Everyday life We know a lot about everyday
Everyday life We know a lot about everyday life from paintings and other artefacts left by the ancient Egyptians. Their pictures of banquets show us their favourite foods, and the outfits, jewellery and make-up they liked to wear. Information has also come from archaeologists, who have found household goods, food, clothes and furniture from the tombs of wealthy Egyptians.
Palace life A pharaoh owned several palaces, and moved with his household from one to the other by royal barge on the Nile River. Egyptian nobles who were in favour would be invited and bring their children, where they could live and study alongside other royal children. They enjoyed royal banquets, having feasts brought to carried in by slaves while musicians and dancers entertained them. The pharaoh and his chief wife and queen would be seated on a raised dais at the front of the room. Pharaohs also kept menageries (a collection of wild animals). Ramses II had a pet lion that accompanied him into battle and Thutmose III kept antelopes, leopards, ostriches, elephants and rhinoceroses in his botanical gardens!
Reflection List five words to describe palace life in ancient Egypt. How do you think pharaohs lived in comparison to poor Egyptians?
Home life The weather was scorching hot for much of the year. To stay cool the Egyptians built their houses with small, high windows, which kept out the sun. They often painted the outside walls white to reflect the heat. Sometimes they built homes on raised platforms to protect them flooding.
Home life Ancient Egyptians designed houses to help cope with the Egyptian climate. For example: § They had flat roofs with vents to let in cool breezes from the north. § Roofs often had a terrace so people could eat and sleep outdoors during a summer breeze. §Window openings in the house itself were small and high to minimise the impact of heat and glare. For this reason, rooms could be quite dark.
Home life Most Egyptians had simple furniture, such as beds, stools, a low carved table from wood and maybe brick benches. Homes were made with bricks made of mud from the Nile river – even wealthy people's homes. When it grew dark they would light a wick in a bowl of oil – which wouldn't have given out much light- so it is possible they went to bed soon after dusk. They slept on beds made from a wooden frame raised in bricks. For a pillow they used a hard stone or a wooden headrest – which doesn't sound comfortable at all!
What are some features that you can identify within these ancient Egyptian’s homes?
Home life Wealthy people had large homes with plenty of well-furnished rooms. They relaxed in gardens, with fig and acacia trees providing shade, and pools filled with fish and lotus flowers. Wealthy Egyptians loved to decorate their homes , painting the walls and floors with pretty patterns. Sometimes they used wall hangings and brightened up the floor with coloured tiles. Pharaohs even had images of their enemies painted on the floor so they could stamp on them!
What are some features that you can identify within this wealthy ancient Egyptian’s home?
Food and Drink Among the most important crops grown in ancient Egypt were grains such as barely and wheat.
Food and Drink The Egyptians were the first people to use yeast to make bread rise, but unfortunately their bread was horrible. When they ground the flour between two stones, bits of grit were left in flour. The bread was so rough and gritty that it wore down people's teeth! People drank barely beer because it tasted better than water from the Nile, which often was quite brown and dirty. The alcohol killed germs too. But the beer was rough stuff. You had to drink it using a tube so you didn't choke on lumps of mashed barely.
Food and drink The rich spoiled themselves with tasty treats. They feasted on all kids of meat, from beef, mutton and pork to exotic ostrich, antelope and pelican. Wealthy people enjoyed desserts, which were sweetened with honey because sugar didn't exist. They washed down their dinner with expensive wine imported from Syria and Palestine. People mostly had a healthy diet that included fresh fruit, fish and vegetables.
Clothing
Clothing Egyptians wore light, loose clothing to keep them cool. Garments were wrapped around the body (without buttons or zippers, or fixed with a belt). They usually went barefoot. Working men usually wore a loin cloth and poorer women wore long, straight dresses both made from linen. Linen for clothes was made from flax plants which grew along the Nile river. It was the most common material used. The poor made to do with cheap cloth that must have been itchy against their skin.
Clothing The wealthy wove linen into soft garments. The wealthy dressed in kilts, tunics or robes, with cloaks when it was chilly. Wealthy people tended to wear saddles, as well as wigs which were a symbol of status as well as protect from the sun, makeup, and jewellery which were worn by both men and women. The rich also wore perfume made from animal fat and the scent of flowers. As it melted in the heat it gave off a beautiful perfume and cooled the wearer.
Knowledge and Learning Ancient Egyptians were very highly skilled people for the time in which they lived.
Arts and Craft Ancient Egyptian society was very materialistic, meaning they loved owning nice items and objects. These were created by artisans or craftsmen such as potters, stonemasons, carpenters, jewellery makers and artists. Early Egyptians developed a potters wheel, and looms were invented for the weaving of linen. Stonemasons carved magnificent statues of God figures for worship from the hardest stones, using very simple tools. Crafts people spent several years developing their skills.
Medicine and Science Records show that doctors had a good knowledge of the human body and had a range of remedies for such complaints as tumours, eye-disorders, snake bites and scorpion stings. As for science, astronomy taught them that there were different planets and that these planets moved around the sun. The stars were also used in the navigation of ships. In mathematics they were capable of doing complex sums using fractions, and could calculate area, volumes and construct right angles.
Writing and Education Egyptians developed a written language for their civilisation, a factor which has helped us to know and learn a great deal about it. They also invented a type of paper made from papyrus plants. They had different forms of writing. The earliest from has been given the name hieroglyphic and were used on temples, tombs and state monuments.
Leisure and entertainment All classes in ancient Egypt enjoyed leisure activities, although the wealthy noble families had more leisure time and a wider variety of activities available to them. Behind the walls of their villas, the wealthy could relax around their pools and in their gardens. The nearby Nile was ideal for sailing and picnics.
Leisure and entertainment Hunting animals in the desert was a popular sport for pharaohs and noblemen, and bird hunting was also popular in the marshy areas of the river banks. Banquets and parties were held with entertainment provided by dancing girls and acrobats. Musical instruments such as harps, lutes, cymbals, pipes, drums and bone clappers were used.
Leisure and entertainment Games were enjoyed by all classes, young and old. Children played tug-of-war and leapfrog, and knuckle-bones were also used. Boys acted out battles as soldiers and girls had dolls to play with. Toys found in the tombs of children included pull-along wooden animals, spinning tops, rattles and balls made of clay or leather. Sports included sword fighting, wrestling and swimming. Sometimes water tournaments were held between boats on the river.
Leisure and entertainment For a quieter pastime, people enjoyed listening to stories old by professional storytellers. Board games such as ‘Mehen’ or ‘Senet’ were popular with adults and children alike. The ancient Egyptian game Mehen, was like the game of Snakes and Ladders we play today.
Leisure and entertainment http: //maduracun. esy. es/mehen-snake-board-game-t-schools-liaison-service. pdf
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