BEING A SERVANT IN ANCIENT EGYPT

By Trisha P.

THE AWAKENING

• I awoke with fear…. It was almost dawn and I hadn’t cooked Pharaoh Sherry’s morning meal. She was bound to wake any time now. I’m going as fast as I can to put on my linen kilt and my reed sandals.

THE MORNING ROUTINE

• I’m getting Pharaoh Sherry’s meal ready with many other meals that I must make. Normally, at dawn, the cooking room wasn’t that busy, because I’m the only cook and other servants are getting their labor done.

LAUNDRY SERVICE

I’m heading towards Pharaoh Sherry’s quarters to receive her daily laundry. While I’m walking down the halls to get much more clothing, I start to think ,being a servant isn’t that bad it’s not like they starve you to death, which is nice, but you don’t have much free time at all . Then I grab my washboard and a bar of soap on the way out to the Nile.

THE NILE

I have all of the garments in my woven basket, on my head and the washboard and the bar of soap in my hands while walking down the sandy path to the Nile. The Nile River is important to me for the laundry service… I’ve sat down with the washboard in the river already started on the clothes, as I pray to Hathor the goddess to keep me safe at all times. About an hour has passed. I did the scrubbing and rinsing, now I go to hang the clothes on the clothes line.

LUNCH

• I walk down the halls to the cooking area. I already see that the dishes have been cleaned, and I start to prepare the meal for Pharaoh Sherry, and the other servants. I will feed Pharaoh Sherry, fish, bread, and fruit. I will make the servants, bread, and a salad.

THE CLEAN UP

• After everyone has finished their meal, I gather all the dishes and bring them back to the cooking quarters. There’s a bucket full of hot water for me to do the dishes in on the table. After I finished the clean up I will go play chess with another servant for my free time.

MUMMIFICATION

I think the greatest accomplishment is mummification. It’s just so different. I think when I’m going to die I will be mummified so I will have an afterlife for eternity.

PREPARATION

• I must prepare for all the people that are coming for last meal of the day. All the servants, slaves, and all of Pharaoh Sherry’s guests are coming to the feast. I have to set the table for the guests. The slaves and servants must eat in the cooking area. I must get all the guests wine, and make them fish, a huge salad, bread, and all different kinds of fruit will be served.

DINNER• Many guests have already arrived, the

meal should be done in about five to ten minutes. About thirteen people are here, the fish is cooked, the salad is made, the bread is done and the fruit has been picked. The guests are all settled in their seats and now the servants are taking the food out for the meal.

END OF THE DAY

• The guests are gone, the slaves are in bed. Servants are cleaning all the dishes and I’m cleaning the table up. It didn’t take long but the dishes are all gone, and the servants are going to bed. Pharaoh Sherry is in her room and now I’m heading to my hard wooden bed. I’m in my room now taking off my reed sandals, and hopping in my bed trailing off about all the things to come tomorrow.