Egyptian Life - From Pharaoh to Farmer
Do you see images of royal ceremonies, people worshipping at your feet, servants fanning you, a harem full of women to choose from, and perhaps a pet monkey at your side?
If you imagined either of these, you are right. These two very different kinds of ancient Egyptian daily life existed - depending on who you were born to. Rank, career, social status and role were pretty much passed down from parents to children (although there were exceptions). There were many other roles at that time: priests, scribes, soldiers, craftsmen, artists, dancers, farmers, etc... And although you would be quite limited to what you would do for the rest of your life depending on your social rank, you still had some choice depending on your ability.
Egyptian Villages, Temples and Tombs
The reason most of the information we have on Egyptian life is from tombs and temples is because of the way they were built. They were made to last (for eternity). The temple walls were carved and painted with stories; the tombs carried treasures and mummies.
Villages on the other hand were meant to be temporary - ancient Egyptian houses were made of mud-brick. Some villages did somehow survive, and you can still visit some of them today. They make for quite a different ancient Egyptian touristic experience than the pyramids and temples. Unfortunately, not much of the story-telling on walls and in scrolls was about the average Egyptian... It was mainly a testimony of the rich. Many stories were exaggerated, and some were purely fable. Luckily however, some information was recorded on the working class and some information was derived by research. If you're interested in seeing all this for yourself and building your own trip to Egypt; finding cheap deals, good travel info and booking flights and hotels - check out Egypt Holidays
Were They So Different?Well, the answer to that question is yes and no. Even though they did have traditions that are obsolete today and many beliefs that are quite "out there", you can kind of see their progression into the more modern traditions and beliefs.Mummifications and pyramids may be outlandish these days, but the theories behind them are quite similar to many beliefs today. They cherished life and living so much that they hoped to continue on in the afterlife. They did what they could to secure a good life after death. Ancient Egyptian life had much in common with the modern days. They had systems for marriages, divorces, inheritance, careers, medical care, etc... And although ancient Egyptian medicine had some bizarre treatments, much of the practices still form the basis of modern medicine today. They also loved having fun, celebrating and drinking (especially Egyptian beer!) . Even more similar were their fears, hopes, desires and weaknesses. They wanted to live life to the fullest (life expectancy back then was mid 30's). They fell in love, they wanted their children to have better lives, they took care of the elderly, they had affairs, and they even protested work conditions. Click on the links below to learn more about:
And much more to come! Personally, this is one of my most favorite topics about Ancient Egypt. I find myself looking at the necklaces, pots and pans at the museum wondering whether they had sentimental value to their owners. It's all about the small things in Egyptian Life...
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