[:RU]Away from street politics and violent protests, these girls live secure, privileged lives in Egypt's wealthy communities. "All roads lead to New Giza", "Cleaner, safer and more beautiful environment”, “The Life You Always Dreamed of” - giant billboards on the Cairo ring road are filled with English signs that are trying to sell goods to members of the wealthy elite living in Egypt, a dream life that almost no one in the city can afford.
The Egyptian elite prefers to settle on the outskirts of the city, away from the traditionally popular areas in the center of the old city, in an artificial environment, in seclusion from the world. Buying a home in these areas promises a number of perks that are typically not found in a crowded city: privacy, green scenery, and security. To protect these mansions from prying eyes, communities are surrounded by an extensive network of walls and an army of security personnel who guard the peace of the masters of life in Egypt.
Photographer Zaza Bertrand managed to sneak into this hidden world Egypt and chat with young girls - representatives of this elite. Her photographs show beautiful girls seeking a sense of identity in the surreal world they live in. The landscapes of micro cities are often under construction, and reflect a certain loneliness that is also present in girls. It seems unlikely that this built environment can enable these girls to realize their hopes and dreams.
Esme eats a McDonald's hamburger in a gated community.
Ahella and Nada are having a picnic in the desert, drinking beer and smoking on weekends.
Sarah on a felucca boat. Many young people go on Nile cruises with their friends.
Noor and her friend are relaxing by the pool. The use of the pool is free for the residents of the community and their guests, but is strictly prohibited to anyone else.
Nariman visiting inside the cottage village of Uptown Cairo. She feels sad because she just had a fight with her boyfriend.
Mosquito spray gas in Palm Springs. All elite communities-villages have Europeanized names, such as Beverly Hills, "Mountain View", "Lake View", Mirage City, "Utopia", Swan Lake and etc.
Esme dries her hair extensions. She meets friends for lunch and prepares for the event.
The new settlements are almost completed. Cottage villages like this one are completely isolated from Egyptian street politics and poor life in Cairo.
All that is needed, the owners can find within their community. This girl does not want to show her face, she is learning to pole dance in her room.
Nariman poses in front of his educational institution, the German University in Cairo.
Early in the morning near the entrance to the casino and nightclub.
The Egyptians are among the peoples whose achievements amaze scientists and historians. Their civilization was one of the most powerful and at the same time remains mysterious to this day. Many secrets have not been revealed, however, thanks to writing, the Egyptians were able to convey to modern people information about the way of life, the peculiarities of life and their history.
Story
Egypt is one of ancient civilizations. The first settlements arose along the valley of the Nile River, rich in fertile lands. The emergence of states dates back to the 4th millennium BC. Gradually, two powerful states were formed, which are usually called Upper and Lower Egypt. They regularly clashed with each other in military battles, and in the 3rd millennium BC. Upper Egypt managed to win, which marked the unification of the country.
Distinctive feature ancient egypt became the power to achieve prosperity. At the head was the pharaoh, whose origin was deified. He not only ruled the country, but also participated in major military campaigns.
It was military campaigns that allowed the Egyptian civilization to become great. One of the most important campaigns was the conquest of the south, where there were always a lot of slaves and gold.
Having reached Nubia, located in the south, the Egyptians managed to conquer the country, which opened them access to tropical Africa with valuable timber, a variety of livestock, poultry and thousands of people who could be enslaved.
The Egyptians also moved east. There they managed to capture the Sinai Peninsula, taking copper mines, Palestine, Phenicia with important trade routes. Having established trade relations with Asia Minor, the Egyptians were able to receive silver, which at that time was valued much more than gold. In addition to military clashes, the Egyptians had time to conduct exploration of the area. Phoenicians swore allegiance Egyptian pharaoh, were able to explore the coast of the Red Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar and part of the African continent.
Regular wars could not only bring success, it was quite difficult to support the army, so one day the Egyptian dominion began to lose strength, and the lost battle at Pelusium turned out to be fateful for the whole civilization.
Life
The life of the Egyptians was completely dependent on the pharaoh. The origin of a person did not matter - even people from noble families obeyed the will of the ruler and did not have property. Each merchant was given a charter that allowed him to dispose of cattle, house, things that he could exchange or sell. Without this letter, a person lost the right to dispose of any property. The Egyptians used money in rare cases, necessarily drawing up contracts that indicated the amount, the name of the product and specific volumes. An important part way of life Egyptians was collectivization. Thanks to her, they were able to reach great heights and create architectural masterpieces. People did many things together, which allowed the society to develop.
Family was considered the greatest value. The typical Egyptian did not want to leave his relatives under any circumstances, so going to war was considered a punishment. The authority of the father required the complete subordination of the son, but for the child, the mother was most important. This fact is evidenced by the records of scribes of that time. The son was obliged to honor his mother, to protect her from any offense. Otherwise, he could incur the displeasure of the gods. Society, of course, relied on men - there was no matriarchy. However, the role of a woman remained great, since she was given the right to receive an education and apply the acquired knowledge. We have heard stories about the great Nefertiti, Queen Nesitanebtasha. Women often made copies of the manuscripts that have survived and are presented in contemporary museums. The Zuch manuscript can be seen in british museum. A woman was allowed to manage her own property on an equal basis with a man, to conclude deals.
