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Ancient Egypt

by Mandy Barrow

©Copyright Mandy Barrow 2013 primaryhomeworkhelp.com

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I teach computers at The Granville School and St. John's Primary School in Sevenoaks Kent.

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Ancient Egyptian Agriculture

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Agriculture was the foundation of the ancient Egyptian economy and vital to the lives of the people of the land. Agricultural practices began in the Delta Region of northern Egypt and the fertile basin known as the Faiyum in the Predynastic Period in Egypt (c. 6000 - c. 3150 BCE), but there is evidence of agricultural use and overuse of the land dating back to 8000 BCE.

Egyptologist and historian Margaret Bunson defines ancient Egyptian agriculture as "the science and practice of the ancient Egyptians from predynastic times that enabled them to transform an expanse of semiarid land into rich fields after each inundation of the Nile " (4). In this, she is referring to the yearly flooding of the Nile River which rose over its banks to deposit nutrient-rich soil on the land, allowing for the cultivation of crops. Without the inundation, Egyptian culture could not have taken hold in the Nile River Valley and their civilization would never have been established. So important was the Nile flood that scholars believe many, if not most, of the best known Egyptian myths are linked to, or directly inspired by, this event. The story of the death and resurrection of the god Osiris , for example, is thought to have initially been an allegory for the life-giving inundation of the Nile, and numerous gods throughout Egypt's history are directly or indirectly linked to the river's flood.

So fertile were the fields of Egypt that, in a good season, they produced enough food to feed every person in the country abundantly for a year and still have surplus, which was stored in state-owned granaries and used in trade or saved for leaner times. A bad growing season was always the result of a shallow inundation by the Nile, no matter the amount of rainfall or what other factors came into play.

Tools & Practices

Once the ground was broken and the clods dispersed, seed was carried to the field in baskets and workers filled smaller baskets or sacks from these larger containers. The most common means of sowing the earth was to carry a basket in one arm while flinging the seed with the other hand.

Some farmers were able to afford the luxury of a large basket one attached to the chest by hemp straps which enabled one to use two hands in sowing. To press the seed into the furrows, livestock was driven across the field and the furrows were then closed by workers with hoes. All of this work would have been for nothing, however, if the seeds were denied sufficient water and so regular irrigation of the land was extremely important.

Egyptian irrigation techniques were so effective they were implemented by the cultures of Greece and Rome . New irrigation methods were introduced during the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt (c. 1782 - c.1570 BCE) by the people known as the Hyksos , who settled in Avaris in Lower Egypt and the Egyptians would further improve upon these techniques, such the expanded use of the canal. The yearly inundation of the Nile was essential to Egyptian life, but irrigation canals were necessary to carry water to outlying farms and villages as well as to maintain even saturation of crops near the river.

Egyptologist Barbara Watterson notes how the Delta Region of Lower Egypt was far more fertile than the fields of Upper Egypt toward the south and so "the Upper Egyptian farmer had to be inventive and, at an early date, learned to cooperate with his neighbours in harnessing the river water through the building of irrigation canals and drainage ditches" (40).

These canals were carefully engineered to efficiently water the fields but, most importantly, not to interfere with anyone else's crops or canals. This aspect of canal construction was so important that it was included in the Negative Confession , the proclamation a soul would make after death when it stood in judgment. Among the Confessions are numbers 33 and 34 in which the soul claims it has never obstructed water in another's canal and has never cut into someone else's canal illegally. After receiving permission to dig a canal, estate owners and farmers were responsible for the proper construction and maintenance of it. Bunson writes:

Early farmers dug trenches from the Nile shore to the farmlands, using draw wells and then the Shaduf, a primitive machine that allowed them to raise levels of water from the Nile into canals...Fields thus irrigated produced abundant annual crops. From the predynastic times agriculture was the mainstay of the Egyptian economy. Most Egyptians were employed in agricultural labors, either on their own lands or on the estates of the temples or nobles. Control of irrigation became a major concern and provincial officials were held responsible for the regulation of water. (4)

Bunson is here referring not only to disputes between people over water rights but the almost sacred responsibility of officials to ensure that water was not wasted, which included making certain that canals were kept in good working order. The regional governor ( nomarch ) of a certain district ( nome ) delegated authority to those under him for the building of state-sponsored canals and for the maintenance of both public and private waterways. Fines were levied for improperly constructed or poorly maintained canals which wasted water or on those who diverted water from others without permission.

