Peterson Ancient Egypt Daily Life Journal
Task:
Task:
Write Journal entry # 1 as if you are an ancient Egyptian. Show what you have learned through your research about the culture and daily life of ancient Egyptians.
Remember to:
- start with your real name and your Egyptian name
- write your journal in the first person (from your character's point of view)
- make sure your character's social position is clear in your writing
- include lots of setting description
- describe daily cultural events from your character's life
- save all work to your flashdrive and bring it with you each day
- edit and save all of your work in Word and also to your flashdrive
- check that your writing is crystal clear.
DAY 1
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
I have just become an Egyptian scribe and I can already tell that this job is going to be very fun and very challenging. My name is Anwar and I am glad that I just got my job in Egypt. Being a scribe sounds like a very fun job and I think it could help this civilization a lot. I got this job because I found out that anyone could undertake this profession (as long as they get the education). I can’t believe that you also need the right clothing, appearance, and even personal hygiene! There are lots of things a scribe could do like tax collecting, law administrating, conducting the census of the population, and lots of other stuff. The only thing that worries me is that I don’t know how long I will be working each day. I hope I don’t work all day every day inside a hot building. Especially on a summer day! I start working tomorrow. So I hope this is going to be fun!
A Day in the Life of a High Priest of Egypt
ReplyDeleteBy High Priest Iah
Translated by William Mahoney
DAY ONE
I can’t imagine a world of finer luxury than that of the high priest. Except maybe the life of the vizier. Or of course, the Pharaoh.
Every day I wake up in supreme luxury on a fine linen bed. I shave my head to purify myself, and I dress in a simple linen robe. After I eat a breakfast of fruits and wheat bread, I make my way strait to the temple of Djehuti, god of the moon and writing. I was always meant to be the high priest of Djehuti. For one, my father was high priest to him, and priesthood is usually passed down by generation to generation. I also happen to live in the city of Khmun, which houses the great temple of Djehuti. For another thing, my name, Iah, means moon, which is one of the symbols of Djehuti.
Once I’m in the great temple, I take the statue of Djehuti out of its special shrine. I clothe it, wash it, and give it a purified sacrifice. I then bow to it, and I back out of the temple, because it is highly disrespectful to turn your back on a god.
Outside the temple I set up a ritual to praise everything Djehuti has done for us. It involves burning candles and praising him through song. There are other rituals that will be done later, but this one is very important.
This is my first entry, but it is not edited!!
-William
DAY 2
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
Today I started my job as a scribe and I think it is going to be hard in the middle of the flood season. June to October is really the time of year where pretty much everything except for the high grounds. This is because the farmers can not farm on land that is flooded. So they have to either go to war or help build the pyramids. And this is helping them pay their taxes so the tax collector scribes have a lot of work to do with recording the money we get.
I’m exhausted! I have done so much writing today and there are so many hieroglyphs I have to remember, which makes it even harder. All day long the farmers have been coming in with their tax money. You can tell they are farmers by the way they dress. They always wear loin cloths and they are very nice people but they go in the sun a lot so some times they can smell pretty bad.
I love my new job but I can not wait to get home and have some hummus and Egyptian bread. In the evenings I like to play senet with my older sister even if she always beats me.
Layla’s journal
ReplyDeleteHello!!! My name is Layla. My name means night. I am a apprentice farmer. Every day I wake up and get dress, then I go to the Nile River to wash up it is important for me to be clean because I work all day in the field and I get dirty. My sister, Femi is also a farmer in training. We work together day by day, we are in a harvest/summer season, but we don’t make much money. In Egypt the year was divided into three seasons Inundation/Autumn, Growing/Winter and Harvest/Summer. Each season was divided into four months of each thirty days making a total of 120 days in each season, at the end of the year, five extra days are thrown in to compensate for the year being 365 days it is called the Epagomenal Days or the "Days Upon the Year". We live in a house made from bricks of sun dried mud, called adobe, because wood was scarce. Femi and I share the same room so only have one mirror and it is small. Our bed covered in a coarse linen sheet that had been woven by my grandma, Ushe. Ushe mean life and she cares about life. People in Egypt believe of a after life, they believe that when you die you go to another place where the gods are. Ushe believes in that too. My mom, Mandisan had washed and dressed early in the morning light. Then she had gone to begin her daily chores. Mandisa means sweet and she is very sweet to me and Femi. Mandisa wore a dress made of coarse linen. Around her neck was an amulet of the goddess Tawaret on a piece of papyrus string that Azibo my have gave her. Azibo mean earth my dad mean the whole wide world to me.
Dear journal
ReplyDeleteMy name is Nub it means gold. My parents named me that because I was destined to be a goldsmith. A goldsmith is a person who does art or crafts with gold. But I am not a normal goldsmith I am a goldsmith for the pharaoh and the wealthy. But that’s not all I do I also have my own store were I sell gold jewelry for people. But when people buy my stuff they don’t pay me with money we exchange items or it means trade. So lets say somebody wanted a necklace they could give me something like food or supplies I might need. When I was in my store today my nephew came. He is my brother’s son. My brother is very wealthy and his son goes to scribe school he started when he was like four.
Work was slow today nobody really bought anything and we were running short on food. After work was over I stopped by at the temple. First I had to be purified in the sacred lake and then I went in the temple and gave offerings to our gods.
When I got home I had vegetables for dinner and went to sleep, it was not a good day and I hope tomorrow will be.
I change my journal a little bit.
ReplyDeleteLayla’s journal
Dear Journal
Hello!!! My name is Layla. My name means night. I am a apprentice farmer. Every day I wake up and get dress, then I go to the Nile River to wash up it is important for me to be clean because I work all day in the field and I get dirty. My sister, Femi is also a farmer in training.
We work together day by day, we are in a harvest/summer season, but we don’t make much money. In Egypt the year was divided into three seasons Inundation/Autumn, Growing/Winter and Harvest/Summer. Each season was divided into four months of each thirty days making a total of 120 days in each season, at the end of the year, five extra days are thrown in to compensate for the year being 365 days it is called the Epagomenal Days or the "Days Upon the Year". Today I had to take a part of the harvest to the temple to pay for the use of the temple’s land. I filled several baskets with the harvest, loaded them onto two donkeys and set out for the temple with Femi and another field worker.
We live in a house made from bricks of sun dried mud, called adobe, because wood was scarce. Femi and I share the same room so we only have one mirror and it is small. Our bed covered in a coarse linen sheet that had been woven by my grandma, Ushe. Ushe mean life and she cares about life. People in Egypt believe of a after life, they believe that when you die you go to another place where the gods are. Ushe believes in that too.
My mom, Mandisan had washed and dressed early in the morning light. Then she had gone to begin her daily chores. Mandisa means sweet and she is very sweet to me and Femi. Mandisa wore a dress made of coarse linen. Around her neck was an amulet of the goddess Tawaret on a piece of papyrus string that Azibo my dad have gave her. Azibo means earth. Mandisa wore a amulet to ward off evil sprits and injury.
My dad Azibo, said to my sister and I that we had to get married. I told my dad Azibo that won’t, but I couldn’t do that much to change Azibo mind my parent. It wasn’t fair too my parent had to chose who I had to get married with. In Egypt peasant girls usually got married around the age 12, the boys were a few years older than the girls. In Egypt marriages were arranged by the children’s parent although some young people chose their own spouse. We weren’t wealth, but today I wished I was because in Egypt girls of more wealthy families married a few years older.
I change a little bit
ReplyDeleteLayla’s journal
Dear Journal
Hello!!! My name is Layla. My name means night. I am a apprentice farmer. Every day I wake up and get dress, then I go to the Nile River to wash up it is important for me to be clean because I work all day in the field and I get dirty. My sister, Femi is also a farmer in training.
We work together day by day, we are in a harvest/summer season, but we don’t make much money. In Egypt the year was divided into three seasons Inundation/Autumn, Growing/Winter and Harvest/Summer. Each season was divided into four months of each thirty days making a total of 120 days in each season, at the end of the year, five extra days are thrown in to compensate for the year being 365 days it is called the Epagomenal Days or the "Days Upon the Year". Today I had to take a part of the harvest to the temple to pay for the use of the temple’s land. I filled several baskets with the harvest, loaded them onto two donkeys and set out for the temple with Femi and another field worker.
Second part of Layla's Journal
ReplyDeleteI change a little bit
We live in a house made from bricks of sun dried mud, called adobe, because wood was scarce. Femi and I share the same room so we only have one mirror and it is small. Our bed covered in a coarse linen sheet that had been woven by my grandma, Ushe. Ushe mean life and she cares about life. People in Egypt believe of a after life, they believe that when you die you go to another place where the gods are. Ushe believes in that too.
My mom, Mandisan had washed and dressed early in the morning light. Then she had gone to begin her daily chores. Mandisa means sweet and she is very sweet to me and Femi. Mandisa wore a dress made of coarse linen. Around her neck was an amulet of the goddess Tawaret on a piece of papyrus string that Azibo my dad have gave her. Azibo means earth. Mandisa wore a amulet to ward off evil sprits and injury.
My dad Azibo, said to my sister and I that we had to get married. I told my dad Azibo that won’t, but I couldn’t do that much to change Azibo mind my parent. It wasn’t fair too my parent had to chose who I had to get married with. In Egypt peasant girls usually got married around the age 12, the boys were a few years older than the girls. In Egypt marriages were arranged by the children’s parent although some young people chose their own spouse. We weren’t wealth, but today I wished I was because in Egypt girls of more wealthy families married a few years older.
Egyptians and slaves like me worked really hard, in our free time we would play hunt or dance. When they played it was mostly athletic games like wrestling, ballgames and acrobats. Most slaves need a talent to be a slave like an acrobat; a lot of acrobats are slaves for entertaining at parties, they do that also with musicians. That’s why I don’t want to be a musician or an acrobat. My friends and I love board games but the most popular game is senet. It was played on a board divided in to three rows of ten squares. Each player had 7 pieces and you wanted all of your pieces on the other side of the board but preventing your partner to get all 7 pieces.
ReplyDeleteBrendan
Dear Journal
ReplyDeleteMy name is Ebe it means wonderful. My parents named me that because they thought I would grow up and be a wonderful person. My mother is still alive but my father died when fighting foreigners known as Hyksos. My family is very lucky. When my father was around he would pay all of the bills, but since I got a good job that actually pays okay I have been paying the bills for my mother.
My family and I have a very nice home, it is made of sun dried bricks, and it is very big. The roof is flat so in the nighttime I like to go out on the roof, everybody is always out on the roof and since the homes are very close together you can talk to your neighbor. My mother has trouble getting up high steps, and that is a problem because all the doors front and back doors are 4 feet off the ground so we had steps but we had to change to a ramp.
I am a sculptor and a shopkeeper, I own my shop and I sell my sculptures. My sculptors range from very small to making tombs for the kings. It is a lot of work but I love it. During my free time I like to make grave goods for the people to put with me when I die and when I get buried. There are many kids around me so I play with them a lot. The one main game we all play together is called senet. Senet involves writing, hunting, fishing and more. When I want to spend time with my family we take family outings. Well i have to get to the shop now.
Love
Ebe
This is for Crystal...
ReplyDeleteExcellent work including lots of cultural detail and bringing your character to life. I especially like all the detailed description of her home, names, family, and personal situation. Keep up the good work. Mrs. Zabbia
This is for Trey..
ReplyDeleteGreat start to your journal, and good use of cultural details. Here are some suggestions...edit for spelling...combine short sentences into more complex ones....use language appropriate for the time period (don't stay "stuff")...try not to switch so abruptly from scene to scene...elaborate and add more detail to each. Keep working! Mrs. Zabbia
This is for Evelyn....
ReplyDeleteExcellent use of cultural detail and voice in your writing. You brought your character to life and I can picture it. Try to include more physical description so that the reader can realy picture Ebe. Also, elaborate and stretch out each scene with more description...try not to switch abruptly from one activity to another.
Keep up the good work. Mrs. Zabbia
Dear Diary,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Nailah… I would first like to let you know a little about myself. I am a shopkeeper and an artisan and I will live up to my name, which means successful. I will soon live up to my name because in just a week I will help paint the walls of a pyramid. I know my family will be proud, I will show our culture in this paint, this paint will tell a story. Yesterday I was paid with a new set of clothes, a beautiful white dress and some perfumed oil.
I stayed home from work today. I watched men build my new neighbors house, I watched them mix the straw and mud together and place them into blocks, then let them sun dry. The house turned out to be huge. Tonight my family and I are eating dinner and watching the sunset on our flat roof. I am hoping it is a clear starry night so we can sleep on the roof to. I went back into my house through the front door I walked up our small ramp because my door is 4 feet off the ground. When I came out at sunset to eat the house was almost done.
Love,
Nailah
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Akil. (Intelligence) I failed my hieroglyphics test today. I got beaten for the third time! Not to mention my brother Bes, (protector) failed too. At least we will get beaten together! My brother and I don’t TRY to fail, actually I was the best in the class until one night. My father snuck out and stole treasures from a tomb. It was very all of a sudden. No one knows to this day why he did it. That very night, he was tortured to death. Ever since then, I haven’t been the same. My Brother and my Mom support me in everything that I try.
-Akil
Hi my name is Adjo,in Egyption Adjo means treasure. I am twelve years old and I am a slave here in Ancient Egypt. My family has lived here for years. I live in a small house next to the Nile River. My Dad and I made our house out of sun dried mud and straw. We made wholes in the mud when it was soft for windows.After the sun shined on our house for a while in turned hard like brick. There is only two rooms in our house. One of the rooms is a bed room where Mom,Dad and I sleep. Our beds are made out of wood and reeds. Instead of a pillow we have wooden head rests. The other room had a bathroom, storage, a chest of cloths and jars of food. My Mom cooks for us on the flat roof of our house so that there is no fires. We only have three pieces of furniture in our house. It is three foldable chairs made out of wood and leather.
ReplyDeleteJoe Trotta
Dear Dairy
ReplyDeleteMy name is Masud it means lucky. I am 21 and I am a warrior. I don’t really like the cloths. When I was little I had to wear no cloths. Now a wear a tunic made of linen fabric it is cool and comfortable. I have a spear and shield for battle, I serve for king tut. My dad is nice and so is my mom, I am an only child. Today I start basic war training to fight for Egypt. I have a weird hair cut all my hair is cut to the side like a ponytail then the rest of my head is bald. I have a cool helmet it is made of bronzes. My drill master is really mean he made us run 30 miles when we only have to run 20 miles. Then he would beat us if we did something wrong. My favorite part is learning how to use weapons.
patrick
ReplyDeleteMasika's Journal.
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
My name is Masika, which means born during rain. My father decided to name me that because on the day I was born a huge storm rolled in and it was the first time Egypt got hit with so much rain since a LOOOONNGG while ago. Also my eyes are as blue as the raindrops and my hair as dark as the black storm clouds. My father is a carpenter and my mother is a weaver. I have an older brother, Lisimba, and a little sister, Akila. Lisimba’s name means lion; my father called him this because he wanted him to be as tough and stealthy as a lion, plus his hair is as messy as a lion’s mane. Akila’s name means intelligent; my mother wanted her to be intelligent and wise. Her hair is exactly like mine, but her eyes are sea green.
All day long Akila and I help mother weave and cook and clean. I find very tedious. Lisimba is very lucky because he gets to go to school and help father in the workshop. Akila loves to clean, cook, and weave. She never objects to anything! I do.
My best friend is named Layla, which means night. Her mother is a sculptor and her father owns a shop that sells pottery, food, clothing, jewelry, and so much more. Layla doesn’t like to do chores either and she desperately wants to go to school too. She’s an only child, so sometimes she gets to help her father. Sometimes I wish I was an only child too, although I love Akila and Lisimba.
Every morning I get up and put on my linen dress. I wash and go down to get my morning meal. Then mother, Akila and I start our morning duties as father goes to work and Lisimba goes to school. Today was a little bit different. Father stood up at our morning meal and started talking to us.
“As you all know the Feast of Opet is coming soon. So, when it starts we will leave before sunrise and go to Thebes, which is just a little way away. We must get there before sunrise, because that is when the gods come out and the festival starts. We will honor our dead ancestors, see acrobats, play instruments, dance, and eat. We will be together as a family.” Father announced.
“Father, we know. You give us this speech every year.” I said. Then father got angry and stormed out (this happens every year). Lisimba went to school and we started on our morning chores.
Later in the day, mother turned to me and Akila and I and started speaking.
“Girls, it is about time to take a big step in your lives. You are around the age to get married. You should know that you are expected to have a child in the first year of marriage. Your father and I will pick a spouse for you. For Egyptian women pregnancy is a sacred time. ” Akila greeted this news by gushing, blushing, smiling, and giggling. I just sat there, stunned. Not only did I have to get married and have a child very soon, but I didn’t even get to pick a groom! Then I argued and cried and yelled, but mother wouldn’t budge.
I have to get back to work.
-Masika
Day 1:
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Sebi, it means Ox in Egyptian. My mom and dad are farmers; the farmers are people who grow food. My mom and dad already picked who I am going to marry. The season is peret (growing season). On the farm they grow onions, leeks, cabbages, beans, and cucumber. The animals are cattle, goats, pigs, ducks, cows, and geese. I have also a dog. I have an amulet of Ra to protect the evil spirts. First I go take a bath in the Nile; I have to be clean for today. Today I’m going to hunt antelopes in the dare desert. My dad and I hunt while my mom and sister (Banafrit= beautiful soul) farm. My dad got 5 while I got 3. Next, my dad and I went fishing; I almost fell in the water, my father caught 10, I caught 5. The Nile is the second strongest things in the world, the first is the gods. Next I work in the farm, start plowing, I planted about 20-30 seeds. After that I had to go scarce place to thank the gods. I gave an antelope to the gods, the pharaoh is supposed give the food to the gods. The pharaoh is part god part human, so they can commutate with the gods. Next, I pray after I go to sleep. I share a room with my dad. My sister shares with my mom. My mom and dad didn’t pick a husband for my sister. I think my sister beat me of hard work today. I was so tired that fell to sleep.
Hi my name is Femi. I am 12 years old. My name means love. I live in a house made of bricks of sundried mud with my sister Layla, her name means night, my mother Mandisa, her name means sweet, my father Azibo, his name means Earth, and my grandmother Ushe, her name means life. Our house is located just along the Nile River. I am a farmer in training. I work day by day out in the fields with Layla. She is also a farmer in training.
ReplyDeleteEveryday I wake up at the crack of dawn, then I get dressed and go to the Nile River to wash up. It is important for us to be clean because we get very dirty in the fields. Layla and I share a room so we only have one mirror and it is very small. Our entire family is made up of farmers, so we rely greatly on the Nile. Every year, there is a celebration. We celebrate the flooding of the Nile River. Every year at that time, our crops grow larger and we get more money.
Today in the fields, I had to grab a basket and individually I had to pick off each pea. It is summer here so I usually have to harvest most of our vegetables. Then at dinner Layla and I help mother prepare the food. After I finished the peas, grandmother called me inside to practice my lute.
After a long day of working in the fields, our family settles down while Layla and I help mother with dinner. We make bread, fresh milk, meat and vegetables we harvested. At dinner Layla and I must be extremely polite. Also before we eat, we must say a prayer. When I asked why, father said it was to thank the God of Plenty for the food.
After dinner, Layla and I go to our room and get ready for bed. I take off my white linen dress and change into my clothes for bed. Then I comb my hair and pull it back into a pony tail. I lay down in my bed covered with white sheets and a colorful quilt stitched by my Grandmother.
-Teresa
Egyptian Journal
ReplyDeleteI woke up in the morning knowing that I have my first day of work at the pyramids. I went down to go get my breakfast which is usually eggs and rice. My owner said that I have to go take my bath at the Nile River before I go to work so I can be clean while I work because I will get very dirty helping people to lift the rocks. I’m going down to the Nile River right now it is very silent probably because everyone is down at the pyramid site which is in Giza. Akar was down at the Nile River finishing his bath getting ready to go to Giza. “Hi Akar” I said “hey I’m about to go down to Giza do you want to come ill wait for you” Akar said. “No you could go I don’t want to waist your time” I said “ok then” Akar said and he started walking away. I started to take my shower; I was almost done but then Akhem came “hey do you want to go to Giza together”.
