Hummanities food and agriculture

Egyptian agriculture and food

Introduction

The Ancient Egyptians where a civilization that lived in Egypt next to the Nile River, they are an interesting civilization with their pharaohs and mummy’s, they also had an interesting way of agriculture and lots of different foods.

Agriculture

In ancient Egypt they lived around a dessert so for agriculture, they made little dams so water passed around the plants it was very good. The site says that most countries needed heavy ploughing to get the nutrients for the plants to grow under the soil but since in Egypt the Nile put the nutrients on top of the soil so lots of ploughing was not needed. The plow made by the Egyptians was lightly made and was tied to the horns of a cow. The site also says that cows were generally used for ploughing so milk production dropped during ploughing time and a helper normally a child would lead the cows sometimes with a stick urging them on. If there where no cow’s humans could also push the plow or they would try to borrow a cow and hoeing was also a way to plow the soil. When harvesting season came how much crops they got depended on how much surface the Nile covered in the flooding season the site says the amount of grain made was aproximently 1.5 to 2.5 million tons supposing that most of it was used to farm grain. In ancient Egypt they used animals like sheep, goats, cattle, pigs and geese for things like milk, wool, meat, eggs, leather, skins, horn and fat. The Egyptians herded lots of different  types of cattle like oxen which  where fattened to absurd amounts and then covered in ostrich feathers to be killed and a smaller breed of cattle which was hornless and resisted being fattened these cattle where used in many different ways to help the Egyptians. In ancient Egypt cattle was predominant like many civilizations close to it so the keeping of sheep and goat was secondary but it provided western civilization with one of its best symbols the good Shepard and his flock.

Donkeys and oxen where used for the transportation of goods but sometimes man power was preferred these animals where called beasts of burden. In Egypt they also bread Mules Even though they cannot breed they combined their parents best qualities. The site says Mules at that time were handled by muleteers. Some animals in ancient Egypt where used as sacrifices like oxen and Oryx bulls. Egyptians also had pets like cats and dogs.

Food

In Ancient Egypt the food they ate most was bread and beer supplemented by onions or other vegetables and dried fish, but meat was not eaten often only in festive occasions also it was expensive to herd domesticated animals for their meat only. People sometimes gathered berries for their diet. In ancient Egypt common people ate bred that was adequate at its best but the rich ate meat, waterfowls, vegetables, fruit and wine. They also ate a bread called the ubiquitous bread and it seems that they did not overindulge their food they were really fit. The kitchen was normally on the corner of the houses and was open to air. Cooking was done in a clay oven and also with open fires for fuel they used wood or charcoal even if it was scarce. In Ancient Egypt the quantities of charcoal was small and was normally carried in baskets or sacks. The reshafim site says that to light the fire a special wood was imported from the north and it also said that it was very precious and important temples only got sixty pieces a month. The site says that they used to baked, boiled, stewed, fried, grilled, or roasted but other than that little is known about their preparation. They certainly used salt and oil and probably used onions, radishes and garlic to give their food flavour. They drank beer and rarely wine and for sweaters they used honey and syrup made from unfermented grape juice and other fruit like raisins, dates, figs, carob and the like. The site also said that the root of the chuba a plant that grew in the marshes was also very sweet.

Conclusion

The Achient Egyptian agriculture was very good for the time. They had a certain time to harvest and plant they used different things to help with farming and they had lots of different foods and they even had a place to cook it. The Egyptians where a civilization that lived a long time and there agriculture played a big part in their survival and how they made their food also affected their survival so the Egyptians where a great civilization

Sources

http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/food.htm "Food: Bread, Beer, and All Good Things[6]." The Food of the Ancient Egyptians. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/agriculture.htm"Agriculture and Horticulture in Ancient Egypt." Agriculture in Ancient Egypt. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/domesticated_animals.htm"Farmed and Domesticated Animals." Ancient Egypt: Farmed and Domesticated Animals. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

Glossary

Plow- an agricultural implement used for cutting, lifting, turning over, and partly pulverizing soil.

Hoeing- to dig, scrape, weed, cultivate, etc., with a hoe.

Mules-the sterile offspring of a female horse and a male donkey, valued as awork animal, having strong muscles, a body shaped like a horse, anddonkeylike long ears, small feet, and sure-footedness.

Waterfowls- a water bird, especially a swimming bird.

Overindulge- to indulge (in something, esp food or drink) immoderately