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History off the page
22 June 2018
An Ancient Egyptian Workshop for Year 6 pupils gave girls a chance to find out what life was like in 1347 BC.
The school hall was transformed into an Ancient Egyptian market, where the children had the opportunity to make many Egyptian artefacts and experience the skills used in this era. They practised mummification (using dolly pegs and bandages), made scented cones and tried complex hieroglyphic writing on papyrus. They also sculpted canopic jars and carved scarab beetles using soap!
The market was a very lively place with guards being chosen and trained, rats infesting the area and so much gossip going on all around. The Queen ventured around approving or, on occasions, disapproving of the children’s creations.
After completing the craft workshops, the children were able to take all their wares away with them – but only after going to the special altar to give thanks to the Sun God, Aten, for ‘giving them the skills and patience in making these items’.
For the afternoon session, the children were busy with preparations for the Festival of the Nile, being held to celebrate the flooding of the river. The ‘Royal Court’ was set up and the food was prepared for the banquet. The children were given roles and tasks to complete which they executed with vigour. They played percussion instruments, performed dances and plays, all to entertain the Pharaoh and his wife, Nefertiti, and their honoured guests. In between the performances, the slaves delivered various courses of the magnificent banquet, with servings of bread, cheese and fruit, washed down by a goblet of fine ‘red wine’ (blackcurrant cordial in reality). This proved to be a successful way to finish what had been an exciting day of role-play for the girls.
A big thank you to our adult volunteers and Year 6 pupils for their great enthusiasm throughout the day!
History off the page
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