Egyptian Journal
ReplyDeleteI woke up in the morning knowing that I have my first day of work at the pyramids. I went down to go get my breakfast which is usually eggs and rice. My owner said that I have to go take my bath at the Nile River before I go to work so I can be clean while I work because I will get very dirty helping people to lift the rocks. I’m going down to the Nile River right now it is very silent probably because everyone is down at the pyramid site which is in Giza. Akar was down at the Nile River finishing his bath getting ready to go to Giza. “Hi Akar” I said “hey I’m about to go down to Giza do you want to come ill wait for you” Akar said. “No you could go I don’t want to waist your time” I said “ok then” Akar said and he started walking away. I started to take my shower; I was almost done but then Akhem came “hey do you want to go to Giza together” “aren’t you going to take a bath” I said. “No I took one earlier in the morning” he said “ok let me just come out real quick” I said. “Ok” said Akhem. So I came out of the Nile River then I got dressed then I went to join Akhem. We where walking for a while and then we saw the tips of people heads moving and we felt the breeze of rocks being lifted. Then we started to run we where so we could start working. We got to the bottom then we went to go see the Pharaoh to see what job we got assigned to go lift rocks with a lot of other people. We went to go join everyone to wait to see where we have to go “hey why did you guys take so long?” Akar “we walked here” we both said. “Ok” Akar said “well lets start working” Akar said so we did we helped the men lift the rocks we put some water on it so it can be easy to carry. We also helped to break the rocks to make smaller with our versions of hammers. Then we had to go home after six great hours. We started to walk home and get ready to go to bed because we where all so tired because of all the work we did. When we got home I prayed thanks for having such a good day then I feel asleep in less then two minutes.
This is for Brendan...
ReplyDeleteGood start to your journal...nice detail. Continue work as we did today on fattening up each scene to add more detail, and also on editing for smooth sentences.
Good luck,
Mrs. Zabbia
This is for Diego...
ReplyDeleteI love all of the excellent detail in your first entry...I can picture this scene so well. One suggestion...if your remove the dialogue, it will greatly improve the flow of your journal - the dialogue does not add anything helpful. This is my favorite line.. "then we saw the tips of people heads moving and we felt the breeze of rocks being lifted." Keep up the good work. Mrs. Zabbia
Also for Diego...
ReplyDeletedon't forget to edit! Mrs. Z
this is for Teresa..
ReplyDeleteExcellent cultural detail, voice, and personality. You brought your character to life in great detail, and I can imagine her.
Mrs. Z
This is for Brian,
ReplyDeleteGreat start to your journal...lots of excellent cultural detail about the slave's life. Be sure to edit...there are words missing in para 3, and the part about his work tending crops and building pyramids is repeated in both para 1 & 2.
Good detail about him losing his shoes and having to go barefoot. You should consider more about the work building pyramids, because that is so interesting. Good work. Mrs. Z
this is for Daniel...
ReplyDeletegood start to your journal...you included lots of excellent cultural detail. I will work with you to revise so that each scene is stretched out in more detail, and does not shift abruptly from one thing to another. Good work so far.
Mrs. Z
this is for Mary...outstanding work including rich cultural detail about your character. You write with great personality and voice, and I can visualize each scene. My favorite part is the physical description, including "eyes are as blue as the raindrops and my hair as dark as the black storm clouds." I also love when you say, "Oh, Papa, you say that every year!" Keep up the great writing. Mrs. Z
ReplyDeleteThis is for Matt.
ReplyDeletegreat start to your slave journal...lots of excellent detail. We will work together to smooth out your writing and add more detail and description. Keep up the good work.
mrs. Z
this is for Joe...
ReplyDeleteI love your first journal entry, especially all the detail and description about his home. I can't wait to read more about his work. Remember to edit. Good work so far. Mrs. Z
this is for Veronica..
ReplyDeletegreat start This is for Evelyn....
good use of cultural detail and voice in your writing. Try to include more physical description so that the reader can really picture your character. Also, elaborate and stretch out each scene with more description...try not to switch abruptly from one activity to another.
Keep up the good work. Mrs. Zabbia
to your first journal entry...
this if for Maggie...your words are telling a beautiful story, just like Nailah's paint. Excllent work including rich cultural detail...you brought your character to life and I can imagine her..This is one of my favorite lines.... "I am hoping it is a clear starry night so we can sleep on the roof too." Mrs. Z
ReplyDeletethis is for Katja...amazing:)
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha! Finally! I have beaten my brother Bes in a game called Senet! Do you want to learn how to play?
How to play Senet
•Throw the sticks to see how many squares to move your piece forward.
•If you throw a one, four, or six, you get an extra turn.
•You can't land on one of your own pieces.
•If you land on the other player's piece, you switch places with them. However, you can't switch with them if they have two or more pieces in a row.
•If the other player has three or more pieces in a row, you can't pass them.
•Some squares are ‘safe' squares and some are ‘danger' squares. You will learn what they are as you play.
•The first player to get all of their pieces off the board wins the game.
Sounds confusing right? Usually my brother wins at everything that we play. He has won at sailing, fishing, and hunting. The only thing that he can not beat me in is writing poetry. I may be a scribe, but my true passion is writing. Day after day, I write new poems in the room I sleep in. There must be a hundreds of poems in that room!
When I walk home from work I pass Egyptian houses, and they were clustered together on the higher ground at the edge of the river’s flood area. The houses where made from sun baked bricks, mud and straw The Bricks we use for the houses last very long The house I live in a very basic they are just plain squares the other houses are like that to. The house. My master has a room for all of the slaves; and we are always crushed together because we have no room. I think that my spine is crooked from sleeping all packed in with the other slaves. The first room in the house was for trading the second room is for guests. The kitchen, bedrooms and bathroom.
ReplyDeleteBrendan
journal entry #1 work and daily life
ReplyDeleteHello my name is Akil, which means intelligent. i'm 15 years old and i live with my Mom and my Dad. my dad is a shopkeeper, he makes pottery and other art. he sells the pottery he makes and sence i'm 15 he thinks i'm mature enough to be co-owner. so when he is not there i am allowed to sell at his shop. pottery is made on a potters wheel which my dad has so i can help him do that as well. where he works is really noisy and chaotic because its right in the middle of the city where other merchants and shopkeepers are set up too. my mom on the other hand works in the feild and grows fruit and other crops. when she grows fruit she lets me and my dad use the extras to sell. once a month tax collecters come to get some of my dad's prophet so they see he can do good at selling for his shop to keep up and running.
Hi my name is Banafrit it means beautiful soul, I’m 8 years old and I’m a farmer. I work with my mom witch named is marit it means beloved and I also live with my dad. They say that is a very important source here in Egypt. They also say that we are very lucky to live near the Nile River because our crops can grow better.
ReplyDeleteI have a sister I love her so much her named is Amisi it means flower she’s 3 year older than me. When I was 5 she teach me how to plant crops and most important how to make our cloth it is very important that we have warm and not so warm close because sometimes is very cold and sometimes is very hot here. We make our cloth out of tree’s and other sources that we have available her.
Yesterday I was working all day taking out crops and fruits from our garden because tomorrow we are celebrating the flooded of the Nile River. My sister and i made special cloth for tomorrow. My mom is looking forward to it but the most part that she’s looking forward to pray. She is a big prayer every time she has an opportunity she does it.
Dear Dairy
ReplyDeleteOn days that I don’t have work I like to play checkers. I have some old little toys from when I was little. Like clay rattles and wooden animals. On hot days I like to go swimming, and in warrior training we have to be good at swimming. I like to get a good day off it is really hard at work. My friends and I like to swim each other.
Journal Entry 2
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
Today is the festival of Opet. I am very excited because my good friend Dendera. She is an acrobat in the festival today. I am walking towards the tent with my mother, from far in the distance I can hear the lute and harp being played. It is music to my ears because this event is once a year and those instruments are only played once a year. It is also very special because I get to be with my whole entire family and this only is once a year. As my mother and I get closer we smell the fruits, such as watermelon, pomegranates, and figs.
I see the priest holding the golden statue, the head is covered because the head doesn’t come uncovered until the second the sun rises. The priest to the crowd to come toward the precious and beloved Nile River where the reed boat is. The reed boat is the boat that the golden statue will be placed in. We all wait patiently as the priest starts to burn incense. Finally it is time to reveal the golden statue. The sun rose and the cover came off. Tears rolled down peoples faces because they could feel there beloved family member or members who had gone to the afterlife with them.
Then it hit me and my mother we bursted into tears. I could hear my father talking to me. I could her him saying “If I were alive I know that I would love you just as much.” My mother is also on the ground crying. Then we feel the gods and goddesses surrounding us. Once we feel the gods and goddesses that means we can start to pray to them. I prayed for the business of my shop to be successful. I prayed for my mother to have a healthy rest of the year. I also prayed that for dad in the afterlife. My mother and I rose from the wet ground. People are still praying as my mother and I make our way to the tent. The wind is blowing very hard so my hair is getting blown into my face. My brown long pin straight hair blows back and fourth. My mother is very protective so she is watching me with a very serious eye to make sure I won’t trip. We get to the tent and watch the acrobats and musicians perform as the beloved Nile River runs behind us. At the end of the day my mother and I sit at home thinking about my father in the afterlife. I know that when I go to the afterlife I will see my father and we will live the life we were never able to live, a life together. I go up on the roof and stare at the stars, and my father, and my father is staring right back.
Love Ebe
P.S. Crystal's character and my character are sisters. :)
ReplyDeleteThe next morning I woke up just in time to see the sun rise. Layla was outside near the Nile. I went outside to see what she was doing. As soon as she saw me she asked if I wanted to play the boat game. The boat game consisted of light reed boats pointed in the same direction, each person had a long pole and we would have to push our opponent into the water. I said yes right away because I always accept a challenge.
-Teresa
Last night I couldn’t sleep I had the thought of marrying Donkor a horrid man who was 4 years older than me. He was 16 and I was 12 I couldn’t even think about marrying at this age, spending time with Donkor would make it 100 times worse living I already own a shop and that’s hard work!
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Femi it means love. Today I was to say yes to Donkor even though I would be ruining my life by making that decision. I just don’t know what to do! Im so young and im still in school.
Us kids went to school at the temple. Women from our town came every day with temple offerings of food and goods they had made. The women stayed to chat and to market. The temples acted as hotels for important visitors from other towns. Grain was stored in the temples so that it could be shared with who ever needed it.
We prayed to the temple gods for whatever they needed. If their request was not granted, they might give the temple statue a whack with a sturdy reed to let the temple god know how they felt about it. For the most part, the ancient Egyptians were not afraid of their gods at all.
Even though I do not want to marry Donkor my mother and father are making me!
Im not ready for marriage, this law in Egypt isn’t working for me!
I know that the marriage of Cleopatra and Marc Antony was not considered legal in Rome, but was legal in Egypt. Then that means I am stuck and have no luck of getting out of this marriage!
This is just wonderful im going to half to sell my shop to find all this money for this ceremony!
this is for Will.. I left a video on gods and goddess on on your desk. Mrs. Z
ReplyDeleteJournal Entry
ReplyDeleteMy name is Akhem, it means mummied hawk. My hygiene isn’t good because I am a working slave from South Africa. My clothes are with stained rags hanging over my waist down to my knees. I smell bad after sweating for hours working for the Pharaoh Altakhsas which means mighty king. Even after a bath in the Nile I would smell bad because nothing can help the smell of sweat and body odor. I was captured when my civilization tried to invade Altakhsas’s palace. Me and the other slaves I work with are making a pyramid for the Pharaoh, so we are pulling huge rocks day by a day. We all share a small house made by hay and little rocks we put together. Most of us are cold at night even though we make a small fire before we go to sleep. When we wake up we end up smelling like a pig. When we wake up and have to bath because we are working near the pharaoh and cant smell bad, we have to go into the freezing Nile and wash down with any kind of plant or spongy thing I can find.
I have dark skin and a rough texture of skin. I am the average height of a man and my muscles aren’t as big as the other guys, but I am still stuck working all day. They make us suffer by putting us in the freezing Nile. I always was happy at my old home, but now all I get to eat is a little bit of bread and saltwater. When I was captured my hair was taken out. My eyes are brown like the usual slave. Once when I was working I hit this guy that dropped a rock on my foot and his tooth came out so my tooth was taken out with a rock. That was the most pain I’ve gotten into since my hair was ripped out. I look and smell the same as most of the other slaves.
I have only made 2 friends but that still doesn’t help the pain.
Dear Diary,
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Bes it means protector. Today in scribe school I got beaten with a rod and I failed my hieroglyphics test. So did my identical twin Akil his name means intelligent he used to be smart till are father stole from a mummies tomb and was torched to death and he was never the same and I was always failing anyway. We both have black hair, we both are skinny and tall,but he's taller than me. and wear linen clothes. There very comfortable for the weather in Egypt. We are both twelve and are farther was a scribe and it has bin passed down to us. We both hate school its really boring and hard and we get wiped a lot.
Dear Diary,
ReplyDeleteWe started school when we were four that means that we come from a wealthy family. Before we went to school are dad had to decide what we would be and to learn at school he said we would be scribes. At school we learn Hieroglyphics its are alphabet and are writing system. Each morning we go to the masters house and carry copied old scripts, jugs of beer and a barrel full of bread cakes. We would write on pohished limestone. Then we all sat on the floor, we write by dipping are brushes in either red or black ink. The ink runs out after ten words mine runs out after thirteen words. Scribe school is really hard work and there are many signs to learn and when your bad like me and my brother Akil you get beaten with a rod for talking, being sleepy, or being lazy. Scribe school is different then your schools or other schools, but there all the same boring.
Dear Diary,
ReplyDeleteAfter scribe school we go home then we go play. We do many different things like fishing, hunting, sailing, poetry, and are Egyptian game senet. These games are really fun I like sailing the best. Its fun to sail on the smooth Nile watching everything slip by and the air hitting your face. Also hunting I fun. We hunt as teams usually its Akil and I and are friends are on the other teams. I usually beat Akil even though we are on the same team. Fishing on the Nile is very fun too. We sit there for hours eating are left overs from scribe school and laughing, talking and having fun till we catch a fish. We play senet a lot I really always loose so I really don't like that game, but Akil loves it and so do are friends. We write poetry Akil is really good at it there must be one hundred poems in his room.
Day 1
ReplyDeleteToday is a very special day. Today is the day that begins Akhet. Akhet is a season that is dedicated to Hapi, the god of the Nile. This is when the Nile floods. The Nile floods annually, somewhere around mid-September. This is a relief from the hard summer we have all had. Hapi spoils us with his gifts of the Nile. I know my summer was rough because I ran my pottery shop with my best friend, Femi. Femi and I grew up together, and married- by accident, since our parents picked our husbands- brothers. Sorry for my rudeness, I am Nwy, which means water in our language. Femi and I both married at the older age of 13. My husband’s name is Atsu, meaning, a twin. Atsu is a twin, a twin of Ata, also meaning twin.
My husband works in the shop with Femi and me. Ata works as a high priest. He looks almost identical to Atsu, but he is bald because all priests must clear their heads of hair in order to be purified. Today I will go to work in the shop, but I will work for less time today because I must go to the festival for Akhet. I will bring my child, Ain. That means priceless. I named her this because she almost didn’t make it as a baby. This is because she and I were walking to the shop one day, and a man came up to us and said he would trade anything in the world for such a beautiful baby. I told him no thank you and kept walking. But he then ran and grabbed her out of my hands! He said once again the word anything, but I grabbed her back and ran for our lives. So she is now, and always will be, priceless.
I must go to my work now and wish everyone a joyful Akhet season!
P.S Tresa and I are sister's
ReplyDeleteGrandmother called me inside to practice my lute. A lute Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and deep round back. I am a lutenist, lutanist, or lutist. The string of the lute is made of animal gut, usually from the small intestine of sheep
After a long day of working in the fields, our family settles down while Femi and I help mother with dinner. We make bread, fresh milk, meat and vegetables we harvested. We also helped peeling the skin off the peas. At dinner Femi and I must be extremely polite. Also before we eat, we must say a prayer. When I asked why we had to pray, father said it was to thank the God of Plenty for the food they had give as this harvest/summer season . After dinner, Femi and I go to our room and get ready for bed. I take off my white linen dress and change into my clothes for bed. Then I comb my hair and pull it back into a pony tail. I lay down in my bed covered with white sheets and a colorful quilt stitched by my Grandmother Ushe.
Day 2
Dear Journal
The next morning I woke up just in time to see the sun rise. I went outside near the Nile. As soon as I saw Femi, I asked her if she wanted to play the boat game. The boat game consisted of light reed boats pointed in the same direction, each person had a long pole and we would have to push our opponent into the water. It was a boy’s game but when I saw some boy’s play the boat game I wanted to play it with my sister. She said yes right away because she always accept a challenge. So Femi climb to a boat and I went to the other. I tried to push Femi down but I couldn’t Femi down, then I thought that I was wrong this game is only for boy’s, but then I put all my might and pushed Femi to the water “splash.”
Journal Entry 3
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
Right now it is the winter so it is hard times in Egypt. Most of our clothes are made out of linion, unless you are very wealthy then your clothes are made out of fabric. My family is not very wealthy so all of our clothes are made of linion. It is hard for my mother because she is getting old and it is hard for her to keep warm. The priest have to shave their heads so it must be very cold because they have no hair to keep their heads warm. I usually I wear brightly colored top flowy top and very flowy pants. All of the clothes we wear are very brightly colored and are very flowy. All the Pharos wear a very big head piece, arm bands with cats on them, they also wear skirt thing and they are usually not wearing a shirt. The slaves usually don’t wear clothes, if they do they wear a skirt. I feel very bad for the slaves because they have to do so much work and in the winter if they are only wearing a skirt then it is very cold for them.
Love
Ebe
My name is Abayomi, it means to bring joy. When I awoke I prepared myself for the ultimate task, farming. My father, Akil, meaning intelligent, called me, and I went to him. He said that my mother, Bahiti went out to barter some grain. It was near end of the harvesting season
ReplyDelete-Auggie
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ReplyDeleteHi its Adjo. I am on my way to the farm to work. If your a slave working is hard and exausting. I got to the farm and started to work. The season right now is Peret(October-febuary)witch is the Egyption growing season beacuse the soil is fertile beacuse it is right after the flood of the Nile River. This means that I will be growing today. If it was Shemu (March-May) then I would be harvesting and if it were Akhet(June-September)I would'nt be farming at all beacuse that is the Nile Rivers flooding season. I will be growing grain. Grain is the most important crop here in Egypt beacuse we make bread, beer and porridge out of it. I use a hand plow to turn over the soil and then I plant the grain.
ReplyDeleteI do this all day than I go home!!:):):):)
My Journal
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Amisi it means flower I'am a farmer and Im 11 years old it's important to take a bath so we can be clean because we are going to be near dirt and mud all the time. I live near the Nile river and that's good for our crops. I live with my mom with my mom Merit it means beloved,I also live with my dad and,my grandma Khepri it means morning sun rise.My sister Banafrit she is only 8 years old . We show each other to make different types of dresses today we made dresses for an exotic festival once in a hot spring when Banafrit was 5 I showed her how to plant crops she learned really fast.Today like I said before we are going to a festival Im going to wash up and get dresses for the festival .Im going with my friend Bahiti it means fortune we are going first than our families so we can be on the front and see the king and queen first we always liked to do that because it was easier than waiting for our family take a s that take a year to dress up. When the people were comimg to see the queen and king me and Bahiti saw them first again when the festival was over my mom asked Behiti's mom if she wanted to eat dinner tomorrow at our house so that my day.
Akila’s journal
ReplyDeleteDear diary,
Hi I am Akila. That means intelligent. I am 13 years old and I am still not married yet. Sometimes I feel left out a lot because some of my friends are. I live in a family with a mother, papa, and my younger sister named Dalila. That means gentle. She is 8 years old and helps my mother clean the house and clothes even though we have servants. We are a pretty wealthy family so we can have servants. While Dalila cleans, I am learning how to become a priestess. My teacher is my papa. He is a high ranking priest. So was my grandfather but he is up with the gods in his afterlife. I know he is happy.
