How to Survive in Ancient Egypt

by Charlotte Booth

Overview

Imagine you were transported back in time to Ancient Egypt and you had to start a new life there. How would you fit in? Where would you live? What would you eat? Where would you go to have your hair done? Who would you go to if you got ill, or if you were mugged in the street? All these questions, and many more, will be answered in this new how-to guide for time travelers.

Part self-help guide, part survival guide, this lively and engaging book will help the reader deal with the many problems and new experiences that they will face, and also help them to thrive in this strange new environment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526767110
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	08/13/2025
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Charlotte Booth is a freelance Egyptologist with a PhD in Egyptology. She has had numerous books and articles published on all aspects of Egyptology.

Table of Contents

Illustrations ix

Timeline xi

Introduction xiii

Things You Should Know 1

The Nile 1

Boundaries 1

Nomes 3

Nile Inundation 4

Time-keeping 5

Hierarchy 6

Nomenclature 7

The History of Egypt 10

Unification of Egypt 10

Pyramids 13

Hyksos 16

Change in Military Practice 18

Hatshepsut 19

Introduction to Your New Home 22

Food and Diet 29

Bread 30

Beer 31

Vegetables 32

Flavouring 33

Meat and Fowl 34

Game 36

Cooking Oils, Milk and Cheese 37

Desserts 38

Wine 39

Getting a Job 41

Low-Skilled Roles 41

Soldier 43

Scribe 45

Priesthood 48

Jobs for Women 51

Midwife 52

Wet Nurse 53

Mourner 54

Wages 55

Beliefs and Rituals 57

Temples 58

State gods 60

Worship in the Home 61

Ptah 61

Hathor 61

Bes 64

Taweret 65

Ancestor Cult 66

Oracles in Processions 69

Pilgrimages 70

Dealing with Death 70

Staying Healthy 75

Bathing 75

Visiting the Physician 78

Village Physicians 80

Examination Procedure 80

Bites and Stings 81

Common Ailments 81

Open Wounds 83

Application 83

Breathing Difficulties 84

Eye Diseases 85

Broken Bones 86

Toothache 87

The Village Wise-Woman 89

Conceiving a Child 90

Adoption 91

Contraceptive 92

Pregnancy Tests 93

Removing a Pregnancy 93

Identification of the Sex of the Baby 94

Keeping Safe During Pregnancy 94

Confinement 98

Depression 99

Stepping Out in Style 101

Hair Removal 101

Wigs 102

Cosmetics 105

What to Wear 107

Accessories to Tunics 108

Headdresses 110

Jewellery 110

Shoes 112

Passing the Time in the Capital 115

For the Children 115

Group Games 117

Adult Entertainment 118

Athletics 118

Swimming 119

Messing Around in Boats 120

Public Displays and Competitions 121

Hunting and Fishing 125

Board Games 127

Senet 128

Twenty-Squares 130

Dogs and Jackals 130

Evening Entertainment 131

Obeying the Laws of Maat 135

The Kenbet 136

State Crimes 138

Sexual Crimes 138

Hard Labour 139

Home and Away 140

The Oracle 140

Death Penalty 141

Shopping 144

Glossary 147

Endnotes 149

Bibliography 151

Index 155