The Egyptians rarely entered into forced marriages. Parents participated in the choice of the bride or groom, often invited matchmakers, but the final decision was always with the spouses. Women and men lived in harmony, asking each other for advice. The sage Ptahhotep wrote that a wife should be valued, fed, protected, and delighted. It is important to avoid quarrels, cruelty. A woman should thrive in a man's house.
The scribes also noted that it was impossible to command a woman, it was dangerous to start a dispute, as this wreaked havoc in family relationships. The real owner of the house always strives to keep order.
Children in slave families began to work as early as 5 years old, only people from wealthy families could dream of toys. In rich families, children were given pets: birds, snakes.
Education
Children could afford education free families. In the families of the pharaoh, children were taught at home. Often, priests were involved in teaching, who assessed learning abilities and natural talents. Even a child from poor family could afford education, and thanks to his talents, become a significant member of society. In ancient Egypt, there were many famous warriors, priests and politicians who came from families of modest means.
Schools made it possible to study writing, learn to read, learn arithmetic. The Egyptians studied market prices, features of the agricultural business. The training of warriors took place in the stables of the pharaoh, where the basics of riding, combat, tactics and command were certainly learned.
Girls were usually educated at home, physical punishment was not applied to them. The use of corporal punishment was necessary in case of disobedience or lack of proper concentration.
The choice of profession for the Egyptians was extremely important. considered the most prestigious public service, because it did not require much effort and could bring a good income. In the private sector, people had to work hard. Even the entrepreneurs of that time, who had workshops, weaving and laundries, coped with difficulty.
The work of a scribe was considered the most significant in Egyptian society. It's simple: a person did not have to worry about income and at the same time make a lot of effort. This view was justified by relatively good earnings and low workload. Many fathers told their sons that if they became scribes, they would never curse their craft. Any plowman languishes, but the scribe always prospers. As a result, this approach has become a textbook.
Cloth
The most common material for tailoring was white linen. Belts were made of leather, and sandals were made of cane. Historians note that for several centuries the clothes of men and women were very open. People were not embarrassed by their bodies, considering nudity to be natural. Of the clothes, the villagers used only loincloths. Among the noble Egyptians, completely transparent dresses connected with straps were common. The most common color was white, sometimes they wore clothes of red and yellow flowers. Pharaohs wore skirts and large crowns. Later, cloaks and tunics appeared. Contrary to popular belief, the pharaohs did not constantly renew their clothes. It was often washed using clay as soap.
The Egyptians did not like shoes. It was rarely worn even by representatives of the nobility. She was needed only for a long road or travel to the mountains. Greeks and Romans on final stage The existence of Egyptian civilization brought closed shoes. The sandals worn by the Egyptians were made from papyrus. It was forbidden to wear shoes in the house. Even the pharaohs went barefoot, followed by shoe-bearers. Compliance funeral rite meant leaving shoes in a set of things that would be needed for the afterlife. Surprisingly, the most luxuriously dressed in Egypt have always been the statues of the gods. Their fingers were decorated with plates of pure gold, gold bracelets were fixed on their feet and hands, even their nails were covered with lapis lazuli. It is believed that false nails were invented in ancient Egypt.
The Egyptians themselves also loved jewelry. They gave them a mystical meaning. Rings remained favorite decorations: straw, glass and gold. The rings depicted gods and goddesses, scarab beetles.
The Egyptians paid a lot of attention to hair. In a hot climate, you had to constantly cut your hair, but Egyptian men were very fond of beards and mustaches, so they used false ones. At some point, thin and neat tufted beards, which even women wore, came into fashion. Among them was Queen Hatshepsut.
Hair was difficult to care for, as most Egyptians had coarse hair. Therefore, people cut their hair short, preferring to use wigs made of sheep wool. Women used hairpins, ribbons, wore diadems. Even modern fashion indulges the Egyptians by popularizing the famous foxtrot hairstyle.
Almost all Egyptians bathed regularly. Even the poor had access to ponds with clean water. After washing, ointments and oils were necessarily used to make the body fragrant. Women and men dyed their hair black to hide gray hair. The beauty of the body was perceived as something sacred and important, so every Egyptian paid a lot of attention to it.
culture
Ancient Egypt gave the world a great heritage. The minds of Egyptologists and historians are still excited by the ancient Egyptian pantheon of gods, headed by the supreme deity, personifying the sun, Ra. It was with him that the pharaoh was identified.
The Egyptians believed in the immortality of the soul, so during the burial rites they took with them those things that, in their opinion, should certainly be useful in the afterlife. The greatest tombs were the pyramids, where the tombs of the rulers were located.
- Totemism was elevated to a cult, as evidenced by the heads of the gods in the form of animals. The Egyptians revered lions, bulls, cows, ibis, scarab beetles. The Egyptians were one of the first peoples to spread writing through the invention of papyrus.
- The Egyptians were the first to discover beekeeping.
- It was they who began to master the construction and processing of stone on a large scale first.
- Hieroglyphic writing, counting system, mummification - all these are also the merits of the ancient Egyptians.
- The culture of Ancient Egypt is most appreciated for its architecture. The Egyptians primarily focused on the creation of tombs, attaching importance to the afterlife. Over time, the Egyptians began to master sculpture, including portraiture. Many of the statues are well preserved to this day. During the Middle Kingdom, they began to actively improve weapons, improving the technology of metal smelting. Glass production was established, the irrigation system was improved to increase the efficiency of agriculture.
