Life in The Early Periods
The main characteristics of Ancient Egyptian society and family life can actually be traced back to the Pre-History Period and Pre-Dynastic Period within Ancient Egyptian history. These early times periods in the history of Ancient Egypt laid the foundations of the economic, cultural, religious, political, and social values and practices that formed the core of Ancient Egyptian society as well as family life.
Ancient Egyptian society placed a great deal of emphasis upon religion as well as the importance of its own ruling dynasties. Indeed the earliest deities endured throughout the history of Ancient Egypt, often merging with the gods and goddesses of many subsequent invaders.
The Importance Of Religion
Amongst the most important gods and goddesses that retained greet deal of influence in Ancient Egyptian society as well as family life were Osiris and Ra. The Pharaohs were themselves considered to be divine and therefore were worshipped throughout Ancient Egyptian society. To ensure that their subjects would worship them when they were alive and after they had died via the construction of pyramids and temples dedicated to them.
Ancient Egyptian society also attached a great deal of importance to family life in its own right. Ancient Egyptian culture, religion, and prevailing social attitudes promoted large families with people having as many children as possible. Large families were not only a demonstration of an adult's fertility it was also sensible in a society when a high percentage of children died before becoming adults. Ancient Egyptian society did not place a limit on the number of times that men could be married, especially Pharaohs and royal princes that took many wives for diplomatic and dynastic reasons.
The Importance Of Royalty
Ancient Egyptian society and family life was unusual in a couple of ways. Firstly Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and dynasties openly engaged in incestuous marriages to maintain the purity of the royal blood as Pharaohs were considered to be divine. Ancient Egyptian society made no references to homosexuality at all, whilst other civilisations and societies either embraced the practice, or else condemned it as wrong.
Bibliography
Geddes and Grosset (2004) Ancient Egypt Myth & History, The Gresham Publishing Company, New Lanark
Grimal, N (1992) A History of Ancient Egypt, translated by I Shaw, Blackwell, Oxford
Moore, R I (1999) Philip’s Atlas of World History, Chancellor Press, London
Shaw, I (2000) The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford University, Oxford
Tyldesley, J (2003) Pyramids – the real story behind Egypt’s most ancient monuments, Viking, London
Verner, M (2002) The Pyramids – Their Archaeology and History, translated by S Rendall, Atlantic Books, London