The state-sponsored canals were often ornate works of art. When Ramesses II the Great (1279-1213 BCE) built his city of Per-Ramesses at the site of ancient Avaris, his canals were said to be the most impressive in all of Egypt. These public works were elaborately ornamented while, at the same time, functioning with such high efficiency that the entire region around Per- Ramesses flourished. Hydraulics were used from the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2040-1782 BCE) onwards to drain land and move water efficiently through the land. An abundance of crops not only meant that the people were well fed but that the economy would thrive through trade of agricultural goods.

Animal Husbandry , Crops, & Products

The Egyptians maintained a largely vegetarian diet. Meat was expensive, could not last long as there was no concept of refrigeration, and so was primarily reserved for nobility, the wealthy, and for festivals and special occasions. Animals used for meat included cattle, lambs, sheep, goats, poultry, and for the nobles, antelope killed in the hunt. Pigs were regularly eaten in Lower Egypt while shunned (along with anyone associated with them) in Upper Egypt during certain periods. Fish was the most common food of the lower classes but considered unclean by many upper-class Egyptians; priests, for example, were forbidden to eat fish.

The staple crops of ancient Egypt were emmer (a wheat-grain), chickpeas and lentils, lettuce, onions, garlic, sesame, wheat, barley, papyrus, flax, the castor oil plant, and - during the period of the New Kingdom (c. 1570-1069 BCE) at Thebes - the opium poppy.

Opium was used for medicinal purposes and recreation from as early as c. 3400 BCE in Sumeria , where the Mesopotamians referred to it as Hul Gil ('the joy plant'), and cultivation of the poppy passed on to other cultures such as the Assyrian and Egyptian. By the time of the New Kingdom, the opium trade was quite lucrative and contributed to the great wealth of the city of Thebes.

Papyrus was used for a number of products. Although it is most commonly recognized as the raw material for paper, papyrus was also used to make sandals, rope, material for dolls, boxes, baskets, mats, window shades, as a food source, and even to make small fishing boats. The castor oil plant was crushed and used for lamp oil and also as a tonic. Flax was used for rope and clothing and sometimes in the manufacture of footwear.

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Among the most important crops was the emmer which went into the production of beer , the most popular drink in Egypt, and bread, a daily staple of the Egyptian diet. When Rome annexed Egypt after 30 BCE, wheat production gradually declined in favor of the cultivation of grapes because the Romans favored wine over beer. Prior to the coming of Rome, however, emmer was probably the most important crop regularly grown in Egypt after papyrus.

Farmers & Trade

The individual farmers would make their living from the crops in a number of ways. If one were a private landowner, of course, one could do as one wished with one's crops (keeping in mind that one would have to pay a certain amount to the state in taxes). Most farmers worked on land owned by the nobles or the priests or other wealthy members of society, and so the men would typically tend the fields and surrender the produce to the noble while keeping a small amount for personal use. The wives and children of these tenant farmers often kept small gardens they tended for the family, but agriculture was primarily a man's work. Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley writes:

Women are not conventionally illustrated ploughing, sowing, or looking after the animals in the fileds, but they are shown providing refreshments for the labourers, while gleaning was an approved female outdoor activity recorded in several tomb scenes; women and children follow the official harvesters and pick up any ears of corn [ie. grains, not maize] which have been left behind. Of equal, or perhaps greater, importance were the small-scale informal transactions conducted between women, with one wife, for example, simply agreeing to swap a jug of her homemade beer for her neighbour's excess fish. This type of exchange, which formed the basis of the Egyptian economy, allowed the careful housewife to convert her surplus directly into useable goods, just as her husband was able to exchange his labour for his daily bread. (137-138)

Such exchanges, in good years, often involved the family garden and produce served as currency in transactions. Fishing was a daily activity for many, if not most, of the lower classes as a means to supplement their income, and Egyptians were known as expert fishermen. Ancient Egypt was a cashless society up until the time of the Persian Invasion of 525 BCE, and so the more one had to barter with, the better one's situation.