- The Egyptians were interested in medicine, anatomy, mathematics, astronomy. Herodotus, known to the whole world, said that it was Egypt that began to teach us geometry.
- The Egyptians were good at predicting the sun, moon eclipse. They were the first to realize the effect of the influence of the moon on the tide cycle.
According to many scholars, the Egyptian solar calendar considered perfect among other civilizations. During the period of the New Kingdom, the Egyptians were able to improve mummification by learning how to embalm bodies, perfect relief and ornament, and make literature multi-genre. The heyday of poetry and painting fell on the reign of Akhenaten.
dwelling
Initially, the Egyptians built houses from papyrus wood using its stems. They tied them with ropes, dug them into the ground to give strength to the structure. With the manufacture of clay, bricks began to appear. By mixing mud and earth with water, the Egyptians managed to get a good one by the standards of that time. construction material. The rest of the work was done by the sun, drying the stones. With the onset of the Middle Kingdom period, the technology of roasting became available to the Egyptians. Many houses are still preserved in excellent condition, which is explained by the strict observance of building standards.
The nobility lived in brick houses richly decorated with curtains. The high position of the owner of the house was evidenced by the plaster and beautiful murals, which decorated all the rooms. Each yard had a swimming pool and a garden. The house could have several bedrooms, a reception room, a closet, a pantry and a place for ablution. There were separate rooms for women.
The dwellings of the poor were in the form of a block in which square windows were cut. Houses were located close to each other, forming narrow lanes. The floor in such a dwelling was made of earth, and there was only one room. It is rare to find several walk-throughs, although some had housing with a bedroom, kitchen, pantry and even a cellar. An indispensable attribute of the dwelling was the altar, located in the living room.
Housing development was influenced by progress, improved technology allowed the Egyptians to create houses that delight many builders around the world today. Their prototypes are used in fiction and cinematography.
Food
The diet of the Egyptians was varied, but they were directly dependent on the Nile. During weak or excessive flooding, there were lean months. First of all, provisions were stocked up for the pharaohs, so the population had to save food. Bad harvest times provoked robberies: people did not hesitate to break into temples, attacking the guards, and were ready to do anything to get food.
In the harvest years, the happiness of the Egyptians knew no bounds. It is known that during the reign of the Ramses, most people ate a varied diet, as evidenced by the rich reserves in the tombs of the pharaohs themselves. This is confirmed by the hieroglyphs deciphered by Egyptologists.
Archaeologist Anthony Harris wrote that Ramses the Third was distinguished by unprecedented generosity, treating temple attendants and making offerings to the gods.
Meat was the most popular food in ancient Egypt. The tombs often depict animals being led to the slaughter. Ioa bull meat was considered the best. Fed, they could reach enormous sizes. Some animals grew so large that they could hardly walk. The quality of the livestock inspection was very strict, so the safety of the products was not in doubt.
Hunting allowed catching antelopes, gazelles, which were later domesticated. The development of animal husbandry eventually ceased, giving way to cattle breeding.
Wild animals were not only eaten, but also sacrificed. For example, oryxes - large antelopes, were mainly sacrificed to the gods.
The Egyptian people used poultry. Papyrus Harris shows that total during the record keeping, almost 20 thousand quails were counted.
The Egyptians used a lot of hunting equipment. They caught hippos with harpoons, birds with nets, and fish with tops.
A significant product was flour, which was made from barley, spelt or wheat. The harvesting of grain was mainly done by women. Processing was carried out using mills. Flour served as the basis for making bread. It is not difficult to guess that barley served not only as the basis for baking, but also for beer. It was national drink throughout Egypt, which was served in taverns and consumed at home.
According to Herodotus, the Egyptians liked to eat raw fish, although sometimes they resorted to curing and salting it. Food was often cooked over an open fire using various seasonings. Spreading the meat on flat cakes, the Egyptians received dishes well known to the modern inhabitants of Central Asia. Ancient Egyptian recipes are detailed on stone slabs found during archaeological excavations. However, most of the instructions for cooking have not yet been deciphered. It is known, however, that the Egyptians were very fond of sweet pastries. As a filling could use:
- fruits
- milk
- oil.
Historians note that the cuisine of the ancient Egyptians was high in calories - often melted fat was added to the dish.
The civilization of Ancient Egypt showed the whole world that collectivization can lead to prosperity. The Egyptians are among the peoples whose influence can hardly be overestimated. Nowadays, there are many facts that surprise even skeptics. For example, relatively recently it became known that the Egyptians were the first to invent batteries capable of generating electricity. Modern Egypt is a problematic country. For a long time living off tourism, the Arabs who occupied it found themselves in a difficult position due to civil crises and a weak economy. Ancient Egypt has disappeared forever, but the memory of its former greatness will live on for a long time.
Of course, our article would not be complete without mentioning the secrets of the people. Therefore, we recommend watching a video about the five most interesting riddles Ancient Egypt.
When it comes to Ancient Egypt, most people think of pharaohs, pyramids, mummies and gold artifacts. And at the same time, the vast majority do not have the slightest idea about how the most ordinary people lived in this country.
Board games
After labor day simple people in ancient Egypt, too, sought to relax. The most popular leisure activity was Board games. Two or several players could play at once, and if there were no game boards, then the playing field was drawn directly on the ground. Favorite game was "sene". The field was divided into 30 squares - in 3 rows of 10, in some squares they drew symbols that meant something good or, on the contrary, failure.
