18th Dynasty Research Paper

Holden Gowan

Anth 416

4.7.18

Social Dimensions of 18th Dynasty Egypt Sources Egypt’s rich history spans thousands of years as one of the world’s most diverse and iconic people have cultivated a lifestyle that still influences the modern world today. Of the multiple dynasties in Egypt’s history, the 18th dynasty boasts some of the most well-known people in Egypt’s immense lore. Pharaohs like Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamun are just a few people that shaped the 18th dynasty. There are various social aspects of Egyptian culture that helped shape the people that are mentioned in the findings about this time period. The religion that Egyyptians followed, the burial practices they exhibited, and the social structure that theier society was

These people believed it was their duty to keep them happy at all costs. The gods controlled their lives and could choose to end it at any time by causing famine or overflowing the Nile. Their religion centered around a pharaoh that some believed to be a god themselves, while others believed them to be a conduit of the gods to punish or reward the people. Ra, the god of the sun, was believed to be the first pharaoh of the world. During the day, Ra would traverse the sky in a golden ship; at night, the ship would travel through the Duat, known as the River of Darkness, fighting off monsters. Osiris eventually took over from Ra (Egyptian Social). He was responsible for treating man the ways of farming and cultivation which would remain an integral part of Egyptian society as many farmers used their crops to make a living. Amun was believed to be the god that created everything (Egyptian Social). Egyptians during this time worked to please him by praising him for good harvests. These gods, among many others, shaped Egyptian society for most of the 18th dynasty. An exception to this was during the reign of the pharaoh Akhenaten, who would later become known as “the Heretic Pharaoh” (Joshua). He moved society from a polytheistic one to a monotheistic one believing in only one god, known as Aten. Akhenaten tried to shift his culture

There was little social mobility as the poor generally stayed poor while the upper class were always going to be upper class. The social structure during this time is like that of a pyramid with the pharaoh being at the top and the slaves being at the bottom. In between the top and the bottom are the government official, nobles, soldiers, scribes, merchants, artisans, and farmers respectively. The Egyptians believed some human beings were gods. The pharaohs were treated as if they were gods themselves. They entrusted the pharaohs with protection from foreign threat or internal conflict (Egyptian Social). The pharaoh had a chain of command that was used to divide the many tasks up among those closest to them. Nobles and priests who held government positions; they profited from tributes paid to the pharaoh. Soldiers fought in wars and domestic uprising; they also worked to enforce the laws set forth by the pharaoh. Slaves and farmers were at the bottom of society as they struggled to stay alive having little say in what they could and could not do (Egyptian Social). This was also exhibited by what people wore. The high class wore lavish garments embroidered with gold and crafted with the most expensive cloth (Clothing and Adornment). Nobles and government official also wore immense amounts of jewelry. The poor wore much simpler garments that were looked down