DATES

The earliest types of costume were the tunics; midway come the robes and skirts, and the draped or shawl type of costume appears the latest. However, the older types of costume did not disappear as the new ones were introduced, but all continued to be worn contemporaneously. The dates of most of the costumes in this volume are given with their description, and have been verified at the British Museum.

Sculpture: Fighting Ramses Miamun against the Khitas on the banks of the Orontes (Thebes – Ramesseum – 19th dynasty.)

EGYPTIAN MEN AND WOMEN: THE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR DRESS

It can easily be gathered from the illustrations that the types of costume worn by both sexes were very similar. The high waist-line prevails in feminine dress, while the male costume, if girded, was generally confined about the hips.

The Great Royal Wife of the Pharaoh

Egyptian pharaoh

Mummification

It was very important to ancient Egyptian religious beliefs that the human body was preserved. A method of artificial preservation, called mummification was developed by the ancient Egyptians. Mummification was a complicated and lengthy process which lasted up to 70 days.

The Egyptians believed in life after death. They believed that they had to preserve their bodies so they could use them in the afterlife.

The process of mummification had two stages. First the embalming of the body and then the wrapping and burial of the body.

It took a very long time, from start to finish, it took about 70 days to embalm a body. The priest in charge would wear the mask of a jackal representing the god Anubis.

• The body was washed and purified.
• Organs were removed. Only the heart remained.
• The body was filled with stuffing.
• The body was dried by covering it with a substance called natron. This substance absorbed all the moisture from the body.
• After 40 - 50 days the stuffing was removed and replaced with linen or sawdust.
• The body was wrapped in strands of linen and covered in a sheet called a shroud.
• The body was placed in a stone coffin called a sarcophagus.

Ancient Egypt Timeline

6000 BC
Around 6000 BC Egyptians settled in the valley near Nile. They used river Nile's clay and silt for pottery vessels. 

5000 BC
People of Egypt farmed cattle and grew wheat and barley on the Nile valley. 

4500 BC
Egyptians began to build ships and boats with sails. Boats were the common form of transport. 

3500 BC
First hieroglyphic symbols and writings were created. Egyptians made those symboms usually to the walls. 

3100-2950 BC
Late Predynastic Period. Egyptian state foundation. Walled towns and villages were built in Egypt. 

2950-2575 BC
Early Dynastic Period: Dynasties 1-4. The capital city of Memphis were created. The first pyramid was built at Saqqara. 

2575-2150 BC
Old Kingdom: Dynasties 4-8. Egyptians built the Great Pyramids at Dahshur and Giza. The Great Sphinx of Giza was built. 

2125-1975 BC
1st Intermediate Period: Dynasties 9-11. The land of Egypt had two states, the capitals were Memphis and Thebes. 

1975-1640 BC
Middle Kingdom: Dynasties 11-14. This was the classical period of literature and art in ancient Egypt history. Mentuhotep reunites Egypt. 

1630- 1520 BC
2nd Intermediate Period: Dynasties 15-17. Around 1550 BC several of the royal tombs were built in the Valley of the Kings. 

1539-1075 BC
New Kingdom: Dynasties 18-20. Egyptian civilication grew in Near East and Nubia. The female pharaoh Hatshepsut ruled Egypt. Ramesses II ruled Egypt. King Tutankhamun was buried in the Valley of the Kings in 1325 BC. 

1075-715 BC
3rd Intermediate Period: Dynasties 21-25. Nubians conquered Egypt in 800 BC. 

715-332 BC
Late Period: Dynasties 20-30, Persian Period 2. Assyrians conquered Egypt for the short time. Persian ruled Egypt for over 100 years but Egypt got its independent again (404-343 BC). 

332 BC-395 AD
Greco-Roman Period. Egypt was occupied by Alexander the Great. The Rosetta Stone was created. The reign of Cleopatra VII. Egypt was the part of the Roman Empire. 

The Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt

The kingdoms of ancient Egypt is divided into number of the stages which is being separated by a number of the intermediate stages. One of the earliest periods of the kingdoms of ancient Egypt is the pre dynastic period, it was around the 5500 BC when the small tribes around the river Nile established a control over the farming activities and also got into the animal farming. The second period of the kingdoms of ancient Egypt is the early dynastic period which was in the year 3150 BC; it is believed that the pharaohs established the control over the Lower Egypt during this period. 

The next stage in the ancient Egypt is the beginning of the old kingdom which prevailed during the period of the 2700 BC to 2200 BC. This is one of the important stages in the history of the ancient Egypt, since there were lots of developmental activities which were taking place in the field of the agriculture. There was building of the pyramid and the sphinx during this period and this stage is also being referred to as the pyramid age. The farming advancement made the progress in the social life during this period. There was an intermediate stage to follow the previous stage in which there was a central government formation. 

The next stage in the kingdoms of ancient Egypt is the middle kingdom which was during the year 2100 BC to 1800 BC. The pharaoh during this period started to loose some of his powers due to the initiation of the central government. The last stage is the new kingdom during the period of 1570 BC to 1080 BC. The Egyptians began well during this stage and was dominating by capturing many countries, but in later phase it was loosing out to the foreigners who captured this place. Hence the kingdoms of ancient Egypt has a very interesting history being associated with it. 

Farming in Ancient Egypt

Farming in ancient Egypt was one of the important activities. There were many numbers of the farmers who were specializing in the cultivation of the crops such as the wheat, vegetables and many other kinds of the fruits. There was very good irrigation system at that point of the time and the main source of the water to make the ground fertile is the annual floods which usually occurs at the time of the mid august and the water from the river Nile. 

Farmers also use to grow crops such as the flax, parley and three different types of the wheat were available for the farming. Flax was the important source for the textile fiber. The farmers were continually involved in the activity of the farming throughout the year, and their work was very hectic. The only time they can have some rest is during the periods of the floods, sometime even during the period of the floods farmers in ancient Egypt will be called in for the army duty or any kind of the public works which was pending at that point of the time. Some farmers who work throughout the year will work in the land of the wealthy people and will get some food, clothes and shelter for return; other farmers will be renting the land from the owners and will give some percentage of the output to the owners. 

Farming in ancient Egypt consists of primarily three types of the irrigation for the fields which existed during that period. They were the catch basins, dykes and the shaduf type of the irrigation. The shaduf was very useful for irrigation in the high lying area since it uses a counter weight to pull the water from the Nile and feed it into the farming fields. Farming in ancient Egypt was a flourishing activity and they used very good methods of the irrigation to increase the quality and also the output of the crops. 

Trade in Ancient Egypt

Trade has always brought huge sum as revenue to a particular civilization. People at Egyptian civilization are no exceptions to them. Ancient Egyptian trade has blossomed in great way. Trade partners have emerged from all over the world. The trade has seen several twists and turns as far as the development and establishment of a huge network of trade. The trade links vary from time to time with efficient traders coming with certain special products to be exported and imported in many ways. The usage of the seaway transport has gathered even more trade links from all over the world. 

The Egyptians also trade for gold from the locality of Nubia. Farmers also use to grow crops such as the flax, parley and three different types of the wheat were available for the farming. Flax was the important source for the textile fiber. The farmers were continually involved in the activity of the farming throughout the year, and their work was very hectic. Flax is exported to the neighboring localities in exchange of gold and other exotic branded products. Some of the slaves are having owner of single person, but some of the slaves are working for the organizations like big temples, and big estates. 

So each and every need of the slaves is to be taken care of by the masters. The food is the prime prerequisite of the slaves; the traders bring cheap food cash crops from the neighboring localities to feed the slaves. Ancient Egyptian trade has brought back certain innate culture of pottery to the people living at the Egypt. The products made out of mud are imported from various other countries. These products have drawn interests of the people to make it a point that this art of making pots are cultivated among the people. Certain metallic components are imported and also certain metal raw materials were traded for benefit of people.