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Homework Help: Social Studies: World History: Egyptian Food and Housing
by Emily McPherson
Food
Along the Nile, the Egyptians grew crops especially wheat. At feasts,
the wealthy enjoyed tropical fruits and grapes, and also wine made from
grapes.
Farmers kept poultry, (ducks and geese) and raised cattle and goats for
milk. Meat came from sheep, pigs and cows, and fish came the Nile.
The Egyptians were able to farm because they had efficient farming
technology(e.g. plows pulled by oxen)and machines like the shaduf for
irrigation using Nile waters. They also had fertile land because the
Nile flooded each year, and many, many laborers to do the hard work.
Towns And Cities
Towns and cities were scattered along the Nile. Some of these were in
the northern area called Lower Egypt nearer to the Delta. The
southern towns were in the area called Upper Egypt.
Settlements grew up in the areas where there were minerals to dig up
e.g. limestone, sandstone, copper, gold and alabaster(used for statues
and vases). Communication between townships was by boat.
Buildings
Pyramids were made of sandstone blocks mined at quarries along the Nile,
and covered by a fine outer layer of stones. The blocks tessellated so
well that you couldn't fit a piece of paper between the sandstone blocks
(i.e. no mortar would be needed).
There were three kinds of pyramids: step,bent and straight-sided. The
step pyramids were built as a stair cases to heaven which the dead king
would climb to reach the stars.
The bent pyramids were probably mistakes because the sides were so steep
that they would have ended up too high if their roof-line hadn't been
"bent" and made lower.
The straight pyramids were a latter form due to a change in religion
where the Egyptians worshiped the sun god.
A dead king was supposed to be able to walk up the straight, smooth,
sides to join the sun god.
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