User:Bdobbs1

Much that has been learnt about Egyptian lifestyle, Ancient Egypt comes from the tombs. Wall paintings show people at work and leisure as do many small wooden statues and models. Many everyday items are placed in the tombs for the person to use in the afterlife. Abandoned settlements also provided some evidence. A typical house, built of mud-brick, had three main rooms, with a yard.

Family
The nuclear family was the core of the Egyptian society and many of the gods were even arranged into such groupings. There was tremendous pride in one's family, and lineage was traced through both the mother and father lines. Respect for one's parents was a cornerstone of morality, and the most fundamental duty of the eldest son (or occasionally daughter) was a core for his parents in their last days and to ensure that they received a proper burial.

The father was the provider while the mother stayed at home and rasied the childern. Small childern and other famale relatives lived in a special part of the house. Much of the childern's time was spent in traning for their adulthood. By age four the childern would help their parents in the field or train as craftsmen. Ancient Egyptians usually had black hair and dark eyes. Their skin was tanned.

Clothing
The clothes were made of linen. Linen was made from the flax that grew in the fields. It was woven into cloth. The rich wore finely woven linen while the workers wore a more durable material. Male peasants wore loincloths. They hung from their waists to their knees. Many times they wore no clothing. Men in the upper class wore skirts or kilts. The women wore simple, tight-fitting dresses. They came up to their chests and were held up on the shoulders by straps. Children wore no clothing until they were in their teens.

Egyptians wore sandals made from leather or reed. Rich ladies wore shawls, flower headdresses, and beaded collars. They decorated this clothing by wearing elaborate costume jewelry.

Food
Egyptians ate two large meals each day: one at dawn and another at dusk. Egyptians went to the market to purchase food. They ate plenty of cereal, vegetables, and fruits. Some of the most common foods were barley, wheat, lentils, cucumbers, beans, leeks, onions, dates, figs, and grapes. Other fruits included apples, melons, pomegranates and the ccasional coconut. Beef was the Egyptians' favorite meat, but they also ate lamb, gazelle, wild goat, ox, pork, fish, duck, and goose. Food was cooked in clay ovens.

A common meal for a peasant might be boiled or roasted beef, assorted vegetables, fruit (usually figs and grapes), a slice of bread, and beer. The wealthy ate on bronze, silver, or gold plates while the commoners ate on clay dishes. People ate with the tips of their fingers. Everyone was given a small bowl of water to clean their hands after the meal.The rich soil of the Nile River made growing crops easy. Donkeys were used to help carry the bags of seeds during planting time. The fields had to be irrigated during the hot summer months. Besides crops the farmers raised hens, geese, ducks, and pelicans.

Reference

 * Ancient Egyptian Lifestyle Egyptian Lifestyle Link text, additional text.


 * Egyptian Life life Link text, additional text.


 * Daily life of the Egyptians life Link text, additional text.