In the states of the ancient world, for example in Ancient Egypt, a person's life depended heavily on his estate and status. For example, artisans led a lifestyle that was fundamentally different from the life of an official or a military man.
Instructions
Step 1
Craftsmen, like peasants, belonged to the underprivileged strata of the population of Ancient Egypt. They had to pay fairly high taxes for their activities. The most widespread crafts were weaving, woodworking, and pottery. Also, Egypt was known to master glassblowers and specialists working with metal.
Step 2
The most prestigious work was considered metalworking. Goldsmiths often passed on their craft by inheritance, the best of them could be accepted at the court of the pharaoh, as well as carry out orders for temples. Their work was well paid, and the artisans of this category themselves had access to areas of religious life that were closed to the uninitiated. For example, they could make images of gods, which, according to the rules of the cult, were supposed to remain secret.
Step 3
Bronze forging specialists did not enjoy the same respect as jewelers, but nevertheless they also occupied a privileged position relative to other artisans, as they made weapons for the pharaoh's army.
Step 4
In ancient Egypt, artisans used fairly simple tools. In the times of the Ancient and Middle Kingdom, the metal parts of the tools were made of bronze. Saws, axes, chisels were made of bronze. In the art of pottery, a simple technology was also used - vases and other vessels were made on a potter's wheel. However, even with such simple tools, Egyptian artisans could produce items of high artistic value.
Step 5
A craftsman often had to be an artist as well, as earthen vessels and other products were often covered with complex ornaments and drawings. The exception was painting on fabric - in ancient Egypt, inexpensive coarse materials were most often made colored, and pure white linen was most valued.
Step 6
Most of the artisans were not dependent people and could work both for private customers and for the state. But due to the strong centralized power in Egypt, it was government orders that could provide significant income to artisans. In the case of a large-scale project, such as the construction of a temple, many stone processing specialists were involved. State architects supervised such works. They personally supervised the extraction of stone - limestone and granite - in the quarries, and artisans subsequently took on the processing of individual architectural elements.