The winner was the one whose chips entered the "afterlife" first, bypassing the squares of failure. The Seine was deeply intertwined with religion. The winner was said to be guarded by the gods, and tombs were often drawn on the board to protect the deceased during the transition to the afterlife.
In Aseb's game, there were 20 squares on the field. To free a chip from the "home" square, it was necessary to roll a four or six on a die. If a piece landed on a square held by the opponent, it was sent back to the home square. The rules of "mehen" and another game of "hounds and jackals" are unknown. The mehen board looked like a twisted snake.
Sense of humor
Today, little is known about ancient Egyptian humor, but this does not mean at all that the ancients did not have it. So, in Thebes around 2000 BC, a carver on the wall of the tomb created an image of the deceased pharaoh's vizier. He was a very important person during his lifetime and, most likely, should have been depicted with a noble face.
But the artist gave the vizier a dejected look with a raised eyebrow, as if Dagi was surprised that he had died. Carvings made during the reign of Amenhotep III (1389-1349 BC) show a scribe and a baboon (an animal associated with Thoth, the god of writing). The baboon has very funny eyebrows.
The artists did not hold back their sarcasm even when they portrayed the enemies of Egypt. An ivory plaque shows a captive Assyrian prince with a goofy look and bulging eyes. Tensions with the Nubians probably led the artist to make a relief showing a Nubian with exaggerated and ridiculous features.
Arthritis
When researchers recently examined the remains of those who created and decorated the famous Valley of the Kings, they discovered something strange. About 3,500 years ago, most of the carvers and painters who decorated the tombs of the pharaohs came from the village of Deir el-Medina. Usually, artists develop problems with their hands over time. Osteoarthritis among the studied remains of men was much more common in the ankles and knees.
After studying the ancient records of this village, the reason was revealed. Despite the hard work in the necropolis, people did not want to spend the night "on the bones" and every day they went to spend the night in another place. For a week they lived in huts near the royal tombs, and the road to them led through a steep hill, which they had to climb and descend twice a day.
At the end of the week, the masters went to Deir el-Medina, which had to be reached 2 kilometers through the hills. On Monday they again returned to the necropolis. This went on for years, and for some people for decades. In all likelihood, such long transitions led to the appearance of a disease that is not characteristic of this profession.
diet
ABOUT recipes The ancient Egyptians will probably never be known. No records have been found, but you can learn about what the Egyptians ate from the works of art of that time. Some ingredients were consumed by all classes, but a number of foods were forbidden to the commoners. For example, smoking fish was strictly the lot of the priests. But the daily food of all strata of society was beer and bread.
Bread was fermented in water, producing a cloudy drink that was an essential part of the diet of the lower classes. In addition to grain dishes such as porridge, the diet included meat, honey, dates, fruits, and wild vegetables. The workers ate only twice a day.
For breakfast they had bread, beer, and sometimes onions. For lunch, cooked vegetables and meat were added to this. Priests and pharaohs ate immeasurably better. Images of banquets were found in the tombs, where tables were bursting with wine, gazelles baked in honey, roasted poultry, fruits and desserts.
Teeth
The Egyptians suffered from the destruction of enamel, because sand was constantly found in their food. The problem was really huge. A study conducted on 4800 teeth from Egyptian tombs showed that 90 percent of the teeth were very worn.
This has led to conditions such as cysts, multiple abscesses, and osteoarthritis of the jaw. Needless to say, chronic toothache was a daily part of life in ancient Egypt. Despite known love Egyptians to cleanliness, there is no evidence that the ancient Egyptians had developed dentistry.
Corn
Trade in Ancient Egypt.
The monetary system of ancient Egypt is not fully understood. It used to be thought that it was based on barter without any form of currency. But this conclusion was drawn solely from the surviving images, which showed the exchange of goods. While trade certainly existed, it could not support the state's commercial system as extensive.
One of the main commodities was grain, which was grown on a mass scale. Surplus grain was stored in a network of silos throughout Egypt and used to pay workers who worked on major public projects. But, for example, what was to be done if someone wanted to buy a house.
Indeed, in this case, a bag of grain will not do. The ancient Egyptians worked with a unit of value called a "shat". This currency standard existed in the Old Kingdom (2750-2150 BC), but today no one knows what it was. It is only known that one shat costs 7.5 grams of gold.
Family
In ancient Egypt, a traditional family with a large number of children was welcomed. Girls usually got married at an early age. adolescence. While examples of marriage for love did occur, marriage was primarily a way of mutual assistance in existence for a man and a woman. A man was considered imperfect until he married.
The frescoes traditionally depict the men as dark from outdoor work and the women as pale as they only led the way. household. Egyptian wives gave birth many and often, so they constantly faced the dangers that childbirth threatened them with. Effective contraception did not exist, and midwives could not do anything if something "went wrong" during childbirth.
Infants were breastfed until they were three years old. Boys were early trained in working professions, and girls in childcare, cooking and sewing clothes. It was expected that the eldest son (and if he was not there, then the daughter) would take care of his elderly parents, and when the time came, he would give them a decent burial.
gender equality
Egyptian women were engaged not only in household chores, if they wished, they could work and have property. If in Ancient Rome women were not even considered citizens, then in Egypt women could live even without a male guardian. They could initiate a divorce and go to court.