To prepare in morning I have to wake up before the sun rises so I can get to the temple and prepare for the gods and goddesses. Then I bathe and get dressed. I wear a colorful linen dress that goes down to my ankles. I wear a necklace with Isis’s amulet. Isis is the protector goddess. She also uses magic spells to help anyone who is in trouble. I worship her. After, our servants prepare breakfast which is Bread, fruit such as pomegranates, grapes, dates, and my favorite, figs. After I eat papa and I walk to the temple. Over there we chant for the god or goddess we worship. There are statues of the gods. Isis has a headdress shaped like a throne and horns like a cow. She also has a sun disk. Then we give her our sacrifices. I gave her my favorite golden anklet. We give them breakfast. When we think they are full we clean them with nice oil. I hope one day I will become a high ranking priestess. I have to go.
Love, Akila.
-Emily R.:D
A
ReplyDeleteDear Diary,
ReplyDeleteAfter scribe school we go home then we go play. We do many different things like fishing, hunting, sailing, poetry, and are Egyptian game senet. These games are really fun I like sailing the best. Its fun to sail on the smooth Nile watching everything slip by and the air hitting your face. Also hunting I fun. We hunt as teams usually its Akil and I and are friends are on the other teams. I usually beat Akil even though we are on the same team. Fishing on the Nile is very fun too. We sit there for hours eating are left overs from scribe school and laughing, talking and having fun till we catch a fish. We play senet a lot I really always loose so I really don't like that game, but Akil loves it and so do are friends. We write poetry Akil is really good at it there must be one hundred poems in his room.
Dear Diary,
ReplyDeleteToday I am visiting my beloved family, my Aunt, Uncle and three cousins. We are coming to visit there house in the village to check on Kemsa with the crocodile bite. My father told my mother and me to be prepared for whatever we see. I am nervous because I do not no how bad the bite actually will be.
We approached there small and tidy hut I prayed to the gods and goddesses just one more time before my family entered. He was on a separate bed on the left side of the hut. His hand rapped in white linens. He looked well rested and happy to see us. My father and uncle went of in a separate area in the hut to discuss something that seemed private, something that I should not listen to. We visited with Kemsa for a little longer until his mother came over and told him he should get a little more rest before we all had dinner. I walked over to my cousin, Eshe and we began to play with are dolls. We had both asked for dolls for are birthdays and that was what we each resaved. I was very grateful that my Mother had made me a doll. It was a very fine doll with a full head of long hair. The beautiful hair was made of mixture of real hair and vegetable fibers. I thought the hair was very special because that is exactly what they use to make real wigs. We sat both wearing white linen dresses very similar to each others. We had made them together in my aunt’s shop with the help of my mother who had walked with me to the shop to help out.
A few hours later Kemsa was awoken and the smell of fresh bread and fish was in the air. As we sat at the table I saw the juicy beef and my mouth began to water. There was also chick peas to the side which was one of my favorite vegetables. I was very sad though because it was dinner which meant it was almost time for the visit to end. We left the table and Eshe and I began are play once again with are wonderful dolls. The night was slipping away. So we had to leave. I was glad for the visit and hope to see them again soon.
Love,
Amisi
My father Azibo, said to Layla and I that we were to get married soon. We told my him that won’t, but we couldn’t do that much to change his mind. It wasn’t fair, my parents had to choose who I had to get married to. In Egypt peasant girls usually got married around age 12, the boys were a few years older than the girls. In Egypt marriages were arranged by the children’s parents although some young people choose their own spouse. We weren’t wealthy, but today I wished I was because in Egypt girls of more wealthy families married at an older age. Grandmother says we are too childish and too young to get married. She must have seen us playing the boat game.
ReplyDeleteThat night Layla and I couldn't sleep. We talked, laughed a few times but the laughter would die down in the thought we had to get married. Soon enough, Layla fell asleep and I was alone. I eventually fell asleep. I woke up not even able to remember at all what I dreamed about.
Layla came up to me and said she had talked to mother and mother was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I was very pleased to hear that news, for I knew mother would change his mind.
My mother, Mandisa had washed and dressed early in the morning. Then she had gone to begin her daily chores. Mandisa means sweet and she is very sweet to me and Femi. Mandisa wore a dress made of coarse linen. Around her neck was an amulet of the goddess Tawaret on a piece of papyrus string that my father have given her. Mandisa wore the amulet to keep us safe from evil spirts.
Layla and I went out to the fields. We filled many baskets with fruit and vegetables of many varieties. We loaded them onto 2 donkeys and set out for the temple. The other field worker had waited outside while we went inside to give our gift of thanks for use of the temples land. When they thanked us we bowed and left.
Day 2:
ReplyDeleteNext day, I go to the river to take a bath, the Nile had stronger current. The water almost blew me away, swept me. I have a cow to plow the farm. I had to whip my cow about 6 times because my cow was out of control. My dad was asked to participate on the pyramid of Giza, it supposed a big project. While, my dad left, I prayed and prayed. I usually spend time with my dad. I loved hunting and fishing with my dad. He’s the best person I ever met. So, now I have to do extra work. I hunted about 13 antelopes. I caught 20 fish, I killed 15 black sparrows. It was the first time I hunt birds, my dad taught me but I never tried. It was lunch even dough I wasn’t hungry. I missed my dad so much. My mom made me eat and drink my bread and beer. She said”I had to eat everything”. It terrifying without my dad. I now go to the temple to give something to the gods. Then I ate dinner still don’t wanting to eat. I kept looking at the grounds. I chewed a piece of bread for a long time. My sister was staring at me explaining “I know you miss dad but he is coming back”. Then I went to my room trying to fall asleep but my bad dreams of my father dying couldn’t let a little eye closed until I fell asleep naturally.
Hi my name is Abayomi which means, Brings Joy. My mom’s name is Ebo which means, born on Tuesday. Today I went to work, I had to work a lot and have not a lot of playing since I’m a slave. I am a 14 year old boy, my parents got taken to be prisoners and they took me along, they thought that since I was young they could have me longer as a slave. My payment was to live under a roof with my family and some other strangers who are slaves just like me. Right now as a slave I am on farming duty and my parents are on kitchen duty. Farming duty is in my opinion the worst job for a slave since we have to work in the burning sun when my parents are just cooking in the shade. If you do something wrong or goof off when you’re a slave you get wiped by your master. It hurts a lot and happened to me to much my mom says that I should stop goofing off during my work hours. My master’s name is Akins which means brave, the rules are that the harder you work the more food you get; a lot of masters follow that rule to. In the social pyramids slaves are the very bottom which means we have the worst job. When I am older I want to be free which means I won’t have a master, this happens very rarely. It is also rare that people move up one place in the social pyramid which you need a free person to. My job is hard and I also switch off jobs every now and then I used to be on kitchen duty but I was talking too much with my friends so I got wiped. I have a lot of scars from when I got wiped, I have about 2,000 scares. Did I tell you how much I hate my job as a slave I think that it is to hard and too much work for kids like me.
ReplyDeleteBrendan
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteI am ECSTATIC! We are traveling to Thebes, to go to the Feast of Opet. I brought my flute, Akila brought her lute. We are annoying our father because we are acting like children. Lisimba is practically jumping up and down. Every couple of feet Akila sprints forward, her hair blowing in the wind behind her, then she waits for us to catch up, walks with us for a while, then does it again. Once every ten minutes, I twirl around until I fall down, very dizzy. Mother kept looking at us, shaking her head and smiling.
We had to travel fast. It had taken us a while to leave, because every time we tried to walk out our house, which is made of sun-dried mud bricks, someone would yell that they forgot something! Oh, Thebes is in sight! The sounds of music, laughter and yelling are floating up to us. I see huge tents and brightly colored people dancing. I can barely see the tables filled with food. We are almost there.
We’re officially here! It is amazing. There is dancing, eating, and music. Suddenly everyone stops and kneels down, praying. Our family did it too. It was seconds until sunrise, when the gods and goddesses come out and bless our harvest. The sun just rose, and people all around us started crying tears of joy. The priests brought the golden statues on the reed boats. The acrobats start flipping, the feathered drummers start drumming, and the people start dancing.
I’m going to stop writing and enjoy the feast!
-Masika
journal entry #2 at home
ReplyDeletemy house is bulit of sun-dried bricks. we have to put wet clay in these brick molds and then the sun will dry the bricks and make them hard so we can stack them in between this sticky cement which dries with the bricks to keep our house up. Egyptians like to built there houses tall because we believe that our houses would be closer to the gods. my house is not that tall but tall enough. to get food my family goes out on a canou with a big net to catch fish. then we can eat the fish for dinner. Akil - Patrick
Some of my friends are warriors like Nomti, Mkhai. Then some of my other friends are black smiths they built my weapons and I thank them a lot for it because I am poor and would not have had that money to get my own weapons. But my friends are much more skilled then I am. They have been doing there jobs longer then I have I just started my job the other day
ReplyDeleteDay 2: REVISED
ReplyDeleteNext day, I go to the river to take a bath, and the Nile had stronger current. The water almost blew me away, swept me more into the river. I have a cow to plow the farm. I had to whip my cow about 6 times because my cow was out of control. My dad was asked to participate on the pyramid of Giza, and it supposed a big project. While my dad left, I prayed and prayed. I usually spend time with my dad. I loved hunting and fishing with my dad. He’s the best person I ever met.
So, now I have to do extra work. I hunted about 13 antelopes. I caught 20 fish, and I killed 15 black sparrows. It was the first time I hunted birds, and my dad taught me but I never tried. I wasn’t hungry even though it was lunch because I missed my dad so much. My mom made me eat and drink my bread and beer. It’s terrifying without my dad. I now go to the temple to give antelope offering to the gods.
Then I ate dinner, but still wasn’t hungry. I kept looking at the grounds. I chewed a piece of bread for a long time. My sister was staring at me explaining, “I know you miss dad but he is coming back”. Then I went to my room trying to fall asleep but my bad dreams of my father dying couldn’t let a little eye closed until I fell asleep naturally.
Rough Draft
ReplyDeleteDear Diary,
Today is the crowning of our new pharaoh Awi which means glory. I could hardly sleep last night and when my eyes finally closed I dreamed of tomorrow’s food and dances. The young man would rule for his lifetime then when it was time to rest he would travel the afterlife with a few of his salves that killed themselves to serve him in the afterlife. He would fight for Egypt against enemies, and he would care for this land forever. I looked around me the cool spring breeze sending my dirty blond hair into my face I noticed my little sister Femi meaning love falling in step behind me.
Femi will marry soon because she is 11 and a half. Most Egyptian girls marry at age twelve, I didn’t. My father chooses whom we marry and he had picked a boy for me. His name was Amon meaning the hidden one. Right before our marriage we were attacked, enemies the Hyksos invaded Egypt and Amon was killed. My father hasn’t chosen another boy for me because he has been looking for Femi. I don’t want to get married if I do, I may lose him again and this time I may really know him well.
As Femi and I grew closer to the crowning of the pharaoh I could smell the fruits, the pomegranates, figs and dates. I could hear the chanting of our people. When we finally arrived I could see the almost to be pharaoh wearing a beautiful golden headdress with a green emerald in the center. He wore linen made from the flax plant. Awi also was wearing a fake beard attached by leather straps that made him look wiser and older. My green eyes flitted toward Emu somersaulting her way toward the chanting crowd. Emu was an acrobat her name meant Cat and cat’s were fast and sleek moving, that was exactly how Emu was. I giggled as she looked at me out of the corner of her blue eyes well doing a quick flip. Femi laughed quietly to a boy who was walking next to her. I walked a little slower so Femi and the boy would walk at my side. In the end I found that the boys name was Maskini meaning poor. I realized Femi would much rather marry him then the boy she was going to marry, Nebi meaning panther. But that wouldn’t do because Maskini was poor, Nebi was richer father had already made his decision. Femi and Nebi were to marry in two days at sunset.
Awi our pharaoh laughed at our people as they chanted his name but he was more of laughing with them, because he was now there ruler. Awi held a pomegranate in his hand I could see blood red juice dripping down his hand. I held out my hand to Eshe a shop keeper. She toke my hand and whispered, “Good luck.”
Love,
Nailah
Dear Diary,
ReplyDeleteIm so exited for Aket. Aket is the begining of fall and new year in Egypt. Ther are four days in Aket. The first day we have a festival of intocxication for Hathor. The second day we the Opet festival, west and the festival of ptah south of is wall. The third day is the festival of Hathor. the four and final day the festivalof seckmet. There are more festivals but i can't name them all ther is so mny thats why i love Aket. Im so exited i can't wait me and my brother have to go to the festival by.
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteUsually, its the girls job to cook and clean but today they were all very ill. I have to make pomagrantes, figs, watermelons, and more! Females have to do so much work! Plus I have to do my scribe homework too! Both of them are really hard, but imagin both! My shoulders are aching from kneeding the bread for 4 hours! Uh oh the head chef just told me i kneeded the bread to much. i guess i will have to start over...
-Akil
juornal entry #3 activities and play
ReplyDeleteAkil here. i only have to work five days of the week with my dad, i get the weekend off and i can do anything. sometimes, though my Mom says i have to help her in the garden, but only for a little bit then i like to play with some of the kids that live around my house and we predend that one of the kids is the pharoah and the other kids are the servants of the pharoah. another thing i like to do is make shabti which are little clay statues and i predend that they are workers.
Egyptian Journal
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time sleeping last night because I know I had to work the next day and it is going to be the hottest weather this harvest. I woke up the next day and it was burning hot. I went to go eat breakfast and I tripped and fell on the ground. I got a huge cut on my leg and it started bleeding so I went to go get a plant to cover up the scar. Then I went to go eat onions and bread for breakfast I was burning hot I was about to go down and take a bath down at the Nile River when Akar came running down to me and said “hey hurry up the Pharaoh said that what ever group gets down first will get water for the whole day” Akar said. “Ok but I still have to go take a bath at the Nile River I have to be clean for work”. “Ok then I will meet you down at the pyramid site” Akar said.
Egyptian slave journal
ReplyDeleteBy Brian Mackay
Hello my name is Akar and I am an Egyptian slave. Although no one likes a slave I have made lots of friends over the years. The day I was captured in war I met my best friend Kabisa. Now my friend and I tend to the crops and occasionally build pyramids. A new pharaoh is coming to the thrown in about one month, so my friend and I will be sent to build the pyramid with all of the other slaves. Building pyramids is a lot harder than it looks. We have to pull nine ton stones up ramps with rope.
Depending on who you are you will get different jobs when you are a slave. Some slaves are like housekeepers and they are owned by a pharaoh or a noble. Some slaves work in royal mines owned by the state in temples. Some slaves helped priests to take care of God’s needs.
One day my friend and I were tending the crops when I looked to my left and while a man was picking wheat. The man took a couple of steps back stepped on a snake and it bit him in the foot. Within hours the man was dead. That picking corn a snake bit him in the foot. Within hours the man was dead and that is what makes my job is so dangerous.
My friend Kabisa and I live in a cabin with lots of other slaves. We are never treated well even though we do the best work out of everyone. I have to sleep on the floor and only have one meal a day. In the day the cabin is as hot as it is outside and at night it is freezing and we have no blankets.
Some slaves live with their owners, like a servant and some slaves live with the priests. If they are very lucky they will live in the same place that a pharaoh or noble does. Although, some slaves have better lives than others no slave is ever treated fairly or nicely.
Most slaves like me wear cotton trousers in summer and spring and in the winter we wear a wool dark shirt and heavy trousers. We also get one pair of shoes a year. You have to watch out for the other slaves because if you aren’t careful they will steal your things. One time it was the beginning of the year and we all got new clothes and a brand new pair of shoes. The day after my shoes were stolen and I went the whole year barefoot. Most people would consider me lucky because some slaves go year round without any clothes.
Today is a very sad day to me. Today four years ago my wife Amem went to the after life. It is the season of the flooding of the Nile. I believe that my beautiful wife Amem looks down on me while I work on the field. I walked down to tend the crops and when I got there the ground was perfectly fertilized and there were figs all over the ground. At that moment I new my wife was watching over me. After I saw the gifts that my wife had left I started to prey. I was starting to think that there was no such thing as the afterlife until my wife sent that sign.
Although my wife died this is still my favorite season because this is the time of the annual flooding of the Nile. The Nile floods, then the soil becomes fertile. This is great for planting wheat, pomegranates, figs, and, other plants. That season is called Akhet. The next season is when the of the nile stops and we are able to plant.That season is called perit. The last season is the harvesting season. It is called shemu.
Tonight at dinner I was served a slice of bread an onion and a sip of bear. Three men were not listing to our master and they were not fed.
Egyptian slave journal
ReplyDeleteBy Brian Mackay
Hello my name is Akar and I am an Egyptian slave. Although no one likes a slave I have made lots of friends over the years. The day I was captured in war I met my best friend Kabisa. Now my friend and I tend to the crops and occasionally build pyramids. A new pharaoh is coming to the thrown in about one month, so my friend and I will be sent to build the pyramid with all of the other slaves. Building pyramids is a lot harder than it looks. We have to pull nine ton stones up ramps with rope.
Depending on who you are you will get different jobs when you are a slave. Some slaves are like housekeepers and they are owned by a pharaoh or a noble. Some slaves work in royal mines owned by the state in temples. Some slaves helped priests to take care of God’s needs.
One day my friend and I were tending the crops when I looked to my left and while a man was picking wheat. The man took a couple of steps back stepped on a snake and it bit him in the foot. Within hours the man was dead. That picking corn a snake bit him in the foot. Within hours the man was dead and that is what makes my job is so dangerous.
My friend Kabisa and I live in a cabin with lots of other slaves. We are never treated well even though we do the best work out of everyone. I have to sleep on the floor and only have one meal a day. In the day the cabin is as hot as it is outside and at night it is freezing and we have no blankets.
Some slaves live with their owners, like a servant and some slaves live with the priests. If they are very lucky they will live in the same place that a pharaoh or noble does. Although, some slaves have better lives than others no slave is ever treated fairly or nicely.
Most slaves like me wear cotton trousers in summer and spring and in the winter we wear a wool dark shirt and heavy trousers. We also get one pair of shoes a year. You have to watch out for the other slaves because if you aren’t careful they will steal your things. One time it was the beginning of the year and we all got new clothes and a brand new pair of shoes. The day after my shoes were stolen and I went the whole year barefoot. Most people would consider me lucky because some slaves go year round without any clothes.
Today is a very sad day to me. Today four years ago my wife Amem went to the after life. It is the season of the flooding of the Nile. I believe that my beautiful wife Amem looks down on me while I work on the field. I walked down to tend the crops and when I got there the ground was perfectly fertilized and there were figs all over the ground. At that moment I new my wife was watching over me. After I saw the gifts that my wife had left I started to prey. I was starting to think that there was no such thing as the afterlife until my wife sent that sign.
Although my wife died this is still my favorite season because this is the time of the annual flooding of the Nile. The Nile floods, then the soil becomes fertile. This is great for planting wheat, pomegranates, figs, and, other plants. That season is called Akhet. The next season is when the of the nile stops and we are able to plant.That season is called perit. The last season is the harvesting season. It is called shemu.
Tonight at dinner I was served a slice of bread, an onion, and a sip of bear. Three men were not listing to our master and they were not fed. My master is a lot crueler than other masters. Most of them give the slaves the same food that they eat, and sometimes the same education as there own kids.
I have dark skin and a rough texture of skin. I am taller than average height of a man and my muscles are bigger than most kids my age beacuse I have done more work than most kids cause Im a slave.
ReplyDeleteAkila’s journal
ReplyDeleteEntry two
Dear diary,
I am so excited because today is the Opet festival. That means the flooding of the Nile River. The flooding of the Nile is a good thing because fresh fruits will grow. The festival is at Thebes. We live kind of close. I get to get a day off of work. To get ready I put on my prettiest dress. It is very colorful. My mother puts on black kohl eyeliner. That helps keep the sun out of her eyes. My hair is brown and goes down to my shoulders. I help Dalila get ready to. My mother is a dancer in the festival. I am so excited to see my friend Aziza. (That means precious.)
