What did people eat in Ancient Egypt?

History Extra

The River Nile had a regular cycle that gave Egypt her three seasons: the time of inundation (when the land was covered with water), the time of coming forth (when the crops sprouted in the fertile fields), and the time of summer (when the harvested ground baked beneath the hot sun).

 Most years saw a magnificent harvest of cereal (barley and emmer wheat, which could be used to make bread, cakes and beer); vegetables (beans, lentils, onions, garlic, leeks, lettuces and cucumbers), and fruits (including grapes, figs and dates). In addition there was abundant wild fowl and Nile fish, cattle farmed by the wealthy, and smaller animals (sheep, goats, pigs, geese) kept by the more humble households.

 While the elite dined off meat, fruit, vegetables, and honey-sweetened cakes enhanced by the finest of wines, the poor were limited to a more monotonous diet of bread, fish, beans, onions and garlic washed down with a sweet, soupy beer.

 Dr Joyce Tyldesley is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Manchester, where she writes and teaches a number of Egyptology courses.

Leaving an Impression: Footprints Left by Children Found in Ancient Capital of Ramesses II

Ancient Origins

A group of German archaeologists has discovered many Pharaonic features in Egypt's Nile Delta, including the remains of a building complex, a mortar pit with footprints left by children, and a painted wall, as the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry announced Tuesday.

Newly Discovered Building Complex Described as “Monumental”
The head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Department at Egypt’s antiquities ministry, Mahmoud Afifi, announced yesterday that at the ancient city of Pi-Ramesses an excavation team from the Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum in Hildesheim in Germany has unearthed parts of a building complex as well as a mortar pit with children’s footprints. Mahmoud Afifi, impressed with the size (covering about 200 by 160 meters) of the newly discovered structure, described it as "truly monumental" and told Ahram Online that its layout suggests the complex was likely a palace or a temple. The buildings were discovered in the village of Qantir, situated about 60 miles (96.6 km) northeast of Cairo. The modern-day village of Qantir is located on the site of Pharaoh Rameses II's capital, "House of Ramses."

An excavated section of the newly-found building complex. (Ministry of Antiquities)

The Life and Legacy of Ramesses II
Ramesses II is arguably one of the most influential and remembered pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Ramesses II, the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty, ascended the throne of Egypt during his late teens in 1279 BC following the death of his father, Seti I. He is known to have ruled ancient Egypt for a total of 66 years, outliving many of his sons in the process – although he is believed to have fathered more than 100 children. As a result of his long and prosperous reign, Ramesses II was able to undertake numerous military campaigns against neighboring regions, as well as building monuments to the gods, and of course, to himself.

A statue of Ramesses II. Source: BigStockPhoto

One of the victories of Ramesses II’s reign was the Battle of Kadesh. This was a battle fought between the Egyptians, led by Ramesses II and the Hittites under Muwatalli for the control of Syria. The battle took place in the spring of the 5th year of the reign of Ramesses II, and was caused by the defection of the Amurru from the Hittites to Egypt. This defection resulted in a Hittite attempt to bring the Amurru back into their sphere of influence. Ramesses II would have none of that and decided to protect his new vassal by marching his army north. The pharaoh’s campaign against the Hittites was also aimed at driving the Hittites, who have been causing trouble for the Egyptians since the time of Pharaoh Thutmose III, back beyond their borders. According to the Egyptian accounts, the Hittites were defeated, and Ramesses II had gained a great victory. The story of this victory is most famously monumentalized on the inside of the temple of Abu Simbel.

Abu Simbel Temple of King Ramses II, a masterpiece of pharaonic arts and buildings in Old Egypt. Source: BigStockPhoto

 Promising Finds
Henning Franzmeier, the mission director, explained that magnetic measurements were carried out in 2016 and through those measurements the building complex was located, "Based on the results of the measurements carried out by the team last year to determine the structure of the ancient city, a field was rented out, beneath which relevant structures were to be placed," he told Ahram Online. The excavation team also unearthed a small trench that was laid out in an area where they suspect the enclosure wall can be spotted. "These finds and archaeological features being uncovered are promising. They can all be dated to the pharaonic period," Franzmeier added.

Result of a magnetic survey carried out at the site. (Peramses mission)

A Mortar Pit with Impressions of Children's Feet Last but not least, Franzmeier mentioned that just a few inches beneath the surface, a large number of walls were found, but what excited him the most was a mortar pit extending at least 2.5 x 8 meters (8 x 26 ft)

Remains of a multi-colored wall painting found in the pit. (Ministry of Antiquities)

In the pit, a sheet of mortar has been preserved at the bottom which shows some children’s' footprints mixed with the components of the mortar. "What's extraordinary is the filling of the pit, as it consists of smashed pieces of painted wall plaster. No motifs are recognizable so far, but we are certainly dealing with the remains of large-scale multi-colored wall paintings “ Franzmeier said as Independent of Egypt reports. An all-inclusive excavation of all fragments followed by permanent conservation and the rebuilding of motifs will be the subject of future seasons at this intriguing site.

