What a Typical Day Was Like in Ancient Egypt
- Making papyrus in ancient Egypt
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Ancient Egypt has fascinated people for centuries — its towering pyramids, mysterious mummies, and richly decorated tombs have inspired everything from Hollywood blockbusters to bestselling novels. But beyond the legends and larger-than-life stories, historians now know more than ever about what everyday life was really like for the people who lived along the Nile thousands of years ago.
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Thanks to archaeological finds, new technology, and ongoing research, we can piece together a surprisingly detailed picture of how ancient Egyptians worked, worshipped, and went about their daily routines. From the powerful pharaoh to the educated scribe to the hardworking laborer, every member of society had a role to play in keeping this remarkable civilization running.
So what did a typical day look like? Let’s look at three very different types of people — a ruler, a writer, and a farmer — to see what life was like in this ancient civilization.
Morning
Life in ancient Egypt started early. For a farmer, the cooler hours of the early morning were the best time to get work done. After a quick breakfast — usually some coarse bread, onions, and beer — they headed to the fields. Depending on the season, they planted wheat, chickpeas, lentils, sesame, or flax; checked on their crops; or worked hard to bring in the harvest before the midday heat set in. While women might work alongside the men during harvesting, they were more likely to be in the home, tending to the household chores and caring for young children.
Things looked pretty different in the royal palace. The pharaoh’s morning was all about ceremony. Surrounded by priests and attendants, the king or queen took part in prayers and rituals to honor the gods — especially Ra, the sun god, whose rising was seen as a sign that all was right in the universe. The pharaoh didn’t exactly dress themself, either; they were bathed, perfumed, and dressed by their attendants in fine linen and gold, ready to represent divine power throughout the day.
In the city, the scribe started their day with a light breakfast of bread, dates, and beer. Then they headed to work — maybe at a temple, government office, or even a granary where they documented grain quantities. Scribes were part of a small, educated group of women and men in Egyptian society, and their writing skills were essential for keeping records, managing resources, and making sure everything ran smoothly
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Midday
By late morning, the farmer was busy in the fields. Whether plowing, sowing, or harvesting, they often sang songs or worked alongside the rest of the family, making the long hours a bit more bearable. Animals were fed, irrigation channels were checked, and grain was carefully stored for the future. The work was physically demanding, with little time for breaks, except perhaps a short midday rest and a quick snack.
Meanwhile, the pharaoh’s day was generally filled with matters of state. They met with high-ranking officials, reviewed reports from distant provinces, and made important decisions about military strategies, construction projects, or new decrees — decisions that scribes quickly recorded. The pharaoh was seen as a living god, and as such their duties were deeply connected to religion. They often visited temples or oversaw grand state ceremonies, all designed to maintain ma’at — the divine balance that kept the universe in harmony.
The scribe’s midday looked a bit different. Sitting cross-legged with a papyrus scroll on their lap, they might have copied tax records, written land deeds, or transcribed religious texts, using reed pens and ink. In addition to their writing tasks, they might have overseen operations at a grain warehouse, checked inventories, or accompanied inspectors to ensure tax compliance in the nearby villages.
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Afternoon
As the afternoon sun climbed higher, the farmer pressed on with their work. They might have reinforced irrigation dikes, tended to livestock, or gathered reeds (to make baskets or mats) or papyrus (to make paper) along the Nile. The river shaped every part of their world — its annual flooding, known as inundation, could wash away homes, but it also left behind rich, fertile soil that made farming possible. During the months when fields were underwater, many farmers were called to help with state projects such as digging canals or even working on temple construction.
The scribe’s afternoon sometimes took them away from their writing board and out into the field. They often accompanied officials to survey land, checked on tax records, and delivered documents between government offices. Scribes were responsible for various administrative tasks, including recording census data, managing tax records, and drafting legal documents.
Scribes didn’t live in luxury, but their education offered them a level of stability and social status that few others had. Even with long hours and modest pay, the role came with opportunity — scribes could ascend the ranks of bureaucracy, with some rising to prominent positions such as vizier (a high-ranking political official) or even pharaoh, such as Horemheb in the 14th century BCE.
Meanwhile, the pharaoh’s duties extended into the afternoon with ceremonies, council meetings, or visits to key sites. Their duties included touring construction projects, presiding over temple rituals, and meeting with diplomats bearing gifts and tributes. Even when they weren’t issuing decrees or overseeing matters of state, their presence carried symbolic weight — every move reinforcing their divine role in maintaining harmony across the land.
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Evening
As evening settled over Egypt, the pace of daily life slowed. The farmer returned to their mud-brick home, tired from the day’s labor, and often sat down to a simple meal with the family — lentils, flatbread, vegetables, and, if they were fortunate, some fish or duck. The evening hours were quiet, filled with conversation, stories, and a bit of rest before the cycle began again at dawn.
The scribe’s work came with some comforts, but their schedule was still shaped by the responsibilities of recordkeeping and administration. They ended their long work day by cleaning their tools and putting away scrolls. At home in their apartment complex near the mortuary or temple, they might have dined on a dinner of vegetables, bread, meat, and beer and then spend time reading, writing, or relaxing with music and family.
Even with the privileges of royalty, the pharaoh’s day often followed a similar rhythm of tradition, ceremony, and decision-making. At the vibrantly decorated palace, the ruler’s dinner was an elaborate affair, prepared by a team of cooks and often served alongside music and entertainment. Afterward, they sometimes meet with priests or advisers, or simply wound down in private quarters for the night.
More on Ancient History
- What Was the Bronze Age Like?
- What Knowledge Did We Lose With the Library of Alexandria?
- What Did Mummies Smell Like?
Author Kristina Wright
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