DailylifeinancientEgyptrevolvedaroundtheNileandthefertilelandalongitsbanks.TheyearlyfloodingoftheNileenrichedthesoilandbroughtgoodharvestsandwealthtotheland.

　　ThepeopleofancientEgyptbuiltmudbrickhomesinvillagesandinthecountry.Theygrewsomeoftheirownfoodandtradedinthevillagesforthefoodandgoodstheycouldnotproduce.

　　MostancientEgyptiansworkedasfieldhands,farmers,craftsmenandscribes.Asmallgroupofpeoplewerenobles.Together,thesedifferentgroupsofpeoplemadeupthepopulationofancientEgypt.

　　TheancientEgyptiansthoughtofEgyptasbeingdividedintotwotypesofland,the'blackland'andthe'redland'.

　　The'blackland'wasthefertilelandonthebanksoftheNile.TheancientEgyptiansusedthislandforgrowingtheircrops.ThiswastheonlylandinancientEgyptthatcouldbefarmedbecausealayerofrich,blacksiltwasdepositedthereeveryyearaftertheNileflooded.

　　The'redland'wasthebarrendesertthatprotectedEgyptontwosides.ThesedesertsseparatedancientEgyptfromneighbouringcountriesandinvadingarmies.TheyalsoprovidedtheancientEgyptianswithasourceforpreciousmetalsandsemi-preciousstones.

　　TheancientEgyptiansbelievedinmanydifferentgodsandgoddesses.Eachonewiththeirownroletoplayinmaintainingpeaceandharmonyacrosstheland.

　　Somegodsandgoddessestookpartincreation,somebroughtthefloodeveryyear,someofferedprotection,andsometookcareofpeopleaftertheydied.Otherswereeitherlocalgodswhorepresentedtowns,orminorgodswhorepresentedplantsoranimals.

　　TheancientEgyptiansbelievedthatitwasimportanttorecogniseandworshipthesegodsandgoddessessothatlifecontinuedsmoothly.

　　TheearliestancientEgyptiansburiedtheirdeadinsmallpitsinthedesert.Theheatanddrynessofthesanddehydratedthebodiesquickly,creatinglifelikeandnatural'mummies'.

　　Later,theancientEgyptiansbeganburyingtheirdeadincoffinstoprotectthemfromwildanimalsinthedesert.However,theyrealisedthatbodiesplacedincoffinsdecayedwhentheywerenotexposedtothehot,drysandofthedesert.

　　Overmanycenturies,theancientEgyptiansdevelopedamethodofpreservingbodiessotheywouldremainlifelike.Theprocessincludedembalmingthebodiesandwrappingtheminstripsoflinen.Todaywecallthisprocessmummification.

　　ThemostpowerfulpersoninancientEgyptwasthepharaoh.ThepharaohwasthepoliticalandreligiousleaderoftheEgyptianpeople,holdingthetitles:'LordoftheTwoLands'and'HighPriestofEveryTemple'.

　　As'LordoftheTwoLands'thepharaohwastherulerofUpperandLowerEgypt.Heownedalloftheland,madelaws,collectedtaxes,anddefendedEgyptagainstforeigners.

　　As'HighPriestofEveryTemple',thepharaohrepresentedthegodsonEarth.Heperformedritualsandbuilttemplestohonourthegods.

　　Manypharaohswenttowarwhentheirlandwasthreatenedorwhentheywantedtocontrolforeignlands.Ifthepharaohwonthebattle,theconqueredpeoplehadtorecognisetheEgyptianpharaohastheirrulerandofferhimthefinestandmostvaluablegoodsfromtheirland.