EGYPTIAN SOCIETY

The Class System

Ancient Egyptian society was arranged as a hierarchy, with people grouped according to status and ability. The pharaoh, believed to have been appointed by the gods, had the power to communicate with the gods in order to oversee and maintain the natural order and harmony of the Egyptian world. As a member of this top tier of society, the pharaoh was the chief authority over all human endeavors and was responsible for the well being of every Egyptian. He or she collected taxes, organized labor and maintained law and order. The second hierarchical tier consisted of the nobles, government officials and priests. Also important to society were scribes, scholars and artisans. Most Egyptians were at the bottom level of society, working as farmers and laborers who split their time between tending crops and building temples or mortuary complexes for the pharaoh.

Egyptian Life

Egyptians lived in a remarkably stable environment. Wealthy Egyptians lived a pleasant life, with servants and an abundance of leisure time. Traveling was a popular activity for the wealthy, but only inside Egypt. The people viewed areas outside of Egypt as unappealing, and did not like foreign clothes or habits. Most of the population was poor and worked hard, often as farmers, with little hope of doing better in the future. This was not thought of as unjust. It was an accepted belief that some people were born to work, while others were born to positions of authority. Although ancient Egyptian history spanned over 3000 years, lives of ordinary people changed little. They believed in the rules of society and saw no reason for change.

The Importance of the Nile River

Stretching over 4000 miles, the Nile River was the single most important natural element in the development of ancient Egyptian civilization. Towns, situated high above its banks, overlooked the lush, green fields supported by the river and the surrounding deserts that formed a protective barrier from invaders. A major transportation route and habitat for many species of fish and animals, the Nile flooded every year depositing new layers of fertile soil for the next season’s crops. Mainly an agricultural society, Egyptians grew corn, wheat, barley, and vegetables like onions, lettuce, cucumbers, peas, and beans. In addition, they devised canals and irrigation ditches to extend water use. Even the Egyptian calendar was based on the seasons determined by the Nile.

The Endurance of a Civilization

Beginning about 3100 BCE, thirty dynasties controlled Egypt guided by a succession of kings called pharaohs. Each dynasty was known by its royal house or ruling family and was distinguished by political events, wars or artistic and technological advances. When one family lost power and another group took control, a new dynasty began. Long periods of stability were known as kingdoms: the Old Kingdom (c.2687-2191 BCE), the Middle Kingdom (c.2061-1665 BCE) and the New Kingdom (c.1569-1081 BCE). Times of unrest and instability were known as the Intermediate Periods.

The Religious Beliefs

Egyptian religion was polytheistic and permeated almost every aspect of life. Hundreds of Egyptian gods and goddesses have been identified, each having a distinct personality and purpose. Myths told about the gods’ origins and exploits often explained puzzling natural changes such as night into day and life into death. Many gods were identified with animals and the strengths associated with them. Ancient Egyptians believed that after death they would enter a world much like the one that they knew, only better. Careful preparations had to be made to ensure happiness in the afterlife. Egyptian religious beliefs and perceptions of what awaited them in the afterlife relied heavily on the conditions of their daily lives. Their culture was permeated by the idea of the cycles of life: the cycle of the sun, the cycle of the Nile River and its annual flooding, and the cycle of birth, death and the afterlife.

The Egyptians also believed that each person’s soul had different parts. One part was the ba, or the individual personality. This spirit had the head of a human but the body of a bird. At night it was able to fly from the burial tomb and visit home or other places that were important to it in life. Because the ba needed food, pictures of meals were often painted on tomb walls or replicas of food were left in the tomb. Priests or relatives of the deceased would bring food offerings to the tomb as well.

Another part of the spirit was the ka, the life force that lived in every person. When someone died, the ka separated from the body but went on living. The ka looked exactly like the deceased when he or she was alive. A statue of the dead person was usually placed in the tomb in order to guide the ka back to its body. Like the ba, the ka also needed food placed in the tomb.

The Afterlife and Immortality

Ancient Egyptians envisioned the underworld as a physical place where life would continue as before, but flaws of the body would be healed, crops would grow taller, disease would not exist. All Egyptians hoped to reach this ideal realm, but because their place was not guaranteed, their quest for immortality thus inspired elaborate preparations for the afterlife. believing that the soul could not survive without its body, they practiced mummification and further shielded the body from physical decay with coffins and sarcophagi. Images of deities, amulets and sacred texts were buried with the deceased to provide them with the needed protection during their journey to the underworld. Tombs were furnished with practical goods to ensure a comfortable life in the beyond.