Essay on Job Specialization in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt started around 5500 BCE when two major kingdoms developed around the Nile. They were known as the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. In the Mediterranean World, Ancient Egypt was known as the most powerful civilization because of its many developments that we now use today. Ancient Egyptians believed in gods and goddesses that told them how to rule. Egyptians were placed in a hierarchy system that classified how they were treated and what they could offer to their society.

Daily life in Egypt wasn’t very different from how we are today. Egyptians had pride in their appearance and cleanliness. Jewelry was worn by pretty much all men and women. Jewelry and make-up helped define what class they were. The upper class would wear makeup and wear jewelry usually made with gold and silver but the lower class wouldn’t wear any makeup and would wear jewelry made with pottery beads or copper. Both men and women of the upper class put on make-up. It was thought to have healing powers, plus it helped protect their skin from the sun. Eye paint was the most popular form of make-up. Most people wore white linen clothing because it was so hot. Women wore tight-fitting dresses with different kinds of sleeves that were usually decorated with beads, called kalasiris. Men wore kilt-like garments called shendyts. Children didn’t wear any type of clothing until the age of 6. Patterned clothing would be worn by slaves and servants. Most families lived in villages of sun-baked mud houses. The houses were simple, with only a few windows and decorations. In the summer, when it was too hot inside, people would sleep on the flat roofs of their houses. Ancient Egypt was a dynamic society that required people to perform a variety of tasks and occupations. They had a variety of jobs, such as The majority of the citizens were farmers. They grew barley for beer, wheat for bread, onions, and cucumbers for vegetables, and flax for linen. Craftsmen's work came in a wide variety. Carpenters, weavers, jewelers, leather workers, and potters were among them. The success of a craftsman was determined by skill level. Becoming a soldier provided an opportunity to advance in society. The majority of the soldiers were foot soldiers. In the Egyptian army, there was a clear hierarchy. Soldiers would assist with government policies such as shifting stone for a pyramid or building a canal during peacetime. In Ancient Egypt, scribes were significant because they were the only people who could read and write. Scribes came from wealthy backgrounds, and learning the complex Egyptian hieroglyphics took years of study. Priests and Priestesses oversaw the temples and performed religious rituals.

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Religion was a significant part of Ancient Egyptian culture. Ancient Egyptians had a polytheistic religion, which is where you believe in multiple gods and goddesses. The people of Ancient Egypt worshipped a variety of gods. Focusing on only one god was an important part of Egypt's beliefs and practices in local villages. Villagers would worship at shrines that had been built in the village. Animals such as lions, cats, rams, and crocodiles were often used to represent gods. There were about 2000 gods in ancient Egyptian religion. The pharaoh, the overall ruler of Egypt, was thought to be half-man, half-god, and had a close relationship with the gods. The pharaoh was thought to be the messenger between Egyptians and the gods. Egyptians claimed that when the pharaoh died, he would become a god. The pharaoh kept his hair covered. It was not to be seen by regular people. The pharaohs were worshipped as gods. Egyptians built great tombs for the pharaohs to ensure they lived well in the afterlife.

The Egyptian religion was also a set of beliefs and practices that included Egyptian mythology, science, medicine, psychology, sorcery, spiritualism, and herbology, and they had a strong belief that there was a higher power and life after death. The ancient Egyptians were influenced by religion in every aspect of their lives since life on Earth was seen as only one part of an ongoing journey, and to continue the journey after death, one had to live a life worthy of continuing. They practiced a variety of rituals, including mummification. It was important for the Egyptians to maintain the body as long as possible after death to have a home for the spirit. The body was clothed and would be decorated with gems and amulets. Their faces were often covered with a mask to disguise their appearance. They would also place drinks, food, and riches in the tomb of the deceased.