We are almost at Thebes! I can already smell the fresh food like peaches and watermelons and so much more. I can also hear the laughing and the beautiful festive music. Dalila and I start running. Even though I go to this festival everytime, it still feels like the first time with all the happy families, and tall tents with delicious food, the music, and the dancers.
We are finally there! I saw Aziza there too! We both watched mother and the other dancers. I never saw anything so good. Then we watched the acrobats they did flips, somersaults and so much more. We also listened to the musicians. They had instruments like the lute. It sounds really pretty. Aziza, Dalila, and I got hungry. We went over to the tents where they had food like meat, bread, and tons of fruit such as peaches, figs, watermelon, and grapes. They tasted fresh and juicy. I can’t wait for the next festival! I was so sad that we had to leave.
When I got home I was exhausted! I had a great time and I am not looking forward to going to work tomorrow.
Bye!
Love, Akila
Emily R
My last entry was a rough draft!
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning i forgot to write "Hi its Adjo"
journal #4 mythology and other believes
ReplyDeletealmost all Egyptians believe in gods or powerful life forces to explain rain and the sky. let me tell you about them.
the most powerful of all the gods for presesnce of the sun is Ra or Atum-Ra. he is the god of the sun and every day he is born and the closer Ra comes to setting the older and older he shall become. once the sun has set and darkness comes upon us, and this is when Ra dies only to be born again.
Hourus is the sun of Ra and is the god of falcons. his symbol the Hourus is known to all of Egypt. Hourus watches as father is reborn to the moment he has perished into the darkness.
Osiris was almost believed as the king of the dead. a very well known myth is known about Osiris is the story of the golden coffin. At a party Osiris attended for his presence was crashed by his evil brother Set. Set anousned that he would have contest in honor of Osiris. he said who ever could fit in the golden coffin would be given a special prize. every body had gone in the coffin except Osiris. he went in the coffin fitting perfectly but then Set locked him in and sent him flying down the nile. Isis and Hourus his brother and sister found him only to have Set obilrate him destroy him. Osiris found his way to the under world to have a throne dedicated to him, the king of the dead.
now you know a little about my mythology. Akil-Patrick
Dear Dairy day 3
ReplyDeleteI caught a sound of a trumpet I am scared I do not know what it means. Then I see Nomti and Mkhai running to battle station they tell me to hurry up and get suited up. I get my shield and spear then I arrow flies right past me I run as fast as I could. Then out of no were I here it is the Hyksos then a loud scream it is Nomti I see him falling from the building he has a arrow in the middle of his had. Then I get so made I attack like crazy it was like everything was missing me. It was like I was invincible that is why my mom named me Masud it means lucky.
revised
ReplyDeleteMy name is Abayomi, it means to bring joy. When I awoke I prepared myself for the ultimate task, farming. I put on my long colorless tunic, and put my Sickle in my hand. A sickle is made out of two pieces of wood with pieces of flint placed in a grove and tightly glued. My father, Akil, meaning intelligent, called me, and I went to him. He said that my mother, Bahiti went out to barter some grain. It was near end of the harvesting season Shemu (March-May), and anyone who worked on this farm was paid as much as they worked. I went to work. We cut of the ears off the stalks with our sickles.
-auggie
Journal Entry
ReplyDeleteHere in Giza I have 2 friends. First I have Akins which means brave. My other friend is Akar, his name means victorious viper. Everyday we would go work in the agonizing fields. Sometimes we harvest. Once we got to build a pyramid for our pharaoh. The limestone rocks were at least 5 tons. We were supposed to use little ramps to bring the rocks up. Usually it takes a few years to make a pyramid or a large statue. Akar is a dark skinned man that was a little shorter than the average slave man. He had a little piece of cotton to cover his waist to his lower thighs. Akins has no clothes because he doesn’t obey the pharaoh as much as the other slaves do. He has light skin and he is older than us, so he has some wrinkles. We were all captured during the invasion of the temple, but that didn’t go well because we got captured. Back when we weren’t captured we were warriors. I had a wife named Banafrit which means beautiful soul. I use to actually like life. Now the painful days of being a slave are never going to stop. Every night I stay up late wondering if we would ever get out of here. My wife is probably at home wondering if I will ever come home. Even if my wife was here, we would still be miserable. As I was walking up to the Nile River I met someone that said hello and he said his name was Adjo and that it meant treasure. Now I have a few friends. Even though my friends are nice I still cant get over the fact that I’m stuck here forever with my slave friends.
Today is the festival of Opet. This festival is the celebration of the flooding of the Nile. It takes place in the center of the city. The breeze cool, but the sun still shining in the cloudless sky. To many of my people this is the day to pray to the gods to make a good harvest for this year and to pray to our ancestors to help us along the way. I carried my lute made of spruce wood and small sheep intestine for the strings.
ReplyDelete“Play a tune mother,” says Shani.
With a simple nod I started to play. People started to gather around and some people with Rattles, Sistrums, and other instruments joined in the musical enjoyment.
“Time of Opet, time of Life, time to sing a song of strife!” we all chanted.
After we sang for a while, it was time to bring the golden statue of Amun-Ra for the banks of the river to the boat. We gathered around and the priests brought the golden statue of Amun-Ra to the boat. Many people went down on one knee and began to pray to the gods, goddesses, and to the ancestors who past on. Priests said many different prayers and sent the boat to the middle of the river. We all cheered and sang with enjoyment and happiness. For the rest of the day we sang and eat till sunset.
Last night I couldn’t sleep I had the thought of marrying Donkor a horrid man who was 4 years older than me. He was 16 and I was 12 I couldn’t even think about marrying at this age, spending time with Donkor would make it 100 times worse living I already own a shop and that’s hard work!
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Femi it means love. Today I was to say yes to Donkor even though I would be ruining my life by making that decision. I just don’t know what to do! Im so young and im still in school.
Us kids went to school at the temple. Women from our town came every day with temple offerings of food and goods they had made. The women stayed to chat and to market. The temples acted as hotels for important visitors from other towns. Grain was stored in the temples so that it could be shared with who ever needed it.
We prayed to the temple gods for whatever they needed. If their request was not granted, they might give the temple statue a whack with a sturdy reed to let the temple god know how they felt about it. For the most part, the ancient Egyptians were not afraid of their gods at all.
Even though I do not want to marry Donkor my mother and father are making me!
Im not ready for marriage!
I know that the marriage of Cleopatra and Marc Antony was not considered legal in Rome, but was legal in Egypt. Then that means I am stuck and have no luck of getting out of this marriage!
We had an engagement period in order for Donkor and I to become familiar with each other. The groom to be and his parents would come to (my) the bride’s house and meet the head of the family. They would negotiate an agreement where the groom would pay a dowry(he would buy property for I and my family) and buy the bride a gift of precious stones or gold. And when we first met I did not like Donkor at all.
Today is the day and I have no way to avoid it im just going to half to merry Donkor and live with it.
Its time! The ceremony began.
On the day of the wedding there would be a great banquet where all the guests would eat, sing and dance. Then the bride and groom would be led to their home and on the way, green wheat would be tossed in the air as a symbol of happiness.
sorry that last comment was from me!
ReplyDeleteJournal number 1 revised by camila
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Banafrit it means beautiful soul, I’m 8 years old and I’m a farmer. I work with my mom witch named is merit it means beloved and I also live with my dad. They say that is a very important source here in Egypt. They also say that we are very lucky to live near the Nile River because our crops can grow better.
I have a sister I love her so much her named is Amisi it means flower she’s 3 year older than me. When I was 5 she teach me how to plant crops and most important how to make our cloth it is very important that we have warm and not so warm close because sometimes is very cold and sometimes is very hot here. We make our cloth out of tree’s and other sources that we have available her.
Yesterday I was working all night taking out crops and fruits from our garden because tomorrow we are celebrating the flooded of the Nile River. Me and my sister made special cloth for tomorrow. My mom is looking forward to it but the most part that she’s looking forward to is praying she is a big prayer every time she has a n opportunity she does it. Today is the day. The day of the festival we are getting ready our mom told us that we have to bring a tent and a lot of food because we are going to stay there the whole night. When we got to the festival they pray because flood the grain and fruit they grow and honor local spirits. Then we went to sleep. When the sun rise in the morning we when home and we got to work the great festival was over.
Masika's Journal
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
We recently got back home and father is in such a good mood, that for the first time in my life, he decided to let me come to work with him!!! Father’s current project is to make 3 ornate boxes for a government worker’s children. First, he saws the wood with a serrated blade. Next, he uses a smoothing stone to smooth the wood on the cut. After that, he uses a bradawl to make a “starter hole”, “starter holes” are important because that way the bow drill can get a grip. Speaking of the bow drills the next thing father does is use a bow drill (a wooden bow with a drill connected by twine) to make holes for the pegs which the other pieces can connect to. I don’t really get it, but it is interesting to watch! He does this with the other pieces of wood, and then he connects them. He next uses the adze to make the wood a smooth finish. Lastly father uses a chisel to carve intricate designs on each.
Now, it is done and we deliver them and go home. I sit on my chair and our cat jumps up and starts to purr loudly, sleeping and I start to pet her as father announces some big news.
“In one month, we will take an exciting trip to Alexandria. We will see King Alexander the Greats tomb, roam the streets and see the Pharaohs castle (from afar).” Father said. This was greeted with much joy and we had a great feast to celebrate. We ate grapes, figs, dates, pomegranates, bread, stews with onions and garlic, leeks, beans, lentils, lettuce, duck, oxen, pig, goat, sheep, cucumbers and melons. We basically used all the food we could find, but we will be eating the food we didn’t eat for a while! We are all very full. For once we ate as a family, did not argue once and we had good manners!
I am very weary from the excitement from today and I think I will go to sleep.
-Masika
More
ReplyDeleteMy name is Abayomi, it means to bring joy, and I’m an apprentice farmer. When I awoke I prepared myself for the ultimate task, farming. I put on my long colorless tunic, and put my Sickle in my hand. A sickle is made out of two pieces of wood with pieces of flint placed in a grove and tightly glued. My father, Akil, meaning intelligent, called me, and I went to him. He said that my mother, Bahiti went out to barter some grain. It was near end of the harvesting season Shemu (March-May), and anyone who worked on this farm was paid as much as they worked. I went to work. We cut of the ears off the stalks with our sickles, leaving the stalks for livestock to eat.
At dinner time I had my bread and beer, and we put our food on dishes made of clay.
-auggie
Egyptian Journal
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time sleeping last night because I knew I had to work the next day and it’s going to be the hottest weather this harvest. I woke up the next morning and it was burning hot. I went to go eat breakfast and I tripped and fell on the ground. I got a huge cut on my leg and it started to bleed so I went to put a plant around it to cover it up the scar. Then I went to go eat onions and bread for breakfast I was burning hot I was about to go down and take a bath down at the Nile River when Akar came running down to me and said “hey hurry up the Pharaoh said that whatever group gets down to Giza first will get a whole day worth of water” Akar. “Ok but I still have to go take a bath down at the Nile River I have to be clean to work” I said. “Ok then I will meet you down at Giza” Akar said. I ran as fast as my hurt leg it was hurting a lot because I was putting a lot of force on it. I finally got down to the Nile River and it was packed with people all taking showers they probably heard the news. I took a small spot that was open and I saw Akhem did I mention that Akhem was one of the only slaves that still had one of his parents and that was his dad. I took a quick bath and then got dressed and started to walk down really slowly a bunch of other slaves kept passing me because me leg was killing me. Akhem caught up to me down the way with his dad we all walked up in the blazing sun. Then we finally got down to Giza and we where the first group there surprisingly because it took at least an hour so I drunk a lot of water and then I started working with Akar, Akhem we were working really hard when we finally took a break. We drank and drank and the weather was not helping it was getting hotter by the hour. Then we went back to work we broke the rocks and helped bring them up to the pyramid. After six hours of work we finally stopped we where sweating so much that our shirts looked like they were full of water. We drank so much my leg pain was now killing me I could barely walk. We went up to the Pharaoh told him we were done working and he gave us the weekend off. We walked back it took us nearly an two hours to get back and when we did I went straight to bed and my leg was now killing me I was not going to get up for the rest of the weekend. I worked the hardest I worked my whole life today and I’m proud of myself. The pyramid still needs a lot of work but if we keep it up like this it won’t take much longer.
this is for Diego...
ReplyDeleteexcellent use of cultural detail about the life of a worker. Good detail about the leg injury and I like how you wove it through the journal. You brought your character to life, and I can picture him. Put paragraph breaks into your journal each time a scene or idea changes. Keep up the good work. Mrs. Z
this is for Auggie...
ReplyDeletegood use of cultural details about the life of a farmer. I look forward to reading your next entries. Try to elaborate and describe the farm setting - the sun, the wheat, barn, farmhouse, workers, tools etc, so that we can envision your character's life. Keep up the good work. Mrs Z
this is for Mary...
ReplyDeleteexceptional cultural detail about Maskia's life and her Dad's woodwork...Great voice...I love the detail and image of the purring cat. Exemplary writing. Mrs Z
this is for Camila...
ReplyDeletegood progress on your journals...good use of cultural detail and character development. Remember to continue to work on your editing. Keep up the good work. Mrs Z
this is for Alexa...
ReplyDeleteExcellent use of cultural detail to describe your character's life and her marriage predicament. Your writing shows excellent voice. Good use of real historical detail about Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Mrs Z
this is for Katja...
ReplyDeleteoutstanding cultural detail, description, especially about the Feast of Opet. Great use of dialogue and clever use of song. Keep up the good work. Mrs. Z
this is for Nico...
ReplyDeleteExcellent journals, including life as a slave - your writing is powerful, realistic, and has authentic voice- I can picture the sweat and smell! Great job building a background story for your character and elaborating the details. Suggestions...edit for captials, spelling (bathe not bath), grammar (not Me and the other slaves), paragraph breaks when a scene changes. Keep up the good work! Mrs. Z
this is for Matt...
ReplyDeletegood battle scene and detail about the sound of the trumpet. You should consider writing about the weapons used by the warriors. It would be great to describe the battle scene setting - screams, smells, blood, etc. Remember to edit for spelling (nowhere, here, their/there). Keep up the good work. Mrs Z
this is for Patrick..
ReplyDeleteoutstanding history of the gods. Great cultural details included in work and daily life journal. Good description of his home and the building process. Remember to use words and language appropriate to the times....youths, not kids, also to edit for capital "I" and spelling (there vs their). Keep up the good work..Mrs Z
this is for Emily Ross...
ReplyDeleteoutstanding cultural details, setting and character description. I can picture the town during the feast of Opet because your writing is go descriptive. Great work creating the background story. Also, terrific descripton of physical characteristics and gods.
this is for Joe...
ReplyDeletegood start to character development by describing physical traits. Good start to your work journal. Remember to edit for spelling and sentence construction. Wrote more and elaborate about his farmimg work during the growing season and try to describe the setting. Mrs Z
this is for Brian...
ReplyDeleteoutstanding cultural detail and development of character's life and background story. Your writing has great voice. I love the detail about his wife Amem looking down from afterlife and leaving him gifts. Keep up the great writing, and remember to edit - there are a few spellin errors.
this is for Veronica...
ReplyDeletegood use of cultural details about her life and jobs. Try to build the world of the setting and her work and home so that we can make mental pictures. Check spelling - knead, also capital "I". Good voice and detail about the game of Senet.
this is for Maggie D...
ReplyDeletegreat journal about sailing on the "smooth" Nile ( I like that adjective) and her river exprience. Good start to your journals. Nice work including the detail about the poems. Try to inclulde more detail and description about the festivals - use the 5 senses - sights, sound, smell, etc. Also, edit for grammar and use of capital "I".
this is for Maggie R...
ReplyDeletepowerful and descriptive details about setting, character, background story. Excellent voice and personality to your writing. I love the details and images in the market, and also about her clothing and family. I can picture every scene!
this is for Daniel...
ReplyDeleteExcellent small moment details, like when he misses his Dad, and when he is afraid to fall asleep. Good cultural details and character development Edit for spelling and verb tenses.
this is for Mary...
ReplyDeleteamazing and powerful cultural detail, setting description, and tenson as they approach the feast of Opet. Your writing is so exemplary that I can envision every scene.
also for Maggie D...
ReplyDeletelove the Scribe school journal entry. Great cultural detail about her training. Remember to stay in the world of your character...she would not say school is boring because it was considered an honor to train for scribe work. Keep up the good work.
Today all the slaves got in trouble because They did not have good manners. The truth is that Must slaves did not have good manners. when we were kids and got captured we didn't have time to learn manners. My parents do have manners since they got captured when they were adults and they had time to learn manners. know my parents are teaching me and all the other kid slaves how to have good manners and I think that it has improved since we don't get yelled at a lot witch is good because we get wiped if we don't make a good impression to my master Akins. Wait Akins is coming and if he finds out that I have a jurnal Im going to get wiped agin see you next time Abayomi
ReplyDeleteBrendan
this is for Brendan...
ReplyDeletegood elaboration and voice in your journal. From your description, I can picture the flat homes clustered together. Did they go on the roof to cook and make fires? You should write about that. Suggestions...edit for spelling (whipped), and good grammar ( they would not say "goof off"). Also, put in paragraph breaks when you change scenes or ideas..this will make it smoother to read. Keep up the good work.
this is for Teresa...
ReplyDeletepowerful use of cultural details, character development and background story, voice, personality. I love the detail about her always accepting a challenge. Exemplary writing.
this is for Emily Ross...
ReplyDeleteoutstanding use of cultural details, physical description ( especially of goddess Isis), and great work on character development and background story. Exemplary writing.
this is for Emilia...
ReplyDeletegreat use of cultural detail, and character development on background story. Remember to edit for spelling and run on sentences (get a partner or an adult to help). Suggestion...elaborate and describe the setting..use paragraph breaks in between scenes. Good work.
this is for Evelyn...
ReplyDeleteOutstanding description of the festival - it sounds breathtaking and I can picture it, especially the people crying, and the gods and goddesses surrounding them *(what an image!). Check your spelling of linen. Use authentic words - instead of "skirt thing" maybe use tunic. Good effort on physical description.
Day 2
ReplyDeleteHello again! I have just finished my prayers for today. Today, I prayed a lot to Bastet (meaning devouring lady- bas meaning to devour, with a feminine ending-tet-.). Bastet is a cat goddess. In our society, cats are extremely sacred. This is because they are so good at keeping bad creatures out of farming crops. They were soon kept as pets, and now they are very good luck. Praying to Bastet is something I do regularly, but today, I felt I needed the extra luck. This is because Atsu became very sick recently. His face is very warm and will not talk much. I also prayed to Bes. Bes is a god that helps get away the evil spirits. Many a time people will pray to him when a loved one is ill. I have hung fishing nets above Atsu’s bed to keep away mosquitoes. They are everywhere this season. I have tried many remedies on him such as herbs, and I even tried some curing spells. Nothing is working on Atsu though. But in the tragic event that Atsu will not make it, he will have a wonderful time in the afterlife. Atsu has a very strong spirit, and I know he will be brave about whatever happens. I must go take care of Atsu and see if he will get any better.
this is for Crystal...
ReplyDeleteoutstanding cultural detail and description, and building of background story. Your writing is powerful and helps me to picture the scene and to hear the music.
this is for Sarah...
ReplyDeleteOutstanding cultural detail and description...I love the image of the god of the Nile spoiling them with gifts in the Spring...excellent character development and creation of background story.
also for Sarah..
ReplyDeleteimpressed that you are working on the holiday. Love the way you wove the information about the gods into your character's story - very authentic. Keep up the good work.
this is for Brendan...
ReplyDeleteimpressed that you are working on the holiday...good journal, but you are still spelling whipped as wiped. Also, journal not jurnal. Keep up the good work!
Written on Monday...
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed by all of the journal work!! Keep up the stellar writing.
No journals from Abe or Wesley.. Where are you?
Mrs Zabbia
Hello, my name is Ako and I am a peasant. I spend my days growing wheat and occasionally catching fish. I am constantly taxed so life is not easy for me. And this year’s drought didn’t help much either. Due to my poor ranking in jobs, I do not get paid much. Nor do I have much variety in food. I couldn’t tell if I would die of hunger or thirst. I hate our system of being born a pharaoh or being born a slave. Why couldn’t I have been born a trader? I’m not asking for much. Just a middle class job would be nice. But when you’re a peasant, you learn to be thankful of what you have.
