Taxation in Ancient Egypt was the very lifeblood of the state, binding ploughman, priest, and pharaoh in a tapestry of obligation. Long before coinage glinted under Persian and Greek rule, dues were rendered in grain, livestock, crafted wares, and, perhaps most valuable of all, labour itself. Our clearest windows onto this bustling fiscal world are...
Ducks, in the Egyptian imagination, fluttered not only through the marshes of the Nile but also through the very fabric of their art, architecture, and personal possessions. In Tutankhamun’s tomb, exquisite wooden duck toys, beautifully painted to mimic the vibrant plumage of real ducks, were discovered nestled among his treasures. These toys, perhaps crafted for...
Grape cultivation & winemaking depicted within the Tomb of Nakht (TT52), Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, Western Thebes. Wine was a staple good in Ancient Egypt. It also played an integral part in ancient Egyptian ritual practices. Around 3000 BC, grape cultivation from the Levant led to the establishment of a rich royal winemaking industry in Egypt’s...
This talatat from Amarna depicts a farmer with his hand within a cow’s mouth, it is likely the farmer is helping the calf to digest its food. Agriculture was the most important thing to cultures of the ancient world, and Egypt was no different. A major part of the Egyptian religion or spirituality itself was...
