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Explain, using evidence, the everyday life of Egyptian nobles
New Kingdom Egypt society had a well defined social structure, at the top of which was the
Pharaoh followed by the nobility – the two to three thousand elite1, or 1% of the population, that
controlled much of Egypt’s wealth and who effectively governed the land on the pharaoh’s
behalf. As Egypt’s imperial power strengthened, it was able to access more resources, including
luxury goods, which allowed the nobles to enjoy an “opulent lifestyle”2, supported by the
apparent increase in size, decoration and sophistication of 18th Dynasty tombs, which depict the
noble’s leisure activities, housing, food and clothing.
A range of leisure activity was available in Egypt particularly to nobles. The amount of public
holidays, varying from town to town, allowed time for such activities. Outdoor activities included
hunting, fishing and fowling, which is depicted in the tomb scenes of Nebamun. Nobles used
bows for target practice as well as hunting wild animals such as ibex, gazelle, cattle, ostriches and
hares in both marshlands and desert as seen in the tomb scene of Amenemhat. Throwing sticks,
used to strike ducks, and hunting dogs were also used.
Elaborate banquets held for the nobility were popular as shown in the tomb scene of Nakht.
Feasting, drinking, music and dancing took place while guests were served by female servants. In
the tomb of Benia for example, a wall scene shows him and his wife listening to performances by
blind harpists as well as sharing a banquet while their guests are entertained by musicians and
female dancers.
Apart from leisure activities, nobles spent their time working as viziers, priests and various other
officials, assisting with the government of Egypt. The vizier was the most important official after
the pharaoh, responsible for tax collection, receiving tribute from foreign lands and was the
overseer of public works such as temples. The duties of the vizier are presented in the tomb of
Rekhmire who states that he “sends the district soldiers and scribes to carry out the
1
2
Tyldesley, Joyce, Egypt’s Golden Empire, Headline Book Publishing, London, 2001, p. 24
Rich, G., Wiggans, E., Egyptian Life, Ticktock Publishing, Kent, 1998, p. 4
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administration of the king”3 and “levies all taxes of income”4. This shows that the vizier was
responsible for the civil, military and financial aspects of government.
Priests served individual gods in their temples to care for the god and maintain ma’at. The high
priest had considerable power over other priests including the Second Prophet of Amun
(responsible for temple property), Sem priests (who attended important rituals), and Stolist priests
(responsible for the clothing and washing of the god). Highly ranked priests often wore leopard
skins in ceremonies. A highly placed noble could hold several priestly positions5 such as
Senenmut who listed his duties on an inscription at Karnak. He states that he was the “Chief
Steward of Amun”, “Overseer of the storehouse of Amun” and held a variety of other positions.
Due to the wealth that came from these occupations, the nobles were able to afford large, often
double storey dwellings built of sun-dried mud-brick with stone door-frames stating the owner’s
name in an inscription6. The nobles often owned both a townhouse and a country villa. DjehutyNefer has an example of a townhouse in his tomb on a wall scene which shows how nobles’
houses were structured. A basement was shown which held the noble’s private craftsmen’s
workshops and storerooms underground. The first floor was where the owner conducted business
and received and entertained guests, followed by the second floor, the private quarters for the
family including a dining room, bedrooms, women’s quarters and possibly a bathroom. On the
upmost floor, a servant’s quarter was located.
Furniture that nobles owned also added to their luxury. Chairs and couches and were often carved
from very expensive materials, often featuring intricate inlays using ebony, ivory, glass and
stone7. There were no tables used for eating, instead stands, often made of stones appear to have
been used. Chests, wooden boxes or woven baskets were used to store goods. Nobles would have
been able to afford extravagantly carved, low beds with a folded linen mattress and wooden headrests which served as pillows.
3
Lawless, J., et al, Societies from the Past, Nelson Publishing, Melbourne, 1998, p. 62
Lawless, op. cit., p. 62
5
Ibid, p. 77
6
Johnson, Paul, The Civilisation of Ancient Egypt, Weidenfeld & Nicolson Publishing Co., London, 1999, p. 103
7
Lawless, op. cit., p. 81
4
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The country villas were larger than their townhouses. They were enclosed within solid walls
surrounding elegant gardens, pools and trees, and entrances were sometimes highly elaborate
with columns. Some of the best preserved located at el-Armana where several villas had more
than thirty rooms. Common features included living quarters for the family, reception rooms,
bathrooms, servants’ quarters, kitchens and granaries.