ReplyDeleteToday, I was summoned by the pharaoh. I was clueless of why the big and powerful pharaoh would want little old me. When I got there, I was welcomed by servants and guards. And for the first time in my life, I felt welcome! I even had the honor of eating with the pharaoh! When I sat down with the pharaoh and his acquaintances, I felt different from them. I was dressed in rags, but everyone else was wearing fine silk and linen. When I sat, the pharaoh asked me what I thought about why we had a shortage of scribes. I told him that I thought the shortage in scribes was because there weren’t enough people being born in middle class. He took my opinion as if I were someone of valid importance. After the delicious meal of beef bread and a fine wine the pharaoh invited me to sleep in the palace which is where I reside now.
That night I slept peacefully, blissfully
Abe
Hello, my name is Ako and I am a peasant. I spend my days growing wheat and occasionally catching fish. I am constantly taxed so life is not easy for me. And this year’s drought didn’t help much either. Due to my poor ranking in jobs, I do not get paid much. Nor do I have much variety in food. I couldn’t tell if I would die of hunger or thirst. I hate our system of being born a pharaoh or being born a slave. Why couldn’t I have been born a trader? I’m not asking for much. Just a middle class job would be nice. But when you’re a peasant, you learn to be thankful of what you have.
ReplyDeleteToday, I was summoned by the pharaoh. I was clueless of why the big and powerful pharaoh would want little old me. When I got there, I was welcomed by servants and guards. And for the first time in my life, I felt welcome! I even had the honor of eating with the pharaoh! When I sat down with the pharaoh and his acquaintances, I felt different from them. I was dressed in rags, but everyone else was wearing fine silk and linen. When I sat, the pharaoh asked me what I thought about why we had a shortage of scribes. I told him that I thought the shortage in scribes was because there weren’t enough people being born in middle class. He took my opinion as if I were someone of valid importance. After the delicious meal of beef bread and a fine wine the pharaoh invited me to sleep in the palace which is where I reside now.
That night I slept peacefully, blissfully unaware of what had taken place over my beloved homeland. I woke to the sounds of guards calling my name telling me I had been summoned by the pharaoh. When I arrived to the pharaoh’s chamber, I observed there were at least 7 other men standing side by side. I was told by the guards to stand next to them. After ten or so other men poured into the chamber, the pharaoh announced “Hyksos has been invaded last night and I am deploying all of you. You all will go from being peasants on the street to military officers. Each of you will lead a small army, and hopefully repel the invasion to whence it came! You all may borrow weapons and shields from the armory.” I didn’t know what to think. Days ago I was a peasant sleeping on the street, and today I’m leading an army to protect my homeland.
Hello, my name is Ako and I am a peasant. I spend my days growing wheat and occasionally catching fish. I am constantly taxed so life is not easy for me. And this year’s drought didn’t help much either. Due to my poor ranking in jobs, I do not get paid much. Nor do I have much variety in food. This year, I couldn’t tell if I would die of hunger or thirst. I hate our system of being born a pharaoh or being born a slave. Why couldn’t I have been born a trader? I’m not asking for much. Just a middle class job would be nice. But when you’re a peasant, you learn to be thankful of what you have.
ReplyDeleteToday, I was summoned by the pharaoh. I was clueless of why the big and powerful pharaoh would want little old me. When I got there, I was welcomed by servants and guards. And for the first time in my life, I felt welcome! I even had the honor of eating with the pharaoh! When I sat down with the pharaoh and his acquaintances, I felt different from them. I was dressed in rags, but everyone else was wearing fine silk and linen. When I sat, the pharaoh asked me what I thought about why we had a shortage of scribes. I told him that I thought the shortage in scribes was because there weren’t enough people being born in middle class. He took my opinion as if I were someone of valid importance. After the delicious meal of beef bread and a fine wine’ the pharaoh invited me to sleep in the palace, which is where I reside now.
That night I slept peacefully, blissfully unaware of what had taken place over my beloved homeland. I woke to the sounds of guards calling my name telling me I had been summoned by the pharaoh. When I arrived to the pharaoh’s chamber, I observed there were at least 7 other men standing side by side. I was told by the guards to stand next to them. After ten or so other men poured into the chamber, the pharaoh announced “Hyksos has been invaded last night and I am deploying all of you. You all will go from being peasants on the street to military officers. Each of you will lead a small army, and hopefully repel the invasion to whence it came! You all may borrow weapons and shields from the armory.” I didn’t know what to think. Days ago I was a peasant sleeping on the street, and today I’m leading an army to protect my homeland. After carefully choosing my weapons (two daggers) I met up with my army.
The army looked thrown together from slaves and peasants, but I didn’t mind. After all, I too once was a peasant. I knew, even the lowest person in our society could rise to be great. As we approached the field of battle, I could see the horrific massacre taking place. My army was fearless and seemed to laugh at certain death. I will not lie, I was nervous leading these innocent citizens into battle, but a leader must not fear, for then his followers will fear as well. As we approached the horrific army, whose numbers put ours to shame. Then, there was a silence, both armies awaiting the other to strike. After what seemed like hours, the enemy decided to fire arrows at us. I saw men die from the first strike; it was enough to drive a man mad. I made the command “Fire at will!!!” and spontaneously an arrow strike spawned. I enjoyed the sight of my enemy being slaughtered at my command. After several arrow strikes, I commanded my troops to charge them, and charge they did! As we struck the enemy fell back. I heard a command from the army, “regroup!” and they quickly retreated. I looked over the now empty battlefield in horror. Seeing all of those dead bodies was almost enough to make me lose my mind. In my opinion, this was a hollow victory. My army was almost vanquished. I told them to retreat back inside the city and report the events that had taken place to the pharaoh, who surely would not be pleased. After the pharaoh heard about what had occurred, he was not disappointed but happy. I asked him why he did not punish me for losing the battle and he responded “You have just made an army three times the size of yours, and not to mention better trained than yours, retreat in fear. I am very pleased with you. So pleased in fact, that I’m giving you another army, this time well trained troops. Since you have been out a while, you probably don’t know we’re under siege. I want you to direct your full attention to the siege.” The next day, my troops and I went to the north wall to the city to help fight the siege. The battle went on for nearly a month when we finally drove them away. After we had won, there was a big celebratory feast similar to the one I had the first night at the palace, and in my head I thought “what a nice ending.”
ReplyDeletethis is for Abe...
ReplyDeleteWow...it was worth the wait...all of your reading paid off. Outstanding description of his life as a peasant and evolution to a warrior. Terrific job building your character and background story, while still including rich cultural detail. I look forward to reading the rest. A couple of suggestions....include commas in between dialogue and speaker tags...insert paragraph breaks in between scenes, when you switch topics or ideas, and before each part of dialogue. This will make your exemplary writing easier on the eye. Keep up the good work. Mrs. Zabbia
Hello, my name is Akil, it means intellegent. I am a pyramid builder. I have a wife named Sharifa, and a son named Donkor. Every mornig i must walk from my mud-brick house to the building site of the pyramid of Giza. The elders say it is a great honor to build a tomb for the pharaoh Kufu. But I think it is not for what it is worth. Dozens of men are injured or even killed when trying to lift or pull the 1,000 pound limestone blocks. When I walk to the site each morning the only releif I have from the dreaded heat is the crisp cool waters of the River Nile to refresh me. When I get to work I must help pull the giant limestone blocks up a long earthen ramp to the top of the unfinished pyramid, then we must slide the heavy block into place and pour water on it until it is seamless. Then we must repeat the long grueling process for hours. After a long day I am so tired that I can barely walk. There is so much sweat pouring down I feal like the Nile river is on top of me. But I should not be complaning, after all I am no one special, I am but a lowly peasant trying to make a living in one of the most dangerous feilds, besides being in the army. Well back to my day. Finaly I reach the front of my mud and brick house were my wife and son are waiting. I step into the room, the heavanly smell of fresh bread fills the air. I see her take a fresh batch out of the clay oven as Donkor plays beside her. I can barely speak but I am dying of thirst, but as if she can read my mind sharifa pours me a bowl of ice cold water, and brings it to me.
ReplyDeletejournal entry #5 play
ReplyDeleteHello! Akil here again. last time i talked about the different gods and goddesses of Egypt. now i'm here to talk about some of the other things i'll do at home when i am not working nor playing with my friends. in Egypt kids and young aldults like to play with these little clay statues called Shabti. these clay figures in the myths are said to be talking and mobil figurerines and their purpose is to obey to whomever their creator is. they are almost like minutare slaves. but some people like to predend that thier actually alive and make them attend to the person. Akil-Patrick
Egyptian slave journal :final
ReplyDeleteBy Brian Mackay
Hello my name is Akar and I am an Egyptian slave. Although no one likes a slave I have made lots of friends over the years. The day I was captured in war I met my best friend Kabisa. Now my friend and I tend to the crops and occasionally build pyramids. A new pharaoh is coming to the thrown in about one month, so my friend and I will be sent to build the pyramid with all of the other slaves. Building pyramids is a lot harder than it looks. We have to pull nine ton stones up ramps with rope.
Depending on who you are you will get different jobs when you are a slave. Some slaves are like housekeepers and they are owned by a pharaoh or a noble. Some slaves work in royal mines owned by the state in temples. Some slaves helped priests to take care of God’s needs.
One day my friend Kabisa told me a story about a man that was out in the fields picking wheat, and he was bitten by a very poisonous snake. Within hours the man was dead. That is what makes my job is so dangerous.
My friend Kabisa and I live in a cabin with lots of other slaves. We are never treated well even though we do the best work out of everyone. I have to sleep on the floor and only have one meal a day. In the day the cabin is as hot as it is outside and at night it is freezing and we have no blankets.
Some slaves live with their owners, like a servant and some slaves live with the priests. If they are very lucky they will live in the same place that a pharaoh or noble does. Although, some slaves have better lives than others no slave is ever treated fairly or nicely.
Most slaves like me wear cotton trousers in summer and spring, and in the winter we wear a wool dark shirt and heavy trousers. We also get one pair of shoes a year. You have to watch out for the other slaves because if you aren’t careful they will steal your things. One time it was the beginning of the year and we all got new clothes and a brand new pair of shoes. The day after my shoes were stolen and I went the whole year barefoot. Most people would consider me lucky because some slaves go year round without any clothes.
Today is a very sad day to me. Today four years ago my wife Amem went to the after life. It is the season of the flooding of the Nile. I believe that my beautiful wife Amem looks down on me while I work on the field. I walked down to tend the crops and when I got there the ground was perfectly fertilized and there were figs all over the ground. At that moment I new my wife was watching over me. After I saw the gifts that my wife had left I started to prey. I was starting to think that there was no such thing as the afterlife until my wife sent that sign.
Although my wife died this is still my favorite season because this is the time of the annual flooding of the Nile. The Nile floods, then the soil becomes fertile. This is great for planting wheat, pomegranates, figs, and, other plants. That season is called Akhet. The next season is when the flooding of the Nile stops and we are able to plant. That season is called Perit. The last season is the harvesting season. It is called Shemu.
Tonight at dinner I was served a slice of bread, an onion, and a sip of bear. Three men were not listing to our master and they were not fed. My master is a lot crueler than other masters. Most of them give the slaves the same food that they eat, and sometimes the same education as there own kids. Although my master is very cruel I believe that one day I will be granted freedom and have a family of my own. That is all for today, now it is time for me to get some rest. Good night.
I'm back and my parents aren’t happy again; my parents think that I need a better education (they think that im stupid). They bought this slave education thing were all the slaves go when there parents want them to have a good education. That means that I have less time to play and more time to learn and the problem is that I only go during my brakes. Know instead of having a 2hour brake I get a half hour brake because of my parents. And that is the day brake which means, that’s my only brake besides bed time. Bed time is at 10:00 and we wake up at 6:00 I'm exhausted every day. I don’t get one day off in my life my education sucks but because I am taking that program I'm getting smarter by.
ReplyDeleteBrendan
Journal Entry 5
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
Today work was a lot of work, i have been working on the decorations of the tomb for the king. I also am making a cats head to put in the shop. Here in egypt the cat is very important to us, so I expect it to sell fast. It is a lot of work because everything has to be perfect because it is for the king. Some of the things that i made to go on the tomb was a cat head, a clay tablet that had a hieroglyphs of the afterlife on it, I also made little balls with a special design on it to put on the tomb. To make the cat was also a lot of hard work. There are many little details to put in when you are doing the cat. You have to make sure you get a everything right because the car is so important in egypt. You also have to make sure that when you paint it you make the colors right. I painted the cat yellow and blue and then at the top put a jewel. I had someone asking me how much it costs but i am still working on the cat. Hopefully it will sell and i will finish the tomb on time.
Love Ebe
Hi, Akil here, The feast of Opet is today! Today even low peasants like my family are welcome to all the joy and excitment. One day with no work, just fun and festivites. My son Donkor loves the acobats that perform on by the feast. This is in celebration of the flooding of the river nile the fertile soil and rich crops it will bring us, though I am not a farmer as you know I am a pyramid builder. Donkor rushes over to the the acrobats to see them perform while me and Sharifa (my wife) gaze at the statues of Amun, Khonsu and Mut. then we fill our mouthes with fuits such as grapes, apricots and dates.
ReplyDeleteHi Wesley...
ReplyDeletegood start to your journals. Try to work on describing the setting in great detail - the colors, sights, sounds, smells, etc. I look forward to reading your next journal.
mrs Z
this is for Evelyn...
ReplyDeleteI love the way you described the painstaking detail needed to get the cat just perfect. Great writing - keep up the good work! Notice that you used the word work twice in the first sentence. Mrs Z
this is for Brendan...
ReplyDeletegood job with the information in the last journal. Please edit to correct spelling and only use authentic words (not "sucks"). A slave would think it was an honor to have an education and would not complain about it. Mrs. Zabbia
this is for Brian the Beast.
ReplyDeleteYour journals just keep getting better. Your writing is so well organized and convey all the important cultural information, but still holds onto the background story and the character's "voice". Mrs Z
also for Wesley...
ReplyDeletejust read your first journal and it is so well written and really captures the life of a pyramid builder. Good work Mrs Z
this is for Patrick..
ReplyDeletejust read your last blog...some good information...needs to be elaborated and expanded and edited for spelling errors.
Mrs Z
Journal Entry 4
ReplyDeleteRough Draft
Dear Journal,
Today I am going to the temple to learn more about the afterlife. My mother always tells me that it is important to know where you go when you die, so she makes me go to classes at the temple. It may seem that everyone love death and afterlife so much but really we love life. I like going to the classes because I get to see the priest apprentices. Instead of having the priest talks the apprentices talk and tell us about the afterlife. They say that you might even be going to live a better life then you are living. If you are a priest you have to shave all your hair off including your eyebrows. When I go there before I enter I make sure I freshen my self. To freshen myself I go to the Nile River and I rinse my face off with the water. When you enter the temple you have to bow down to the priest. Sometimes the pharaoh comes to visit when he does when we enter we bow, and we would sing. There are many different temples but my mother likes the one we go to because they are very nice and they do very fun activities for the kids that go there. Pharaoh go to the temples every once in a while but they can not go to every single temple. My church is not the wealthiest church but it is one of the more wealthy ones so we have the pharaoh visit more often. Because the Pharaoh can not be at every single temple the temples have pictures of the Pharaoh. We think that the pictures of the king have magical powers. It is very important to go to temple so I know what the afterlife is like.
Femi's Journal
ReplyDeleteDAY 2
The next morning I woke up just in time to see the sun rise. Layla was outside near the Nile. I went outside to see what she was doing. As soon as she saw me she asked if I wanted to play the boat game. The boat game consisted of light reed boats pointed in the same direction, each person had a long pole and we would have to push our opponent into the water. I said yes right away because I always accept a challenge.
Layla and I stepped into our boats, both with long poles in our hands. I was really nervous, because I have never won against Layla before. Layla wacked at me, but I ducked just in time and she missed. It went on like that for a long time. I thought I had heard Father calling us, but when I looked behind me Layla wacked me right in the back and I fell off the boat and into the water.
My father Azibo said to Layla and I that we were to get married soon. We told my him that won’t, but we couldn’t do that much to change his mind. It wasn’t fair, my parents had to choose who I had to get married to. In Egypt peasant girls usually got married around age 12, the boys were a few years older than the girls. In Egypt marriages were arranged by the children’s parents although some young people choose their own spouse. We weren’t wealthy, but today I wished I was because in Egypt girls of more wealthy families married at an older age. Grandmother says we are too childish and too young to get married. She must have seen us playing the boat game.
Just before I got called to help make dinner, Layla came up to me and said she had talked to mother and mother was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I was very pleased to hear that news, for I knew mother would change his mind. At dinner father was acting more calm.
That night Layla and I couldn't sleep. We talked, laughed a few times but the laughter would die down in the thought that we had to get married. Soon enough, Layla fell asleep. I eventually fell asleep too. I didn’t dream about anything. I just lay there seeing nothing but blackness.
- ♥♫☼♪Peace♪☼♫♥ ☻Teresa Mendez☺
journal entry #6 clothing and personal hygiene
ReplyDeleteHello this is Akil. Maybe you were thinking about how Egyptians dress and what we look like every day? Most youth like myself wear a long toga or loin cloth around thier waists. Because of all the dirt and mud that stains my cloths, mother will wash them in the river and then hang it up to dry in the sun.
Our personal hygiene is really quite simple. evry week I go down to the river and bath because my mother hates when I get dirty, she thinks its a bad example to look filthy all the time. But secretly I don't mind so much. Every time I play with the neighbor youths I always get filthy. My shoes are sandals made of leather. Most sandels in Egypt are. The hight of the sandel is right above my ankels. Akil-Patrick
Dear Dairy Day 4
ReplyDeleteToday I got promoted to an officer one because the other officer died his name was Akhom his name meant eagle, we only lost 27 men. Also Mkhai got prompted to an officer. I thank Geb the earth god and Montu the god of war so that I can help my family with money.
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteLast night was very difficult for me. Last night while my mother was cooking, there was a fire and the whole house burnt down. Even though we live in Aswan, right by the Nile River, we were not able to get water quick enough. But luckily, we are a wealthy family and everybody is trying to help us rebuild our house.
There will be a central room, (Were we sleep) and three rooms coming off of it. One will be an entrance, one will be a kitchen, and one will be a place to have storage space. They make the house out of mud bricks so they bake in the sun. We have several advantages with being on the wealthier side. We can have thicker bricks, witch will be harder to burn down.
Revised
ReplyDeleteLayla’s Journal
Grandmother called me inside to practice my lute. A lute Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and deep round back. I am a lutenist, lutanist, or lutist. The string of the lute is made of animal gut, usually from the small intestine of sheep After a long day of working in the fields, our family settles down while Femi and I help mother with dinner. We make bread, fresh milk, meat and vegetables we harvested. We also helped peeling the skin off the peas. At dinner Femi and I must be extremely polite. Also before we eat, we must say a prayer. When I asked why we had to pray, father said it was to thank the God of Plenty for the food they had give as this harvest/summer season. After dinner, Femi and I go to our room and get ready for bed. I take off my white linen dress and change into my clothes for bed. Then I comb my hair and pull it back into a pony tail. I lay down in my bed covered with white sheets and a colorful quilt stitched by my Grandmother Ushe.
My dad Azibo, said to my sister and me that we had to get married. I told my dad Azibo that won’t, but I couldn’t do that much to change Azibo mind. It wasn’t fair too, my parent had to choose who I had to get married with. In Egypt peasant girls usually got married around the age 12, the boys were a few years older than the girls. In Egypt marriages were arranged by the children’s parent although some young people chose their own spouse. We weren’t wealth, but today I wished I was because in Egypt girls of more wealthy families married a few years older.
