the ancient world.

After thoroughly studying the content of the Amarna letters, it is clear that Amenhotep III possessed all the seven virtues that Sir Harold Nicolson, English diplomat (Nicolson 1939) attributes to the ideal diplomat.  Nicolson underscores that an ideal diplomatist should be truthful, accurate, calm, patient, good tempered, modest and loyal. With the exception of modesty (Amenhotep III referred to himself as the Dazzling Sun disk), this pharaoh proved to have all these qualities. However, a lack of modesty was expected from a pharaoh, who was considered Horus reborn, a living god. But ultimately Amenhotep III was courteous in his dealings with the other rulers. Various sources portray Amenhotep as intelligent, knowledgeable, discerning, prudent, hospitable, charming, industrious, courageous and even tactful. The latter are the other attributes Nicolson takes for granted in an ideal diplomatist. Nicole Douek, University College, London says about Amenhotep III ‘Ranking him, he was a very intelligent man. He obviously used his position extremely carefully, so although there is great respect for the other kings of the time, he is always one cut above everybody else.’’

Amenhotep III's time, and why and how he used diplomacy —

Diplomacy is a complex and often challenging practice of fostering relationships around the world in order to resolve issues and advance interests.

For centuries, Egypt was unrivaled. But in Amenhotep's III reign Babylonia, Assyria, and Mitani were strong enough to challenge Egypt. United, they could shatter Amenhotep's empire. Egypt was the wealthiest country on earth and had huge quantities of gold, which the pharaoh's neighbours coveted. Amenhotep quenched the gold lust of his neighbours wisely. He gave them gold but always left them wanting. In exchange of gold Amenhotep III asked for foreign princesses. The strategy was a success. The kings of the Near East were engaged in a diplomatic dialogue not warfare.  Thus marriages were an instrumental part in Amenhotep III's foreign policy, whereby thanks to them he cemented alliances with foreign powers and at the same time maintained – indeed augmented – his position as the premier ruler in the ancient Near East. 

Foreign princesses were accompanied by lavish exchanges of gifts of raw and manufactured goods – precious metals, horses, lapis lazuli, furniture, and cosmetic equipment – on both sides. Amenhotep III married many foreign princesses, but no Egyptian woman of royal blood was married to a foreign king, lest her would be husband would claim the right to be pharaoh after Amenhotep III's death.  Also from the many children from Amenhotep III's marriages, it was the offspring by the Great Egyptian wife Tiye that counted in the succession.

After analyzing Amarna letter 33, it is clear as W.M. Flinders Petries points out that International law was respected. In this letter the King of Alashia informed Amenhotep III that an Alashian died in Egypt, leaving son and wife at home and requested for the return of deceased's property by messenger. (Syria and Egypt From the Tell El Amarna Letters by W.M. Flinders Petrie, Ares Publishers, Chicago.) Like an Ambassador or Consul intervenes to protect the rights of his or her citizens today, it was possible to do the same in Amenhotep III's court. Foreigners felt safe dealing with Egypt because of the supremacy of the rule of law, which Amenhotep III was the ultimate guarantor.

On Diplomacy - “The proverb, 'The beginning is half the battle,' applies in a multitude of ways. In the first instant of a greeting between two people, the ground upon which they meet should be indicated. Cordiality, reserve, distrust, confidence, caution, condescension, deference—whatever the real or the assumed attitude may be, should be shown unmistakably when eyes meet and heads bend in the ceremony of greeting. To put into this initial manner the essence of the manner which one chooses to maintain throughout is one of the fine touches of diplomacy. People fail to do this when their effusively gracious condescension subsequently develops into snobbishness, or when an austere stiffness of demeanor belies the friendliness which they really intend to manifest. The latter fault is often due to diffidence or awkward self-consciousness; the former is usually traceable to the caprice of an undisciplined nature, and is a significant mark of ill-breeding." From Agnes H. Morton's book “Etiquette."

Protocol existed as well. We know that rites were witnessed by foreign potentates or their ambassadors, pictured in the reliefs and identified as the ‘‘chiefs of every distant land who had not known Egypt.'' On one of these occasions the king of Babylon registered a complaint, by letter, regarding the absence of proper protocol where his emissaries and their chariots were concerned. Amenhotep freely admitted the truth of the accusations, (according to Harold Nicolson an ideal diplomat should), but castigated the Babylonian messengers: ‘‘On one occasion your messengers went to your father and their mouths spoke hatred; (now) a second time they go and speak hatred to you.'' In consequence, Amenhotep concludes, he has decided not to give them anything in the future, for, no matter what he does for them, they will misrepresent his intentions.

