As we examine modern society, understanding past societies, such as ancient Egypt, becomes a way to gain insight into previous iterations of culture, lifestyle, and civilization.  While their lifestyle may seem different than ours today, many key roles within family life and culture originated from ancient Egyptians. They placed great value on the quality of their lifestyle, emphasizing the importance of family roles and domesticity, crafting and trading food and goods, and religion, all of which are practices that we continue well into the 21st century. 

Many Ancient Egyptians placed an incredibly high value on their family life. The parents believed that their children were a blessing from the gods, so they took great care of them. (History, 2022) Young girls were raised by learning from their mothers and staying at home. Boys, on the other hand, would train in the profession of their fathers and uncles. (Egyptian, 1996) At eight, children began to do farm work and learned to trade. Moreover, matrimony was another important aspect in Egyptians’ lives; unmarried men were interpreted as “incomplete boys” and advised to marry as soon as possible. Parents were even able to manage marriages - there were no ceremonies, instead, parents would simply agree that their children should be together. (Wondrium, 2020) Girls married around the age of twelve and boys at the age of fifteen and they would live in a new house as soon as they were married. Most wives looked after the households while husbands worked outside the home, as soldiers, farmers, and hunters, earning money to provide for their families. Although in most middle-class families, mothers took care of their children, in wealthy families, Ancient Egyptians had servants, including nannies and maids, to share the burden of household responsibilities. Servants would work as cooks, butlers, carriers, and do other domestic jobs as needed. (History,2022)

Many marriages were polygamous, with husbands having more than one spouse at the same time. Among the many wives, one was considered a “chief wife” and had a higher status than other wives. While polygamy was common for men, it was not financially efficient. (Wondrium, 2020) The second marriage required some financial responsibilities, including compensation to the first wife for being married to another, along with the expenses of the second family. Due to the financial burden, polygamy was profoundly found among the elite class of ancient Egypt’s community. (Egypt, 1996)

Ancient Egyptian families' lifestyle relied on the Nile River. The Nile river was extremely vital: people bathed there, used water for growing crops and transporting goods. Through the Nile river, finding water and food was not a challenge. (History, 2016) Their diets were mostly vegetarian, consisting of a combination of wheat and vegetables and fish as their main source of protein. They lived in mudbrick houses, growing their own foods, and were able to trade with nearby villages for other foods that they were not able to produce. (Egyptian, 1999) While most ancient Egyptians worked as farmers, field hands, craftsmen, and scribes, many spent a great part of their time playing sports, games, reading, and festivals with their family and friends. Like today, ancient Egyptians would spend their time fishing, swimming, wrestling, rowing, and other playing various kinds of ball games. (State, 2022) 

Another major aspect of ancient Egyptian life was religion. Many believed that the gods controlled everything. Like today, ancient Egyptians often went to temples to honor and worship their gods and goddesses. They believed in life after death as they put statues of servants next to the tombs and preserved the bodies through the mummification process. They believed in many notions that explained the world and beyond like the universe and the afterlife. (Australian, 2020) 

Although it has been more than 3,000 years since the end of civilization in ancient Egypt, their way of life is incredibly similar to what we see today; they placed great value on family roles, utilized the Nile River as a source of water and means for transportation, specialized in different crafts, and practiced religion. By examining the ancient Egyptian’s ways of life, it is easy to see how modern society has many of the same cultural principles. 

Works Cited

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"Preparation for death in Ancient Egypt." Austrailian Museum, australian.museum/learn/cultures/international-collection/ancient-egyptian/preparation-for-death-in-ancient-egypt/#:~:text=The%20ancient%20Egyptians%20believed%20that,before%20they%20were%20granted%20access. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.

St Albans Secondary College. 24 Mar. 2022, libguides.stalbanssc.vic.edu.au/ancient-egypt/social-structure. Accessed 17 Oct. 2022.