Agriculture & Personal Wealth

The monetary unit of ancient Egypt was the deben which, according to historian James C. Thompson, "functioned much as the dollar does in North America today to let customers know the price of things, except that there was no deben coin " (Egyptian Economy, 1). A deben was "approximately 90 grams of copper ; very expensive items could also be priced in debens of silver or gold with proportionate changes in value" (ibid). Thompson continues:

Since seventy-five litters of wheat cost one deben and a pair of sandals also cost one deben, it made perfect sense to the Egyptians that a pair of sandals could be purchased with a bag of wheat as easily as with a chunk of copper. Even if the sandal maker had more than enough wheat, she would happily accept it in payment because it could easily be exchanged for something else. The most common items used to make purchases were wheat, barley, and cooking or lamp oil, but in theory almost anything would do. (1)

This same system of barter which took place on the most modest scale throughout the villages of Egypt was also the paradigm in the cities and in international trade. Egypt shipped its produce to Mesopotamia , the Levant , India , Nubia, and the Land of Punt (modern-day Somalia) among others. Crops were harvested and stored at the local level and then a portion collected by the state and moved to the Royal Granaries in the capital as taxes.

Bunson notes how "assessors were sent from the capital to the provinces to collect taxes in the form of grain" and how the local temples "had storage units and were subject to taxes in most eras unless exempted for a particular reason or favor" (5). Temples to especially popular gods, such as Amun , grew wealthy from agriculture, and Egypt's history repeatedly turns on conflicts between the priests of Amun and the throne.

Following the annexation of Egypt by Rome, Egypt served as the "breadbasket" of the Roman Empire and was increasingly called upon to supply food for the empire 's ever-expanding reach. This situation would continue even after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE as Egypt continued to be controlled by the Eastern ( Byzantine ) Roman Empire until it was taken in the Arab Invasion of the 7th century CE.

Between the time of the Arab Invasion and the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453 CE, Egypt continued its long tradition of agricultural pursuits which have been maintained since. Although the major commercial fields and farms of Egypt in the present day are worked using more advanced technology, the old patterns of agriculture can still be observed in small farms and villages.

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Bibliography

• Bunson, M. The Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Gramercy Books, 1991.
• Pinch, G. Egyptian Mythology. Oxford University Press, 2004.
• Shaw, I. The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press, 2016.
• The Egyptian Economy by James C. Thompson , accessed 19 Dec 2016.
• Tyldesley, J. Daughters of Isis: Women of Ancient Egypt. Penguin Books, 1995.
• Watterson, B. The Egyptians. Wiley-Blackwell, 1997.

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Mark, J. J. (2017, January 10). Ancient Egyptian Agriculture . World History Encyclopedia . Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/997/ancient-egyptian-agriculture/

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Mark, Joshua J.. " Ancient Egyptian Agriculture ." World History Encyclopedia . Last modified January 10, 2017. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/997/ancient-egyptian-agriculture/.

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The Primary Historian

My Top Resources for Teaching... Ancient Egypt

My top ten tools for teaching ancient egypt.

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In this post, I'll be sharing some of the best online resources to help teachers and pupils explore the majesty and mysteries of ancient Egyptian civilisation. This is a popular topic in Key Stage 2 so you may already be familiar with some of these but hopefully you will find something new as well. I have included examples that have been genuinely useful during my own teaching or that pupils have found helpful for homework projects.

1. The British Museum

https://www.britishmuseum.org

I obviously had to start with the BM: it houses one of the greatest collections of ancient treasures in the world. Its website covers a huge range of civilisations and would be useful for a number of topics in addition to ancient Egypt. You can search the collection for artefacts (a really useful resource if you want to examine primary sources and don’t have any physical artefacts to use in class).  There’s also a good schools section, which has downloadable mini-lessons for use in the classroom, including ‘How Were Mummies Made?’ And ‘Reading a Papyrus’ which focus on specific artefacts.

If you are London based and can facilitate a visit then this is definitely a place to fire pupils’ imaginations.

2. Liverpool Museums

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/virtual-tours/ancient-egypt-virtual-tour

This website comprises a virtual tour of the gallery, where you can explore a range of ancient Egyptian artefacts.  There are also accompanying videos about ancient Egypt and the artefacts on display.

There is also a bank of photographs of artefacts from the entire collection that you can search many of which are not actually on display.

Again, you could visit Liverpool’s World Museum for yourself depending on your locality and explore the collection first hand.

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/world-museum

3. The Egyptian Museum

https://www.egyptianmuseumcairo.com/egyptian-museum-cairo/

It’s unlikely that anyone will be going on an educational visit to this museum (Cairo is a little far away for most of us) but this site brings the collection to your computer. It houses vast array of artefacts including, of course, those discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb.  Although there are some useful sources to study here, the site isn’t as easy to navigate as others and you do have to scroll through to find the artefacts for which you’re looking.

4. BBC Bitesize

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zg87xnb

Most teachers will be familiar with BBC Bitesize and there are some short fun, interesting animations that introduce a number of key concepts about Ancient Egypt.Farming, games, hieroglyphics and religion are some of the topics covered.