Amenhotep III was such an accomplished and visionary diplomat that he was also the first ruler to make use of Public Diplomacy. Amenhotep III ‘‘had published at intervals series of large scarabs on which were inscribed a brief record of the particular event in question. Score, perhaps hundreds, of each issue were turned out, and distributed throughout the provinces and foreign rulers. In this way did the king publicize, the public works and acts of his reign.'' Professor John Ray, Cambridge University, argues ‘Amenhotep calls himself the King of Kings, and the King of Kings is what he must have seemed to the rulers who shared his world.'

 “E- Diplomacy: Foreign policy in 140 characters. The diplomatic world is considered to be one of protocol and discretion, yet an increasing number of foreign policy officials and diplomats are conducting their business in the most public way possible, on Twitter. With its 140-character limit, Twitter hardly lends itself to diplomatic nuance. But its abbreviated form, in harness with its hashtag hieroglyphics, can also make it powerfully direct.
“The popular social media site is just one of the online tools that governments are increasingly using to extend their spheres of internet influence. The web can help deliver consular advice, explain policy, and reach and engage with new audiences. It can also be used to issue admonishments and warnings and, on occasions, help solve problems.” Nick Bryant, BBC News

As a result of the diplomacy Amenhotep III employed ‘the Egypt he ruled never had been, nor would be again, in such a position of absolute power in the world.’  Professor David O'Connor, New York University says ‘International diplomacy in the days of the Amenhotep letters would be very familiar to diplomats today.  It was really very much like diplomatic interaction between countries even in our own time.’

Why do diplomats give each other gifts? At the U.S. Department of State , diplomatic gifts come in all shapes and sizes from woven straw baskets to precious gems. In ancient civilizations on every continent, dignitaries and leaders exchanged gifts to welcome, honor and cultivate beneficial diplomatic relationships. Many of the gifts shown here (and in the U.S. Diplomacy Center’s collection) embody symbols of esteem and welcome for our Secretaries of State while traveling abroad or receiving visitors. Gift exchanges take place in the ceremonial climate of toasts, banquets, speeches and formal greetings.
A gift of state often captures the essence of a nation, chosen for its ability to exhibit pride in a unique culture and people. Gifts of state may showcase traditions of fine or folk arts, crafts or craftsmanship. They may display wealth in precious stones or metals, fine textiles and apparel. Gifts may draw from a rich heritage of antiques and antiquities or an expressive storehouse of cultural icons. This way the gift becomes more than a mere formality, but a reminder of the special alliance between the gift giver and receiver.

Amenhotep III's diplomacy and the peace that resulted brought about an unprecedented thing – cultural understanding, which benefited everyone, especially Egypt. ‘Peace had also changed the Egyptians' attitude towards their foreign neighbors, who were no longer primarily seen as the hostile forces of chaos surrounding Egypt, the ordered world created at the beginning of time. Amenhotep's court had become a diplomatic centre of international importance, and friendly contact with Egypt's neighbors had led to an atmosphere of openness towards foreign cultures. During the earlier part of the dynasty, immigrants had introduced their native gods into Egypt and some of these deities had become associated with the Egyptian king, . . . but now foreign peoples were themselves seen as part of god's creation, protected and sustained by the benevolent rule of the sun-god Ra and his earthly representative, the pharaoh.' 

‘Under Amenhotep III there were no military campaigns in Western Asia. The ‘‘Dazzling Sun Disk of all Lands'' was in fact a master diplomat. The general picture that emerges is of a balance of power carefully maintained by all parties, all of whom profited by the peace secured by mutual alliances and supported by a flourishing exchange of goods.' (O Connor David; Cline Eric. eds., 1998).

‘At no period, therefore, can we place the power of Egypt higher than it was under Amenhotep III, lord of the two great cradles of civilization, the narrow valley of the Nile, and the plains and highlands of Mesopotamia.' (Syria and Egypt From the Tell El Amarna Letters by W.M. Flinders Petrie, Ares Publishers, Chicago.)
 
Hence Amenhotep III is the father of diplomacy conducting relations with other states by peaceful means. He was skilled in the management of international relations and tactful in dealing with diplomats. International law was respected as was protocol. Public diplomacy was employed for the first time in recorded history and most important of all the region reaped the abundant fruits from this person's approach to international relations, which brought peace and prosperity. Originally published in Daily News Egypt, 03 - 08 - 2010, written by Kristian Bonnici 

Contributor Kristian Bonnici holds an M.A. in Diplomatic Studies. He speaks English, Italian and Maltese fluently, and has a knowledge of French, Arabic and Russian. He is currently the Founder and Chief Executive of Diplomatic Envoy Consultancy, www.diplomaticenvoy.com.au. He is also a member of the Public Relations Institute of Australia, Toastmasters International, and Rotary International.

🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia