Life on the Nile

“The Egyptians themselves in their manners and customs seem to have reversed the ordinary practices of mankind.” ~Herodotus

Women Possessed rights, responsibilities, privileges Women took on many jobs

Marriage Premarital sex socially accepted – Cheating, Big NO-No! No real marriage ceremony Monogamous Divorce socially acceptable

Pregnancy and Childbirth Fertility was highly prized Giving birth was risky – Many women, children died

Children Child’s birth great joy – Reflected in names “This boy I wanted” “She belongs to me” Played games/sport, had dolls Childhood ended w/ female menses, male circumcision

Dress and Fashion Linen most common fabric Accessories = fashion statements Hairstyles – Women wigs long hair – Men wore hair short & wigs All used large amounts make-up, perfumes

Entertainment Men primarily played physical sports; women swam Festivals & dancing Drinking beer, wine was common "I have heard that you abandoned writing and that you whirl around in pleasures, that you go from street to street and you reek of beer. " Board games were very popular

Rules of Seega Place two pieces on the board, one player on the X's and other on the O's Then take turns placing the rest of the 10 pieces on the board while leaving the center square empty. Your goal is to capture the other player’s pieces. You capture a piece when you move your piece and 'sandwich' an opponent's piece Pieces can only be moved into empty, non-diagonal, and adjacent squares. If a player can't make a move at all, then that player can remove one of the opponent's pieces to make room for a move. One last rule is that if, after making a move and capturing a piece, that same piece can move again and capture another piece

Strange Egypt