Women were not forced into marriage, they could draw up and sign juristic documents and build your career. However, in most higher professions dominated by men. Only a small percentage of women became honorary priestesses, scribes, healers and pharaohs. In fact, the first region in which women's rights were expanded was Ancient Egypt, and not the West, as many believe.
Disabled
IN ancient world about a full medical care there was just no talk. And mental illness was considered so embarrassing that Chinese families kept feeble-minded family members hidden from the public. In Greece, they were left to the mercy of fate, and they roamed the streets. In ancient Egypt, such people had a completely different attitude.
Local moral scriptures taught respect for those who were physically handicapped. Dwarfs were not seen as handicapped and often worked as assistants, overseers, guardians, painters and entertainers. Among the skeletons of Deir el-Medina (village of artists in the Valley of the Kings), the remains of young man who was born with an atrophied leg. As the examination of his remains showed, this man was by no means an outcast, but lived well and occupied high position. With regard to mental illness, the Egyptians, instead of blaming or condemning such patients, tried to adapt them to society.
Violence
Many works of art from that period document scenes from domestic life. And although they look very idealistic and legal equality did take place in ancient Egyptian society, violence against women and children remained a reality. Scientists have become aware of horrifying cases. So, the 2000-year-old skeleton of a baby in the Dakhleh oasis had fractures of the back, pelvis, ribs and arms. Some of them were older than others and the bones had grown together, which is classic sign long-term physical abuse.
IN ancient city Abydos was discovered 4000-year-old victim. The woman was about 35 years old when she was fatally shot in the back. Examination of her bones revealed that the woman had been physically abused all her life. She had old and new fractures, which clearly indicate that the unfortunate woman was repeatedly kicked or beaten in the ribs. She also had injuries on her arms, possibly from attempts to defend herself. Since her abuser had clearly been with the woman for a very long time, he could be her husband.
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When it comes to Ancient Egypt, most people think of pharaohs, pyramids, mummies and gold artifacts. And at the same time, the vast majority do not have the slightest idea about how the most ordinary people lived in this country.
1. Board games
After a hard day's work, ordinary people in ancient Egypt also sought to relax. Board games were the most popular pastime. Two or several players could play at once, and if there were no game boards, then the playing field was drawn directly on the ground. Favorite game was "sene". The field was divided into 30 squares - in 3 rows of 10, in some squares they drew symbols that meant something good or, on the contrary, failure.
The winner was the one whose chips entered the "afterlife" first, bypassing the squares of failure. The Seine was deeply intertwined with religion. The winner was said to be guarded by the gods, and tombs were often drawn on the board to protect the deceased during the transition to the afterlife.
In Aseb's game, there were 20 squares on the field. To free a chip from the "home" square, it was necessary to roll a four or six on a die. If a piece landed on a square held by the opponent, it was sent back to the home square. The rules of "mehen" and another game of "hounds and jackals" are unknown. The mehen board looked like a twisted snake.
2. Sense of humor
Today, little is known about ancient Egyptian humor, but this does not mean at all that the ancients did not have it. So, in Thebes around 2000 BC, a carver on the wall of the tomb created an image of the deceased pharaoh's vizier. He was a very important person during his lifetime and, most likely, should have been depicted with a noble face.
But the artist gave the vizier a dejected look with a raised eyebrow, as if Dagi was surprised that he had died. Carvings made during the reign of Amenhotep III (1389-1349 BC) show a scribe and a baboon (an animal associated with Thoth, the god of writing). The baboon has very funny eyebrows.
The artists did not hold back their sarcasm even when they portrayed the enemies of Egypt. An ivory plaque shows a captive Assyrian prince with a goofy look and bulging eyes. Tensions with the Nubians probably led the artist to make a relief showing a Nubian with exaggerated and ridiculous features.
3. Arthritis
When researchers recently examined the remains of those who created and decorated the famous Valley of the Kings, they discovered something strange. About 3,500 years ago, most of the carvers and painters who decorated the tombs of the pharaohs came from the village of Deir el-Medina. Usually, artists develop problems with their hands over time. Osteoarthritis among the studied remains of men was much more common in the ankles and knees.
After studying the ancient records of this village, the reason was revealed. Despite the hard work in the necropolis, people did not want to spend the night "on the bones" and every day they went to spend the night in another place. For a week they lived in huts near the royal tombs, and the road to them led through a steep hill, which they had to climb and descend twice a day.
At the end of the week, the masters went to Deir el-Medina, which had to be reached 2 kilometers through the hills. On Monday they again returned to the necropolis. This went on for years, and for some people for decades. In all likelihood, such long transitions led to the appearance of a disease that is not characteristic of this profession.
4. Diet
Probably no one will ever know about the culinary recipes of the ancient Egyptians. No records have been found, but you can learn about what the Egyptians ate from the works of art of that time. Some ingredients were consumed by all classes, but a number of foods were forbidden to the commoners. For example, smoking fish was strictly the lot of the priests. But the daily food of all strata of society was beer and bread.
Bread was fermented in water, producing a cloudy drink that was an essential part of the diet of the lower classes. In addition to grain dishes such as porridge, the diet included meat, honey, dates, fruits, and wild vegetables. The workers ate only twice a day.
For breakfast they had bread, beer, and sometimes onions. For lunch, cooked vegetables and meat were added to this. Priests and pharaohs ate immeasurably better. Images of banquets were found in the tombs, where tables were bursting with wine, gazelles baked in honey, roasted poultry, fruits and desserts.
