Thursday, 6 October 2011

Occupations of Women in Ancient Egypt

In addition to caring for husbands and children, many women worked at various jobs.

Women worked as musicians, chanteuses, and dancers, as depicted in the relief of a procession and in the painted relief of the banquet.

Other women worked in households as maids, where they engaged in cooking, brewing beer, washing, and cleaning, as well as hairdressing, as shown on the sarcophagus of Kawit.

Some women were portrayed together with their husbands cultivating the fields or reaping crops, while others worked as vendors in the markets and were shown carrying their babies with them.

As depicted in the relief of Nefer-seshem Ptah, women made jewelry and other ornaments.

Women worked beside men in the textile workshops, spinning and weaving. Women also were professional mourners in funerary processions.

Some Ancient Egyptian women were educated and knew how to read and write. Educated women worked as ritual priestess of Hathor, Isis, Mut, Min, Neith, Baket, Thoth, and Anubis. A few worked as scribes or physicians.

Other women bore the title "Gods' wives of Amun," a position adopted and held by some Late Period princesses who played an important political and religious role in society. These women were very powerful and governed the administration and resources of the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak .

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