Egyptians worshipped many gods and goddesses. Some of the most important ones were Ra, Isis, Osiris, Horus, and Thoth. For the Ancient Egyptians, Ra was the sun god and the most powerful god. Ra was the supreme lord of the gods and was said to have produced all aspects of life. Isis was the goddess of motherhood. She was expected to defend and assist those in need. Osiris was the god of the dead and the lord of the underworld. He was Isis’s husband and Horus’ father. Horus, the god of the sky, was the son of Isis and Osiris. The pharaoh was known as the living version of Horus. Thoth was a god of wisdom and intelligence. He gifted literature, medicine, and mathematics to the Egyptians. Some of the major rulers during this time were Menes, Cleopatra VII, Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun, and Ramesses II. Menes was said to be the first pharaoh of Egypt and united upper and lower Egypt. Cleopatra VII was the last pharaoh that ruled Egypt and caused its downfall. Hatshepsut was the fifth ruler of the 18th dynasty of Egypt and was the most successful female pharaoh. Ramesses II was the third pharaoh of the 19th dynasty and one of the greatest pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Tutankhamun was the most famous pharaoh of all time and helped Egyptologists figure out the process of mummification.

In ancient Egypt, the government had a system called a hierarchy. A hierarchy system is where different people are put into categories of who is more important based on occupation. The pharaoh and those identified with divine power were at the top of the social pyramid, while servants and slaves were at the bottom. Egyptians trusted their rulers with many duties because they believed their pharaohs were gods. The most important factor was safety. In the event of a foreign invasion or international dispute, the pharaoh directed the army. All laws were made at the pharaoh’s command. The pharaoh collected taxes in the form of grain, which was stored in his warehouse. In the event of a drought, this grain was used to feed the people. Without help, no one individual could handle all of these responsibilities. As a supervisor, the pharaoh named a vizier, a chief minister. The vizier was in charge of collecting taxes. Scribes who held government documents worked alongside the vizier. Powerful nobles and priests ranked below the pharaoh in status. Only nobles were allowed to hold government offices, and they benefited from the pharaoh’s tribute payment. Priests’ jobs were to please the gods. Nobles had high social status and benefited financially from gifts to the gods. From pharaohs to fishermen, all Egyptians made offerings to the gods. Slaves and farmers were at the bottom of the social ladder. Those who were captured as prisoners of war were sentenced to slavery. Slaves worked at the pharaoh’s or noble’s command, in addition to being required to work on building projects.

The Ancient Egyptians were scientists and mathematicians. They had numerous inventions including ways to build buildings, medicine, cosmetics, the calendar, the plow for farming, musical instruments, and even toothpaste. They used moldy bread to help infections. They were one of the first civilizations to invent writing. They also used ink to write and paper called papyrus. Papyrus is a writing material made from the pressed fibrous material of a palm and it was only available to Egypt’s wealthiest people. Egyptians were one of the first civilizations to codify their writing. Instead of letters like we use, they use pictographs called hieroglyphics.

To the Egyptians, education was very important but was only for boys. Certain jobs were only open to boys, such as becoming a priest or serving as an army officer. Egyptian children were taught mostly by their parents. The majority of the population was uneducated. Nobles and scribes were the majority of those who learned to read or were taught. Egyptians who were trained learned to read as early as the age of four. The children of government officials, nobility, and bureaucrats attended the pharaohs’ version of exclusive private school. Students first learned to identify and pronounce hundreds of hieroglyphics, then arithmetic, and eventually writing. Girls weren’t necessarily taught how to read, write, or hunt, but rather how to take care of the household and their families. They were taught how to clean, cook, and sew from a young age.

The different games the male children would play were wrestling fishing, and target practice. Young Egyptian noblemen wrestled and swam in the Nile in their spare time after school. Fathers taught sons how to hunt hare, gazelle, ibex, and antelope if they were healthy. The adults would have parties with friends and family where dancers, acrobats, and musicians were the entertainment.

According to Egyptians, Egypt was divided into two forms of land, the ‘black land’ and the ‘red land’. The fertile land along the Nile’s banks was known as ‘black land’. This was where the ancient Egyptians grew their crops. Since a layer of rich, black silt was deposited there every year after the Nile flooded, this was the only land in ancient Egypt that could be farmed. The desert that surrounded Egypt on two sides was known as the ‘red land’. Ancient Egypt was isolated from neighboring countries and invading armies by these deserts. They were also a source of rare metals and semi-precious stones for the ancient Egyptians. The Nile River was a river that flowed through Egypt and allowed their people to fish, trade, and harvest crops.

After Cleopatra died, Egypt was taken over by Rome, but many Egyptian lifestyles and traditions continued.