In the ancient Egyptian economy, agriculture made up the central part. Due to many elements provided in ancient Egypt, such as the warm climate and the Nile River that flooded every year, agriculture thrived. Besides, ancient Egypt had many natural resources, such as papyrus, stone, flax, and gold. These materials were used to make buildings, cloth, paper, and jewelry

Ancient Egyptian Economy system

Over 500 years in the old kingdom, Ancient Egyptian economy was mainly agrarian and primarily related to the Nile. Fertile silt provided by the Nile along its banks was the main feature of the economy in ancient Egypt.

 

Agriculture in Ancient Egypt

Agriculture brought wealth to the ancient Egyptian economy. Farmers grew grains such as barley, corn, and wheat. They also grew various fruits and vegetables, such as onions, beans, dates, figs, cucumbers, grapes, and melons. Cattle and sheep provided meat and milk. In addition, animals like oxen were used in farm work and helped increase the amount of land that could be worked and the amount of crops grown.

 

Even mud was an important part of ancient Egypt’s economy! Mud from the Nile River’s banks was used to make bricks for buildings. Brick makers did not need much training to learn this trade. Because of this, ancient Egyptians considered this a lowly job, even though bricks were needed for all kinds of buildings. Artisans used clay from the Nile’s banks to make pottery, such as vases, bowls, and cups. These craftsmen were considered manual laborers because pottery was an everyday product. Ancient Egyptians from all walks of life used this pottery. It was also exported to other lands.

Stonework in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt had plentiful limestone and granite. Stonecutters carved statues and built temples, tombs, and pyramids that honored the pharaohs and the upper classes. Stonecutting was a highly skilled and valued industry in ancient Egypt, strengthening the ancient Egyptian economy.

 

Although people from the lower classes did not have statues or stone tombs, they bought stoneware. Stoneware is vases, pots, and jugs made from stone. These things were valuable and were often saved to be buried with people. They were meant for a person’s afterlife instead of being used in daily life.

 

Cloth Making in Ancient Egypt

The flax plant was plentiful in ancient Egypt. It was the raw material for making a cloth called linen. Linen is soft and light, which made it an ideal fabric for Egypt’s hot, dry climate. Many people grew their own flax and wove linen at home, in shops, or for export.

 

People from all classes wore jewelry such as rings and amulets. Ancient Egyptians believed that jewelry had protective qualities. Jewelry was in demand, and the artisans who made it were valued for their skill.

 

Gold and some gems, such as turquoise, were plentiful in Egypt. Other metals and gems, such as silver and diamonds, were rare. If they were to be used, they had to be imported and were more costly.

What was ancient Egypt economy based on?

In addition to agriculture, cloth, and stonework, the ancient Egyptian economy was based on the following:-

Papyrus and Paper in Ancient Egypt

The papyrus plant grew along the Nile. It was an essential product in ancient Egypt’s economy. Papyrus could be used to make boats and baskets. Paper was the most important product made from papyrus, though. It was invented around 3000 BC and was one of Egypt’s main exports.

Metal and Civilization

Metals are essential to civilization. Ancient Egypt’s metal industry developed more slowly than its other industries. While ancient Egypt had plentiful gold and copper, it lacked iron. Iron is a strong metal that is good for making tools and weapons.

Ancient Egypt’s other essential resources, such as flax, gold, and papyrus, helped it develop its economy. This helped Egypt become one of the most influential civilizations in the ancient world and helped the ancient Egyptian economy.

 

Ancient Egypt trade

Bartering

Much of the trade in ancient Egypt happened through bartering. This is when people trade goods and services instead of using money. For example, a farmer earned his pay through sacks of grain. He might barter grain for cloth or other goods

Coins were not used in ancient Egypt until about 500 BC. Before that time, a system existed in which metals such as gold were given values based on weight. This unit of weight was called a deben. Deben was not used to buying things. Instead, it set the value of goods and services for bartering.

 

Foreign Trade

Ancient Egypt traded with foreign lands, too. It traded with the lands surrounding the Mediterranean and Red seas, as well as other neighboring lands. Important exports included crops and the goods produced by craftspeople in Egypt’s industries. These goods included pottery, linen cloth made from the flax plant, and paper made from papyrus.

 

Gold was a precious export for Egypt. That is because while gold was found in many parts of Egypt, the metal was rare elsewhere. Egyptians traded for and valued goods that were rare in their country. These goods included iron, silver, wood, and spices.

 

Egypt was the only civilization that knew how to make paper. Ancient Egyptians wanted to keep other nations from learning to make paper so that demand would stay high. China was the next civilization to create paper, and it began making paper from bamboo around AD 100.

Facts about Ancient Egyptian Economy

• Throughout much of ancient Egypt’s history, the Egyptians didn’t possess a currency in the same manner as contemporary societies. Nevertheless, a governing body, led by the Pharaoh, did exist to levy taxes on the populace. In the absence of a formal currency, taxes were gathered in the form of goods produced by ordinary Egyptians.
• Egypt could export its crops, papyrus, and gold in exchange for wood, olive oil, and wine from throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as gold, jewels, ivory, and other luxury goods from further south, both in the Kingdom of Kush and beyond.
• Surplus crops provided Egypt with materials to export or trade with other countries. This added wealth to the ancient Egyptian economy and helped boost the growth of different industries and businesses in ancient Egypt.
• Ancient Egypt also had a linen industry. This was an industry in which women could work. They would work in shops, spinning thread and weaving it into cloth. The finished product could then be sold within the country or exported.
• Bricks and pottery were also part of the economy, as they were exported to other countries. Artisans also made jewelry out of faience beads, which had a gemlike appearance. Faience jewelry became a popular foreign export product.