Everyday Life In Ancient Egypt

by John Manchip White

Drawing on a wealth of archeological evidence, author Jon Manchip White presents a remarkably accurate picture of Egyptian life throughout dynastic times — from the end of the third millennium to the Greek occupation in 330 BC. Because social conditions changed little during these 3,000 years, readers get a clear idea of the roles and tasks assigned to each section of the community — to the Pharaoh and his noblemen; priests and soldiers; scribes and artists; and peasants, who formed the bulk of the population. How these people spent their leisure hours, how they dressed, what they ate and drank, forms of transportation used, how homes were built and furnished, and the activities of women and children are also thoroughly examined. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of religion in daily life, including the social significance of temples, pyramids, and tombs. Accompanying a vivid text are more than 100 photographs and line drawings. "A handy reference tool." — Horn Book .

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Egypt

Hardcover

First published June 1, 1963

Reviews

[Isobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read, very accessible history

[Hany Abdelmalek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This concise book gives the reader a general idea about the main aspects of life in ancient Egypt. As the title suggests the author didn't focus only on the great Pharaohs of ancient Egypt, but also on other important figures such as priests, artists, scribes, and more importantly on the characterization of everyday life in ancient Egypt.
As an Egyptian it is interesting for me to discern between ancient and modern Egypt, especially regarding rulers, religion, and the view of the dead (living with the dead).

[G. Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book. Informative, interesting and quite poetical in its description

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at the Ancient Egyptians from all aspects of their lives, the Pharaoh down to the slaves. I found it all very interesting. Illustrations are well done, too. Very readable.

[Ricardo Vaca · Rating 4 out of 5]

the devourer. that is all

[Chuck Neumann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book, though it could have been better. The book was written over fifty years ago, so some more recent discoveries are not taken into account. The author does try to cover all of ancient Egypt's 3,000 year history at once, but can do it fairly well as everyday life change very little. I thought perhaps the book spent too much time on the temples and massive burial structures but of course they were part of everyday life as well. The book does cover the way people lived, what they ate and wore and the homes they lived in real well. It tries to show that the people were really happy and fun loving, even though they seemed so interested in death. It also shows that the Egyptian view of themselves as the ideal society made them slow to change (use of bronze, use of horses etc.) but change they did, in time. A good book about a civilization I have a lot of interest in.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book if you would like to learn about the life of the ancient Egyptians. This not only has maps and pictures, but tells of almost all aspects of everyday life. I really enjoyed finding out what the ancient Egyptians wore; ate; grew in their gardens; how their houses were set up and what they used for furniture;and what their gardens were like. This book tells about the royalty and the peasants, about the priests and the military, and about almost anything else you'd like to know about everyday life in ancient Egypt. I think this book was very easy to read and enjoyable.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Livro é interessante. Cumpre o que promete no título em inglês, isto é, descreve, com exatidão, como era o dia a dia dos moradores do antigo Egito. Em português o livro recebeu meramente o nome de "O Egito Antigo", o qual carrega a falsa ideia de que o leitor se deparará com uma história completa do Egito antigo, o que não é verdade. Portanto, o livro não é para aqueles que buscam uma história completa, com começo, meio e fim, do antigo Egito, sendo, porém, útil para quem gostaria de saber como era a vida dos moradores daquele longo período histórico.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It did well in making me interested in seeking out more in-depth books on the subject. On the short and basic side. I wonder how some of the suppositions in this book, written in 1963, hold up today.