An intoduction to the Ancient Egyptians KS2 History level 2 to 4

Ancient Egypt was a civilization in eastern North Africa that covered a continuous period of over three thousand years. It was concentrated along the middle to lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern nation of Egypt.

As it is in modern day Egypt, the Nile River was the life blood of ancient Egypt. The river supplied them with food, water to drink and cultivate their crops; it even supplied them with the mud that was moulded into bricks to build their homes. Ancient Egyptians called their land "Kemet" which meant "black," after the black fertile silt-layered soil that was left behind each year during the annual floods.

Click on the map to view larger picture

Egyptian buildings

Most of the ancient Egyptian buildings have disappeared leaving no trace. They were mostly built of sun baked bricks made of Nile mud and strengthened using straw. The ancient Egyptians built virtually without wood, as it was not readily available. Most of the Egyptian houses and palaces have disappeared with the passing of time or destroyed by the actions of man. Structures built of sandstone and limestone such as the pyramids are still around today so we can more accurately access what they looked like when they were built.

The Pyramids

The pyramids were built of stone and were used as the burial tombs for the dead Kings and Queens. There were between 81 and 112 pyramids built in ancient Egypt before 1550 B.C. The Pharaohs started to build tombs underground after 1550 B.C. due to the fact that the pyramids made easy targets for grave robbers that plundered the tombs treasures.

The most famous pyramid is the Great Pyramid of Giza, also called the Pyramid of Khufu, and Pyramid of Cheops. This pyramid was built using millions of limestone bricks. The pyramid of Giza was built over a 20 year period concluding around 2560 BC. Its dimensions today are 137 meters high with a side length of about 225 meters.

Ancient Egyptian homes and Temples

Ancient Egyptian homes were usually built using mud bricks as stone tended to be very expensive and usually reserved for important peoples tombs. The home of royalty or a rich merchant would have probably consisted of a large house, stables, servants quarters, a water well, kitchens, food storage, animal pens and a temple all surrounded by walls. Egyptian temples usually consisted of enclosed halls with roof slabs supported by columns. The workers on the tombs probably lived in a three room house built in rows around a square. Ancient Egyptians rich or poor all liked to sleep on their roofs due to the stifling heat.

Available soon an interactive 3D walk through of a rich merchant’s house and the Great pyramid.

Food

Ancient Egyptians grew barley, and other cereal grains, all of which were used to make bread and beer. Most ancient Egyptians were farmers and they used oxen to plough the land. The oxen were probably eaten when they had grown too old to pull a plough. Pictures on the walls of tombs show ancient Egyptians hunting for birds using throwing sticks and catching fish from The Nile.

Writing

The ancient Egyptians used pictures instead of words these pictures are called Hieroglyphics. Not many people could read and write in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians that learned to read and write were called scribes. Click here to view the ancient Egyptian alphabet.

Money

The ancient Egyptians did not use coinage until the late period. They would use grain and precious metals to barter with. Skills were also bartered with, a boat builder might have built a boat for somebody in exchange for something they wanted. The ancient Egyptians also engaged in trade with their foreign neighbours to obtain rare and exotic goods not found in Egypt.

Clothes and music

The workers tended to wear simple kilts without sandals while the Pharaoh and the royal family wore colorful shirts, kilts and sashes. The Pharaoh was said to have worn sandals with the images of his enemies on the bottom so he could walk all over them every day. The wealthy would probably also wore colourful necklaces made with precious stones to show off how powerful and rich they were.

Ancient Egyptians enjoyed dancing, playing and listening to music just like people today.

Medicine

Ancient Egyptian physicians were renowned for their healing skills. Ancient Egyptian surgeons stitched wounds, set broken bones, and amputated diseased limbs. They coiuld even diagnose that some injuries were so serious that they could only make the patient comfortable until they died.