5. Teeth
The Egyptians suffered from the destruction of enamel, because sand was constantly found in their food. The problem was really huge. A study done on 4,800 teeth from Egyptian tombs found that 90 percent of the teeth were very worn.
This has led to conditions such as cysts, multiple abscesses, and osteoarthritis of the jaw. Needless to say, chronic toothache was a daily part of life in ancient Egypt. Despite the well-known Egyptian love for cleanliness, there is no evidence that the ancient Egyptians had developed dentistry.
6. Grain
Trade in Ancient Egypt.
The monetary system of ancient Egypt is not fully understood. It used to be thought that it was based on barter without any form of currency. But this conclusion was drawn solely from the surviving images, which showed the exchange of goods. While trade certainly existed, it could not support the state's commercial system as extensive.
One of the main commodities was grain, which was grown on a mass scale. Surplus grain was stored in a network of silos throughout Egypt and used to pay workers who worked on major public projects. But, for example, what was to be done if someone wanted to buy a house.
Indeed, in this case, a bag of grain will not do. The ancient Egyptians worked with a unit of value called a "shat". This currency standard existed in the Old Kingdom (2750-2150 BC), but today no one knows what it was. It is only known that one shat costs 7.5 grams of gold.
7. Family
In ancient Egypt, a traditional family with a large number of children was welcomed. Girls usually married in their early teens. While examples of marriage for love did occur, marriage was primarily a way of mutual assistance in existence for a man and a woman. A man was considered imperfect until he married.
The frescoes traditionally depict the men as dark from outdoor work and the women as pale as they were only doing household chores. Egyptian wives gave birth many and often, so they constantly faced the dangers that childbirth threatened them with. Effective contraception did not exist, and midwives could not do anything if something "went wrong" during childbirth.
Infants were breastfed until they were three years old. Boys were early trained in working professions, and girls in childcare, cooking and sewing clothes. It was expected that the eldest son (and if he was not there, then the daughter) would take care of his elderly parents, and when the time came, he would give them a decent burial.
8. Gender equality
Egyptian women were engaged not only in household chores, if they wished, they could work and have property. If in ancient Rome women were not even considered citizens, then in Egypt women could live even without a male guardian. They could initiate a divorce and go to court.
Women were not forced into marriage, they could draft and sign legal documents and build their own careers. However, most of the higher professions were dominated by men. Only a small percentage of women became honorary priestesses, scribes, healers and pharaohs. In fact, the first region in which women's rights were expanded was Ancient Egypt, and not the West, as many believe.
9. Disabled
In the ancient world, there was simply no talk of full-fledged medical care. And mental illness was considered so embarrassing that Chinese families kept feeble-minded family members hidden from the public. In Greece, they were left to the mercy of fate, and they roamed the streets. In ancient Egypt, such people had a completely different attitude.
Local moral scriptures taught respect for those who were physically handicapped. Dwarfs were not seen as handicapped and often worked as assistants, overseers, guardians, painters and entertainers. Among the skeletons of Deir el-Medina (the village of artists in the Valley of the Kings) were found the remains of a young man who was born with an atrophied leg. As the examination of his remains showed, this man was by no means an outcast, but lived well and occupied a high position. With regard to mental illness, the Egyptians, instead of blaming or condemning such patients, tried to adapt them to society.
10 Violence
Many works of art from that period document scenes from domestic life. And although they look very idealistic and legal equality did take place in ancient Egyptian society, violence against women and children remained a reality. Scientists have become aware of horrifying cases. So, the 2000-year-old skeleton of a baby in the Dakhleh oasis had fractures of the back, pelvis, ribs and arms. Some were older than others and the bones had healed, a classic sign of long-term physical abuse.
In the ancient city of Abydos, a 4,000-year-old victim was discovered. The woman was about 35 years old when she was fatally shot in the back. Examination of her bones revealed that the woman had been physically abused all her life. She had old and new fractures, which clearly indicate that the unfortunate woman was repeatedly kicked or beaten in the ribs. She also had injuries on her arms, possibly from attempts to defend herself. Since her abuser had clearly been with the woman for a very long time, he could be her husband.
The ancient Egyptians were very clean people and always took care of the cleanliness of their body, clothing and housing. They made water procedures several times a day: in the morning, before and after meals.
After the morning bath, they went to the services of hairdressers. Usually women turned to them, while men entrusted themselves to barbers and people doing manicures and pedicures. The daily morning toilet of the pharaoh turned into an important ceremony, at which all the noble people of the state were present. The morning toilet of senior officials (viziers, supreme judges and rulers of nomes) also became a kind of ceremony.
All relatives and servants gathered near the owner of the house. The squatting scribes were ready to carry out any of his commands: while some held brushes in their hands to record orders, others held long papyrus scrolls with names, numbers and a list of works that had already been done or were still in the project.
After the necessary ablutions, the barber set to work. At the end of this procedure, the owner of the house appeared before his relatives and servants cheerful, fresh, with a clean-shaven head and a short square beard.
The Egyptians preferred elongated eyes. And this is not just a tribute to fashion, but also a preventive measure that protects the organs of vision from bright sunlight, wind and dust. The inhabitants of ancient Egypt used various cosmetics. So, to get rid of the smell of sweat on a hot day, they were rubbed with incense and a mixture of turpentine, incense and an unknown powder. There were all sorts of cleansing ointments that restore elasticity to the skin of the face and body. For this purpose, honey was added to the powder of alabaster, "northern salt" and natron.
