Jobs in Ancient Egypt
Long ago, people in Ancient Egypt lived near the River Nile. Most of them were farmers. They planted wheat and barley in the fields. A craftsman made things with his or her hands, such as jewellery and pots. A trader bought and sold things, and often travelled on the Nile by boat. A scribe wrote in hieroglyphs, the picture writing of Ancient Egypt. A scribe studied for many years, so there were not many scribes. Read the table and say the jobs.
| Job | What did people do? |
|---|---|
| farmer | planted wheat and barley |
| craftsman | made jewellery and pots |
| trader | bought and sold goods |
| scribe | wrote in hieroglyphs |
Look at the writing on this wall. What is it?
It is hieroglyphs. A scribe wrote them.
Was a scribe’s job easy?
No. A scribe studied for many years.
Ancient Egypt had many jobs. After the flood, farmers planted wheat in the black soil. Craftsmen made jewellery from gold and strong pots from clay. Traders carried grain and cloth up and down the river in boats. A scribe wrote lists and letters on papyrus. Women also worked: they made cloth, baked bread and sold things at the market. Every job was important.
Job cards. Write four jobs on cards: farmer, craftsman, trader, scribe. The grown-up reads a clue, for example: ‘I buy and sell things on the Nile.’ The child holds up the right card and says: You are a trader! Then the child makes a clue for the grown-up.
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