Transcript Daily Life, Gender Roles, and Education in Ancient Egypt Will Zhang, Terry Zheng, and Jen Wong.

Daily Life, Gender Roles, and
Education in Ancient Egypt
Will Zhang, Terry Zheng, and Jen
Wong
Homes
• Close to the Nile
• Made of mud bricks
• Usually 2-3 storeys high
to avoid flooding
• Few pieces of furniture
• Outdoor kitchens
• Upper levels were used
as living space
• Size and complexity of
homes depended on
wealth
Homes
• Had small windows to keep
homes cool
• The wealthy could afford to
have houses built of stone
Which is the home of a wealthy Egyptian?
Food & Agriculture
• Depended on crops
• Wheat and barley used to
make beer and bread
• Flax for linen
• Annual flooding of Nile
provided fertile soil
• Vegetables such as onions,
leeks, lettuce, and peas
were grown
• Wine
• Dates and figs from trees
• Ate beef, pork, mutton, fowl
and wild game meat
• The commoners ate fish as
a substitution for meat
Leisure Activities
• Plays held in temples
• Fishing, swimming, and
games in river
• Noblemen would hunt
game and fowl
• The wealthy held parties
• Pets
• Reading
Leisure Activities
• Board games such as
Hounds, Jackals, and
Senet
• Rules of board games are
unclear, but are found in
tombs
• Children had toy animals
carved out of wood and
ivory
Education
• All children received education, whether or not
they were from a rich family
• Unprivileged children were educated in trades
• Privileged children received formal education
A scribe student’s homework
Education
•
•
•
•
Unprivileged children began education at age 14
Boys learned trades from fathers
Girls learned housekeeping from mothers
For example, parents hoped children could become tomb
builders
• If not, they had to leave their village and find work
elsewhere
Metal-working… one of many trades
Education
• Sons of Pharaohs, priests
and other privileged families
went to scribe school at age 5
• Consisted of copying texts and
reciting lessons
• Scribes also educated in math
• Near end of scribal education,
scribes went to vocational schools
run by the government, army or
temples, etc.
• Would receive training for specific
jobs such as tax assessing
Statue of a scribe
Education
• Egyptians believed in stability through education
• Taught children manners and to be contributing
members of society
• Literacy was vital to bureaucratic Egypt
• Scribes kept records such as taxes and inventories, and
ritual practices and medicines
Gender Roles (Family)
• For the ancient Egyptians, the prime purpose of
marriage was to establish a family.
• A suitable age for men to be married is at the age of 20.
• The wife would be even younger, according to the
teachings of the scribe Onkhsheshonqy.
• Parents were considered as the source of life for the
children.
• They deserve respect and honour.
Gender Roles (Women)
• Women took care of the daily needs of their family.
• Pregnancy was important to the ancient Egyptian
women, because they gained the respect of society and
the approval from their husbands.
• Even though the society was mostly dominated by men,
the women still enjoyed quite a bit of their freedom,
because the men did not have it all their way.
• Aside from taking care of the family, women were also
involved in the society, and they could conclude any
kind of legal settlement.
Gender Roles (Men)
• Egypt’s society was typically male-dominated.
• Men hunted animals such as antelope, hares, and lions
in the low deserts in Egypt.
• The father was responsible for the economic well-being
of the family.
• Upper-class men often became scribes or priests.
• Lower-class man often were farmers, hunters, potters, or
craftsmen.
Gender Roles (Children)
• Children were considered as the link with the future
generations.
• They were also expected to reciprocate the care they
received from their parents, mainly their mother.
• Children were expected to take good care of their
parents in their old age, and also to carry out the
principal roles in their funerary rights when they died.
• The eldest son in particular was sometimes referred to
as the “staff of old age”, who would look after the aged
parents and take over his father’s work.
Bibliography
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Cleveland Museum of Art. Pyramids, Mummies & Daily Life. 17 Oct 2006
<http://www.clevelandart.org/kids/egypt/roseff.html>
Dollinger, André. Aspects of Life in Ancient Egypt. 17 Oct 2006
<http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/index.html>
Division of Education.Life in Ancient Egypt. 23 Jan. 2006. 18 Oct. 2006
<http://www.carnegiemnh.org/exhibits/egypt/guide.htm.>
Dollinger, André. Gender Roles. 12 Jan. 2006. 17 Oct. 2006
<http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/people/gender.htm>
Stead, Miriam. Egyptian Life. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1986
Hawass, Zahi. Women in Pharaonic Egypt. Italy, 2000
Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. Mysteries of Egypt – Egyptian Civilization. 17 Oct
2006 <http://www.civilization.ca/CIVIL/EGYPT/egcivile.html>
St. Petersburg Times. Egypt : Daily Life. 17 Oct 2006
<http://www2.sptimes.com/Egypt/EgyptCredit.4.2.html>
Hart, George. Eyewitness Books: Ancient Egypt. Toronto: Stoddart Publishing Co. Limited, 1990.
Stead, Miriam. Egyptian Life. Cambridge, Massachussets: Harvard University Press, 1986.
Newman, Garfield. Echoes from the Past: World History to the 16th Century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill
Ryerson, 2001.
The British Museum. Ancient Egypt - Writing. 17 Oct. 2006
<http://ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/explore/main.html>.
The British Museum. Ancient Egypt - Trades. 17 Oct. 2006
<http://ancientegypt.co.uk/trade/story/main.html>.