What did children teach in the schools of ancient Egypt? A summary of the education will be described below. The article will be interesting to people who want to understand the essence of the topic without going into details. Consider what education was in ancient Egypt.
What children were taught in the schools of ancient Egypt
It is worth noting that training was not available to everyone. Only sons of noble and respected people came for knowledge. All this made the education system closed. It was very difficult to overcome social differences between people, since initially the school acted as a family institution. The scribe's position was profitable, as well as very respected, the people working on it were considered bosses. In order to master the rules of writing, the child needed to learn 700 hieroglyphs, to understand a lot about simplified, fluent and classical writing. Studying was a serious and responsible matter, which determined the future path of a person. Occupation was chosen once and for life. Therefore, everyone knew a lot about their business.
Perhaps we should learn from the Egyptians here. Now people are changing thousands of jobs, mastering dozens of specialties, but in the end they never become professionals.
I wonder what they taught children in the schools of ancient Egypt? They taught children literacy, numeracy and writing. But this is only the basic subjects that were required for all students. Instead of a pen, a cane stick and black paint were used.
Students had to start a new paragraph with red paint, it also highlighted certain semantic phrases and punctuation. Papyrus was very expensive, it was not accessible to everyone, because often it was replaced with polished limestone plates. So in Egypt, children hone their writing skills. Teachers selected special texts for rewriting, they should contain knowledge in the area where the young specialist will have to work. The account occupied a special place in training. Archaeologists have learned what they taught children in the schools of Ancient Egypt, from the "notebooks" found during excavations. The children had to calculate the area of the field in the classroom, as well as the number of slaves needed to build the temple. Children taught everything that is useful to them when they go to work for the good of the country.
Training for doctors and officials
In the V century BC, schools for doctors were opened, and knowledge about the treatment of more than 500 diseases has already been accumulated. Craftsmen-healers were very respected and noble at that time. They often served under the pharaohs. Mistakes could cost them dearly, because in their hands was the health of the most important people of that time. It is thought that it was not in vain that the Egyptians possessed so many knowledge. Efforts to study and respect for science made themselves felt.
In general, everything that children were taught in the schools of Ancient Egypt should have been useful to them in adulthood. At schools, libraries were located in which ancient texts could be found. Future officials had to thoroughly study and even memorize religious texts. The young men who were supposed to devote their lives to serving the state had to understand a lot, including in construction, military affairs, and the manufacture of technical devices.
But not only the boys were trained, the daughters of the pharaohs were also very educated, thanks to which they could rule the country no worse than men. It is enough to recall Cleopatra, who was distinguished not only by beauty, but also by wisdom and deep knowledge.
Priest Training
What did children teach in the schools of ancient Egypt at the temples? The guys there were taught religious texts, astronomy and medicine from the age of five. They also taught good manners and gymnastics. Future priests, like the rest of the students, were taught literacy, writing, and numeracy. Often, in the final stages of their studies, teenagers drafted business letters and contracts. After the course of the compulsory program, they moved on to the main one: the study of religion, its dogmas and canons, as well as the main rites. When the entire program was completed, students took exams. Those who successfully coped with all tasks were shaved baldly, bathed, incense was rubbed into their skin, they were dressed in a robe for priests. It was believed that they possess secret knowledge that was inaccessible to ordinary people. Thanks to their minds, the sages ruled the country, and those who were not accessible to training worshiped knowledgeable people as gods.
Methods and learning process
What children taught in the schools of ancient Egypt is very interesting, but how this process was organized is even more curious. The main thing was the ability to listen. The teacher addressed the student, and he, in turn, was obliged to remember everything that was told to him. Otherwise, punishment followed. So the guys were taught obedience. Physical punishment was considered normal. Pupils studied from morning until evening. Boys led an ascetic lifestyle, did not drink alcohol and did not communicate with girls. Those who violated the rules were severely punished by hitting the body with a “hippo” lash.