Guided
Tour of Ancient Egypt
by Darlene Bishop, Kent
School District, WA
Original Text
© Darlene Bishop
Life in Ancient
Egypt
Farming
The fertile Nile
River Valley and the warm climate provided the perfect conditions
for the ancient Egyptians to become expert farmers. The land
around the Nile was irrigated and forced into canals where the
farmers would use shadufs to scoop up the water.
Fields were plowed
once or twice with oxen pulling the plows. Using hoes men would
then break up the remaining clumps of soil. When the seed was
thrown over the field, animals were again used to tramp the seeds
into the soil. Various crops grown might include emmer, barley,
flax, lentils, onion, beans, and millet.
Middle Class
Middle class homes
were made up sun-dried brick varying from one to three stories.
Upon entering a home, a guest, depending upon gender, was received
in the male or female parlor. Furnishings would, of course, depend
upon the family's wealth. Both men and women wore wigs for ornament
as well as for protection from the sun. They also wore jewelry
ranging from bracelets, anklets, to amulets and used cosmetics
including "kohl" outlining the eyes to help reflect
the sun. Linen was the common fabric for clothing and both men
and women wore sandals or went barefoot.
A bedroom might include
beds made of fine woods from Lebanon or other rare woods such
as ebony and enhanced with silver, gold, or ivory. The beds were
usually higher at the head and lower at the feet. Mattresses
might be made of bound cord and covered with linen or animal
skins. Generally a cushion was used as a pillow. Or they may
be made of papyrus
reeds also bound together and covered with animal skins.
Other rooms, typically,
would include the bathroom or shower area. A slave would stand
behind the screen and pour water over their master.
If a family had slaves,
they would cook the meals in the kitchen area. This room would
have fires of wood or charcoal and use kettles and other cooking
utensils. Food storage might be kept in various triangular-shaped
huts for later consumption.
An average home usually
had a small courtyard and murals might be painted on the walls
and floors depicting gardens and pools.
Mud Bricks
& Pottery
The banks of the
Nile contained a rich clay-like mud which was formed into bricks
for building or used to make pottery for daily use. The mud,
mixed with plant material, was put into rectangular forms and
left to bake in the sun. Pottery, on the other hand, was generally
formed into various shapes by hand (pinch pots, coil pots, and
slab pots).
Class Distinction
Ancient Egyptian
society was basically divided into four classes. The upper class
included the government officials, nobles, and priests. The middle
class included the scribes, skilled craftsmen, tradespeople,
teachers, artists, and soldiers. The peasants, mostly farmers,
laborers, and servants made up the lower class, which was the
largest class. And lastly, the slaves made up the bottom class.
Egypt really had few slaves. They were mostly foreign captives
from Nubia to the south (Sudan) or Asia to the northeast.
