Ancient Egyptian Economy

 

           

          For a civilization that no longer exists, Egyptologist have managed to piece together the past and help us understand what life consisted of in Ancient Egypt. Much of what they have discovered can tell us a lot about the jobs they had, they way they lived, and in some cases, the way the Pharaoh ruled. Over a period of time in which the economy was thriving and then collapsing, it is important to look at what caused the constant rise and decline, and what evidence we have of such occurrences. What role did agriculture and trade play in making Ancient Egypt a prosperous civilization? What led to its downfall? How was the economy restored? All of these questions can be answered by looking closer at the evidence researches have acquired over the years.

 

            Unlike today, the economy of Ancient Egypt was not based on gold, or silver; it was based primarily on grain and other goods Egypt had to offer. Exchange is an important concept in economics, and regardless of what is being traded, reciprocity is always expected, whether it be in gift-giving or trade. Janssen refers to the economic structure as being “organized on the principal of redistribution” with the surplus coming from the farmers and being distributed amongst the rest of society[1]. Ancient Egypt had a market-economy, meaning they had a demand for their supply. Luckily, Egypt could not spend more than it was producing, so it made the possibility of acquiring debt a lot slimmer. Goods such as woods, papyrus, incense, artifacts and other precious metals were traded amongst surrounding countries, including: Byblos, Lebanon, Sinai, and Nubia[2]. Confirmation of sea travel in Ancient Egypt was discovered in 2002 when an archeologist named Kathryn Bard and many of her colleagues discovered caves containing large structures, which have proven to be the earliest accounts of ships, off of the coast of the Red Sea[3]. These ships contained traces of exotic plants, animals, and other materials that were not native to Egypt, furthering the importance of trade in this economy. Without it, the economy would have collapsed, as it did for sporadic periods of time.

 

            Because agriculture and trade were so important to the economy, things began to take a turn for the worse during a period of drought. Without the promise of supplies to trade, the system began to fall apart and the Pharaoh was no longer able to pay people for their work[4]. At this time, the building of pyramids ceased, and the central government collapsed, creating smaller nomes around the Nile. Nomarchs were in charge of smaller areas and rather than being buried in auxillary tombs, they were buried in their own states. It wasn’t until the rein of Mentuhotep II when trade increased again, and he limited the amount of nomarchs ruling over certain areas. He strengthened the government of Upper and Lower Egypt, and united them to create a flowing economy again[5].

 

            With the evidence that has been collected over years upon years of research on Ancient Egypt, there are certain assumptions one can make about the economy at that time. Archeological findings, such as tombs filled with grave goods, imply there was a time when the economy was running smoothly, and more people were acquiring belongings of value. The structure of the pyramids can determine the status of a Pharaoh, as well as the cities around the pyramid can give insight as to what life was like for normal society. The city of Kahun/Lahun is a great model of the arrangement that was established for workers who were building the pyramids because it shows us what life was like for those directly employed by the government[6]. Large homes were built to support all of the functions of a household, while workers were building a pyramid for Sensurret II, including: cattle sheds, a bakery, butchery, and a brewery[7]. There was also the presence of a courtyard and temple that may have been used for prayer or gatherings. Even the smallest findings of jewelry, toys, and pottery can tell one about the items this civilization was able to produce or trade, and the goods they received in return.

 

            By understanding the inner workings of the economy at this time in history, one begins to see the motives behind many of the jobs and practices preformed by the Ancient Egyptians. Sustaining a functioning economy was not always the easiest of tasks considering the circumstances that hindered their main industry; but, despite many shortcomings, Ancient Egypt was able to reconstruct their economy on numerous occasions, and with this, emerged and successful civilization.

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

“Ancient Egyptian Overseas Trade,” An Introduction to the History and Culture of Pharaonic Egypt, accessed October 28, 2014. http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/trade/

 

Curry, Andrew. "EGYPT'S LOST FLEET." Discover 32, no. 5 (June 2011): 60-70. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, accessed October 29, 2014. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxylib.csueastbay.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=6182c4b9-a4c5-42ec-9ea4-d193d4198e8d%40sessionmgr115&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=60592331

 

Janssen, Jac J., “Gift-Giving in Ancient Egypt as an Economic Feature,” The Journal of Egyptian Archeology 68, (1982): 253-258, accessed October 29, 2014, http://www.jstor.org.proxylib.csueastbay.edu/stable/pdfplus/3821641.pdf?acceptTC=true&jpdConfirm=true

 

Kaatz, Kevin “What can Kahun/Lahun tell us about Middle Kingdom society?” Lecture at California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, October 27, 2009.

 

Warburton, David A., “Work and Compensation in Ancient Egypt”, The Journal of Egyptian Archeology 93, (2007)” 175-194, accessed October 29, 2014. http://www.jstor.org.proxylib.csueastbay.edu/stable/pdfplus/40345836.pdf?acceptTC=true&jpdConfirm=true

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Jac J. Janssen, “Gift-Giving in Ancient Egypt as an Economic Feature,” The Journal of Egyptian Archeology 68, (1982): 253, accessed October 28, 2014

 

[2]  “Ancient Egyptian Overseas Trade,” An Introduction to the History and Culture of Pharaonic Egypt, accessed October 28, 2014

 

[3] Curry, Andrew. "EGYPT'S LOST FLEET." Discover 32, no. 5 (June 2011): 60-70. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, accessed October 29, 2014.

 

[4] Warburton, David A., “Work and Compensation in Ancient Egypt”, The Journal of Egyptian Archeology 93, (2007)” 175-194, accessed October 29, 2014.

 

[5] Kevin Kaatz, “What can Kahun/Lahun tell us about Middle Kingdom society?”(Lecture, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, October 27, 2009).

 

[6] Ibid

 

[7] Ibid