Ancient Egyptian Society - Pharaoh

WHAT IS THE PHARAOH?

The Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, also known as the "Lord of Two Lands", was the the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt. It was the highest level of the Egyptian social hierarchy, and it was the position with the most power. To become a Pharaoh, you must be born into the family. After the ruling Pharaoh dies, the position moved onto their first-born son. However, if the son was unable to take up the job, another child or family member would take the position. The Pharaoh was worshiped by their people, as they believed they were descended from the Gods.

THE PHARAOH

WHAT IS THEIR DAILY ROUTINE?

DAILY ROUTINE

The Pharaoh would rise at dawn to greet the sun, and was then groomed by servants and slaves. Throughout the day, he performed many official duties, such as making laws and collecting taxes from lower classes, and discussed matters of trade, government, architecture and building projects. He had to make sure that all of the official laws were guided by Ma'at. Ma'at meant justice, truth, balance, and order. It was important for the Pharaoh to make laws that followed Ma'at because their religion was extremely important to them.

The Pharaoh also payed tribute to the Gods on a daily basis. They performed various rituals and ceremonies, and made slaves build temples to honor the Gods. The Pharaoh was believed by Ancient Egyptian people to be descended from the Gods, so it was important for the Pharaoh to honor them.

The Pharaoh's leisure time would be spent playing board games and travelling on river boats. Their evening meal would be accompanied by entertainment provided by singers and dancers.

WHAT FOOD DID THEY EAT?

FOOD

As The Pharaoh was wealthy, they would eat expensive fine foods. The lower classes of Egyptian society ate mainly fish, as meat was harder to come cross, therefore more expensive. The Pharaohs were able to afford meat, so they often ate it. They would also eat poultry, special bread, fruit, and honey-sweetened cakes enhanced by wines. Beer is a common drink that Ancient Egyptians drunk, as they didn't want to drink water from the Nile River. Pharaohs also drank beer like the lower classes of the social hierarchy.

Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh's food was served on low tables made of faience, gold, silver, or bronze. They used their fingers to eat their food.

WHAT CLOTHES DID THEY WEAR?

CLOTHING

On a daily basis, the Pharaoh wore clothes made from fine white linen that was light, cool, and non-restrictive. The clothing would be draped over the body, and jewelry and makeup would also be worn. The higher the status, the more jewelry and makeup worn. The jewelry owned by a Pharaoh was extremely elaborate, and was made from precious metals and stones.

On ceremonial occasions, The Pharaoh would wear a Nemes crown. A Nemes crown was a striped head cloth made from linen that covered the back of the head and neck. The Nemes crown was adorned with a tiny cobra on top, called an uraeus. An uraues shows that the Pharaoh is ready to strike at their enemies. The Nemes Crown was also a symbol of the Pharaoh's power and position in the social heirarchy.

WHAT TYPE OF HOUSE DID THEY LIVE IN?

HOUSE

The Pharaoh would live in a large, often two-story, palace made from a mixture of sun-dried mud and straw, as only temples and monuments for the Gods were made of solid stone. It would contain many rooms, halls, gardens, and courtyards. The palace would often have thick exterior walls covered in white limestone plaster to reflect the heat and keep the house cool.

The interior of the palace would be decorated with wall paintings and furnished with the finest gilded furniture. The floor was made of ornate, glazed tiles, and the palace would almost always have an window used as an appearance window. The Pharaoh would stand at the appearance window during ceremonies and to welcome foreign visitors.

The Pharaoh's home was built to impress visitors and show power and position in Egyptian society.

WHAT WERE THEIR RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS?

RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS

The Pharaoh was believed to be descended from the Gods, so it was extremely important for them to honor and represent Them. The Pharaoh was responsible for the sustaining the Gods, and he was the link between the Gods and his people.

The Pharaoh made slaves build temples made from solid stone to honor the Gods. He also provided tombs and offerings to preserve the souls of the deceased. They also participated in various rituals and ceremonies where they prayed, made offers to the Gods, and enjoyed singing,music, and feasting.

WHAT EDUCATION DID THEY HAVE?

EDUCATION

Education was important to Ancient Egyptians, but the lower classes of the social hierarchy could not afford to go, and were instead educated at home. The sons of a Pharaoh would attend a school only for boys. It was also common for the father to teach his profession to his sons.

The schools that wealthy families would attend would teach basic mathematics, reading and writing, history, arithmetic and geometry, astronomy, music, geography, science, and medicine. Younger students wrote on wooden tablets that were coated with smooth white plaster, and older boys were allowed to use papyrus,

It was important for the first-born son of Pharaoh to receive a good education so they are fit to inherit the throne in the future.