Top 5 'money-making' jobs in ancient Egypt

There were many professions in ancient Egypt, but not all of them were shortcuts to wealth and fame. However, some individuals found their own way and achieved great success.

Astrology

The Egyptians did not invent astrology, the mystical system of predicting the future by observing the positions and movements of the stars. However, they did develop an extremely sophisticated astrological system for predicting the Nile's annual floods, which was almost completely accurate.

According to archaeological discoveries, the Egyptians began astrology during the Early Dynastic Period (3150 - 2686 BC). Initially, they established a constellation system based on their own personal views but later combined it with Greek astrology, using the 12 zodiac signs. Their Esna Temple near Luxor is a testament to this combination, using the 12 zodiac signs in the decoration of their artifacts.

Egyptian records contain very few records of astrology, but they all hold it in high esteem. One of their recorded astrologers was Imhotep (2650 - 2600 BC). Imhotep was a commoner.

In the class-oriented society of that era, he should have had no chance of advancement, but thanks to his talent for astrology, he rose to the second highest position in ancient Egypt, second only to the pharaoh as prime minister and high priest.

The second most prominent astrologer was Claudius Ptolemaeus (100 - 178 AD). He was of Greek origin but lived and studied in Alexandria for most of his life. Ptolemaeus left behind a monumental astronomical work, the Great Astronomy (Ho megas astronomos) consisting of 13 books, which is recognized as an 'astronomical encyclopedia'.

Exorcism

Exorcism was an essential ritual in ancient Egyptian life. (Photo: Ancient-origins.net).

Ancient Egyptians believed in gods, spirits, and demons, and placed great importance on rituals, magic, and sacred texts. The most essential of their rituals was magic, and the person who performed magic was the shaman.

The famous Italian philosopher and theologian, Titus Flavius ​​Clemens (50 - 95 AD) once stated, 'Egypt is the mother of magicians'. As he saw it, the life of the ancient Egyptians was closely linked to the practice of exorcism.

From kings to commoners, everyone feared being tainted by bad luck and were willing to spend everything to be purified to ward off evil spirits, demons, diseases and pray for good luck.

Ancient Egyptian magicians used magic and incantations. If magic is a ritual or a remedy, then incantations are a set of sentences contained in exorcism texts. Often, magicians perform exorcisms while healing. They recite incantations while performing special acts, and then prescribe medicine for the patient.

In addition to exorcisms, shamans also perform curses upon request. They are often hired to cast curses on tombs to prevent grave robbers.

Notes

The ancient Egyptian elite monopolized writing, so the profession of scribe appeared early and was highly valued. Scribes, regardless of their background, were classified as upper class, had access to people of this class, and enjoyed many privileges and benefits such as tax exemption, exemption from manual labor, etc.

The earliest evidence of scribalism is probably the Pyramid Texts (2700 - 2200 BC), a collection of prayers, spells and magic spells carved into the walls of a pharaoh's pyramid. According to archaeological records, scribes acted as secretaries to officials. Their job was to record and manage documents for construction projects, tax records, censuses, etc. Besides writing, they also drew to illustrate.

Make wigs

Every era is afraid of baldness and ancient Egypt is no exception. Although Egyptian society did not discriminate against bald or shaved heads, everyone wanted to have healthy, beautiful hair. If the Vietnamese say 'hair is the corner of a person', the Egyptians say 'hairstyle reflects social status'. Because, only the upper class was allowed to use wigs and depending on gender and status, wigs were different.

Upper-class men and women wore long, elaborate wigs, adorned with gold or precious stone amulets. Upper-class children wore shorter, simpler wigs. The Egyptians also liked thick hair, so they added hair and extensions. Different hairstyles were worn for different festivals and social gatherings. Wealthy individuals even changed their hairstyles every day.

Of course, with the sky-high demand for wigs, wig makers were soon in high demand. Wig shops sprung up, buying everything from human hair to horse hair to make wigs. People used beeswax and resin to attach the hair to the fabric, skillfully combing and braiding it into beautiful, unique styles. For hair extensions, each strand was knotted into real hair, while for hair extensions, multiple strands were braided into one strand.

In addition to showing status, wigs are also a hygienic solution to protect the scalp, because they help block the sun and heat and prevent lice.

Brewing beer

The Egyptians mass-produced beer as early as BC. (Photo: Historicaleve.com).

Beer was an essential part of the ancient Egyptian diet. It was consumed not only in ceremonies and feasts, but also on a daily basis. On many construction sites, workers were given up to 5 liters of beer a day instead of money.

If the Sumerians were the inventors of beer, the Egyptians were the ones who perfected the art of brewing. Through much experimentation, they created a beer that was both rich in strength and sweet, and a delight to drink. According to archaeological discoveries, their everyday beer had an alcohol content and taste similar to modern brown beer. Ritual beer had a higher alcohol content, and the flavors ranged from herbal to spicy, fruity…

Even in ancient times, Egypt had breweries that produced beer on a large scale. With high consumption, brewers were able to get rich. In 2018, archaeologists discovered the remains of a brewery dating back to 3150 BC. They estimated that the brewery had a capacity of 5,900 gallons per batch, equivalent to 22,330 liters.