What was life like for the ancient Egyptians?
There was a large variety of jobs in Ancient Egypt. There were bakers, scribes, farmers, priests, doctors, craftsmen, merchants and many more. Jobs were usually inherited from your parents – if your father was a farmer, it would be very likely that you would become a farmer too.
There were no schools in Ancient Egypt, meaning even children had jobs.
Click the labels below to find out about life in Ancient Egypt
What were ancient Egyptian houses like?
Because they were built a very long time ago, not many examples of ancient Egyptian houses have survived. Houses would have been built of mud-bricks with floors made from earth. There would be living rooms for chatting and socialising, kitchens for preparing food, and bedrooms for sleeping.
Many of the large objects that we can move around (like seats and ovens) were built into the house. There was no gas or electricity, meaning that food was cooked in stone ovens, using a fire for heat. To keep food and drinks cool, pits were dug and food was stored below ground level.
Items from ancient Egyptian homes
What food did the ancient Egyptians eat?
Thanks to the annual flood, the area around the Nile was very fertile. This meant lots of different foods could be grown and harvested.
Often the food you ate depended on your class. Richer people (like priests and pharaohs) ate meat, eggs , figs and grapes. Poorer people, like farmers, ate bread and onions. Everyone loved garlic.
Common foods we eat today, like tomatoes, bananas, potatoes and kiwis were not eaten in Ancient Egypt as they had not yet been discovered.