The Egyptian nobles were devoted to the gardens they kept near their houses8 both in towns and
the country, which were tended to by their gardeners. According to The Instructions of Ani,
planting a garden was a commendable virtue9. The gardens were private retreats, walled to ensure
seclusion and privacy with only one entrance, with trees, ponds, and flowers such as poppies and
lilies. Gardens were formally arranged with trees aligned in neat rows and flowers planted in
square beds or straight borders.
Gardens were also a great source of fresh fruits and vegetables including radishes, cucumbers,
grapes, apples and olives. Additionally, lettuce, chickpeas, beans, lentils, peas, figs, plums, dates
and watermelon were available and could be bought. Additionally, the diet of the nobles
consisted of bread, the major staple in the New Kingdom, which was an “essential part of every
meal”10. A selection of meat was also available to the nobility including beef, lamb and pork,
however, as it was deemed unclean, eating pork was forbidden perhaps only to priests11. In
addition to this, geese, waterfowl and quail were eaten. Fish was eaten although Johnson states
that it was also forbidden, chiefly to the upper classes, as “a fish eater was not pure”12 perhaps
because of it’s unpleasant smell. To drink, the nobility were more likely to drink wine than beer13
which was the most common drink for peasants.
8
Johnson, op. cit., p. 104
Braden, Charles Samuel, The Scriptures of Mankind, http://www.religiononline.org/showchapter.asp?title=704&C=944, 16/08/06
10
David, Rosaline, Handbook to Life In Ancient Egypt, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998, p. 288
11
Johnson, op. cit., p. 106
12
Ibid, p. 106
13
Lawless, op. cit., p. 99
9
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Unlike the rich food, drink and housing, the luxurious lifestyle of the nobles cannot be deduced
from their rather simple and functional clothes. Romant argues that the nobility used a simple
loin-cloth, held by a scarf that was knotted at the front and a broad sleeved full linen tunic, which
reached to the ankles. David however indicates tomb scenes in which members of the upper
classes instead wore kilts. It is likely however, that they wore both, perhaps for different
occasions, for example the full tunic may have been festival garments14, and the kilt may have
been used when working. Nevertheless, the full tunic and loin cloth would have provided
excellent protection against the heat as it was made of white linen. Cotton was known to the
Egyptians however it seems they preferred linen because it was a lighter material and easier to
clean. The Egyptian attachment to white linen perhaps reflects the Egyptian’s “conservatism and
their strong regard for simplicity”15. Their jewellery however was not simple; in fact it was very
extravagant. Both noble men and women did wear a large quantity of fine jewellery including
rings, diadems, earrings and bangles featuring gold, silver and electrum as well as amethyst,
jasper and lapis-lazuli16.
The footwear in New Kingdom Egypt was considered an “aristocratic sign of refinement”17,
seeing as the lower classes went barefoot, footwear was therefore a kind of luxury. Shapes varied,
however they were most often pointed and upturned at the tip. They were made of woven palmleaves or papyrus stalks or, in rare cases, leather which was used as a form of intertwined thong.
In conclusion, it can be inferred from several sources, particularly the tomb scenes of the elite
that the nobility in New Kingdom Egypt lived in a highly luxurious and comfortable lifestyle.
Their occupations, the source of wealth, were able to provide for their superior, large houses and
fine clothing as well as extravagant jewellery. Their wealth also allowed them to have leisure
activities that were not as accessible to the lower classes, thus proving that the nobility did indeed
enjoy an opulent lifestyle.
14
Benderitter, Thierry, Osiris Net, http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/nobles/roy/e_roy.htm, 15/08/06
Johnson, Paul, op. cit., p. 109
16
Ibid
17
Romant, Bernard, Life In Egypt in Ancient Times, Minerva Publishing, Geneva, 1986, p. 22
15
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[Bibliography]
[Books]
David, Rosaline, Handbook to Life In Ancient Egypt, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998
Johnson, Paul, The Civilisation of Ancient Egypt, Weidenfeld & Nicolson Pub. Co. London, 1999
Lawless, J., et al, Societies from the Past, Nelson Publishing, Melbourne, 1998
Rich, G., Wiggans, E., Egyptian Life, Ticktock Publishing, Kent, 1998
Romant, Bernard, Life in Egypt in Ancient Times, Minerva Publishing, Geneva, 1986
Strudwick Nigel & Helen, Thebes in Egypt, British Museum Press, London, 1999
Tyldesley, Joyce, Egypt’s Golden Empire, Headline Book Publishing, London, 2001
[Websites]
Braden, Charles Samuel, The Scriptures of Mankind, http://www.religiononline.org/showchapter.asp?title=704&C=944, 16/08/06
Benderitter, Thierry, Osiris Net, http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/nobles/roy/e_roy.htm, 15/08/06
clearly show how the dwellings of the nobles were structured and how the rooms were divided.