Day 2
Dear Journal
The next morning I woke up just in time to see the sun rise. I went outside near the Nile. As soon as I saw Femi, I asked her if she wanted to play the boat game. The boat game consisted of light reed boats pointed in the same direction, each person had a long pole and we would have to push our opponent into the water. It was a boy’s game but when I saw some boy’s play the boat game I wanted to play it with my sister. She said yes right away because she always accepts a challenge. So Femi climbs to a boat and I went to the other. I tried to push Femi down but I couldn’t push Femi down, then I thought that I was wrong this game is only for boys, but then I saw Femi look away so I wacked her on the back and pushed Femi to the water “splash.” I helped Femi out off the water, and then we went inside the house.
Last night Femi and I couldn't sleep. We talked, laughed a few times but the laughter would die down in the thought we had to get married. Soon enough, I fell asleep. I woke up not even able to remember at all what I dreamed about. Then I went to talk to mom about what father said that Femi and I had to get married. Mom was very sweet to me and understood what I was trying to say. Mother then said that she was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I was very pleased to hear that so I hugged my mother and went to tell Femi.
Just when I was going to tell Femi I saw Grandmother say that we are too childish and too young to get married. She must have seen us playing the boat game. I knew that grandma under stood Femi and I and she new how we felt. Then just before Femi got called to help make dinner came up to Femi and said that I had talked to mother and mother was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I knew that she was very pleased to hear that news, for I knew mother would change his mind. At dinner father was acting more calm.
Crystal Ll :)
Day 3:
ReplyDeleteI was a little better about my father. Today I’m going to my friend’s house to play a good checkers game. I love checkers the game separate out of the real world to the checkers world. I’m the best player in the whole town, a bunch of people said they are better than me, but they are wrong. I bet my friend my best sparrow, but if I win he has to work for me. I know is unfair, but my friend is not the sharpest knife in the by the stand. I won badly, we were supposed play 8 games, but we played 10. I won by 8 games, you see I told you I was the best. Now I just sit around watch my friend do my work, but my plan didn’t work. Right after, my friend started my mom was right next saying why was my friend did my job. I tried explaining, but I couldn’t convince my mom to not do work. So, I hunted antelope, but I had a good hunt it was really exciting. We had a competition with my friend that who killed the most antelope. He won terribly, I hunted 6 he hunted 18. Then he lost with fishing, I got 12 and he got 10.Then we hunted sparrows I won, I hunted 6 sparrows my friend hunted 5 sparrows. It was lunch, I got bread and beer so did my friend. Then, we had to go to the temple, I gave two antelopes, so did my friend. I went back home gave my friend a sparrow to my friend. After that, I remembered my father; I started praying for my father. Then my mother called me to eat. I ate the same thing that I ate the same things that I ate for lunch. I started talking with my family about happy memories like the first time I hunted antelope. After that, I went to sleep already tired. The time I sat on the bed I fell to sleep.
Today my family is in mourning. My mother passed on today but we aren't just sad we are also happy that she has finaly moved to the after life and she will be happy again. Unfortunatly we have no riches to bury her with. But we buried her with her favorite possesions. We are glad that she lived to such an old age of 59 yeas old. We will bury her along the River Nile on the spot were he met my father(who died a couple years before my mother)just a couple miles from my mud-brick house in Giza. Were there is also a nice view of the pyramid constuction site. I will also be able to pass the burial site to and from work and pray for her.
ReplyDeleteAkila’s journal
ReplyDeleteEntry three
Today papa is sick so I am taking a day off. Papa rarely lets me do that when he is sick because his friend who is also a priest would take me, but he says I was working really hard. I am very happy that I am doing well. I hope Isis is looking out for papa because she is the goddess of protection and heals people with magic spells. Remember? Anyway, the bad part about not going to the temple is that I have to help mother with the chores. Here is a list of what I have to do:
• Go to the butcher to buy meat (meat is very expensive and we rarely have it! I think mother is planning something special)
• Buy fruits and vegetables
• Buy bread
• Clean the linen robes and sheets
• Watch Dalila
• Cook dinner
I better get going.
I am finally back! Today is very busy. Today was extra hot today and I am so glad they sell the meat outside so it tastes good. I had to get duck meat. It looks bad before it is cooked, but it is my favorite. After I got the meat I went to get fruit and vegetables. The fruit and vegetables are very good at this time of year. I went to buy bread, but there was no left! Mother refuses to buy it anywhere else but the place she always goes to. Instead I bought ingredients to bake bread. I hope she doesn’t mind. I really like it when we make home-made bread.
When I got home I had to go down to the river and clean the clothes. I saw some of my mother’s friends there also doing chores. When I got back to the house I got started on the bread. It takes a long time. First I need to make the dough. Here is how:
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour.
2 7 oz. water.
3 1/2 tsp. salt.
41/4 oz. Dry Yeast
Put flour and salt in a large bowl.
Mix Dry Yeast with the water.
Slowly add water.
Take turns kneading the dough.
Spread flour on a clean, flat surface.
Roll dough into small balls.
Form balls into flat round shapes or triangles.
Cover with a cloth for one to two hours only.
It turns out quite tasty. This was passed down from my grandmother’s mother. I got to play with Dalila outside for a little while. Then mother called me in to help make dinner. She cooked the meat and I prepared the table. The bread was delicious! I am exhausted! Bye.
Love, Akila
-Emily R.
This is an actual bread recipe that ancient Egyptians made. It is yummy. :)
journal entry #7 the feast of opet
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for the feast of opet. The feast of opet is a very large celabration for the flooding of the nile and all the other resources that the nile river gives us during the spring time. Spring is my favorite time of the year because of the feast and how the air smells during that time. At the feast there are many performers and arcrobats who put on amazing performances every year. Music plays while preists burn incense to give off a lovely wafting aroama. I love the food so much at the feast. They cook lamb over a spit and fresh fruit to eat as well. Fruits like pomegranetes, apples and watermelons. It can get so loud at the feast because of all the singing and dancing that is happening all around you. I can not wait for the feast of opet. Akil-Patrick
Dear Dairy Day 4
ReplyDeleteToday I got promoted to an officer one because the other officer died his name was Akhom his name meant eagle, we only lost 27 men. Also Mkhai got prompted to an officer. I thank Geb the earth god and Montu the god of war so that I can help my family with money. My family is very religious we believe in a lot of gods. But those are just some of the main gods we believe in.
Dear Diary,
ReplyDeleteIn my home we have lots of furniture. We have curved stools to sit in and curved chairs. We have tables like three legged tables and stone tables. We have many lights in are house. Are lights are made salt from the great Nile and oil then you mix it. Before dinner we go to are offering table. Everyone has an offering table we worship the gods. We would offer the gods like Osiris, Anubis, Amon and Horus.
My favorite god is Horus. Horus’s name means falcon. People believe that his head is a falcon. Well he is the falcon god and the sky god. Horus is one of the more popular and well known gods. Horus is also known as Horus the Elder.
Getting back to the furniture we have many different types such as chests we have them allover are house one in Akil’s room one in my mothers room and one in my room. See I told you in my house there was a lot of furniture.
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteToday I ran into my friend, Safiya (Pure) at the fish market. I went to get fish for the celebration of Opet. The word Opet means secret chamber. I was going to buy some catfish. The guy running the stand said that I could’t’t get any fish. The guy said he could not give the fish to me because it was the last one, and he needed it for super. Safiya told me I could come over for dinner that night if I wanted to. She said we were having tilapia. (Fish) I agreed. And went home to prepare for Safiya’s house. I was still mad that I could not have juicy catfish.
When I was ready to go over to her house, I headed across town. It took me about ten minutes to get there and by then, I was really hungry. We all sat down and the meal was served. I was tempting catfish, but Safiya is an excellent cook! She fished out all of the bones and the fish was not over cooked like mother makes at home. Fish is a traditional meal in Egypt. We eat if for celebrations, and not to mention, yummy dinners! When we were all satisfied I started to leave for home. It was very late. I went to the Central room in my house, and slept until morning.
-Akil
Last night Femi and I couldn't sleep. We talked, laughed a few times but the laughter would die down in the thought we had to get married. Soon enough, I fell asleep. I woke up not even able to remember at all what I dreamed about. Then I went to talk to mom about what father said that Femi and I had to get married. Mom was very sweet to me and understood what I was trying to say. Mother then said that she was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I was very pleased to hear that so I hugged my mother and went to tell Femi.
ReplyDeleteThen I saw Grandmother say that we are too childish and too young to get married. She must have seen us playing the boat game. I knew that grandma under stood Femi and I and she new how we felt.
Then I went out side to find Femi, but I couldn’t find her. Then I herd a noise like a kitten “Mewwwwo” coming from the other side of a tree so I went to see what it is. My eyes couldn’t believed what I saw a small cat with colors black,white and gray. No one was outside so I thought that it had no owner. I grab the small kitten and but is in my white linen dress. I was so happy that I found a cat because cats in Egypt are very special, but I was worried because the small cat looked sick.

Then I saw Femi just when mother was going to called to help make dinner, I came up to Femi and said that I had talked to mother and mother was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I knew that she was very pleased to hear that news, for I knew mother would change his mind. Then Femi said what was under my white linen dress. I told That had found A small cat Femi at first didn’t believed, but then I started to take that small cat out from under my white linen dress. Femi’s eye’s pop out with happiness. Then I went to show mother she was very pleased of what I had found. Mother checked the small cat and her smile turn it darkness. I asked mother what is wrong she said that the small cat was sick and soon will die. All the joy and happiness I had was gone from me. Mother said that we can keep it until its last day the small cat is on this world, then he’ll go to the other world where the gods are, and the small cat will be happy there. Then she told as to name the cat Femi and I at the same time said “Sagira” that means little one. At dinner father was acting calmer. Then father wanted to talk with Femi and I. Father said to Femi and I that we could marry at 19 years old. I was so happy that I grab Sagira and started dancing with her. after we finished eating diner. we went to sleep. Mother told me that it was alright that the cat could sleep in my room.
Good night
love
RIGHT HERE THERE IS HIEROGLYPHE SPELLING(Layla)
Crystal Ll :)
Journal Entry 6
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
Today we are having a big family gathering. All of my cousins, aunts, and uncles are coming for a big meal my mother is preparing. My mother is preparing one of the biggest meals she has ever made it might have all the way up to 10 platters. I know that one of the main dishes she is making is a bunch of different fish, because right before this big feast I went fishing on the Nile. For this special meal I made her two extra big clay pots at my work. In one of the big clay pots she will be either making plum or pomegranate juice, those are the two most traditional drinks that the kids drink. In the other big pot my mother will make her own barley beer for the adults. We are also having a very big assortment of vegetables and fruit. There is a local farmer that I usually go to because their food seems very fresh. There will be plums, pomegranates, grapes, and lots more. My mother is very well known for her bread so expect that there will be homemade bread. To go with the bread she will be making fresh jam, the same day I went fishing I also went out and picked some Berries. For desert we are going to have my very favorite dates. Here is what my mother’s best bread and dates looks like:
This is the bread.
These are the dates.
When my family arrived my mother was in a very big panic. I was trying very hard to get my family settled but my family is so big it is hard to fit them all in my tiny brick house. My cousins and I look a lot alike. Sometimes my aunts and uncles and my mother mix us up. Finally it is time for our big family feast. There was salmon, tilapia, and a lot more. Then for the fruits and the vegetables well let’s just say after I ate them my stomached was filled up. Then came the homemade bread and jam that was some of the best bread I had ever tasted in my whole entire life and the jam was also very good. The finally my favorite part the dates. They were so chewy and moist just the way I like them. After dinner we played the game senate and had a really great time. Now we need to say goodbye, it was a very fun night.
Love
Ebe
where is says this is the bread and this is the dats there are pictures
ReplyDeleteAkila’s journal
ReplyDeleteEntry 4
Dear diary,
I was right! Mother is planning something! She is going to throw a party! She told me right after I got back from the temple. Papa is still not feeling well so he didn’t take me. I prayed that Isis will make him feel better. Anyway back to the party. Mother said that she won’t have it until papa feels better. We are going to hire musicians, and dancers. It’s going to be great. Once I heard the news I went to my room to pick out what I will wear. In my closet I have a white linen dress and a few dresses that are beautiful, bright colors. Only people who are wealthy can buy them. I have a lot of nice anklets, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and more. My favorite piece of jewelry is the amulet of Isis. It gives you protection. I have a lot of gold anklets, and bracelets. I have some necklaces with beads on them. Mother gave some of her make-up. I have green eye shadow. I also have black Kohl. It was used to protect the eyes from the boiling sun. Boys also wear this. That is some of the stuff I have in my closet. Now I have to go and help papa.
Bye!
Love, Akila
-Emily R.
Egyptian Journal
ReplyDeleteOne Year Later
It’s been a tough couple months I can’t believe it’s been a year since I have written in my journal. I just finished working and I have started to walk home with Akar and Akhem it was a tough day because we had to work extra because the pyramid is going to be finished tomorrow. “Can you believe that the pyramid is going to be done tomorrow” Akhem said “it’s been a tough job but I guess I will be happy because of all the work we added” Akar said “I think the feast is going to be great” I added. “I hope they have a lot of pigeons, geese and duck” I said “those are our favorite foods” Akar said “well I’m just really happy that where going to be done working and imagine how we will feel when the Pharaoh puts on the last block” Akhem said. “I guess we will feel really well because of all the hard work that we put in it” I said.
I finally got home after a long walk I went to bed and instantly feel asleep which was really nice.
I woke up very excited I went to eat some breakfast and then I was going to be off o go take a bath down at the Nile River. I ate my breakfast in two huge mouth scoops then I went running down to the Nile River I was running at full speed when two arms caught me. It was Akar and Akhem “slow down your going to break that leg again” they both said. “Ha your funny, race you down to the Nile” and I started to run down as fast as I could. “Hey” they said at the same time and they ran after me. I was the first one down and my leg did hurt a little but it was fine they finally came down. We all took a bath and then we put on our clothes and started to walk down to the festival. We started to hear the echo’s of the snake charmers. We smelt the great smell of geese, duck and pigeons on the fire just the right amount burnt. We finally got down there and the ground was covered with people of all sorts that helped build the pyramid. We were standing on the top of the hill overlooking everyone and there was just the right amount of breeze. The place looked amazing and the smell was greater music was playing and it was wonderful.
After a while of roaming around and eating a little bit of everything which was all very great the Pharaoh announced that he will be putting the final rock on the pyramid everyone settled down. It was a wonderful feeling that it was about to happen. Now the Pharaoh was climbing the steps leading to the top when he was finally on the top everyone started to clap and cheer. The Pharaoh waited till everyone was quite.”I’m very impressed in how all of you added a lot of effort into this one pyramid” he said. The crowd started to clap and cheer “I’m honored to put this block on the top of this pyramid and finish it” cheering and clapping leading to the Pharaoh putting the block on the pyramid. The feeling was amazing and everyone started to hug. This experience was tough and it taught me a lot about how to work hard and put hard long hours into every day. This is a one in a life time chance and I got to do it as a slave with my friends I’m really happy I took this chance and worked my hardest and I hoped you have learned from this to work hard and try your hardest.
Adding details
ReplyDeleteMy name is Abayomi, it means to bring joy. I’m a farmer, and we work from sun up to sun down. When I awoke this morning I prepared myself for the ultimate task, farming. I washed myself with a scented paste made of clay or ash called swabu. We wash when we awake and before and after meals. For breakfast I had ??????????????
I put on my long collarless linen tunic, and put my flint sickle in my hand. A sickle is made out of two pieces of wood with pieces of flint placed in a grove and tightly glued. My father, Akil, meaning intelligent, and he also works on the farm with me. He called me, and I went to him. He said that my mother, Bahiti went out to barter some grain with merchants. It was near end of the harvesting season, Shemu (March-May), and anyone who worked on this farm was paid the amount that they could reap in one day. I went to work. We cut of the ears off the stalks with our sickles with a swift motion of the arm, leaving the stalks for livestock to eat. Women follow us men gathering the sheaves of ears. At dinner time I had my bread and beer, and we put our food on dishes made of clay. After dinner we sang song and played instruments to pass the time in the pitch black of night, when we cannot work in the field or in the house. We sit together on low stools or on the floor. My dad plays the Sistrum, and we all sing along.
-Auggie
Rough Draft
ReplyDeleteDear Diary,
Today I toke a little extra time getting ready before work. I put on perfumed oils and I also got dressed in a long white dress made from linen. The thread that went up the side of my dress was made from a middle age plant. My dress had been left in the to sun so it could be sun bleached which gave it a white look. It toke me a very long time to put my wig on that had shiny long black hair. I wore a wig today because it was a particularly cold morning and it kept the heat inside. I toke 3 different dyes to get the right black for the wigs. My wig was called the tripartite, which was divided, into 3 parts, two were behind my hairs and went down past my shoulders and one piece went far down my back. I also put on eye makeup that was green to protect my eyes from blowing sand and the glare of the hot sun (which came out later in the day). I finally made it to work when it finally started to warm up so I opened small flaps on my wig to let air come through.
On my way to work I ran into Aloli, which means grapes. Aloli is the same age as me and she works in her fathers shop to make pottery. Walking close behind Aloli was a slave on his way to drag huge blocks to make pyramids. Once the man was done I would come to tell the story of the people through paint. Aloli waved but continued walking toward her father’s small shop. The man walked past me through the swirling sand to a starting of a story – the pyramids. Ishaq a blacksmith jogged past me kicking up yellow sand. I could see him flinch every time his feet hit the ground burning his toes.
Love,
Nailah
I'm going to keep working on details and also editing as I go.
ReplyDeleteAuggie
DAY 3
ReplyDeleteAtsu is not feeling any better. He will not get out of bed at all. I have tried much magic on him, and nothing has worked. I pray for him every day, and so does my daughter, Ain, my best friend Femi, and Atsu’s brother, Ata, who is also Femi’s husband. We pray to Hapi and Bastet every day. I do hope he recovers, but if he does not, then I know he will have a wonderful time in the afterlife.
On another note, the feast of Opet is coming up soon. In just three days, the whole village will gather together for a huge celebration! We will feast on pomegranates, figs, and roasted lamb. I can just smell it all now. As a youth, my mother would bring me to the celebration. I remember clearly dancing with Femi, shaking my rattle along with the beats of the other singers and dancers that came in the precession with the priests. I now do the same with Ain. She has a friend like I had Femi, his name is Ptah, meaning opener. He is a really nice boy, and I am considering him when I must pick Ain’s husband in a couple of years. Ain is 10 years of age now, but I would like her to marry in 2 years if she would like. Ata is a high priest, so he will be leading the precession on the day of the feast. He also has connections with the gods, so he can put in a good prayer for Atsu. I have just received word that Atsu is calling for me so I must go. I will check back in hopefully with a good word after the celebration. So long for now!
Day 4:
ReplyDeleteToday is a special day because I’m getting married. I can’t be sadder because the person I’m getting my sister, her name is Banafrit (it means beautiful soul if you didn’t remember). I was planning to give an amulet of Hathor the god of love and joy. Banafrit loves jewelry. I am sad because first I think it’s gross, second because she doesn’t want to get married. This is terrible, so I go to my friend to crash the marriage. Then my sister would be happy and I too. I want to get married but not with my sister. I said to my friend “The ceremony is going to start in a short period. I have to get ready for the ceremony, now plan out how to destroy the ceremony”. I ran as fast as my feet could carry me. My mom fixed me up for the ceremony. It was the ceremony, I don’t know what is my friend is but I bet it’s good. Then I saw someone hand me a note. It said “give me the signal just put to two fingers in the air and wave”. When the priest started talking, I waved my two fingers up in the air. Then an arrow shot up then 2 … 3 …4…5. Everyone started running yelling “HELP, HELP!!!!!!!!” The guards came in; I pointed another direction to distract them. The guards started going the way I was pointing. I thought” WOW there dumb”. Then my friend came out of a tree without his bow. I thanked and told I owe a big one. I went back home, I saw my mom’s angry red hot face yelled at me “GO TO YOUR ROOM RIGHT NOW AND NO LUNCH”. I had to go to your room even though I didn’t eat lunch. The rest of day went normal; I ate at the table for dinner. I could see my sister smiling secretly. After that, I went to sleep remembering this day forever and in the afterlife. I remember the chaos and the happiness of this day.
This is for Daniel G, Sarah, Maggie R and D, Auggie, Diego, Evelyn, Emily R, Crystal and Veronica...
