Western Civilization

IMAGES OF EVERYDAY LIFE

The Egyptian Diet

THE DIETS OFthe upper and lower classes in ancient

Egypt differed considerably. Various types of meat and

fowl, including beef, goat, pork, goose, and pigeon,

were on the tables of the rich. Fish was also an

important part of the upper-class Egyptian diet.

Although done for sport as well as food, hunting

waterfowl in the stands of papyrus reeds that grew

along the river’s banks was a favorite pastime of the

Egyptian upper classes. Shown below in left column is

a hunting scene from the Eighteenth-Dynasty tomb of

Nebamun in Thebes. Nebamun, a nobleman, is seen

standing in his boat using his throwstick to hunt

birds. He holds three birds in his right hand while a

cat retrieves two in its claws and holds the wings of

another in its teeth.

The basic diet of the poor consisted chiefly of

bread, beer made from barley, and onions. The baking

of bread was an important task in all households. The

tomb painting at the right from the Eighteenth-

Dynasty tomb of Mennah shows two men carrying

grain while slave girls fight over leftovers in the

background.

Vegetables and fruits were also part of the Egyptian

diet. Among the vegetables were lettuce, radishes,

squash, and cucumbers. Fruits included figs, dates,

and grapes, which were mainly used by the upper

classes for making wine. The third illustration (below

right) shows peasants harvesting grapes from

grapevines that have been attached to a trellis. Both

sweet and dry wines were produced from a variety of

dark and pale grapes.

Tombs of the Nobles, Thebes, Egypt// Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY

Tombs of the Nobles, Thebes, Egypt// Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY

British Museum, London// Werner Forman/Art Resource, NY

22 Chapter 1 The Ancient Near East: The First Civilizations

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