This absorbing reference covers everyday life in ancient Egypt, spanning a period of more than 5,000 years—from the Stone Age to the advent of Christianity. The mysteries surrounding ancient Egypt continue to pique interest and prompt study thousands of years later. Intriguing questions—such as "Why were certain Egyptians mummified after death, while others were not?", "How were the pyramids constructed?", and "Were sexuality and courtship accurately portrayed in movies about the period?"—incite curiosity and inspire the imagination in the modern world. This comprehensive encyclopedia addresses these questions and more, revealing fascinating facts about all aspects of daily life in ancient Egypt. Starting with the beginning of the First Dynasty to the death of Cleopatra, this compendium explores the family life, politics, religion, and culture of the Nile Valley from Aswan to the Delta, as well as the peripheral areas of Nubia, the Oases, the Sinai, and the southern Levant. Each topical section opens with an introductory essay, followed by A–Z entries on such topics as food, fashion, housing, politics, and community. The book features a timeline of events, an extensive bibliography of print and digital resources, and numerous photographs and illustrations throughout.

Table of Contents:
Preface xv Acknowledgments xix Introduction xxi Chronology of Ancient Egyptian Dynasties and Key Events xxvii VOLUME 1 Arts 1 Introduction 1 Architecture 2 Basketry 5 Cult Temples 7 Domestic Architecture 11 Faience and Glass 15 Funerary Architecture 18 Great Sphinx 21 Jewelry 24 Metals and Alloys 27 Mortuary Temples 30 Organic Materials, Working of: Ivory, Shells, Leather, Feathers, Amber 32 Painting and Pigments 34 Palaces 36 Papyrus 39 Pottery 41 Pyramids 44 Sculpture and Stone Carving 47 Statuary 50 Stone Vessels 55 Textiles and Weaving 57 Tomb Painting 59 Woodworking 62 Writing and Literature 65 Economics and Work 69 Introduction 69 Army 70 Currency 73 Deir el-Medina 76 Education 79 Farmers 81 Great Harris Papyrus 83 Land and Water Management 85 Mining and Quarrying 86 Pastoralism 89 Police 91 Priesthood 92 Royal Estates 95 Royal Treasury 97 "The Satire on the Trades," 99 Scribes 100 Slaves and Servants 103 Surveying 105 Taxes and Taxation 107 Trade Routes and International Exchange 108 "The Report of Wenamun," 111 Women's Occupations 113 Family and Gender 117 Introduction 117 Adoption 118 Ancestor Worship 120 Beautiful Feast of the Valley 123 Childbirth 125 Coming of Age 127 Courtship 128 Divorce and Remarriage 130 Family Structure 131 Incest 133 Infancy and Childhood 135 Kinship and Genealogy 138 Marriage 140 Nurses and Tutors 143 Old Age 144 Personal Names 146 Pets 148 Pregnancy and Fertility 151 Sexuality 153 Social Structure 155 "The Tale of the Two Brothers," 158 Wives and Husbands 160 Fashion and Appearance 163 Introduction 163 Amulets 164 Clothing 167 Cosmetics 169 Footwear 172 Foreign Costume 173 Hygiene 176 Laundry 177 Mirrors 178 Ornaments and Jewelry 180 Priestly Costume 183 Royal Costume 184 Scarabs and Seals 187 Shaving and Care of the Body 189 Status Symbols 191 Tattoos 193 Weapons and Armor 194 Wigs and Hair 198 Food and Drink 203 Introduction 203 Agriculture 204 Animal Husbandry 206 Beer 209 Bread 212 Cooking and Food Preparation 215 Diet 217 Dining and Drinking 220 Drinking Festivals 223 Fishing 225 Food Containers 228 Food Offerings 231 Food Storage 234 Horticulture 237 Hunting and Fowling 239 Rations 241 Water and Nonalcoholic Beverages 243 Wine 245 Housing and Community 249 Introduction 249 Administrative and Support Buildings 250 Alexandria 253 Elephantine 256 House and Home 258 Memphis 262 Mining Encampments 264 Nomes 266 Nubian Forts and Fortified Settlements 267 Palaces 270 Priestly Communities 275 Royal Cities 277 Rural Life and Farming Communities 279 Sanitation 282 Tanis 284 Tell el-Amarna 285 Thebes 288 Towns and Cities 290 Workmen's Villages 294 VOLUME 2 Politics and Warfare Introduction Ahmose, Son of Ebana Army and Warfare Colonialism Harem Conspiracies Horses and Chariots Hyksos International Relations Justice and Punishment Kadesh, Battle of Kamose Stelae Navy Nomarchs Persian Empire and Egypt Pharaoh Royal Administration Royal Harem Temple Administration Tomb Robbery Viceroy of Kush Viziers Weapons of War Recreation and Social Customs Introduction Coming of Age Corvée Labor Dance Etiquette Holidays and Festivals Jubilee Festival Migration Music Phyles Pilgrimage Sports and Games Theater Religion and Beliefs Introduction Amarna Heresy Animal Mummies Canopic Equipment Coffins and Sarcophagi Cosmology Funerary Figurines and Shabtis Funerary Furniture Funerary Literature Funerary Ritual Gods and Goddesses Magic Mummification Oracles Philosophy Popular Religion Sacred Spaces Temple Ritual Tomb Cults Votive Gifts Science and Technology Introduction Astronomy Ceramic Technology Construction Management Faience and Vitreous Material Production Techniques Geography Glass Manufacture Ironworking Irrigation Khufu Boat Mathematics Measurement Medicine Mining and Metallurgy: Gold, Silver, and Copper Obelisks, Engineering of Shipbuilding and Sailing Smelting and Refining: Copper and Bronze Primary Documents Arts Excerpt from The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor The Contendings of Horus and Seth: The Battle between Good and Evil Sacred Architecture: An Inscription from the Stela of Amenhotep III from His Mortuary Temple in Western Thebes Economics and Work The Hekanakhte Letters "The Report of Wenamun," The Great Harris Papyrus "The Satire on the Trades," Family and Gender Fatherly Advice in the Papyrus Insinger Household Hints: The Instruction of Any from Papyrus Boulaq 4 Love Songs A Spell for the Protection of a Child A Marriage Contract The Tale of the Two Brothers A Letter to the Dead A Forbidden Encounter: The Tale of General Sasenet and King Pepi II Fashion and Appearance "A Hymn to the Red Crown," Food and Drink The Dangers of Drinking Provisions for a Feast An Offering List Housing and Community How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm? A Royal Palace The Lay of the Land Politics and Warfare The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant Armageddon Propaganda War The Israel Stela Empire Builder A Trusted Official A Soldier's Life for Me From Father to Son A Letter to the Vizier Recreation and Social Customs Footloose Pharaoh This Sporting Life Religion and Beliefs Set in Stone Let the Sun Shine In It's Magic Making a Mummy Judgment Day Stairway to Heaven To Be or Not to Be Science and Technology A Cure for What Ails You By the Numbers Crop Failure Get the Point A Star in the Sky Appendix 1: Nomes of Ancient Egypt Appendix 2: An Outline of the History of Archaeology in Egypt Appendix 3: Major Museum Collections of Ancient Egyptian Art Appendix 4: Egyptian King List Glossary Selected Bibliography Index