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1. Amulets and hieroglyphs
   Charms and messages and myths
   Drifting sands and green palm trees
   Ancient Egypt’s mysteries.

2. Stories of the River Nile
   Flowing north, mile after mile
   Growing crops and farming land
   Building temples in the sand.

3. Pharaohs, farmers, rich and poor
   Slaves or scribes, at peace or war
   Healthy times, or plagues and strife
   Real people living life.

4. Baking, brewing, picking fruit
   Playing tunes on harp and flute
   Heads that turn and eyes that glance
   Hands that write and feet that dance.

5. Ritual costumes, masks that scare
   Fancy make-up, jewels and hair
   See the pictures, read the signs
   And relive those early times.

6. In their world mysterious
   Weren’t they just a bit like us?
   With games and toys and dolls and pets
   And hieroglyphs and amulets.

This is a five deben weight. It's an artefact from Ancient Egypt. An artefact is an item from a particular time or place that tells us something about life in that time. Deben weights like this one tell us about the achievements of Ancient Egyptian society.

The first deben weight that we know about dates all the way back to eighteen hundred BC. Back in Ancient Egypt there was no such thing as money. If Ancient Egyptians wanted something they didn't have they had to trade something they did have to get it.

Debens were used to measure out produce in the same way that we use grams or kilograms today. Each deben weighed exactly the same so that meant it could be used to set a price and ensure a fair exchange.

The fact that Ancient Egyptians could exchange their produce or their skills in this way, meant that they were able to specialise in aparticular job or craft. It also meant the average diet was really quite varied and nutritious.

Ancient Egyptian society started because groups of people were attracted to the River Nile as a source of food and water. These people built villages along the river and learnt how to farm and use boats to travel. Eventually the northern areas where most people lived were united under one pharaoh who was called Narmer. This was the start of a state that lasted for almost three thousand years. By the time the final pharaoh, Cleopatra VII, was in charge the building of the pyramids was already ancient history.

Over the years there were many wars and revolutions, the shape of society changed quite a lot. Well, three thousand years is a long time. But, one thing stayed the same: the pharaoh was always the most powerful and important person in Egyptian society. In fact, pharaohs were considered so important that it was believed that they could turn into gods after death.

When one Pharaoh died it would usually be his son who became the next pharaoh. If the pharaoh had no son a daughter might be chosen. If there was no daughter then it was another member of the Royal Family.

After the pharaoh the next most important people in society were government officials, nobles and high priests. But most Ancient Egyptians were just ordinary people who did all sorts of different jobs.

A very important job to hold was that of a scribe. These were people, usually men, who could read and write the Ancient Egyptian style of writing called hieroglyphics.

Back then not everyone got the chance to go to school to learn to read and write. So you were pretty lucky if you did. It was mostly the children of the rich who got to go to school - usually boys - but some girls also learnt to read and write at home.

Poorer children were generally taught how to do their parents' jobs and most didn't get the chance to learn reading and writing.

Some Egyptian pharaohs were women - in fact, Ancient Egypt wasn't a bad place to be a woman at all, in nearly every way they were treated as equal to men. But even so there were still some senior jobs that were reserved for men.

Actually Ancient Egypt wasn't a bad place to live for most people. When times were good ordinary, average folk, even had time for hobbies and sports. For less sporty types, there were board games. Some of the pharaohs loved their board games, so much, they even had them placed in their tombs so that they could play them in the afterlife.

Ghost Pharaoh: Does anyone want to play with me?

Nanu: Hi I'm Nanu and this is my mother's farm. Well, I mean it actually belongs to Lord Wegaf or maybe even the Pharaoh! I'm not sure, but anyway ever since my father died five years ago, it's been my mother and us children who have done all the work round here.

I'm the eldest daughter in the family with five little ones to help mum look after. That's my older brother Ahkhom. He does most of the heavy farm-work since father died. But we all do our fair share.

Right now it's nearly the end of Akhet, the flooding season. The land is beginning to dry out and all that black silt and soil left behind by the Nile will be really good for growing crops. That means it's going to be Peret soon, the growing season. That's why everyone is busy getting ready.

Ok, Idu, I have what I need now, let me have a look! That should draw out the splinter. Now, just be careful with it today and I'll have a look at it later.

Idu: Ok!

Nanu: I love helping people when they are sick or hurt. It's my dream that some day I can become a Swnwt, a doctor. Of course, my mother says I'm dreaming! She says in Egypt farm girls don't get to be doctors, especially farm girls with trouble walking.

This is Imhotep - the patron god of doctors. I make an offering to him every day.

And I read everything I can get my hands on about healing and medicines. I can read quite well and even write a little.

The scribe from the temple of Sekhmet has been teaching my brother Ahkhom since our father died. He has no children of his own to pass the skill on to and my mother convinced him to teach Ahkhom, so he comes here many evenings. And me? Well, it's amazing what you can pick up, if you sit close enough. In fact, I'd say I'm definitely a better scribe than Ahkhom now and even the old scribe knows it.

Lady Wegaf? Did he eat those berries? Those berries are poisonous.

Lady Wegaf: Yes, but I don't know how many of them he's eaten!

Nanu: We need to act quickly. In a child so small those berries could be deadly. Don't worry, I know what to do. Here, get him to drink this. You have to trust me, there's no time to waste.

Lady Wegaf: It's okay my love, drink this, it will make you better. Goodbye Nanu and thank you!

Nanu: Lady Wagaf couldn't thank me enough for saving her child. I had heard she has a relative in the school of lady physicians.So I told her that my dream is to be a doctor. She says she will send a message right away to recommend me as an apprentice.Anything for the girl who saved the life of her son. Who says farm girls can't be doctors, or at least, doctors' apprentices.

1. Amulets and hieroglyphs
   Charms and messages and myths
   Drifting sands and green palm trees
   Ancient Egypt’s mysteries.

2. Stories of the River Nile
   Flowing north, mile after mile
   Growing crops and farming land
   Building temples in the sand.

3. Pharaohs, farmers, rich and poor
   Slaves or scribes, at peace or war
   Healthy times, or plagues and strife
   Real people living life.

4. Baking, brewing, picking fruit
   Playing tunes on harp and flute
   Heads that turn and eyes that glance
   Hands that write and feet that dance.

5. Ritual costumes, masks that scare
   Fancy make-up, jewels and hair
   See the pictures, read the signs
   And relive those early times.

6. In their world mysterious
   Weren’t they just a bit like us?
   With games and toys and dolls and pets
   And hieroglyphs and amulets.