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed by the amazing cultural detail in your writing. All of you continue to improve your work as you complete each journal. The descriptive details in your writing are woven so well into the stories and bring your character(s), story, setting to life and are easy to envision. I'm so proud of you. Mrs. Zabbia
This is for Matt, Auggie, Patrick, Alexa..
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of your work as you continue to improve you journals. Patrick, the last journal is excellent because you used all of the setting details we had reviewed for the Feast of Opet. You should do that same writing for your other journals. Envision the scene, and then write using all of the sensory details (5 senses). Matt, I like your warrior writing. Think about writing a battle scene as we discussed...same way I mentioned for Patrick. Look at some pictures to get an idea of what it was like, and then write using as many details as possible. Auggie, your last journal was very good. I look forward to reading the others - bring them to school on a flashdrive. Alexa, you have one excellent journal - did you write any others? Keep up the great work! Mrs. Zabbia
ALL STUDENTS: BRING YOUR SAVED WORK ON A FLASHDRIVE TO SCHOOL MONDAY. ALSO, PRINT A TEXT COPY AND BRING THAT TOO. YOU WILL HELP ONE ANOTHER EDIT AND REVISE. I'M SO PROUD OF YOUR WRITING!!!!!!!!!!MRS. ZABBIA
ReplyDeleteWeek 2
ReplyDeleteMy farmhouse has two floors. Our upper floor is used for living space, and our lower floor is used to store our crops. Small windows are at the top of our upper rooms. Windows and doors are covered with reed mats to keep out dust, flies and heat. During the last flooding season I helped my father build a reed canopy to give us shade.
I took a bath with a large jug of water after I woke up. Today was especially blistering hot, so I went shirtless and wore my pleated linen skirt. I shaved today with the razor my father gave to me.
Auggie
Akhet Inundation/Autumn
ReplyDeleteI took a bath with a large jug of water after I woke up. Today was especially blistering hot, so I went shirtless and wore my pleated linen skirt and put on reed sandals. I shaved today with the razor my father gave to me. Today I’m not going to tend to my crops, because the whole field is flooded from the Nile’s annual flooding. I’m going to build a pyramid for pharaoh Hapu. First we level out the sand where the pyramid is going to be build, and then we make the stone blocks that will make up the pyramid by getting clay from the Nile River and shape them with a trowel and leave them in the sun to dry. Next we form a square base of blocks and put mud between the blocks to hold them together, finally we build a triangle structure with four sides leading up to a point.
journals are now seasons
-Auggie
Shemu harvest season/summer
ReplyDeleteMy name is Abayomi, it means to bring joy. I’m a farmer, and on this farm we work from sun up to sun down. My father taught me everything I now know. When I awoke this morning I prepared myself for the ultimate task, farming. I washed myself with a scented paste made of clay or ash called swabu. We wash when we awake and before and after meals. I put on my long collarless linen tunic, and put my flint sickle in my hand. A sickle is made out of two pieces of wood with pieces of flint placed in a grove and tightly glued. My father, Akil, meaning intelligent, and he also works on the farm with me. He called me, and I went to him. He said that my mother, Bahiti went out to barter some grain with merchants. It was near end of the harvesting season, Shemu (March-May), and anyone who worked on this farm was paid the amount that they could reap in one day. I went to work. We cut of the ears off the stalks with our sickles with a swift motion of the arm, leaving the stalks for livestock to eat. Cattle were used to trample over the cut corn to remove the grain from the ears. Women follow us men gathering the sheaves of ears. At dinner time I had my bread and beer on dishes made of clay. After dinner we sang songs and played instruments to pass the time in the pitch black of night, when we cannot work in the field or in the house. We sit together on low stools or on the floor. My father plays the Sistrum, and we all sing along.
Akhet Inundation/Autumn
My farmhouse has two floors. Our upper floor is used for living space, and our lower floor is used to store our crops. Small windows are at the top of our upper rooms. Windows and doors are covered with reed mats to keep out dust, flies and heat. During the last flooding season I helped my father build a reed canopy to give us shade. I poured a large jug of water over my head after I woke up. Today was especially blistering hot, so I went shirtless and wore my pleated linen skirt and put on reed sandals. I shaved today with the razor my father gave to me. Today I’m not going to tend to my crops, because the whole field is flooded from the Nile’s annual flooding. I’m going to build a pyramid for pharaoh Hapu. First we level out the sand where the pyramid is going to be build, and then we make the stone blocks that will make up the pyramid by getting clay from the Nile River and shape them with a trowel and leave them in the sun to dry. Or we built the pyramids out of limestone by putting wooden wedges between cracks in the limestone quarry walls, and soak the wedges with water, the wedges expand and the blocks split off. Next we form a square base of blocks and put mud between the blocks to hold them together, finally we build a triangle structure with four sides leading up to a point by dragging the blocks up mud soaked ramps and putting them into the right place.
Rough final
-Auggie
Auggie, outstanding detail and description. Your words create great visuals. Terrific job pulling together all the original journal entries into a compelling story. Mrs. Zabbia
ReplyDeleteEgyptians and slaves like me worked really hard, in our free time we would play hunt or dance. When they played it was mostly athletic games like wrestling, ballgames and acrobats. Most slaves need a talent to be a slave like an acrobat; a lot of acrobats are slaves for entertaining at parties, they do that also with musicians. That’s why I don’t want to be a musician or an acrobat. My friends and I love board games but the most popular game is senet. It was played on a board divided in to three rows of ten squares. Each player had 7 pieces and you wanted all of your pieces on the other side of the board but preventing your partner to get all 7 pieces.
ReplyDeleteBrendan
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteI apologize for not writing in this journal for so long. It has been a whole month! Time has really flown by. We have been so busy, doing our regular duties and preparing for the trip to Alexandria. I, personally, cannot wait to visit King Alexander the Greats tomb! It is right near the Pharaoh’s palace. It is going to be remarkable to see the final resting place of King Alexander the Great! The city of Alexandria was named after him. One thing father told us about the tomb is that there are guards and a glass box protecting the body. There was an old Hebrew legend that the Messiah would come and save us all, and that, when he dies, his body will not decay and he will rise from the dead. Some people think that Alexander the Great was the Messiah, and that is why they guard the body so carefully.
So, we are now taking the long journey to Alexandria. It takes days by boat. We are traveling up the Nile River, as we have been for 1 week. It will take one more day. At this moment I am sitting on the deck, with the sun beating down on my bare neck. It is hot (as always!). Across the deck Lisimba is talking to our father, Akila is patching fathers ripped shirt, and mother is admiring the view of the Nile River. I think I will go below deck, the sun is very hot.
-Masika
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteIt has been 3 weeks since I last wrote in you! I should take better care to write more often. We are taking the return trip home. Alexandria was extraordinary! I met a girl there called Khepri. It means morning sun. She was very nice. We have decided to keep in touch.
It has been a wonderful trip, but I can’t wait to get home!
-Masika
Day 4
ReplyDeleteAfter the death of my mother I have been wondering what life has been like for her in the afterlife. These days I wish we could have contact with the dead. My wife Sharifa has been trying to settle me by telling me that she is fine. But I can’t stand wondering. I think she is up there with Ra the sun god enjoying his cool rays while listening to the soft music from the lute and the harp. When I came home from work exhausted as usual, Sharifa was baking her great bread. She picked the wheat from the field outside. We may not be farmers but we know a thing or two about growing wheat and fruits because since we are pour we don’t have enough money to go to the market and buy wheat or fruit. We usually do not eat meat unless I have made enough money to buy or exchange something of equal value. Anyway like I said we usually don’t eat meat but in today in celebration of my mother’s life we are going to enjoy a big lamb today.
Dear Dairy day 1
ReplyDeleteMy name is Masud it means lucky. I am 21 and I am a warrior. I don’t really like the cloths. When I was little I had to wear no cloths. Now a wear a tunic made of linen fabric it is cool and comfortable. I have a spear and shield for battle, I serve for king tut. My father is nice and so is my mother, I am an only child. Today I start basic war training to fight for Egypt. I have a weird hair cut all my hair is cut to the side like a ponytail then the rest of my head is bald. I have a cool helmet it is made of bronzes. My drill master is really mean, and he made us run 30 miles when we only have to run 20 miles. Then he would beat us if we did something wrong. My favorite part is learning how to use weapons.
Dear Dairy day 2
On days that I don’t have warrior work, I like to play checkers. I have some old little toys from when I was little. For example, I have saved clay rattles and wooden animals. On hot days I like to go swimming, and in warrior training we have to be good at swimming. This skill is important because a warrior might have to sneak up on his opponent. I like to get a good day off it is really hard at war training. My friends and I like to swim each other. Up and down the Nile all day almost.
Some of my friends are warriors like Nomti, Mkhai. Then some of my other friends are black smiths they built my weapons and I thank them a lot for it because I am poor and would not have had that money to get my own weapons. But my friends are much more skilled then I am. They have been doing there jobs longer then I have I just started my job the other day.
Dear Dairy day 3
I caught a sound of a trumpet I am scared I do not know what it means. Then I see Nomti and Mkhai running to battle station they tell me to hurry up and get suited up. I get my shield and spear then I arrow flies right past me I run as fast as I could. Then out of no were I here it is the Hyksos then a loud scream it is Nomti I see him falling from the building he has a arrow in the middle of his head. Then I get so made I attack like crazy it was like everything was missing me. It was like I was invincible that is why my mom named me Masud it means lucky. But I saw people falling screaming like attack screams and the sounds of people getting hit. It smelled like blood and the stink of sweating men.
Dear Dairy Day 4
Today I got promoted to an officer one because the other officer died his name was Akhom his name meant eagle, we only lost 27 men. Also Mkhai got prompted to an officer. I thank Geb the earth god and Montu the god of war so that I can help my family with money. My family is very religious we believe in a lot of gods. But those are just some of the main gods we believe in.
Slaves like me look poor and ugly compared to the people like the priest warrior and more. We look like this because our master Mr. Akins doesn’t want to spend money on us. All slaves look like they were Identical twins just the hair is different. I hate being the same with all the slaves because it looks like I am just talking in the mirror. The slaves and I just have a small Wight skirt. A lot of people laugh at us because we are poor and look ugly; we walk bare foot in the hot sand which burns our feet. My foot is burning red because of the sand. The slaves have no shirt on besides the women.
ReplyDeleteBrendan
EDITED
ReplyDeleteToday my sister and I are going to buy some groceries in a store for a dinner with Bahati and her family. My mom gave us a list of supplies that we should buy.
• Candles
• needles
When I brought my sister to another store where they sold necklaces and earrings I had my allowance with me so I bought my sister a necklace that had the picture of the creation of Nut, the goddess of the sky. I remember when I was her age we visited the biggest temple, I saw in my entire life and I remember the drawing of the creation of Nut that mama explained to me.
When I got home my friend Bahati called me and asked me who I was going to marry in September. I started asking a lot of questions to her I told her that I thought that was a lie. I also told her that we are almost pre - teens and that we should not be marrying now.
Then she stopped me because I was too scared and nervous when she told me that it is okay we just have to wait 9 more months she is my friend and she was only trying to calm me down. When we heard her dad and my sister calling, we were so nervous that we were sweating like crazy. I asked why my mama had called, and my sister said, "I can't tell you because mama said so." Then she gave me a weird look, I didn't like it at all when she gave me that look it was when I wasn't going to like something or someone
DAY 4
ReplyDeleteI am afraid Atsu is not better. He unfortunately saw his last sun this morning. He lied in bed for four days, and then with his last gasp of sweet lively air, told me he wished everyone he has ever known a great life, and he will hopefully be able to meet with all of them in the afterlife. I know he will have a wonderful afterlife because he had such a pure soul, and everyone in his life knew it. But he is with the gods now, Ata- his brother- has made sure of it. Ata, being a high priest, knows a great deal about the afterlife and the gods. He has secured a safe time for Atsu in the afterlife. Ain is still trying to get used to the idea that her father is not with her anymore, but she too prays to and for him. We are also trying to get along without him in the shop. Femi has to do a lot of work that he used to do and so am I. He always did the labor work like collecting clay from the riverside and hauling it to town for us to work with. We have had to do this for a few days while he was sick and could not work, but now it is becoming a priority instead of an extra chore. We are having a ceremony and I must go prepare.
Sincerely,
Nwy
Safiya and I have been friends ever since one cold, rainy, dreary afternoon.(Flashback) I had no coverage in the rain. I was getting soaked. My feet were aching from running. I would never make it in time. My house was a mile away. But I had to keep on going when all of a sudden, I ran into a woman. I ended up getting a bad nose bleed while the woman was unconscious on the floor. I picked her up and walked a mile to bring her to safety. I dropped her on the floor in my house. She started to wake up. I realized that I had dropped her so I got some ice an placed on her head.
ReplyDelete“Who are you”Said the woman.
“I am Akil, man of intelligence.”
To make this easier for you and I, after the fish incident, we fell in love, and had two beautiful children named Gahiji meaning hunter, and Shani meaning wonderful.
Day 5
ReplyDeleteThis morning I headed to work. It was a normal hot, dry day in Giza, Egypt. I took my rope and started to pull in unison with my fellow workers. We don’t usually socialize with each other but I have made a few friends during my work day. We pulled and tugged the thick ropes that were wrapped tightly on around the stone. We had been working for 6 hours when some of the workers sweaty hands couldn’t hold the ropes anymore and the limestone started to slide down the earthen ramp with me still holding on and I was dragged down the ramp and fell off the pyramid with the stone. I woke up… it was nighttime… and I was inside my house. My arms and legs were stinging and bruised and my left arm especially hurt. My head had a bump that was the size of a grapefruit. My wife Sharifa and my son Donkor were at my side. Sharifa was tending to my wounds. Then it hit me, it hit me as hard as my fall. How was I going to work and support my family!!!!!!
Akila’s Journal
ReplyDeleteEntry 5
Dear Diary,
The silence was a sad one. The dark room in the middle of the night made it worse. We are still waiting. The doctor is here. He WILL make papa better. I know he will. I was scared. Papa is skinny and pale. He looks older then ever. The doctor gave him herb medicine to make him feel better. He WILL make him feel better. He WILL make him feel better. I keep repeating to myself. This is the only thing I can do. Right now waiting is the hardest thing I ever did. Mother says that I am very patient. Not today. The doctor finished. He said that he is not sure why papa is so ill. It could be a mosquito bite.
That night I prayed that he will get better. “I know he will.” I said doubtfully. I woke up listening to papa’s sickly coughing. He will get better. I kept repeating until I went to sleep. In the morning papa was still sleeping. We all whispered so he won’t get up. Mother says he needs his sleep. When he did finally wake up he took more medicine and ate a little fruit. Mother says that we won’t have the party if papa is going to be this sick. I went to the temple. I prayed extra hard. I know he will get better. I have to go.
Love, Akila
Day 3
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
Today I woke up by a sound that sounded like a dog howling at a rabbit, but it wasn’t it was Femi. Then grandmother, Ushe came in saying “What all that yelling.” It was weird because I was going same question to Femi. Then I saw Femi’s eyes they looked like they seen a ghost or a dead person. Then I remembered of Sagira. Then I got scared, then I said “ Femi whe ,where is Sagira” she pointed where I had put Sagira to sleep last night. I went too see Sagira she didn’t move then I went to touch her, Sagira was cold and didn’t breath. I wanted to keep my tears in my eyes put I couldn’t I burst into tears. Ushe hugged me and told me that Sagira is going to go to the better world. I felt pleased to hear those words. Then my mother and father came and saw Sagira, and then they came to me and hugged me.
Rough Draft
ReplyDeleteDear Diary,
The sun gleamed on the hot desert sand. I stepped outside my feet sinking into the crisp sand. I hear the soft whistle of the wind and I am reminded of meeting my family at the Nile.
Today I am fishing down the Nile with my family. Well the Nile actually runs north so I am really floating up the Nile. I sprinted across the burning sand to the cooling river. My dad had already put the reed boat in the lazy water. Femi sat on the wet banks, playing with a piece of grass. My mother already sat in the rocking boat. My dad stood up in the boat lending me a hand. I grabbed it and slowly stepped into the swaying boat. Femi looked at me with begging eyes.
“Don’t let me go,” she whispered under her breath, “Don’t.” I closed my eyes and listening to the distant bang of the making of a pyramid.
“No Fem you must come,” I said slowly back. I could feel my throat closing about to take my words back but I didn’t I just nodded my own head. Femi was resenting me as she boarded our small boat. Femi hated fishing; she sat still the whole time ignoring my father who was trying to teach her how to fish. She would stare at the squirming fish with sad eyes then she would give my father and I a cold, hard look secretly asking why?
I looked guiltily at Femi’s hard face destroying my heart with just one look. We had answers to her why? But did we actually answer it, no.
Love,
Nailah
Journal Entry 7
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
The sun is beating down hard burning my skin and the sand. I can hear the Nile flowing north. The wind is whistling in my ear as I walk down toward the Nile.
Today I am going fishing with a very big group. I love sitting in the reed boat floating up the Nile with the wind blowing in my hair. When I get to the Nile nobody is there. Am I early? Did they leave? Do I have the wrong day? I walk on the burning hot sand back to my house. My mother stares at me very confused. “When I walked down to the Nile no one was there.” My mother sighs and shakes her head. “Today is hunting.” Nod my head smile and walk out.
I see my big hunting waiting for me. They all look at me as if I forgot something. Then I reach back into my pouch and pull out my bow and arrow. We walk towards the Nile. Before we walk across the Nile we go down on to our knees and splash the water on to our faces. We also pray to the gods that we will have a good hunting trip and that it will be successful. I see one of the most extraordinary things I had ever seen and of course I had to go after it without telling anyone else. The lamb run away as I run faster and faster until finally I shoot my arrow and I get the lamb. I know my mother will be very happy to make roasted lamb.
Love
Ebe
When you are a slave you don’t go to a lot of places unless you are treaded to a new master. My uncle got traded to a new master; I don’t even know his name because he got traded before I was born. My parents say he was a nice man and He got in trouble a lot just like me. They say that I am a lot like him, I get in trouble and my parents say that I haves his face. The only places I go is were I work in the kitchen and in the farm and barn. I wish I could go to the out side world but I think I am Because I heard My master Over talking, and he said I was getting traded and there is a rule no journals so this is the last time I am Talking to you so Good by.
ReplyDeleteBrendan
Femi's Journal
ReplyDelete(part of) DAY 3
Capri is someone from another class
Layla went outside, I was in my room. When she came home she was carrying something in a white cloth. She slowly unraveled the cloth. All I could see was fur the color of silver. I heard a weak noise then the animal lifted it’s head and I saw it was a cat. Layla said she had found it in the field. I was so happy I always wanted a cat. We named it Sagira which means little one.
Just before I got called to help make dinner, Layla came up to me and said she had talked to mother and mother was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I was very pleased to hear that news, for I knew mother would change his mind. At dinner father was acting more calm. He stood up and announced that we could get married at an older age. I was so happy I hugged father.
That night Layla and I couldn’t sleep, we were so happy. Eventually Layla fell asleep. But I was still awake I heard the small “Mews’” of Sagira. I smiled and fell asleep. I thought about how mother said the cat looked sick and she would die soon. I didn’t want to believe it. I loved her so much.
See you tomorrow, (FEMI)
________________________________________________Dear Journal,
I woke up before Layla. I called Sagira over to our bed.. I didn’t hear her. I got up and looked for her. When I found her she was lying in a small corner. I stroked her grey fur. She didn’t move. I put my hand on her back. She wasn’t breathing, I screamed so long it woke up Layla.
“What’s wrong?” She asked. Then Grandmother came in, “What’s with all the screaming?” I pointed to Sagira still laying in the corner breathless. Layla jumped out of bed and picked up Sagira. Tears started in her eyes. She gently put Sagira down on the bed and ran over to hug me. Tears were running down her cheeks as she went to tell mother and father.
Father had said we would have a funeral then bury Sagira far out into the fields. Layla was still sad but I was happy she was at peace. Mother told me I had to deliver some crops. So she gave me a box and I set out. Layla stayed behind and helped father bury Sagira.