There were also special cosmetics to get rid of spots and acne. Usually they were kneaded with donkey milk, after which they wiped the skin with a prepared lotion.
The morning toilet of the pharaoh's wife and any wealthy lady also turned into an event. Usually the hairdresser spent several hours to make a hairstyle for a noble person.
Unlike the rich Egyptians, the poor had to be content with the services of a street barber who sat somewhere under a tree, waiting for clients, who were always quite numerous. The barber conscientiously performed his duties: he shaved his head so cleanly that it became like pebbles rolled in by waves.
The Egyptian peasant woman usually did her hair on her own, without resorting to anyone's help. It is noteworthy that at this time all family members had to leave home so that the hairstyle turned out perfect, otherwise the woman had to start the morning toilet all over again.
Cloth
The morning attire of a man consisted of a short loincloth and a small amount of jewelry. In this form, he performed water procedures, received a barber and a manicure and pedicure master.
Preparing to leave the house, a rich Egyptian put on one or more bracelets on his wrists, a ring on his finger and a chest necklace of five or six rows of beads with clasps in the form of falcon heads. A pendant made of jasper or carnelian gave him a respectable look, and a loose straight skirt, which replaced the morning loincloth, and sandals gave completeness to the whole look. Sandals known since ancient times had special value in ancient Egypt. It is known that one of the unifiers of Upper and Lower Egypt, Pharaoh Narmer, going anywhere accompanied by faithful servants, always walked barefoot, and one of his associates carried his shoes.
The farmers did the same, only they had to carry the sandals themselves, tying sticks to the end. The poor put on their shoes only when they reached their destination. A law was even passed forbidding soldiers to snatch "precious" sandals from the hands of people passing by.
During the New Kingdom, the Egyptians made shoes from various materials: made of papyrus, leather or gold. From the toe of the sole, the strap stretched between the first and second toes to the ankle, where it was connected to others like a stirrup. All these straps were tied behind the heel.
Some wealthy Egyptians preferred straight, long dresses with straps and no jewelry. But most of Wealthy inhabitants of ancient Egypt wore ruffled linen tunic dresses extended downwards, which, leaving the neck open, fitted the torso.
A mandatory attribute of the attire was a wide corrugated belt, which formed a trapezoidal apron in front.
In addition to this, in holidays the Egyptians wore large curled wigs, the curls of which covered the head and shoulders, ceremonial sandals and numerous jewelry (necklaces, chest pendants, bracelets).
The outfit of a rich woman, like that of her noble husband, consisted of a thin shirt and a white ruffled dress worn over it with a slit almost to the waist, which, unlike men's, was translucent and fastened on the left shoulder, while the right one remained open.
Wide fringed sleeves did not cover graceful hands, which allowed noble ladies demonstrate your wrists with precious bracelets in the form of two plates of chased gold connected with clasps or gold rings, cords, ribbons.
Women's hair was decorated with sparkling diadems of turquoise, lapis lazuli and gold, the ends of which were connected at the back of the head with two cords with tassels. Quite often, in the hairstyles of women and men, there was a cone-shaped fragrant decoration made of hair smeared with fragrant oils.
The outfit of the less wealthy Egyptians was distinguished by practicality. Farmers and artisans preferred to wear simple loincloths, tied with a palm-wide belt without any embroidery or tassels.
Like the rich inhabitants of Egypt, the poor liked to wear jewelry, only they were made not of gold, but of bronze and ceramics. However, these ornaments are artistic value, as well as gold products of jewelers, as they are monuments of ancient culture.
Food
A feature of the climatic conditions of Ancient Egypt was that the floods of the Nile, making the land fertile, were periodically replaced by dry and lean years. At such a time, products were valued much more than gold.
According to ancient sources, the Egyptian rulers during the fertile years were obliged to create food supplies that would last for several years, but quite often they neglected their duties.
In the Great Papyrus of Harris, there is information that food was no less valuable offering than precious metals, clothes, fragrant oils and incense.
The daily diet of wealthy residents included meat dishes, ordinary Egyptians ate them only on holidays. On the walls of many tombs, archaeologists have found images of animals intended for slaughter and scenes of the slaughterhouses themselves.
Some phrases that characterize slaughter cattle have not yet been translated into a more understandable language (for example, “bull is the mouth of the herd” or “bull kite”), and the decoding of individual names is only approximate (perhaps the bull “Heris” was the best manufacturer offspring, but this is not certain).
At the slaughterhouse, butchers in the amount of 4-5 people set to work, who attacked the animal and quickly slaughtered it. Butchers' techniques remain unchanged to this day.
During ancient kingdom most of the meat was obtained by hunting for desert-dwelling gazelles, oryxes (oryxes) and other representatives of the artiodactyl order. Particularly skilled hunters tried to tame and domesticate the caught animals, but this was not always possible. Further this species animal husbandry has almost completely lost its significance.
It is not known whether the ancient Egyptians ate pork, lamb or goat meat, but that they were bred in Upper and Lower Egypt is known for certain.
The inhabitants of Egypt began to breed chickens only from the 2nd millennium BC. e., but poultry farming was widespread much earlier.
