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Clues from the past

Daily Life

Many people think the ancient Egyptians were obsessed with death, but it may be more accurate to say they cherished life so much that they wanted it to continue forever. They were vibrant, lively people who enjoyed activities like hunting, music, and dancing.

An ancient Egyptian mural showing a festive scene with musicians and dancers. Two seated women play flutes, dressed in gold robes and adorned with jewelry. To the right, two dancers move gracefully with raised arms. Hieroglyphics and decorated vessels appear in the background, adding to the lively atmosphere.
Dancing Woman

Two dancers perform for the guests at Nebamun’s banquet. They are accompanied by the music of a double flute and rhythmic handclapping. This is part of a stone painting from around 1350 BC, from the Tomb of Nebamun in Thebes.

Diet

We can find out a lot about the ancient Egyptian diet through studying their burial chambers. Bread was a staple of the Egyptian diet, as was beer, vegetables and fruit. Fishing, farming and hunting were also important.  

Writing

Writing was very important to the ancient Egyptians, and they left a vast number of written materials. They wrote on walls, wax tablets, coffins, amulets and pottery. Some people were literate in various languages, as the Nile enabled travel and access to the Mediterranean and Europe, artefacts have been found with Greek writing. However, probably less than 1% of society were literate. 

An ancient Egyptian scribe’s tool set, featuring a rectangular ink palette with compartments for pens. The wooden pens, one of which rests on the palette, are simple and pointed, used for writing hieroglyphs. The palette shows signs of wear, reflecting its use in daily tasks. The set is compact, practical, and essential for a scribe’s work.
Ancient Egyptian scribe’s box

This portable box had compartments for ink and pens. Bone and wood styli would be used for scratching into wax or other surfaces. No date.