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

2. Homes Close to the Nile Made of mud bricks
Usually 2-3 storeys high to avoid flooding
Few pieces of furniture
Outdoor kitchens
Upper levels were used as living space
Size and complexity of homes depended on wealth

3. Which is the home of a wealthy Egyptian?
Homes
Had small windows to keep homes cool
The wealthy could afford to have houses built of stone
Which is the home of a wealthy Egyptian?

4. Food & Agriculture Depended on crops
Wheat and barley used to make beer and bread
Flax for linen
Annual flooding of Nile provided fertile soil
Vegetables such as onions, leeks, lettuce, and peas were grown
Wine
Dates and figs from trees
Ate beef, pork, mutton, fowl and wild game meat
The commoners ate fish as a substitution for meat

5. Leisure Activities Plays held in temples
Fishing, swimming, and games in river
Noblemen would hunt game and fowl
The wealthy held parties
Pets
Reading

6. Leisure Activities Board games such as Hounds, Jackals, and Senet
Rules of board games are unclear, but are found in tombs
Children had toy animals carved out of wood and ivory

7. A scribe student’s homework
Education
All children received education, whether or not they were from a rich family
Unprivileged children were educated in trades
Privileged children received formal education
A scribe student’s homework

8. Metal-working… one of many trades
Education
Unprivileged children began education at age 14
Boys learned trades from fathers
Girls learned housekeeping from mothers
For example, parents hoped children could become tomb builders
If not, they had to leave their village and find work elsewhere
Metal-working… one of many trades

9. Education
Sons of Pharaohs, priests and other privileged families went to scribe school at age 5
Consisted of copying texts and reciting lessons
Scribes also educated in math
Near end of scribal education, scribes went to vocational schools run by the government, army or temples, etc.
Would receive training for specific jobs such as tax assessing
Statue of a scribe

10. Education Egyptians believed in stability through education
Taught children manners and to be contributing members of society
Literacy was vital to bureaucratic Egypt
Scribes kept records such as taxes and inventories, and ritual practices and medicines

11. Gender Roles (Family)
For the ancient Egyptians, the prime purpose of marriage was to establish a family.
A suitable age for men to be married is at the age of 20.
The wife would be even younger, according to the teachings of the scribe Onkhsheshonqy.
Parents were considered as the source of life for the children.
They deserve respect and honour.

12. Gender Roles (Women)
Women took care of the daily needs of their family.
Pregnancy was important to the ancient Egyptian women, because they gained the respect of society and the approval from their husbands.
Even though the society was mostly dominated by men, the women still enjoyed quite a bit of their freedom, because the men did not have it all their way.
Aside from taking care of the family, women were also involved in the society, and they could conclude any kind of legal settlement.

13. Gender Roles (Men) Egypt’s society was typically male-dominated.
Men hunted animals such as antelope, hares, and lions in the low deserts in Egypt.
The father was responsible for the economic well-being of the family.
Upper-class men often became scribes or priests.
Lower-class man often were farmers, hunters, potters, or craftsmen.

14. Gender Roles (Children)
Children were considered as the link with the future generations.
They were also expected to reciprocate the care they received from their parents, mainly their mother.
Children were expected to take good care of their parents in their old age, and also to carry out the principal roles in their funerary rights when they died.
The eldest son in particular was sometimes referred to as the “staff of old age”, who would look after the aged parents and take over his father’s work.

15. Bibliography
The Cleveland Museum of Art. Pyramids, Mummies & Daily Life. 17 Oct 2006 <
Dollinger, André. Aspects of Life in Ancient Egypt. 17 Oct 2006 <
Division of Education.Life in Ancient Egypt. 23 Jan Oct <
Dollinger, André. Gender Roles. 12 Jan Oct <
Stead, Miriam. Egyptian Life. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1986
Hawass, Zahi. Women in Pharaonic Egypt. Italy, 2000
Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. Mysteries of Egypt – Egyptian Civilization. 17 Oct 2006 <
St. Petersburg Times. Egypt : Daily Life. 17 Oct 2006 <
Hart, George. Eyewitness Books: Ancient Egypt. Toronto: Stoddart Publishing Co. Limited, 1990.
Stead, Miriam. Egyptian Life. Cambridge, Massachussets: Harvard University Press, 1986.
Newman, Garfield. Echoes from the Past: World History to the 16th Century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2001.
The British Museum. Ancient Egypt - Writing. 17 Oct <
The British Museum. Ancient Egypt - Trades. 17 Oct <