Long ago, a great civilization thrived along the banks of the Nile River. Ruled by awesome god-kings caled Pharaohs, Egypt was a land of bustling cities, golden palaces, and huge stone monuments. Its people were fun-loving, its nobles elegant, and its gods the most powerful in the world. This astonishing civilization endured for more than 3,000 yeats before it gradually vanished from the face of the earth, its cities crumbling to dust. Eventually, the meanings of its writings were lost, and the story of Egypt's people, its Pharaohs and it's golden days were forgotten.Over the last two centures, archaeologists' excavations in the Nile Valley have slowly brought to light the story of this once mighty civilization. Beginning with the Rosetta Stone, author Elizabeth Payne examines the discoveries that have helped unlock the incredible secrets of Egypt's first kings.