Special attention deserves such a food product as fish. IN different time in some Egyptian cities and nomes it was forbidden to eat certain types of fish. Sources report that the Ethiopian king who conquered Egypt, a Muslim by religion, refused to feast at the same table with the rulers of the Delta and the South, since they were not circumcised and ate unclean food (fish), which was a terrible insult to royal palace. Only a resident of the sacred city of the priests of Shmun, who, according to tradition, did not eat fish, was awarded the great honor.
The diet of the Egyptians also included various vegetables included in the annual calendar of Medinet Abu under the name "renput". Especially valuable products were onions, leeks and garlic. According to the "father of history" Herodotus, the builders of the pyramid of Cheops received radishes, onions and garlic for 1600 silver talents for their work.
However, scientists have not been able to find any evidence for this claim, although there is a hieroglyphic image of these plants in the Great Harris Papyrus.
Bunches of garlic have been found in some Theban tombs, testifying to the lavish gifts of Ramesses III. Watermelons, melons, and cucumbers often feature on sacrificial steles alongside bound papyrus stalks. And peas, beans, and chickpeas (chickpeas shaped like a falcon's head) are common tomb finds.
It is known that in their gardens the Egyptians grew lettuce, the plant of the fertility god Min, whose ithyphallic statue usually stood in front of a plot planted with lettuce. The Egyptians used this plant in large quantities, knowing that it restores sexual power to men, and fertility to women. Lettuce was usually eaten raw with salt and vegetable oil.
The gardens of ancient Egypt were not distinguished by a variety of fruit crops. Pears, peaches, almonds and cherries appeared here only after the Roman conquest, and the ancient Egyptians did not hear about oranges, lemons and bananas at all.
The most common crops were grapes, figs, dates and sycamore (fig tree). The latter plant was cultivated not only for its delicious fruits, but also for its durable wood, which is an excellent material for making mummy coffins.
Pomegranate, olive and apple trees, brought by the nomadic Asian tribes of the Hyksos, took root in Egypt and gave a good harvest with proper care. Olive oil, obtained from the pulp of olives, was used not only as a food product, but also as a material for lighting. Before the advent of olives, the Egyptians cultivated other oilseeds, predominantly "bak" walnut.
Doum palm nuts and jujube fruits were good medicines, but only a select few ate coconuts, since their cultivation in Egypt was hampered by unsuitable climatic conditions. The poor inhabitants of Egypt feasted on the core of papyrus stems and the rhizomes of some aquatic plants.
Milk was considered a particularly valuable product. They kept it in pot-bellied earthenware vessels with a clogged neck, which prevented the penetration of insects. In some sources, there is a mention of such dairy products in the diet of the Egyptians as cream, butter, cottage cheese.
To give a drink or a sweet taste, they used honey or carob. The collection of wax and honey from wild bees was carried out by special people who went after them to distant deserts.
These people, like the collectors of turpentine resin, enjoyed the mercy of the pharaoh, who provided them with all kinds of help.
Some Egyptians kept bees in their own gardens using large earthenware jars as hives. The extracted honey was usually used not only for food, but also for sale. They kept it in carefully sealed stone vessels, which allowed the valuable properties of this product to remain unchanged.
meal
Very scarce information has been preserved about how the feasts of the ancient Egyptians were held. It was assumed that the head of the family, who woke up earlier than other household members, had breakfast alone, immediately after washing. His breakfast, served on a small table, consisted of meat, pie, bread and beer.
The mistress of the house had breakfast while combing her hair, or immediately after finishing the toilet. Her morning diet necessarily included fruits, perhaps some sweets and clean water.
Children ate separately from their parents. They were seated on a mat or pillows laid out right on the floor.
The lunch ration supposedly consisted of meat, poultry or fish, bread, pies, vegetables, fruit and beer. It cannot be said that meat was one of the constantly consumed foodstuffs. Even in fairly wealthy families, meat dishes were usually served only during dinner or festive feasts. Poor families were more likely to be content with dairy products, vegetables, fruits, and flatbreads.
On the walls of the tomb of Tell el-Amarna, a wonderful drawing is depicted, conveying the very atmosphere of a feast that took place more than three thousand years ago. Pharaoh Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV, a representative of the XVIII dynasty) sits at the head of the table, next to him are his wife, queen mother and little princesses sitting on small pillows. The king eats juicy meat, and his wife eats poultry. Around the table are several small tables with a variety of dishes and toiletries.
Among other things, during the excavations of temples dating back to the era of the New Kingdom, many utensils were found, intended for the preparation and use of soups, sauces, compotes, sweets and dairy products. There are also all kinds of plates, forks, spoons and knives. It can be assumed that toiletries (a jug of water and a basin) were necessary for the Egyptians to wash their hands, both before and after eating. This is explained by the fact that birds, pies, sweets and some other dishes were then eaten with their hands.
Around four or five in the evening, the Egyptians had a light supper, after which they returned to work or prepared for evening entertainment.
Egyptians
pyramid building
Rich Egyptians
Economy and crafts of Egypt
Parenting
bread baking
AGRICULTURE. Agriculture is the basis of the prosperity of Ancient Egypt. Every year, the Nile, overflowing, left a layer of the most fertile silt on the banks, thanks to which the Egyptians grew a wide variety of crops. River water used
Water lilies, along with papyrus and white and blue lotus, make up the decoration of the banks of the Nile. Flowers are needed to decorate temples and dwellings. They are collected by young girls. Perhaps these flowers are intended to decorate the table of the master, who (in the background)
