Download Daily life in Ancient Egypt Family Life The only fertile land in Ancient

Daily life in Ancient Egypt
Family Life
The only fertile land in Ancient Egypt was next to the river Nile. Each
year the river flooded its banks and the land around it was called “The
Black Land”. The desert around the Nile valley was called “The Red
Land”. It was here that the ancient Egyptians built their homes.
Egyptian homes were made mainly from bricks of sun dried mud, these
were called adobe. Wood was scarce. The home was usually two or three
storeys high. The first storey was usually reserved for business with the
second and third stories providing living space. Because Egypt is such a
hot country, many people slept on the roof during the summer because it
was cooler. Most people had furniture. Many houses had a shrine to their
ancestors in the front room. Here they would leave food and drinks for
their forefathers and ask them to use their influence in the afterlife on
behalf of the family.
An Egyptian village would have probably had a market place but it is
unlikely that it would have been open everyday. Most of the trade would
be simple foods such as salt, barley, onions, peas and beans. You may
also find goods such as leather, cloth, baskets and clay pots. A small
market would not have sold any luxury goods.
Family life in ancient Egypt was highly valued and children were seen as
a blessing. In wealthy families children probably played most of the day
and were looked after by servants. In lower class families the mother
would stay at home to look after the children. If a couple did not have any
children they would pray to the gods for help. Much of what we know
about family life is from a male point of view because it was them who
designed the sculptures and the paintings. Women were expected to obey
their fathers and husbands. However they were equal in other ways. They
could own their own land, participate in business deals and represent
themselves in a court case. They also faced the same penalties as men.
Queen Hatshepsut was the only woman who ruled by herself as a
pharaoh.
In ordinary families children had no education. They worked usually
alongside their parents. Boys would help their fathers in the fields and
girls would help their mothers around the house. Children were expected
to look after their elderly parents and upon their death, boys would inherit
the land and girls would inherit the household goods. If there were no
boys, the girls could inherit the land.
Food
Egyptian peasants usually ate barley bread. Occasionally they may have
been able to afford fish and vegetables. The cooking was done in a clay
oven above a fire. Although it was scarce, wood was used for cooking.
Much of the kitchen equipment used was left in tombs such as, storage
jars, pots, bowls, pans and sieves. The wealthy used dishes made of
bronze, silver and gold. The commoners used dishes made out of clay.
Bread and Beer were the most popular types of food and drink. The beer
was made from barley. Wine was also popular with the Egyptians but
only the more wealthy people. The rich could choose from around 40
different types of bread to eat. Wheat bread was seen as a luxury.
Sometimes a cooked meal was left inside a tomb for the departed soul.
Tomb paintings show geese being plucked and salted before storage. The
Egyptians were also fond of chicken but it did not reach them until the
New Kingdom. The marshes of the Nile also provided food such as, wild
celery, papyrus, stalks and lotus root.
Clothing
The Egyptians wore few clothes because of the climate and their style of
clothing did not change much throughout ancient times. They were
usually made out of linen. During the old and middle Kingdoms the men
wore skirts called a kilt. Women wore a straight fitting dress. When a
man was working he would wear a loincloth. A wealthy man would have
worn a pleated kilt. Children would often run around nude in the summer
months. Most people went barefoot but the king wore elaborately
decorated sandals.
Cosmetics were important to Egyptians. Women wore eye make up, lip
paint and rouge. Favourite colours for highlighting the eyes were black or
green because these symbolised fertility and life after death. People of all
ages and classes wore make up, including men. The eye paint was made
from green malachite and galena, which was a grey lead ore. They were
ground into a powder and mixed with oil to make kohl. It was kept in
storage jars and applied with a small stick. It was believed by some that
make up had magical powers and could help fight infection.
Women mainly wore their hair long. If they were wealthy a wig was often
worn. This was to appear attractive for a man. They were usually worn at
parties and official functions. They were made of human hair and traded
to a wig maker by a poor woman.
Everyone in Egypt wore jewellery, because they were seen to ward off
evil spirits. Men and women wore earrings, bracelets, anklets and armlets.
For the rich people their jewellery was made from gold or silver. It was
laden with precious stones. Poorer people wore jewellery that was made
of copper or faience, which was made by heating powdered quartz.
Marriage
Girls from poorer families usually married at around the age of 12. Boys
and girls of richer families were a few years older. The parents of the
children arranged the marriages. A pre-nuptial agreement was made
before the ceremony stating that the wife was to receive an allowance
from her husband. It also said that any material goods that the wife
brought into the marriage would be hers if the marriage were to end.
Divorce was not uncommon, if a husband treated his wife badly she
would go to her family for help. They would try and change his
behaviour, if it did not improve a divorce would take place. This was a
simple procedure where the husband and wife made a simple statement in
front of witnesses to annul the marriage. The wife was given custody of
the children.
Entertainment
Many activities that the Egyptians took part in are showed on tomb walls.
The most important source of relaxation was the river Nile. Activities
included riverboat outings, fishing, swimming, boat games, hunting
crocodiles. Hunting in the desert was also another pastime for men. By
the New Kingdom, men were hunting not on foot but on chariots.
Wealthier Egyptians would often hold parties with plenty of food, beer
and wine. They played instruments such as the lute, harp and lyre.
Festivals in Egypt were usually holidays in honour of the gods. A statue
of god would be carried through the streets. On the day of a festival no
work would be done and people would parade down the streets with
dancers and musicians.
Children would play games such as Hounds and Jackals. They would
keep themselves entertained with toys like, balls, wooden horses on
wheels and carved ivory animals.
Government
The Nile River valley was originally divided into two Kingdoms, Upper
and Lower Egypt. In 3100bc the ruler of Upper Egypt, Menes, conquered
the Lower Egyptian Kingdom. He united Egypt and became the first ruler
of Upper and Lower Egypt. Where the two Kingdoms met, he built a new
capital called Memphis.
The people of Egypt considered their Pharaoh to be a god. He was
believed to be a living embodiment of the Egyptian gods. He was an
absolute ruler, responsible for all Egyptian life such as, issuing laws,
directing the army, economy, and trade. However he did need help, so
officials were appointed to allow other people to act for him. These
people were called Scribes. They were record keepers and administrators
and were influenced by custom and tradition.
Activity
Write your own story about a day in Ancient Egypt. You may not be a
Pharaoh, King, Queen or a God. You can be a Priest, worker, soldier,
merchant, slave or a visitor. Write as if you were telling about your own
life in Ancient Egypt.