ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WOMENANCIENT EGYPTIAN WOMEN

Nobles and commoners playing musicNobles and commoners playing music

The Role of Women in Ancient EgyptThe Role of Women in Ancient Egypt

Women held a Women held a privileged positionprivileged position within Egyptian within Egyptian

society that extended into the afterlife.society that extended into the afterlife.

Women were respected as honourable Women were respected as honourable mothersmothers, ,

wiveswives, , workersworkers and and priestessespriestesses..

Women in Egypt sometimes held Women in Egypt sometimes held high positionshigh positions in in

religious groups and even sometimes acted as religious groups and even sometimes acted as

PharaohPharaoh!!

The Privileged WomanThe Privileged Woman

Historians are often amazed by how important and Historians are often amazed by how important and vital vital

Ancient Egyptian women were in Egyptian Society.Ancient Egyptian women were in Egyptian Society.

Compared with other ancient culturesCompared with other ancient cultures (Greece and Rome) (Greece and Rome)

women in Egypt were often well respected, highly visible and women in Egypt were often well respected, highly visible and

protected by Egyptian law.protected by Egyptian law.

The private life of women in Egypt was one of The private life of women in Egypt was one of freedom, freedom,

independence, legal and citizenship rightsindependence, legal and citizenship rights..

A key part of Ancient Egyptian culture was the belief in A key part of Ancient Egyptian culture was the belief in

matrilineal descent and equal inheritancematrilineal descent and equal inheritance (The idea that men (The idea that men

and women have an equal right to land and mothers are key and women have an equal right to land and mothers are key

members of a family.)members of a family.)

An Egyptian woman being granted An Egyptian woman being granted her inheritance by her father.her inheritance by her father.

Egyptian Women as WivesEgyptian Women as Wives

Women had the Women had the right to buy, retain and sell any right to buy, retain and sell any

property or goodsproperty or goods they brought into a marriage. they brought into a marriage.

Women were able to be Women were able to be witnesses in court, sit on a witnesses in court, sit on a

jury and take complaints directly to the judgejury and take complaints directly to the judge

Women were even able to Women were even able to perform legal dutiesperform legal duties for for

their husbands if they were sick or away.their husbands if they were sick or away.

Marriage for women was Marriage for women was respectablerespectable and a symbol of and a symbol of

her achievement as her achievement as ‘mistress of the house’‘mistress of the house’. . An Egyptian women was an extremely An Egyptian women was an extremely important aspect of Egyptian family lifeimportant aspect of Egyptian family life

Egyptian Women as MothersEgyptian Women as Mothers

Egyptian culture had a huge focus on Egyptian culture had a huge focus on fertilityfertility. As the . As the

ones able to bear children, women were of great ones able to bear children, women were of great

importance to Egyptian society.importance to Egyptian society.

Being fertile was a Being fertile was a sign of successsign of success and having children and having children

was an achievement.was an achievement.

In a religious sense, women as mothers were incredibly In a religious sense, women as mothers were incredibly

important in maintaining the important in maintaining the belief in birth and belief in birth and

rebirthrebirth..

Women were vital in Women were vital in raising childrenraising children, providing , providing

children with children with education and protectioneducation and protection..

A woman as a mother in Egypt had a A woman as a mother in Egypt had a large role to playlarge role to play

An Egyptian Woman and ReligionAn Egyptian Woman and Religion

Some women held a vital role as temple priestesses. Some women held a vital role as temple priestesses.

Their role was to perform daily rituals to please the Their role was to perform daily rituals to please the

gods.gods.

Many priestesses also trained in music. They often Many priestesses also trained in music. They often

performed at religious celebrations for the Pharaoh.performed at religious celebrations for the Pharaoh.

Women were also given the job of ritual mourners. Women were also given the job of ritual mourners.

In this role women cried and publicly displayed In this role women cried and publicly displayed

grief to ensure the dead were given a proper send grief to ensure the dead were given a proper send

off.off.Women mourning during a Women mourning during a

funeral.funeral.

An Egyptian Woman and ReligionAn Egyptian Woman and Religion

Some women held a vital role as temple priestesses. Some women held a vital role as temple priestesses.

Their role was to perform daily rituals to please the Their role was to perform daily rituals to please the

gods.gods.

Many priestesses also trained in music. They often Many priestesses also trained in music. They often

performed at religious celebrations for the Pharaoh.performed at religious celebrations for the Pharaoh.

Women were also given the job of ritual mourners. Women were also given the job of ritual mourners.

In this role women cried and publicly displayed In this role women cried and publicly displayed

grief to ensure the dead were given a proper send grief to ensure the dead were given a proper send

off.off.Women mourning during a Women mourning during a

funeral.funeral.