The Egyptians appear to have reversed the ordinary practices of mankind. Women attend markets and are employed in trade, while men stay at home and do the weaving! Men in Egypt carry loads on their head, women on their shoulder. Women pass water standing up, men sitting down. To ease themselves, they go indoors, but eat outside on the streets, on the theory that what is unseemly, but necessary, should be done in private, and what is not unseemly should be done openly.
(Herodotus II: 33-37)
(Herodotus II: 33-37)
Family Structure
A typical family structure in Ancient Egypt is actually rather similar to what you would find in our modern Egypt. The father stands as the husband and the head of household and is also responsible for the economic well being of the family, the mother usually stayed at home and cared for the
children, and small children and other female relatives lived in a special part
of the house.
A fair amount of the children’s’ time was spent training for adulthood. By the approximate age of four, they would begin to help their parents work in the field, or train to become craftsmen.
Matrimony was necessary for the economic well being of the couple; through the division of labor and bearing children. Most Ancient Egyptian family structures were monogamous, all aside the exception of the pharaoh, who’s reason was most likely to ensure a heir to the throne.
It was the offspring’s duty to care and support for their parents when they grew elderly; they were also responsible for giving their parents a proper burial and for maintaining the mortuary cult, since both of which were considered necessary to ensure the afterlife of their parents at the time.
A fair amount of the children’s’ time was spent training for adulthood. By the approximate age of four, they would begin to help their parents work in the field, or train to become craftsmen.
Matrimony was necessary for the economic well being of the couple; through the division of labor and bearing children. Most Ancient Egyptian family structures were monogamous, all aside the exception of the pharaoh, who’s reason was most likely to ensure a heir to the throne.
It was the offspring’s duty to care and support for their parents when they grew elderly; they were also responsible for giving their parents a proper burial and for maintaining the mortuary cult, since both of which were considered necessary to ensure the afterlife of their parents at the time.