Egyptian Daily Life

Ancient Egypt Daily Life

FUN FACT

Did you know that the original Cinderella story was created by the Egyptians???

About Daily Life

Makeup. Board games. Pools. Adoption. These may seem like examples of modern cultures, but they all existed in ancient Egypt. In fact, ancient Egyptians were similar to the people of today in many ways. They had families, homes, schools, and jobs. Some were wealthy and many were not.

About Daily Life

Commoners often lived in cramped villages, while the wealthy. lived in estates on the outskirts. Rich or poor, Egyptians had little furniture, just a few stools and some small tables. Only the very wealthy had chairs. There were no cupboards. You would keep your possessions in chests, baskets, or pottery jars. An ordinary family might have only one bed, or none at all. People slept on the floor on mats. To keep cool in the summer, Egyptians -- rich or poor-- often slept on their roofs. People covered their doors and windows with mats to keep out flies, dust, and heat.

Multiple Choice

Where did commoners live in Egypt?

• estates on the outskirts

• cramped villages

• hotels in town

• tents around river

Multiple Choice

Where did the wealthy live in Egypt?

• cramped villages

• estates on the outskirts

• hotels near river

• tents in town

Multiple Choice

Where would you keep your possessions?

• chests, baskets, or pottery jars

• house

• floor

• ceilings

Fill in the Blanks

An ordinary family might have only

bed, or none at all. People slept on the floor on mats.

Multiple Choice

In order to keep cool, ancient Egyptians slept on their roof.

• True

• False

About Daily Life

Women cooked in clay ovens or over open fires. The dishes of commoners were made of clay, while the nobility ate on table ware made of gold, silver, or bronze.

About Daily Life

Family life was very important in ancient Egypt. Women and children were greatly respected, which was not the case in many cultures throughout history. Although Egyptian women were expected to obey their fathers and husbands, they were treated equally in some ways. For example, they could own land. In lower-class families, the mother was responsible for raising the children. In wealthier families, servants or slaves helped with child rearing.

About Daily Life

In one notable way, males and females were not equal. At age seven, boys of wealthy families went to school to lear n a trade, while most girls were required to stay home and learn domestic skills from their mothers. Boys studied religion, writing, reading, and arithmetic. Sometimes, girls learned these skills at home as well. and some even became doctors.

Multiple Choice

How was women treated in ancient Egypt?

• With respect

• With disrespect

Multiple Choice

What were women allowed to own in ancient Egypt?

• jewelry

• horses

• land

Fill in the Blanks

At age seven, boys of wealthy families went to

to learn a trade, while most girls were required to stay home and learn domestic skills from their mothers.

FUN FACT

Did you know the ancient Egyptians got married when they were 12-14 years old!?

About Daily Life

Almost everyone- men and women, adults and children- wore makeup. It helped protect their skin from the sun. Most people went barefoot or wore sandals. Clothes were usually made of linen of varying quality. Girls wore pigtails and boys had shaved heads, except for a braided tuft on one side. Egyptian art and fashion did not change much in its 3,000 year history. That is hard to believe today, when styles change often.

Multiple Choice

What did almost everyone wear and why?

• makeup to protect their skin

• necklace to show where they're from

• lotion to make their skin smooth

Multiple Choice

What was ordinary Egyptian clothing made from?

• papyrus

• silk

• linen

Everyday wear for men consisted of a simple loincloth or a wrapped kilt. Women usually wore a simple sleeveless shift.

Multiple Select

What did everyday wear for men and women consist of? (pick 3)

• loincloth

• wrapped kilt

• cloth

• sleeveless shift