Agriculture in ancient Egypt

There exists an astonishing paradox between the image which the Egyptians of Antiquity had of their agriculture and the image that had some the foreign visitors. Thus, whereas the scribes depict the trade of farmer like more harassing and ungrateful of manual work, the Greek travellers like Hérodote and Diodore of Sicily extasiaient themselves in front of this ground where the plants seemed to push without much effort.

The Nile

Starting from the XXXV E, the climate becomes more arid and the agriculture of ancient Egypt becomes dependant on the cycle of the the Nile, personified by the god Hâpy. The Nile which runs of equatorial Africa towards the Mediterranean brings water rich in organic matters.

The rising

The rising, which represents a rise of the river of approximately eight meters, brings on the ground close to the river moisture and the silt necessary to the cultures. It is described as very random also channels are dug to further bring water possible.

According to Hérodote, its ground is black and friable, because it is made silt and alluvia brought from Ethiopia by the river. Admittedly, these people are today of all the mankind in Egypt like elsewhere, those which give each other less evil to obtain their harvests: they do not have the sorrow to open the furrows with the plow and Sarcler. When the river itself had just sprinkled their fields and, its made task, was withdrawn, each one sows its ground and releases the pigs there: while trampling, the animals insert in the ground the grain and the man does not have any more but to await the moisson.

The cycle

The cycle of the river determines the cycle of the cultures and finds in the organization of the year following the Calendrier of ancient Egypt (or nilotic).

Techniques of irrigations

In addition to the channels, the Chadouf was introduced, coming from Mésopotamie towards -1450. One can still see some today under.

Later the Archimedes' screw will be also used to go up water.

Under the Persian period or Roman, the Egyptians also used saqias, formed devices of two wheels. The first wheel, whose central axis rests at the same time on a wall and selected other dimensioned by a harness, is animated by an animal with the bandaged eyes. The second wheel, partially immersed and provided with cup, animated by the other wheel, reverses water in channels or cisterns.

Cultures

Cereals

Principal the Céréale S cultivated is:

  • the oats
  • the Corn
  • the Barley
  • the Sorghum in High-Egypt.

The beer

Arrived since the Babylonia, the “ Zythum ” (whose literal translation is wine of barley ) was very appreciated Egyptians. According to the legend, mixing was taught by the God Osiris, Symbole of the Agriculture, and bénificiait of the protection of Isis, the goddess of the barley. Ramsès {{II}}, that one called the Pharaon brewer, contributed positively to the durable establishment of beer and the perenniality of the very first breweries. At that time, the Moût was put to ferment in half-sunken ground pots.

In addition to its nutritional qualities, the beer was also used in a medical way against the Migraine S and certain infections. The women used it as beauty product for their skin.

Other plants

  • the papyrus was used for the writing for the Egyptians.

  • flax
  • Reed X

Vegetables

Fruits

  • the Date S

  • the Fig S
  • the carobs, rich in sugar, fruits of the Caroubier
  • With approximately of -2300 the olive-tree arrives to Egypt, and Isis has the capacity to teach its culture with the men.

The Vine

Egypt manufactured, in addition to beer, of the wine. The manufacture of the wine undoubtedly was established by the Greek . The vines were in the west of the Delta of the Nile. Essential to the ritual copte, it continued has to be produced at the time of the Moslem domination.

Flowers

The flowers were cultivated with a decorative, pharmaceutical and cosmetic aim.

The Pharaonic monuments were decorated with reasons for flowers reflecting the interest of the former Egyptians to the culture and the protection of the flowers.

The flower of the lotus

This flower has a long stem and several petals; high from 15 to 30 cm, the lotus contains a dye, used in medicine to calm the ignitions. It is the emblem of the modern Egyptian army.

The flower of the papyrus

The Cyperus papyrus is a plant ombellifère which pushes in the marshes of the Delta of the Nile. It is an always green plant, and the bouquets of flower of papyrus were offered in the temples as offering to the god because its flowers resemble the solar disk. The papyrus is used in the manufacture of the paper.

Honey

Honey was then the only means of sweetening. It was useful for the food and pharmacy (perhaps with the make-up).

The breeding

The pets are:

It seems that in the beginnings the Egyptians tried to raise other animals like Antilope S, Bouquetin S, Oryx S, Bubale S.

Agricultural tools

The tools used are:

Peasants

See also: Rural migration in ancient Egypt

The peasants form the most class, but they are scorned by the remainder of the company, even if agriculture is one of the principal concern of the Egyptians. During the period of the flood, the peasants worked with great projects like the construction of a pyramid.

It is necessary to underline the disuse of the tools of the peasants of the time, all out of wood or stone. The hoe to plow, the swing-plow to split the ground, the sickle out of wooden provided with a flint blade, or the sickle bronzes some starting from the Moyen Empire, to mow corn.

Famines

The too weak ones or strong risings put in danger the agricultural production and involve the Disette even the Famine. To mitigate these crises, of the cereal reserves will be installation. The most known famine is that which lasted seven years under Djéser.

See too

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