A few Egyptians enjoyed long lives. Pepy II, last king of the Sixth Dynasty, ruled for more than 90 years. But most people did not live past 35 or 40. Three or four out of every five children did not survive to adulthood. A child who lived to celebrate his fifth birthday was lucky. Because so many children died young, children were only gradually included in the life of the family and community.
Childhood was brief but happy, with games, toys, and freedom. Egyptians often named (or nicknamed) their children after animals, such Monkey, Cat, Frog, Mouse, Hound, or Gazelle, based on the child’s behavior. Miit (cat) was a popular name for girls.
Children played games much like today’s: leap frog, running and jumping, swimming, tug-of-war, ball games of many kinds, and a form of hopscotch. Gymnastics, vaulting, and handball were popular with both boys and girls. One ancient game, “goose steps,” is still played in rural Egypt. Girls played with dolls and small animal figurines. Children fished, swam, and rowed small boats. Some wealthy families had swimming pools.
Late childhood was devoted to preparations for adulthood. There was no such thing as a “teenager” as we know it. A peasant child’s life of hard manual labor began early, helping with planting, harvesting, and threshing. Boys were considered fully adult by age 15 or 16. They were expected to take on adult responsibilities, adopt a profession, and support their families.
Girls almost never learned to read and write. Priests, nobles, and the wealthy sent their sons to temple schools to study under the strict guidance of priest-scribes. A peasant boy who showed extraordinary intelligence and promise might be sent to school-a major turning point in his family’s fortunes, because the literate minority ran the country.
Most of a young man’s higher education was on-the-job training, alongside a master in his chosen field. Youngsters studying to become priests, and students of mathematics, medicine, or astronomy, stayed at the temple school for advanced education.
World History