5. DK Findout!

https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/history/ancient-egypt/

Pupils love exploring this site - there’s a map of the Nile showing various aspects of ancient Egyptian life.  It’s really interactive, fun website; a reliable online secondary source with information you can trust. It also links up with the accompanying DK books which are good, solid information books.

6. Virtual Tombs

https://www.osirisnet.net/3d-tours/kv16/index.php?en

Become and intrepid archaeologist and descend into the tomb of Rameses or Queen Nefatari.  This site allows you to experience a virtual tour of a number of real Egyptian tombs.

7. Howard Carter’s Dairy

http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/gri/4sea1not.html

Howard Carter and Lord Canarvon’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 is almost as interesting as the boy king himself and there’s is available to read here. This is useful for finding out about the role Carter played and the discovery itself but also lends itself to English work based on this important event.

There is another abridged version, more accessible for primary pupils here:

https://www.robertmellors.notts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/Wednesday-Carters-Diary-Abridged.pdf

If you’re interested in a book for your class that reveals more about both Tutankhamun and Carter then Isabel Greenberg’s book is very accessible with some good illustrations and detailed information.

8. Discovering Egypt

https://discoveringegypt.com

This is a website that covers a range of achievements of the ancient Egyptians, including hieroglyphics, their numeric system and various inventions.  Good for background knowledge and homework projects.

9. The Scarab’s Secret

Sadly, this great little picturebook is now out of print, however it provides a great insight into Egyptian tombs and burial told from the point of view of a humble scarab beetle who unearths a plot to assassinate the pharaoh. It’s a great starting point for looking at tombs and could generate some good English and Art work too. If you see a cheap second-hand copy, my advice is to grab this one!

10. Google Earth

You’re more likely to use Google Earth in geography sessions, however this is a fantastic tool for linking the geography of ancient (and modern) Egypt with its history. It can be used for discussing the impact the Nile had on this civilisation and also for exploring sites like Giza visually. A glance at the image below shows exactly why the major cities and monuments in ancient Egypt were built along the Nile and how this would enable trade between African countries!

However you teach Ancient Egypt, I hope there is something you can take away from this piece that will help pupils experience awe and excitement in discovering more about this amazing civilisation.

