The success of the ancient Egyptians probably had much to do with their great nutrition and eating habits. By utilizing all of the resources they had, they had diets consisting of bread, fish, mean, poultry, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and even wine and beer. Although there were differences between the diets of the rich and the poor of ancient Egypt, all ate well most likely due to the rich soil and lush vegetation of the Nile River Valley.
The geography of the Nile River Valley was of great importance in the way of life for the ancient Egyptians. The annual cycles of the river and the rich lands surrounding it all aided the Egyptians in their way of life. The Nile Valley can be separated into two distinct regions, The River Basin (or black land soil) and the Red Land (or red desert land). The River basin of the Nile Valley was extremely rich with wild life and waterfowl but the Red Land was a dry, flat area that contained very little life and very little water.
The annual flooding of the river provided the Egyptians with the greatest abundances in crop yield. The water would rise and fill the man-made canals and canal basins, watering the plants and depositing thick silt over the land. On a good year, Egyptians could collect two or even three harvests. However, if the river water was even just twenty inches above or below the normal raising level, the consequences were considerable on the agricultural aspects of the economy. Even so, agriculture was not the only means of nourishment for the ancient Egyptians. Tree crops and vegetable gardens in the lower regions of the Nile Valley were easily grown and contributed to the harvests and nourishment of the ancient Egyptian lifestyle.
Breads were the main staple in the diets of both the rich and the poor in ancient Egypt. Bread was made by simply mixing the dough and kneading it with both hands or sometimes kneading it with their feet in huge batches. Yeast, salt, spices, milk, and sometimes butter and eggs were added to the bread dough before baking. In very early ancient Egypt, bread was cooked in open fires or on the embers. Eventually, Egyptians began to use bread-moulds and baked it in tall ovens with fireboxes at the bottom. Breads were prepared in a variety of ways including thick loaves filled with beans, vegetables, or other items, sweetening it with honey or dates, or flavoring it with sesame, aniseed, or fruit.
The ancient Egyptians consumed many different fruits and vegetables. Although many are known, chances are good that there were many more which are unknown to researchers today. Some of the popular fruits included dates, which were used by the poor as sweetener (while honey was used as sweetener by the rich), figs, grapes, which could be sun-dried to make raisins, pomegranates, water melons, and plumbs. The vegetables which were often eaten included beans, chickpeas, lentils, green peas, leeks, and Egyptian lettuce, very similar to modern Egypt. Garlic and onions were also often used for medical purposes.
Fish and poultry were not as common at the tables of ancient Egyptians. It was most often the rich who regularly ate these meats. The poor most often ate geese, ducks, quails, and cranes. Eventually, fowl was domesticated and raised for food. Fish and poultry were usually prepared by roasting or boiling the meat or preserved by salting or drying in the sun.
The rich also commonly ate beef, sheep, and goat. However, during festive occasions the poor also ate these meats. Wild game such as antelope, ibex, gazelles, and deer have also been identified in tomb paintings as preparations for a meal. Meats and vegetables were prepared using many different types of oils and seasonings. Beef, goats, and other fats were used in preparation of a meal and vegetable oils obtained from sesame, caster-oil plants, flax seed, radish seed, horseradish, safflower, and colocynth were also used for cooking. These fats and oils were most often used for frying vegetables and meat but food was also prepared in milk and butter. Some of the common spices included aniseed, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, marjoram, mustard, sesame, and thyme. Sea salt was not consumed due to its connections to the evil Seth but salt was obtained from different areas instead. Sweeteners, again, included honey for the rich and dates for the poor.
Meals were almost always served with beer or wine. (Wine was only served to the rich). Beer was mostly fermented from wheat but stale bread could also be used. Different spices were added to improve the taste. Workers often made wine from grapes, pomegranates and plumbs in the local vineyards.
An average ancient Egyptian kitchen was most often at the rear of the house or on the roof. Either way, it was an open area often partially shaded by a reed thatch. The kitchen included a simple clay oven and a hot plate. Cooking was always done in clay pots and wooden utensils were used.
Written by
Shawn Laven
, 2002
 |
Archaeology of Egypt | History | Hieroglyphs |
| Religion | Daily Life | Links |