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Ptahhotep Hatshepsut's House in the City.
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Hierakonpolis is best known as the home of the exquisite ceremonial Palette of Narmer, the first political document in history and attributed to the first king of the first dynasty at about 3000 BC. Well before the construction of the pyramids, Hierakonpolis was one of the largest urban centers along the Nile -- a vibrant bustling city containing many of the features that would later come to typify Dynastic Egyptian civilization. Stretching for over 3 miles along the edge of the Nile flood plain, already by 3500 BC it was a city of many neighborhoods and quarters. Over a century of archaeological research has confirmed this vast site's central role in the transition from prehistory to history of the rise of early Egyptian civilization.
From the earliest days of Egypt's history, a person's position in society depended on what he or she did for a living. The shape of Egyptian society was referred to as the social pyramid. The most powerful person, the pharaoh, was at the top of this social pyramid. Below the pharaoh ranked government officials, and below them were craft workers. At the pyramid's base were farmers and slaves who also were a part of the largest percentage of the population.
While most people lived a simple life, the nobles of Egypt had a very lavish life style. The nobles included the pharaoh and his family, government leaders, priests, and heads of the military. The nobles owned the land and all the fish in the river. They also owned most of the animals in the herds. Part of every harvest and of every catch went to the pharaoh. This left only a small part to the farmer or fisher. The wealthy nobles had many, sometimes thousands of people working for them.
The nobility owned large houses that were often very heavily decorated. The nobles hired painters, sculptors, weavers, and other craftsmen to decorate their houses. They hired servants to care for their houses and they also owned slaves to take care of their daily needs. They often ate fancy meals with many different kinds of meat, fruit, cakes, and other special foods.
On the nobility estates there was time for relaxing with family members and entertaining friends. The nobility gave parties, dances, and feasts. Often these were held in the private gardens of their homes. On these special occasions, children splashed in the garden pools and played tug-of-war, while adults talked or played senet. Sometimes wealthy families went on picnics and river outings together.
The nobility organized the government of Egypt. They led the military and organized labor for public projects. Members of the nobility were the judges and they also made the laws. The pharaoh was the richest, most important and most powerful noble. Naturally, his life style was even fancier than what the rest of the nobility had.
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