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Ancient Egyptians Harvesting Grain . foreign rulers during the . The shaduf an irrigation tool that was used to raise water above the level of the Nile which was then diverted to a canal or ditch. The shaduf was a simple tool consisting of a pole with a bucket on one end and a weight on the other but its introduction revolutionized the farming techniques of the ancient Egyptians.   .   International Topical and themed Early years Special needs Schools directory Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search Ancient Egyptians in primary Australia and new zealand, international schools, primary history, primary home learning, primary english, primary maths, tes resources team. Hand-picked resources to support primary-aged pupils discover more about Ancient Egypt Learning about the ancient Egyptians is usually one of the most memorable and exciting topics for primary children. From investigation into the discovery and lives of Egyptian pharaohs to exploring ancient religious practices and traditions such as mummification and Egyptian Gods of worship, there's so much to satisfy enquiring minds. If you're looking for a fascinating project to engage children, this hand-picked collection of resources is perfect for young historians. Exploring Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt song about Tutankhamun Ancient Egyptians Ancient Egypt instructions for mummification My Cartouche - Egyptian Writing Ancient Egyptian God Fact File Make Your Own Canopic Jars Ancient Egypt Gods and Goddesses - Create Ancient Egyptians Interactive Quiz The River Nile Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt Escape Room Activity Displays and visual aids. Egyptian Social Pyramid Ancient Egyptian Amulets and their meanings Egyptian pharaohs - table points group names with facts! Display posters for each Pharaoh - KS2 Ancient Egyptian Colour Poster Set Ancient Egypt Gods and Goddesses Posters Ancient Egypt Map Rating Count Price (Ascending) Price (Descending) Most Recent Egypt farming Resource type. Life on the Nile River Ancient Egypt Reading Passage ( Farming , Trade, etc.) Ancient Egypt Trade, Farming and Food Supply Lesson Set Ancient Egypt - Farming and the Nile Bundle Ancient Egypt Farming Seasons Reading Passage and Comprehension Worksheets Farming in Ancient Egypt Topic Pack - Farming and Flooding in Ancient Egypt - WEEK 2 (6 lessons) Ancient Egypt Farming and Classes through Minecraft for Ed Ancient Egypt Family Life and Farming Ancient Egypt - Farming Farming on the Nile in Ancient Egypt Simulation Ancient Egypt - The River Nile and farming Nile River Simulation | Ancient Egypt Simulation Activity Ancient Egypt : World History Unit Ancient Egypt Escape Room {Digital & PDF Included} Ancient Egypt Unit - Lesson Plans and Activities - {Digital & PDF Included} Ancient Egypt : Egyptian Society Ancient Egypt The Nile River Reading Passages with Google Forms™ Ancient Egypt River Nile- Information Text and STEM Projects Ancient Egypt - The River Nile: No Prep Independent Learning Ancient Egypt economics activities interactive notebook Ancient Egypt : Geography of the Nile River & Map Ancient Egypt : McGraw Hill World History & Geography Grade 6 Slides BUNDLE Settlement of Ancient Egypt & Egyptian Civilizations Archeological Dig Activity Ancient Egypt River Nile: Independent research & STEM projects Centers We're hiring Help & FAQ Privacy policy Student privacy Terms of service Tell us what you think Create new account Reset your password Register and get FREE resources and activities Ready to unlock all our resources? Egyptian life and culture Who were the Egyptians? Egypt is a country in Africa. People have lived in that region for thousands and thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians settled around the Nile River, and built pyramids that you can still see there today. The Ancient Egyptians knew a lot about maths, medicine and farming. They also made their own paper out of reeds called papyrus, and wrote using pictures called hieroglyphics. Top 10 facts The Egyptians settled in northeast Africa, and that’s where the country of Egypt is today. They lived in a very dry area, but they got water from the Nile River (the longest river in the world!) so they could grow crops. Farming techniques to water crops included using machines like the sakia and the shaduf – these are still used in Egypt today. The Egyptians created paper using reeds, called papyrus. They wrote using pictures called hieroglyphics that stood for different words. Only certain people studied how to write, and they worked as scribes. Scribes were ranked in the middle of the order of social groups in Egypt – the pharaoh was at the very top of this list, and slaves were at the very bottom. The Egyptians built pyramids as places to bury their kings and queens, who were called pharaohs. The Egyptians were very good at maths – they had to be, to work out how to build pyramids so perfectly! Both men and women wore make-up. The wealthier people were, the more make-up they’d wear. Egypt was conquered by Rome and became part of the Roman Empire . Egyptian timeline c7500 BC People began to build homes and farm in the Nile Valley c3000 BC Hieroglyphics started to be used c2950 BC Upper and Lower Egypt were united into one kingdom by King Narmer (or Menes), and Memphis became the capital 2600-2150 BC The Old Kingdom 2181-2055 BC First Intermediate Period 2055-1650 BC Middle Kingdom 1650-1500 BC Second Intermediate Period 1500-1070 BC The New Kingdom 1473-1458 BC Queen Hatshepsut ruled 1279-1213 BC King Rameses II ruled 1069-664 BC Third Intermediate Period 669 BC Egypt was conquered by