Ancient Egyptian Food and Farming

1. Ancient Egypt developed in the dry deserts of North Africa because of the flooding of River Nile.

2. Most important Ancient Egyptian crop was grain, which was used used to make bread, porridge and beer.

3. Ancient Egyptian crops included vegetables such as onions, beans and cabbages.

4. Ancient Egyptian crops also includedcereals and fruit, such as melons, figs and pomegranates.

5. Ancient Egyptian crops included flax for linen and papyrus for paper.

6. All Ancient Egyptians worked, for at least part of the year, ploughing, sowing seeds or harvesting.

7. Ancient Egyptian fields were measured using stones.

8. Ancient Egyptian field measurements were taken every two years to prevent cheating and to calculate taxes owed.

9. Ancient Egyptian seasons - June to September was Akhet, the Flooding Season, when the Nile flooded the fields and there was no farming.

10. Ancient Egyptian seasons - October to February was Peret, the Growing Season, when the soil was ploughed and the seeds were planted.

11. Ancient Egyptian seasons - March to May was Shemu, the Harvesting Season, when the crops were cut and gathered.

12. Ancient Egyptian corn was cut with sickles and cattle were used to trample over the cut corn to remove the grain from the ears.

13. Ancient Egyptian farm tools made of wood - sickles, rakes, hoes, hand ploughs and ploughs pulled by oxen.

14. Water for the fields was collected using a shaduf.

15. Made bread and beer at home, which was the basic diet.

16. Sometimes ate dates and honey - added to make sweet cake.

17. Also ate fresh fruit, salad, vegetables and meat.

18. Rich Ancient Egyptians ate a variety of meat, poor Ancient Egyptians relied on what they could catch such as, fish, rabbits and birds.