Cultural Traditions of Egyptian

Burial Customs

The burial customs followed by the Egyptians were very detailed which they believed were essential to guarantee immortality after death. The customs (Cultural) involved mummification, performing burial ceremonies and keeping the body of the deceased those goods which would be used by him after life. Prior to the Old Kingdom, bodies were buried in desert pits.

These were naturally preserved by desiccation. The rich Egyptians buried the dead in tombs and were thus required to carry on artificial mummification its cultural. This involved taking out the internal organs and covering the body in linen and then burying it. The process of mummification required around 70 days. in the early years of New Kingdom, books of the dead were kept with the body.

Military

The military was responsible to protect Egypt against outside invasion and also to maintain Egypt’s control in the ancient Near East region. Military also protected mining voyages during the Old Kingdom period. It even fought civil wars, maintained fortifications.

There were forts which were specially built to establish a military base there. Standing army was used in the New Kingdom period. The military men used bows and arrows, spears, shields with round tops made from the animal skin as their weapons.

Chariots were used in the New Kingdom. These chariots were initially known to have used by the Hyksos intruders. After bronze came to be used, there was an improvement in the weapons and armors of the Egyptian military.

The old shields were not replaced by those made out of solid wood that had a bronze buckle, even spears had bronze points. The use of Khopesh was also known. It was borrowed from the Asian soldiers.

Costumes were Worn in Egypt

Clothes were primarily made from white linen. The Egyptian people also used wool. However, clothes made from wool were prohibited in the temples as they were made from animals. Egyptian people believed that wool should not touch the skin and so was made in that fashion. Men wore loincloths or short skirts. Women generally wore robes or tight dresses.

Some of the dresses had some straps which concealed the breasts and the others exposed them. However much depended on the fashion that was prevalent then. Children during the Egyptian time did not wear clothes until they reach adolescence.

The clothes fashion was simple in the initial years of the Egyptian rule but it became complex at the fag end of the New Kingdom. Clothes pattern was determined by the occupation of a person. Farmers wore short skirts while a poor person wore fewer clothes.

More information on Ancient Egyptian Culture And Traditions1,
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