Picture from What was the Sphinx?
Key features and Inventions
What were the key features of the Egyptian society and what innovations were developed?
The Egyptians learned a lot about embalming bodies. This helped them develop basic medical skills. For example, Egyptian doctors sewed up cuts and set broken bones. Egyptians wrote down medical information on scrolls made out of papyrus. These records became the world's first medical books.
Daily Life:
Families:
The family was the most important group in ancient Egyptian society. The father was the head of the family. Women had a lot of legal rights that were similar to men. For example, they could buy and sell goods, obtain divorces. Few Egyptian children went to school. The children had time for fun. They played with board games, dolls, spinning tops, and more. Fathers would teach their sons how to farm and trade. Usually the oldest son would inherit their father's business. Mothers would teach their daughters how to cook, clean, and everything to know about running a household.
Social Structure:
The roles of the people in Ancient Egypt reflected their social status, or position in the society. The king or pharaoh and his family is held in the highest social class. Then, there is a small upper class filled with army commanders, priest, and nobles. Next in the middle class, a large group of traders, artisans, and scribes made up the middle class. Finally, farmers and unskilled workers filled up the lower class. Even though there were divisions in the Egyptian social classes, people from the lower class can improve their social position.
If you could be anyone in Ancient Egypt, besides pharaoh, who would you be?
Fiona's Answer:
I would probably want to be an official for the pharaoh. They are close to the pharaoh so might get advantages. Also, slaves had to do a lot of work- making pyramids, the tombs, obelisks... Its hard work that I wouldn't want to do. The officials wouldn't have to do those things and their lives were probably easier because they were in a higher class.
Camilla's Answer:
I would probably be a jeweler because you don't have a lot of responsibilities like someone a official( no offense Fiona) or a pharaoh. I would get to carve precious stones and start complex designs that nobody can copy and sell them to people.
Inventions:
Some of the inventions that Ancient Egyptians created were...
The Great Pyramids of Giza:In the picture to the right it shows the Great pyramids of Giza. Egyptians made pyramids as a burial place and monument to the pharaohs.
|
Picture from Top 10 Marvels
|
Mathematics:In the picture to the right it shows a chart translating what the Egyptians used for numbers. We use numbers today, but the symbol is simpler.
|
Picture from Skypoint
|
Mummification:On the right is a picture of a tomb where a mummy is placed after going through the process of embalming and wrapping. The Egyptians invented mummification to preserve the body and help it go on to the afterlife.
|
Picture from Genius
|
The Calendar:On the right is a picture of our calendar. The calendar is one of the important inventions made by Egyptians. Without a calendar life would be very different because we wouldn't remember when upcoming events were or when we did something.
|
Picture from The Calendar FAQ
|
The lock:The picture on the right shows a lock. The Egyptians invented a lock that had pins that were manipulated when the key was inserted. The key pushed the pins upward and they slipped away from the bolt shaft, unlocking it. We use locks all the time now. They ensure us that our things will be kept safe.
|
Picture from Smith College Museum
|
Hieroglyphics:
The term hieroglyphics refers to a system of ancient Egyptian symbols. The hieroglyphics also involve a series of "picture" words. This system first began to develop in 3000 B.C. The system is very complex because it contains several hundred different words. The first hieroglyphics were used on tombs and buildings.
Writing with hieroglyphics:
Can you read this? If not it says "Ancient Egypt"! Try making your own hieroglyphic message on Hieroglyphic Typewriter
Scribes:
When an Egyptian is a scribe, he or she cover temples and tombs with hieroglyphics. Scribes also recorded everything like the stocks held in the stores, the proceedings in court, magic spells, wills and other contracts, medical procedures, tax records and genealogies. People from the upper an middle class were most likely to become a scribe. Scribes use a wooden palette with brushes, reed pens, and a roll of papyrus. It was difficult to become a scribe because the hieroglyphic language was complex. Scribal training usually could take up a decade to complete