the Assyrians 664-332 BC Late Period 525 BC Egypt was conquered by the Persians 332 BC Alexander the Great from Greece conquered Egypt and founded Alexandria 196 BC The writings on the Rosetta Stone were carved 51-30 BC Cleopatra VII ruled; she was the last pharaoh Boost Your Child's Maths & English Skills! Weekly resources delivered to your dashboard Keep your child's learning on track Did you know? The Egyptians made paper from reeds called papyrus – it’s where we get the word ‘paper’ from! It took a long time to make papyrus, but it was easier than carrying around heavy clay tablets, which is what they did before. They wrote in pictures called hieroglyphics . Each picture means something so when you see a few different kinds of pictures in a row, you know what the writer is trying to say. The Egyptians used pictures for writing numbers too – different pictures stood for units, tens and hundreds. The Egyptians were very advanced at maths – they figured out how to work out tricky problems that helped other people after them understand more about maths. In fact, people who lived in other countries even knew that the Egyptians were the best at maths! The Egyptians made most of their clothes from linen, which is fabric that’s made from plants. They’d use different things to colour it, such as saffron to make it yellow and indigo to make it blue. Egyptians would shave their heads and wear wigs instead! Ancient Egyptians had a huge amount of respect for cats, and for a type of dog called a jackal. They also thought scarab beetles were very important; they represented rebirth and life after death. Egyptians loved perfume, and would wear it in solid cones on their head – the cones would melt during the day and keep them smelling nice when the weather was very hot. Both men and women wore make-up, black and green on their eyes and eyelashes, and red rouge for their cheeks. Egyptian gallery: The Rosetta stone The Egyptian pharaoh Ramses An Egyptian tomb An image of the pharaoh Tutankhamen An engraving from the temple at Luxor The pyramid at Giza Amun-her-khepeshef, the son of Pharaoh Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari Hieroglyphs Illustrations of Egyptian figures Can you spot the Sphinx? Edfu Temple An Egyptian pharaoh design The Egyptians were very good farmers . Over the centuries, they learned the best ways to grow crops in the dry land around the Nile River – but, they’d use different kinds of machines to get water from the river to their crops so the plants would grow. Some of the machines they used are: sakia – a type of water wheel that has buckets to scoop water out shaduf – a long stick that had a bucket on a rope on one end, and a heavy weight on the other; to water a field, the farmer would pull down on the weighted end so the bucket would come up, then swing the whole thing around to water a field next to the river. Because farmers grew crops near the Nile, they had to schedule their growing season around times when the Nile flooded. This happened every year during June to September, so they’d plant new crops in October that would be ready to harvest in March. By the end of May, all of the crops would have been harvested in time for the Nile to flood again. Egyptian farmers also had oxen pull ploughs through fields. We know about their farming techniques because of the paintings that archaeologists have found that the Egyptians made. The paintings show all sorts of things that the Egyptians did, such as tending livestock and harvesting the crops. Make-up wasn’t always worn to dress up. Some make-up had practical uses as well, like black kohl used around the eyes. It shielded eyes from the sun, and it was also a kind of disinfectant that protected against eye diseases. The papyrus that Egyptians made came from reeds that grew along the Nile River, which were called papyrus. To make paper, they would cut papyrus reeds into strips and spend quite a few days soaking them, rolling them out and repeating that process until the reeds were very thin. All of the thin reeds would be pounded together and clamped down to dry, then polished to smooth it out – the result was a thin yet very strong sheet that was ready to be written or drawn on. The papyrus reeds were actually used for a lot of things besides paper. It was good for making mats to put on the floor, twisting into rope, plaiting together to make boats, and weaving to make baskets and sandals. The Egyptians also ate it, and used it to make different medicines. The Egyptians made a lot of discoveries about medicine. We know this from reading what they wrote on papyrus, discovered later by archaeologists. They understood about heartbeats and listening for a healthy pulse, and knew how the body and organs worked because of the process of making mummies . They also learned about the ways that different plants healed different illnesses and injuries, such as aloe vera being good for healing burns. Egyptian society was ranked into different classes, called a hierarchy. You couldn’t really move up the ranks, and people would usually stay around the rank that they were born into: Pharaoh – The pharaoh was at the top of the order, and thought to be a god. Vizier – Every pharaoh had a vizier; they were an advisor, they ran the pharaoh’s household, they acted as a judge, and they made sure that the Egyptians had enough food. Nobles and priests – Nobles included doctors, lawyers and military leaders. Priests were the ones who made sure the god in their temple was happy, and that they understood any messages the god was trying to say to them. Scribes and soldiers – Scribes were the only ones who were taught how to write; people in other professions (like