Ancient EgyptBy: Sang Won Youn ( Archeologist)

Introduction

Ancient Egypt was a civilization which existed thousands of years ago. The Egyptians left many inventions and ideas which were very important to future people. Society was structured so that everyone had jobs to do. Agriculture was very successful because of the River Nile. There were many great buildings, such as pyramids, which are still very famous.

Legacies

In ancient Egypt, there were many inventions and ideas that we still use today. Egyptians were the first to make writing, which was called hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics were found on the Rosetta stone, which helped historians understand the Egyptian symbols. The Egyptians were also the first to make boats, as a way of getting to heaven. Boats became very important for travel, trade and warfare. In addition, the Egyptians invented the shaduf, which was a tool for irrigation. In the countryside, people still use it today to lift water from wells and rivers. Many of the Egyptians’ pyramids and temples are still standing in 2012. These temples were made out of rocks, to last forever. Egyptians had lots of ideas and inventions that helped future civilizations lead easier lives.

Structure of SocietyIn ancient Egypt, society was structured so every people had jobs to do. In ancient Egypt, they called kings Pharaohs. Egyptians thought the God Horus was inside the pharaoh’s body. So, the pharaohs was the 1st level of society. In ancient Egypt, there were many pharaohs. For example, Tutankhamen, Ramses, Menes, and Thutmose were famous pharaohs. Ramses ruled Egypt for 60 years and was responsible for buildings such as the Abu Simbel temple. Also, Thutmose IV helped poor people by giving them enough food and shelter to meet their basic needs. There were also women pharaohs. They were called Hatshepsut, and Cleopatra. Also, the pharaoh’s crown showed which part of Egypt that pharaoh ruled (such as Upper Egypt or Lower Egypt.) White crowns showed the pharaoh of Upper Egypt, red crowns showed the pharaoh of Lower Egypt, and double crowns showed the pharaoh of United Egypt. Slaves and criminals was used for working. They were least powerful in society. They didn’t have rights to argue the order of their master. Nobles, governors, and high priests were 2nd strongest in society. But, they were not stronger than pharaohs. Craft workers, scribes, artists, priests and priestesses were the 3rd level of society. Farmers, builders, record keepers, temple workers and fishermen were 4th wealthiest in society. Some workers made papers (papyrus), jewelry , pottery or clothes. As you can see, there were many levels in society and rules about who could do each job.

Food In ancient Egypt, the river Nile was very important for agriculture. When it flooded every July, the soil became very good for farming crops. Also, the Egyptians could irrigate their crops with water from the river Nile. Egyptians used a Shaduf and dug tunnels for irrigation. In ancient Egypt, rich people often ate meats and vegetables. They loved to eat sweet things and to drink wine and beer. Poor people did not eat so much meat but they did eat a healthy diet of vegetables, such as onions, cabbage and cucumber. Above all, the most important crops were grains, because grain could make bread and beer. The Egyptians cooked mainly outside their houses. As you can see, the river Nile allowed the Egyptians to grow plenty of food so everyone had a healthy diet.

Architecture

Ancient Egypt is very famous for its architecture. All homes were made out of mud bricks, even the pharaoh’s house. Windows were very small and the walls were thick for keeping out the heat. The most interesting structures are the pyramids, which were made out of stone blocks, not using any machine. Egyptians used only people to make pyramids. There were 3 kinds of pyramid, which were the step pyramid, the bent pyramid and the true pyramid. One of the very famous pyramids was Khufu’s pyramid. Another interesting structure was the Obelisk, which was called Cleopatra’s needle. Even today, people still build obelisks. The Egyptians also built many temples to worship their gods. In ancient Egypt, there were many important architectural structures which are still standing and famous today.

Conclusion

In summary, the ancient Egyptians had many different legacies, lots of different roles and jobs, nice rich soil to grow foods and different kinds of of architecture. It’s interesting to learn about the Egyptian’s daily lives in ancient times.

Reference List

Author Date Title

George Hart 2001 Ancient Egypt

Joanna 1991 What do we know

about the Egyptians?

Jane Shuter 1998 The Ancient Egyptians