As I walked I wasn’t paying any attention, all I could think about was Sagira. Suddenly I bumped into a person in front of me. We both fell to the ground. The girl stood up a held out a hand to help me up. I apologized for knocking her over. She was just a bit shorter than me. She held out her hand and I shook it. She said, “Hi my name is Capri. What’s your name?” “Femi.” I said. “That’s a beautiful name. I’m delivering some jewelry to a noblewoman.” She said. “Thank you. I am delivering crops. Let’s go.” So we started walking. The whole way there, we talked. I told her about Sagira. She made a sad face and said “I’m sorry.”
When we finally arrived, the man helped us with our packages. We both said thank you and left. Capri said goodbye. “I hope we’ll see each other again.” I said as I waved. As I walked home the sun had just started coming down. I hurried home for I knew mother would start to worry.
Mother was in the kitchen. I went in to see if she needed any help. She said no, so I went to find Layla. She was in our room combing her hair with a comb made of wood carved by Ushe. She was smiling and humming the soft tunes we composed on the lute. I said hello as I entered the room.
♥♫♪☼~Peace~☼♪♫♥ - Teresa
Entry 6
ReplyDeleteDear Diary,
Papa is finally better! He still has to be bedridden though. This experience made me realize how great my family is. I want to spend more time with them. So on my next day off we will go fishing. By then papa should be back on his feet.
I am helping mother plan the party. There is going o be music and dancing. The rest is a surprise. Femi and all my other friends are going to be there. So are Dalila’s friends. Also my family members. We are going to have so much fun! I have to go. Dalila wants me to play senut with her. I’ll explain what that is in my next entry.
Love,
Akila
-Emily
Today was a big day. Today was the Feast of Opet. Opet means secret chamber. I had brought some fish that I had bought at the market. We were all gathered today to celebrate the flooding of the Nile River. Safiya, Gahiji, Shani, and I were in a circle around the fire thanking God for a healthy and happy family. Safiya was playing her lute and I was singing...
ReplyDelete“Time of Opet time of life time to sing a song of strife” we all chanted. It was a song that Safiya had taught me the week that we had met. We ate fresh pomegranates, dried figs, fish, and watermelon. I could smell the juicy lamb cooking on the spit. After we were done celebrating we headed home to get a good night sleep in the central room.
Day 6
ReplyDeleteI woke up the next morning to the bright sunshine coming through my small window. Sharifa gave me a piece of bread and a grape for my breakfast. I was very hurt from yesterday’s accident at work. Was Sharifa aware that I could not be fit to work and that I will not be making any money for our family. What will I tell Donkor? Will we go hungry? All these thought were racing through my head. But apparently Sharifa had it hall figured out. She told me that she will pick the fruits and vegetables that we grew in our garden and sell them at the market in Cairo. She knew eventually I would not be fit to work, be injured or even killed; she knew how dangerous my job was. She headed outside into the heat with her basket and started to pick the fresh grapes that sat gently on a dusty vine outside my window. Her basket quickly became full and she went and got another one. Donkor helped too, they both sat outside picking the fresh figs. After all the fruits in the garden were picked, she started to bake bread; I suppose that she will sell that too at the market. She baked over 150 loaves then she and Donkor packed the produce and bread and headed off for the long walk to Cairo.
Safiya and I have been friends ever since one cold, rainy, dreary afternoon. I had no coverage in the rain. I was getting soaked. My feet were aching from running. I would never make it in time. My house was a mile away. But I had to keep on going when all of a sudden, I ran into a woman. I ended up getting a bad nose bleed while the woman was unconscious on the floor. I picked her up and walked a mile to bring her to safety. I dropped her on the floor in my house. She started to wake up. I realized that I had dropped her so I got some ice and placed on her head.
ReplyDelete“Who are you”Said the woman.
“I am Akil, man of intelligence.”
To make this easier for you and I, after the fish incident, we fell in love, and had two wonderful children, Gahiji who wants to be a scribe, like me, and Shani, who wants to be a blacksmith. My wife Safiya is a potter.
Rough Draft
ReplyDeleteDear Diary,
I walked slowly toward my quiet kitchen the sun sneaking through the few branches that sat on top of the roof. Today members of my family were joining me for dinner. I was going to make baked duck. Duck is usually eaten uncooked but my sister prefers her food as far away from alive as possible. Along with fish my sister cares for the life of ducks, and Quails. I put the duck in the clay oven. I lowered some wood in the clay oven, the wood was there to fuel the oven and I tossed in a tiny piece of coal which was very scarce here in Egypt. I chopped onions which later would add flavor to the duck.
About a half an hour later I toke the duck out of the clay oven and rested it on a small bench then I sprinkled salt over the duck. Well the duck had been cooking I had started to make dough for bread. I had made the dough from flour, water and leaven I also added honey to it so the flavor would change. I lowered the bread into the burning oven. I was excited for my family to come and to see my sister again but this time not mad at me.
Love,
Nailah
Journal entry 8
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
It is another hot sunny day in Northern Egypt. My mother and I are going to get a bigger dinning table so the next time my family comes we can fit the whole family. We are also going to get some paintings from my friend Nailah. My mother wants a picture of the pharaoh in our home. This is what the painting is going to look like:
The walk to the furniture shop was terrible, because the sand was so blazing hot. When we get there it is so great to be in a shady cool area away from the hot blazing sun and sand. My mother also wants to get a brand new reed boat to support my fishing and hunting group. It is very rare to find a very big table. We might have to get it customized which is very expensive so I will have to work very hard so I can pay off the price of the table. I also need to work hard so I can pay for the painting. Luckily Nailah is my friend so she is not making us pay as much but it is still expensive.
My mother says that the painting is so important because if we need to pray to a certain person we pray to the painting and the person will receive our message. This painting is also very important to me to because I can tell my father how much I love him and how much I wish he was here. I have heard that if you pray the next day they will responds. I think that is just a myth. Well I have to go pick up the painting and then pray to my dearest loved one my father.
Love
Ebe
Were it says going to look like and then there is a blank spot well a picture is there!!!
ReplyDeleteShemu harvest season/summer
ReplyDeleteMy name is Abayomi, it means to bring joy. I’m a farmer, and on this farm we work from sun up to sun down. My father taught me everything I know. When I awoke this morning I prepared myself for the ultimate task, farming. I washed myself with a scented paste made of clay or ash called swabu. We wash when we awake and before and after meals. I put on my long collarless linen tunic, and put my flint sickle in my hand. A sickle is made out of two pieces of wood with pieces of flint placed in a groove and tightly glued. My father, Akil, meaning intelligent, also works on the farm with me. He called me, and I went to him. He said that my mother, Bahiti went out to barter some grain with the merchants in town. It’s near end of the harvesting season Shemu (March-May), and anyone who worked on this farm was paid for the season the amount they could reap in one day. I went to work. We cut of the ears off the stalks with our sickles with a swift motion of the arm, leaving the stalks for livestock to eat. Cattle were used to trample over the cut corn to remove the grain from the ears. Women follow us men gathering the sheaves of ears. At dinner time I had my bread and beer on dishes made of clay. After dinner we sang songs and played instruments to pass the time in the pitch black of night, when we cannot work in the field or in the house. We sit together on low stools or on the floor. My father plays the Sistrum, and we all sing along. This has been a good harvest season, and I thank the plant god Osiris, and Atum, the creator. We have many gods they all mean something to us like Khnum the controller of the Nile, or Geb the god that prevents scorpion stings and snake bites.
Akhet Inundation/Autumn
My farmhouse has two floors. Our upper floor is used for living space, and our lower floor is used to store our crops. Small windows are at the top of our upper rooms. Windows and doors are covered with reed mats to keep out dust, flies and heat. During the last flooding season I helped my father build a reed canopy to give us shade. I poured a large jug of water over my head after I woke up. Today was especially blistering hot, so I went shirtless, wore my pleated linen skirt and put on reed sandals. I shaved today with the razor my father gave to me. Today I’m not going to tend to my crops, because the whole field is flooded from the Nile’s annual flooding. I’m going to build a pyramid for pharaoh Hapu. First we level out the sand where the pyramid is going to be built, and then we make the stone blocks that will make up the pyramid by getting clay from the Nile River and shape them with a trowel and leave them in the sun to dry. Or we built the pyramids out of limestone by putting wooden wedges between cracks in the limestone quarry walls, and soak the wedges with water, the wedges expand and the blocks split off. Next we form a square base of blocks and put mud between the blocks to hold them together, after we build a triangle structure with four sides leading up to a point by dragging the blocks up mud soaked ramps and putting them into the right place. Finally we polish the entire pyramid with a small stone harder than the stones that make up the pyramid.
my mom made me post
-Auggie
Day 3
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
Today I woke up by a sound that sounded like a dog howling at a rabbit, but it wasn’t it was Femi. Then grandmother, Ushe came in saying “What all that yelling.” It was weird because I was going to ask the same question to Femi. Then I saw Femi’s eyes, they looked like they seen a ghost or a dead person. Then I remembered of Sagira. Then I got scared, then I said “Femi whe, where is Sagira” she pointed where I had put Sagira to sleep last night. I went too see Sagira she didn’t move then I went to touch her, Sagira was cold and didn’t breathe. I wanted to keep my tears in my eyes, but I couldn’t I burst into tears. Ushe hugged me and told me that Sagira is going to go to the better world. I felt pleased to hear those words. Then my mother and father came and saw Sagira, and then they came to me and hugged me. Father said we would have a funeral then bury Sagira far out into the fields. I was still sad, but I was happy she was at peace. Mother told Femi to deliver some crops. So she gave Femi a box and left. I stayed behind and helped father bury Sagira. Father and I went to the Fields, father was bringing a shovel. Sagira was wrapped in a white ceremonial clothe. Father stopped and said this is a great place to bury Sagira. Father took his shovel and started digging. Then he stopped, father told me it was big enough to put Sagira. So then I gently put Sagira in the whole, like putting a baby to sleep. Then I laid a flower next to Sagira . Then Father said “ lets go home.” As I walked home the sun had just started coming down. I hurried home for I knew mother would start to worry about Father and I. Mother was in the kitchen. I went in to see her, mother hugged me. Then I went to find Femi in our room she wasn’t here yet. I was feeling happy because I new Sigira was in a better place. So I started smiling and humming the soft tunes Femi and I composed on the lute. Femi then came and said hello as she entered the room.
DONE
ReplyDeleteLayla's Journal
Day 1
Dear Journal
Hello!!! My name is Layla. My name means night. I am a apprentice farmer. Every day I wake up and get dress, then I go to the Nile River to wash up it is important for me to be clean because I work all day in the field and I get dirty. My sister, Femi is also a farmer in training.
We work together day by day, we are in a harvest/summer season, but we don’t make much money. In Egypt the year was divided into three seasons Inundation/Autumn, Growing/Winter and Harvest/Summer. Each season was divided into four months of each thirty days making a total of 120 days in each season, at the end of the year, five extra days are thrown in to compensate for the year being 365 days it is called the Epagomenal Days or the "Days Upon the Year". Today I had to take a part of the harvest to the temple to pay for the use of the temple’s land. I filled several baskets with the harvest, loaded them onto two donkeys and set out for the temple with Femi and another field worker.
We live in a house made from bricks of sun dried mud, called adobe, because wood was scarce. Femi and I share the same room so we only have one mirror and it is small. Our bed covered in a coarse linen sheet that had been woven by my grandma, Ushe. Ushe mean life and she cares about life. People in Egypt believe of a after life, they believe that when you die you go to another place where the gods are. Ushe believes in that too. My mom, Mandisa had washed and dressed early in the morning light. Then she had gone to begin her daily chores. Mandisa means sweet and she is very sweet to Femi and I. Mandisa wore a dress made of coarse linen. Around her neck was an amulet of the goddess Tawaret on a piece of papyrus string that Azibo my dad have gave her. Azibo means earth. Mandisa wore a amulet to ward off evil sprits and injury. Grandmother called me inside to practice my lute. A lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and deep round back. I am a lutenist, lutanist, or lutist. The string of the lute is made of animal gut, usually from the small intestine of sheep
After a long day of working in the fields, our family settles down while Femi and I help mother with dinner. We make bread, fresh milk, meat and vegetables we harvested. We also helped peeling the skin off the peas. At dinner Femi and I must be extremely polite. Also before we eat, we must say a prayer. When I asked why we had to pray, father said it was to thank the God of Plenty for the food they had give as this harvest/summer season. After dinner, Femi and I go to our room and get ready for bed. I take off my white linen dress and change into my clothes for bed. Then I comb my hair and pull it back into a pony tail. I lay down in my bed covered with white sheets and a colorful quilt stitched by my Grandmother Ushe.
My dad Azibo, said to my sister and me that we had to get married. I told my dad Azibo that I won’t, but I couldn’t do that much to change Azibo mind. It wasn’t fair too, my parent had to choose who I had to get married with. In Egypt peasant girls usually got married around the age 12, the boys were a few years older than the girls. In Egypt marriages were arranged by the children’s parent although some young people chose their own spouse. We weren’t wealth, but today I wished I was because in Egypt girls of more wealthy families married a few years older.
Good night,
 (Layla)
__________________________________________________
DONE
ReplyDeleteLayla's Journal
Day 2
Dear Journal
The next morning I woke up just in time to see the sun rise. I went outside near the Nile. As soon as I saw Femi, I asked her if she wanted to play the boat game. The boat game consisted of light reed boats pointed in the same direction, each person had a long pole and we would have to push our opponent into the water. It was a boy’s game but when I saw some boy’s play the boat game I wanted to play it with my sister. She said yes right away because she always accepts a challenge. So Femi climbs to a boat and I went to the other. I tried to push Femi down but I couldn’t push Femi down, then I thought that I was wrong this game is only for boys, but then I saw Femi look away so I wacked her on the back and pushed Femi to the water “splash.” I helped Femi out off the water, and then we went inside the house.
Last night Femi and I couldn't sleep. We talked, laughed a few times but the laughter would die down in the thought we had to get married. Soon enough, I fell asleep. I woke up not even able to remember at all what I dreamed about. Then I went to talk to mom about what father said that Femi and I had to get married. Mom was very sweet to me and understood what I was trying to say. Mother then said that she was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I was very pleased to hear that so I hugged my mother and went to tell Femi. Then I saw Grandmother say that we are too childish and too young to get married. She must have seen us playing the boat game. I knew that grandma under stood Femi and I and she new how we felt. Then I went out side to find Femi, but I couldn’t find her. Then I herd a noise like a kitten “Mewwwwo” coming from the other side of a tree so I went to see what it was. My eyes couldn’t believed what I saw a small cat with colors black,white and gray. No one was outside so I thought that it had no owner. I grab the small kitten and put is in my white linen dress. I was so happy that I found a cat because cats in Egypt are very special, but I was worried because the small cat looked sick.  Then I saw Femi just when mother was going to called her to help make dinner, I came up to Femi and said that I had talked to mother and mother was going to try and convince father if we could marry at an older age. I knew that she was very pleased to hear that news, for I knew mother would change his mind.
Then Femi said what was under my white linen dress. I told That had found A small cat. Femi at first didn’t believed, but then I started to take that small cat out from under my white linen dress. Femi’s eye’s pop out with happiness. Then I went to show mother she was very pleased of what I had found. Mother checked the small cat and her smile turn it darkness. I asked mother what is wrong she said that the small cat was sick and soon will die. All the joy and happiness I had been gone from me. Mother said that we can keep it until its last day the small cat is on this world, then he’ll go to the other world where the gods are, and the small cat will be happy there. Then she told us to name the cat, Femi and I at the same time said “Sagira” that means little one.
At dinner father was acting calmer. Then father wanted to talk with Femi and I. Father said to Femi and I that we could marry at 19 years old. I was so happy that I grab Sagira and started dancing with her. After we finished eating diner, we went to sleep. Mother told me that it was alright that the cat could sleep in my room.
Good night,
love
 (Layla)
___________________________________________
Day 3
ReplyDeleteDear Journal
Today I woke up by a sound that sounded like a dog howling at a rabbit, but it wasn’t. It was Femi. Then grandmother, Ushe came in saying “What all that yelling.” It was weird because I was going to ask the same question to Femi. Then I saw Femi’s eyes, they looked like they seen a ghost or a dead person. Then I remembered of Sagira. Then I got scared, then I said “Femi whe, where is Sagira” she pointed where I had put Sagira to sleep last night. I went too see Sagira she didn’t move then I went to touch her, Sagira was cold and didn’t breathe. I wanted to keep my tears in my eyes, but I couldn’t I burst into tears. Ushe hugged me and told me that Sagira is going to go to the better world. I felt pleased to hear those words. Then my mother and father came and saw Sagira, and then they came to me and hugged me.
Father said we would have a funeral then bury Sagira far out into the fields. I was still sad, but I was happy she was at peace. Mother told Femi to deliver some crops. So she gave Femi a box and Femi left. I stayed behind and helped father bury Sagira. Father and I went to the Fields, father was bringing a shovel. Sagira was wrapped in a white ceremonial clothe. Father stopped and said this is a great place to bury Sagira. Father took his shovel and started digging. Then he stopped, father told me it was big enough hole to put Sagira. So then I gently put Sagira in the hole, like putting a baby to sleep. Then I laid a flower next to Sagira . Then Father said “ lets go home.” As I walked home the sun had just started coming down. I hurried home for I knew mother would start to worry about Father and I. Mother was in the kitchen. I went in to see her, mother hugged me. Then I went to find Femi in our room she wasn’t here yet. I was feeling happy because I new Sigira was in a better place. So I started smiling and humming the soft tone Femi and I composed on the lute. Femi then came and said hello as she entered the room. Femi then started singing my favorite song to cheer me up.
“There's candles and bells ringing in the distance And red-colored flowers and wine Just you, me and a little tree covered in lights There's a yellow lantern And the stars are shining like snow With new things to try. So forget about today and start a new life.” Then Femi stopped it seem like she was waiting for something. When she was going to leave I started sing Femi came back to me. “A year has gone and another has arrived It's white and new May I draw a smile on you and me And as a year falls asleep and another awakens May you remain my beloved
Femi" Femi’s name was not part of the song, but then Femi and I looked at each other and hugged. In my ear Femi whisper “I am sorry” I said “Thank you.”
part of day 3
ReplyDeleteDONE
Then mother said to Femi and I to go to the Nile river to collect water. Femi and I went to get the water when we came back mother was home but father wasn’t. Then father came with meat, bread, cake, wine, figs and pomegranate. I asked father how he got all this food. Father said today we are going to eat like kings to say thank you to Sagira for being in our family and to be happy in her new world. After we were done eating Femi and I entertained mother, father and Ushe by playing our lute. Ushe was glad we were very good in the lute and we didn’t forgot any part of the music. At the end as it grew dark outside, father lit the small oil lamp then we went outside and looked at the stars. In my head I imagine Sagira running, jumping through the sky. Somewhere in my heart I knew Sagira loved me as much I loved her. Then we all went in Femi put the small oil lamp near our room. Then Femi and I got under our covers that Ushe made for us, I blew out the lamp and let the night sky lead us to sleep.
Love,
 (Layla)
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Journal Entry
ReplyDeleteThis is the story of how I got captured and became a slave. I was a warrior fighting for the temple. No one could injure me until I saw the Pharaohs chariot and decide to charge. He had 6 or 7 men guarding him, so when I went in to murder him his guards hit me with a battering ram. I was on conscience until the war was over. When I woke up I was all alone in a cellar that was lit by only a little crack in the wall. The next day I was awakened by an opening of the door. Someone came in and said “let’s go slave.” I stood up and followed the guard to a little tent at the edge of the village. Then the whole slavery began.
Working as a slave is hard because we are beaten if we do anything wrong or call some one something wrong. Some days are better than others, but when that happens it is still painful. Some days we are in the field, and once in a while we are working on a new big structure. Our pharaoh is the cruelest man I have ever seen. He lets us wake up at sunrise just so the blazing sun god, Ra can throw his fiery heat on us.
Akhet is the worst season to work outside in a rough desert. Peret is the coolest season but still blazing. Shemu is a mixture of the hottest season and the cooler season. The seasons divide the year into 3 sections. Shemu is the harvesting season (March-May). Akhet is the flooding of the Nile season (June-September). Peret is the growing season (October-Febuary).