priests) may have studied to be a scribe as well, but they could also have just hired someone to write things down for them. Being a soldier was a choice; they were given land to live on after they finished serving in the army. Craftsmen – This was a large group that included anyone who had a trade, such as potters, tailors, painters and blacksmiths. Farmers and slaves – The pharaoh and nobles hired farmers to work for them, and grow crops on their land; as payment, the farmers had a place to live, clothes to wear and food to eat. Slaves were people who were captured in battles with other civilisations, and they worked in the homes of the pharaoh and nobles or in temples. Related Videos Just for fun... Explore Ancient Egypt with an interactive exploration tool from the Children's University Walk around the Sphinx, clamber inside the Great Pyramid of Giza and seek out the pharaoh's burial chamber! Are you fit to rule as a pharaoh? Put your knowledge of Ancient Egypt to the test with a quiz ! Take an Ancient Egyptian art lesson Use an interactive timeline of the Ancient Egyptian period Try some Ancient Egyptian number puzzles Write using a hieroglyphic typerwriter ! Complete an Ancient Egypt online jigsaw puzzle Make your own Egyptian amulet , Egyptian mask and Egyptian costume with step-by-step guides from Hobbycraft Learn how to sound out your name in hieroglyphs , just like a scribe in Ancient Egypt Make a miniature cartonnage mummy case to discover how the Ancient Egyptians prepared for the journey to the afterlife Write your name in hieroglyphs in a cartouche and learn some Egyptian Maths with King Khasekhem Discover different aspects of life in Ancient Egypt with BBC Teach songs Children's books about Ancient Egypt See for yourself At the British Museum , you can see the Rosetta Stone and a statue of King Rameses II See Ancient Egyptian artefacts  from the Art Institute Chicago's collection Browse through a huge collection of Egyptian artefacts at the Manchester Museum Look closely at Egyptian statues  in the Brooklyn Museum See games from Ancient Egypt: a senet board game and a wooden toy cat Find out more about Egyptian life and culture  Watch BBC Bitesize animations about Ancient Egypt and new animations about life in Ancient Egypt on BBC Teach A DKfindout! children's introduction to Ancient Egypt , with lots of diagrams and illustrations Scan through an interactive timeline of Ancient Egypt Read some historical fiction for kids about Ancient Egypt Print out Ancient Egypt resources from the British Museum Find out more about Egyptian myths The history of papyrus paper Join historian Greg Jenner for a  BBC Sounds kids' homeschool history lesson about Cleopatra  or a homeschool history podcast about Ancient Egyptian religion Read about Ancient Egyptian inventions Understand more about Ancient Egyptian gods and see Egyptian gods' animal heads Explore the Ancient Egyptian number system and writing system (hieroglyphics) The Egyptians' society Find out about everyday life in Ancient Egypt Experience a day in the life of ordinary Egyptians Give your child a headstart FREE articles & expert information FREE resources & activities FREE homework help 406 IMAGES Ancient Egypt Farming in Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt Primary Homework Help! Primary Homework Help Egyptian PPT Ancient Egypt Farming Methods Activity (Teacher-Made) COMMENTS Farming in Ancient Egypt for kids The ancient Egyptians used grain to make bread, porridge and beer. Grain was the first crop they grew after inundation (flooding season). Once the grain was harvested, they grew vegetables such as onions, leeks, cabbages, beans, cucumbers and lettuce. Farmers planted fruit trees and vines along paths, to give shade as well as fruit. Ancient Egypt for Kids In about 3200 B. C. the pharaoh of the north conquered the south and Egypt became united. The pharaoh's name was King Narmer or Menes. Menes built a new capital city called Memphis. In the Greek language the word Memphis meant "Balance of the Two Lands." Ancient Egypt - Map of famous sites. Explore Ancient Egypt on an Interactive Map. Ancient Egypt for Kids Ancient Egypt. A British Museum site exploring Egyptian daily life, religion, pyramids and other buildings, and mummification. Ancient Egyptian. Learn about the gods they worshiped, the Pharaohs they followed and the tombs and statues they left behind. Find out about famous people like Tutankhamun, the elaborate preparations they made for an ... Ancient Egypt This lesson focuses on Ancient Egypt's farming, the black land, the Ancient Egyptian calendar (the three seasons: Ahket, Peret and Shemu), farming tools and the benefits of the river Nile. This lesson is in PowerPoint format and can be taught as is or changed to suit individual classes. Detailed PowerPoint Lesson with 14 slides. Ancient Egypt for kids Around 3000 B. C. the pharaoh of the north conquered the south and Egypt became united. The pharaoh's name was King Narmer (sometimes called Menes) . He founded the first capital of Egypt where the two lands met. It was called Memphis. ( Thebes became the next capital of Egypt and then Amarna was made the capital during the reign of King ... Ancient Egypt The Farming lesson covers Ancient Egyptian crops, animals, tools, water, harvest and farming seasons. It includes a fill in the blanks activity. Pages: 6 (including . ... The Primary Topic Shop Ancient Egypt bundle includes information, photos, illustrations, maps and activities, all presented in an easy-to-read, consistent layout. ... Farming and Flooding in Ancient Egypt This is a pupil workbook on Ancient Egypt and farming and flooding along the River Nile and contains 6 different