Children’s footprints in the mortar pit. (Qantir-Pi-Ramesse Project; photographer Robert Stetefeld)

Top Image: A digital reconstruction of the city of Pi-Ramesses. (Ramesses the second)

Insert: Children’s footprints in the mortar pit. (Qantir-Pi-Ramesse Project; photographer Robert Stetefeld)

By Theodoros Karasavvas

Extensive Engraved Ramp Discovered Connecting an Elite Tomb to the Bank of the Nile

Ancient Origins

A decorated causeway leading to the tomb of a Middle Kingdom Elephantine Island provincial governor has been unearthed at Aswan, Egypt. The causeway is said to be the longest found to date on the western bank of the Nile in Aswan. It is also believed that the discovery may change the history of the Qubbet El-Hawa area. The discovery of the tomb was announced by Mahmoud Afifi, head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Department at the Ministry of Antiquities. He explained to Ahram Online that the recently discovered causeway is 133 meters (436.35 ft.) long and connects the tomb of Sarenput I to the Nile bank.

The Nile river at Aswan, Egypt. (Citadelite/CC BY SA 3.0) While examining the causeway, researchers found beautiful engravings decorating the walls. Afifi explained that one of the most interesting images the team found is a decoration depicting a group of men pulling a bull on the eastern part of the ramp's northern wall. It portrays an offering to Sarenput I after his death. The archaeological mission has also discovered a collection of clay containers in a pit located within the causeway. The researchers believe that they are canopic jars that were used during mummification. Organic materials were found inside the containers and the artifacts will be further studied to better understand the mummification process during the Middle Kingdom period (c. 2055 BC – 1650 BC).

Example of a Middle Kingdom canopic jar from Harageh, tomb 92. (CC BY SA 3.0) This container belonged to Lady Senebtisi who lived sometime during the 12th Dynasty, (c. 1938-1759). The tomb’s first two chambers have colonnades and the burial chamber has a niche that housed a statue of Sarenput I. The reliefs which decorate the tomb show Sarenput with his family and beloved dogs. There is also a scene showing the owner of the tomb with the god Khnum. Sarenput I was an Elephantine ruler during the reign of King Senusret I (1971 BC - 1926 BC). He held a few titles, including ‘the overseer of foreign lands’ and ‘the overseer of the priests of Satet.’ Sarenput I was also responsible for the pharaoh’s trade with Nubia.

Bust of Senusret I in the Neues Museum, Berlin. (Keith Schengili-Roberts/CC BY SA 3.0) Research on the ramp is being led by archaeologist Martin Yumath, who is excited about the discovery. He believes that his team’s work may change what we currently think about the history of this area. As Ahram Online reports, “Yumath asserted that the mission will start a comprehensive study on the ramp in order to reveal more of its secrets, which may open up the opportunity to comprehensively explore the Qubbet El-Hawa area, which houses a collection of tombs of high officials from the Old Kingdom and nomarchs [provincial governors] from the Middle Kingdom.”

The causeway. (Ahram Online) Another headline in archaeology news regarding the ancient Egyptian 12th dynasty was reported by Natalia Klimczak on Ancient Origins in May 2016. That discovery was the tomb of a prominent lady called Sattjeni. Her tomb was found by Spanish Egyptologists in the necropolis of Qubbet el-Hawa (West Aswan), Egypt as well. The team of researchers from Jaén University in Spain has been working in West Aswan since 2008 and, since that year, they have discovered several intact burials from different time periods. A group led by Alejandro Jiménez-Serrano discovered the tomb of Sattjeni, who appears to have been one of the most important women of her time. According to El Confidencial, inside the tomb the researchers discovered the remains of a woman who was buried in two wooden coffins. The inscription allowed them to discover her name.

The newly-discovered coffin of the Egyptian noblewoman called Sattjeni. (Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities) Sattjeni was the mother, daughter, and a wife to important governors. Her family worked mostly in the service of pharaoh Amenemhat III (1800-1775 BC). She was the daughter of Prince Sarnbhut II, and the mother of Heqa-Ib III and Amaeny-Senb (two of the highest Elephantine authorities under the reign of this pharaoh). Her body was discovered wrapped in linen and deposited in two coffins made of cedar from Lebanon. Her face was still covered by a cartonnage mask. The inner coffin was very well preserved, enabling the accurate dating of the year in which the tree was cut to make the coffin.

Top Image: The engraved wall of the causeway discovered during excavations at Aswan's Qubbet El-Hawa necropolis.

Source: Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities By Natalia Klimczak