Children s responses to ancient Egypt Children are bubbling over with thoughts about Egypt, tumbling over themselves to talk about what they know. Everything Egyptian is bursting with life. Children readily told stories of Seth and Osiris. The implication is that children want to see and do all the things they have heard about, in a rich colourful atmosphere, filled with big objects. The pyramids dominate perceptions.
Adults give no thought at all to modern-day Egypt.
There is, in theory, a reverence towards these ancient wonders. In practice, Egypt amounts to little more than disconnected school memories and the back-drop of movies like Indiana Jones and James Bond. For adults, Egypt is a fantastic historical stage-set, which they do not really know how to read. One day they may go time-travelling and see it for real, marvel and tick it off the list. The implication is that adults need to know more about Egypt before they can appreciate the country and its artefacts.