activities. It contains the following: The Egyptian Seasons. Flooding of the Nile. A Shaduf. Making a Model Shaduf. Papyrus Comprehension. How to make your own Papyrus Paper. This is the second of a series of 8 workbooks about ... The Ancient Egyptians Farming Information Print Out Or, learn all about the key role that the Nile River played in Egyptian agriculture with this Ancient Egyptian farming wiki. Recently Viewed and Downloaded › Recently Viewed › Recently Downloaded . ... Homework Help; Booklist; Morning Starter Activities; Teaching about the latest events? ... International Primary Curriculum (IPC) Pyramids in Egypt By examining the objects (artifacts) and paintings in the tombs, we have been able to understand a lot more about life in Ancient Egypt. We can learn about how the Egyptians lived by looking at the objects stored in pyramids ready to be used in the afterlife. We can learn about how the Egyptians lived by looking at the walls of pyramids. KS2 Ancient Egypt. Farming. BBC Video Quesions Differentiated The film introduces children to hieroglyphics and looks at the role that education played in the lives of Ancient Egyptian children." The BBC KS2 Class Clips Ancient Egypt web-page has the video and extensive teachers' notes, suggesting further work. Differentiated! Both versions look very similar, but "B" version has subtle clues. 13 ... Ancient Egyptian farming Two of the most important Ancient Egyptian farming tools were the hoe and sickle. The hoe is simple in its construction, as it is merely a blade set at a right angle at the end of a long handle. Despite its simplicity, the hoe has been a crucial farming tool throughout history and is still used to this day. Ancient Egyptian Agriculture Agriculture was the foundation of the ancient Egyptian economy and vital to the lives of the people of the land. Agricultural practices began in the Delta Region of northern Egypt and the fertile basin known as the Faiyum in the Predynastic Period in Egypt (c. 6000 - c. 3150 BCE), but there is evidence of agricultural use and overuse of the ... Ancient Egypt Farming Methods Activity (teacher made) This Ancient Egypt Farming Activity contains five sheets which can be easily printed on A4 paper. These sheets contain everything you need to set up an Ancient Egypt farming activity for your lesson plan. This activity will teach students about Ancient Egypt farming methods and the Ancient Egyptian farming calendar. If you are teaching a lesson about Ancient Egypt or about the development of ... Ancient Egyptian farming compared to modern ppt, 3.71 MB. ppt, 8.81 MB. doc, 4.31 MB. A PowerPoint in two parts because of size, each slide with explanatory notes. Compares Ancient Egyptian farming with modern, with a reminder that not everyone farms with machines. A worksheet helps children identify some of the main stages of the farming cycle. Tes classic free licence. My Top Resources for Teaching... Ancient Egypt 10. Google Earth. You're more likely to use Google Earth in geography sessions, however this is a fantastic tool for linking the geography of ancient (and modern) Egypt with its history. It can be used for discussing the impact the Nile had on this civilisation and also for exploring sites like Giza visually. Egyptian Farming for kids Fact 18 on Egyptian Farming: Sowing the seeds: The ancient Egyptian farmers put the seeds into the earth and then drove herds of sheep or pigs into the fields to trample the seeds into the furrows. Fact 19 on Egyptian Farming: Harvesting Tools: Grain was harvested using a scythe or sickle and collected in baskets. Fact 20 on Egyptian Farming: Ancient Egypt Farming Methods Activity (teacher made) This Ancient Egypt Farming Activity contains five sheets which can be easily printed on A4 paper. These sheets contain everything you need to set up an Ancient Egypt farming activity for your lesson plan. This activity will teach students about Ancient Egypt farming methods and the Ancient Egyptian farming calendar. If you are teaching a lesson about Ancient Egypt or about the development of ... Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt - Farming and the Nile Bundle. The Farming lesson covers Ancient Egyptian crops, animals, tools, water, harvest and farming seasons. It includes a fill in the blanks activity. The Nile lesson covers geographical facts and the importance of the Nile for fertile land, food, transportation and building materials in Ancient Egypt. Th. 2. Ancient Egyptian agriculture The civilization of ancient Egypt was indebted to the Nile River and its dependable seasonal flooding. The river's predictability and fertile soil allowed the Egyptians to build an empire on the basis of great agricultural wealth. Egyptians are credited as being one of the first groups of people to practice agriculture on a large scale. Ancient Egyptians in primary Ancient Egypt Gods and Goddesses - Create. £3.50. (1) A superb drag and drop PowerPoint activity for the whole class. Recreate famous Egyptian gods/goddesses such as Ra, Isis, Anubis and Thoth. Or, create your own characters - group your characters together and create your own scene. Egypt Farming Teaching Resources Browse Egypt farming resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. Egyptian life and culture Egypt is a country in Africa. People have lived in that region for thousands and thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians settled around the Nile River, and built pyramids that you can still see there today. The Ancient Egyptians knew a lot about maths, medicine and farming. They also made their own paper out of reeds called papyrus, and wrote ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis