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Thy Bui

Professor. Vaughan

HUM 3013 - Bronze Age Humanities

17 December 2021

Women in Ancient Egypt

Women have always been an important part of humankind. They have a role in

maintaining breeding and balancing human life. Women have some similar and different

points than men. Women have slightly different biology than men; they also have

different characters and thoughts. Besides other roles, women can also have a high

title, attend politics, work every job, and be an individual. Throughout history, there were

women in several specific periods of time, which is pretty remarkable. One of them was

a woman in Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt had a very interesting traditional culture and

life. Women in Ancient Egypt were also remarkable and fascinating. Many archeologists

have explored the life, roles, and values of women in Ancient Egypt. They had played

many roles and achieved many titles in society; they had been from the normal

daughters, wives, and mothers to the entertainers, officers, doctors to the queens,

regents, and finally a king. Women in Ancient Egypt had achieved respect from other

people since they had dedicated their qualities, skills and talents to the society and life

of Ancient Egypt.

In Ancient Egypt, hairstyles and fashion were important and necessary to the

Egyptians. Through much research and statues, Egyptians had prepared for their

afterlife in the other world by making a good appearance and showing what they wanted

in the other life through hair and clothes; people chose to be portrayed in their best
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clothes with their best hair (Wilson 50). Generally, Egyptian women had long hair and

wore a long-hair wig. The Egyptians considered longer hair to be a symbol of beauty

and attractiveness (Wilson 51). The tripartite or three-part wig is the simplest and

common Egyptian hairstyle for women. It was supposedly the traditional hairstyle for

women of all classes. This hairstyle was when the long hair was separated into three

equal sections, the middle section hanging down the back and the other two tucked

behind the ears and put over the shoulders at the front (Wilson 51). The hairstyles for

women in Ancient Egypt were pretty unique and complicated. In Ancient Egypt, a

fashionable lady usually wore a “cap” of hair which was the most popular hairstyle. This

hair was designed by putting it the same length, making it all around the head, and

covering the ears. Women further decorated their hair by threading it with beads and

other ornaments, tightening it with ribbons and clasps, and topping it with headbands or

circlets (Wilson 51). In traditional Egyptian culture, women wore wigs for formal

occasions such as parties and festivals. Several archeologists found a formal wig in the

tomb of Kha and Meryt (Wilson 52). Another tripartite hair that women usually wear was

the Hathor wig. The hair had two heavy plaits at the end and it was pretty thick and

curly. These curls hung onto the shoulders and were considered as the curved cow’s

horns; this image was seen as the crown of the goddess Hathor (Wilson 54-55).

Sometimes, priestesses wore this Hathor wig style if they performed certain religious

rituals; some princesses also wore this Hathor wig if they had the title God’s Wife of

Amun (Wilson 55). Another hairstyle that young girls commonly wear is known as a

side-lock. Half of the head was close-cropped or shaven with leaving only a single plait

on one shoulder (Wilson 55). As they grew up, they also grew their hair longer; they tied
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their hair back with an amulet or lucky charm hanging at the end (Wilson 56). The

researcher found a princess in the Tomb of Kheruef, steward in the household of Queen

Tiye; she had her hair arranged in a side-lock style which demonstrates a royal feature

for children (Wilson 56). Hairstyles and wigs were a traditional culture for women in

Ancient Egypt; they expressed the beauty and beliefs of Egyptian women.

One of the most important things related to women in all periods of time is

marriage. The women in Ancient Egypt had a big and important role in marriage.

Marriage helps women to bear children, to build up a family, to support others, and to

get support. For women, the wedding ceremony is the event that proves one person

changes from a child to an adult and begins a new role in society (Tyldesley 20).

Egyptian girls usually married at a very young age, around eight or nine. The

researchers found the mummy from the Graeco-Roman period was the body of an

eleven-year old wife (Tyldesley 21). During marriage, Egyptian women were legal to

inherit one third of their husband’s property if the husband died. It means that a widow

would not need to worry about financial problems; they also did not need any support

from other people (Tyldesley 21). Fortunately, women in Ancient Egypt might not be too

poor or have difficulty with finances if their husband passed away early. For Egyptian

women in particular, remarriage was very common; women could marry three or even

four times if they wanted. After the divorce, the wife left the house which they used to

live in; and they returned back to her family; they also were free to marry again

(Tyldesley 22). If a woman divorced a man, she did not have to pay a fine. The wife was

also legal to get support from her (ex) husband (Johnson). If adultery happened, and

the fault was from a woman, she was seen and called a seductress. Egyptians were
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warned to stay away from women who would seduce men into sexual relationships

(Tyldesley 23). An adulterous wife would receive the most terrible physical

punishments. She could be sentenced to death; an unfaithful wife was burned and her

ashes scattered on the River Nile. In the tale of the Two Brothers Anubis, the guilty wife

was eventually killed; her corpse was thrown into the dogs and became their food

(Tyldesley 23). An unfaithful wife was always criticized by everyone.

Fertility was very important to Egyptian women. Egyptians believed a woman

who gave birth to many children was a successful woman. The wife needed many

children for herself to protect her marriage. If she became the mother of many children,

she gained the approval of both society and her husband (Tyldesley 23). Unfortunately,

sexism existed in Ancient Egypt. The wife always gets blamed for the infertility, and the

result of the infertility marriage is usually a divorce (Tyldesley 24). The story of the lady

Reddjedet is about the birth of triplets, and is the most detailed story of childbirth.

Reddjedet was helped by four goddesses: Isis, Nepthys, Heket, and Meskhenet; they

came over to her house and disguised themselves as itinerant midwives. First, Isis

helps the mother to deliver the babies. Next, Nephthys stood behind the mother and

supported her back. Then, Heket used a mysterious technique to speed the children out

faster. Finally, Meskhenet told the fortunes of the newborn babies while the god Khnum

gave them life (Tyldesley 24). In the medical field not developing at that time, tragic

childbirth happened commonly. One of the worst examples is about the lady Henhenet

in the 12th Dynasty; her mummy shows a dreadful tear running from the bladder to the

vagina; the reason was because she gave birth to a large baby (Tyldesley 24). There is

other evidence of tragic childbirth that archaeologists have explored. The mummy of
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Mutnodjmet, who was the wife of King Horemheb, had died from giving birth to an heir

to the throne (Tyldesley 24). In traditional Egyptian culture, the mother was usually the

one who named her babies; she gave their names immediately after birth to make sure

her children had a name, even if the babies died. The name was very important in

Ancient Egypt, so even if they were dead or alive, they still needed to have one

(Tyldesley 25). The Egyptian custom was to breast-feed infants for up to three years.

The image of a woman holding a baby and letting it suck at her left breast became

symbolic of successfully fertile womanhood; this image is frequently portrayed in both

secular and religious Egyptian art. (Tyldesley 26). Women, who have too many children,

usually leave the feeding of their baby to a wet nurse. They would have the

responsibility to feed the children for a fixed period of time, and receive a satisfactory

amount of salary. Throughout the dynastic period, the position of royal wet-nurse was

one of the most important and influential positions for a non-royal woman (Tyldesley

26). When the daughter came to a suitable age, she had the arrangement to meet with

her future husband, and she would need to perform the most important female role in

Egyptian society - the wife and mother (Tyldesley 26).

The Egyptian wife was often portrayed on a smaller scale; they kneeled or stood

by her husband’s side (Wilson 52). After the wedding ceremony, the woman was

changed from the “bride” to be “his wife”. She moved from her father’s house into her

new husband’s house. She now became “Mistress of the House”, which was the most

obvious proof of her married status (Wilson 55). In the New Kingdom, the phrase “his

sister” was another name for the word “wife” (Wilson 55). The woman’s rank might help

her to be in society without having a man or husband. A priestess allowed her to stand
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alone before the gods without leaning on a husband. A single Egyptian woman had to

face many difficulties in society if she did not marry (Wilson 56). Marriage and husband

were important for Egyptian women. A wife, who gives birth to her husband’s heir, has

power and influence in the family (Wilson 56).

Generally, most Egyptian women did not hold jobs outside the house; they were

responsible for housework, so the women usually had several titles such as ”mistress of

the house”. Egyptian women still had several authorization for their benefits. Women

had a right to own and dispose of property in their own name. They could set the

contracts by using their own name; they could also initiate civil court cases by

themselves; they could also be sued by others; they were eligible to become witnesses

in court cases; they had the right to serve on juries; and they were eligible to prove legal

documents (Johnson). In the Old Kingdom, some women worked in the economy or

public services. Besides, they also worked as merchants in market places; there were

also priestesses who symbolized the goddess Hathor (Johnson). Moreover, Egyptian

women could deal with property, make the appropriate contracts with their own names,

and attend economic transactions and contracts (Johnson). Egyptian women usually got

married to a man who had an equal standard and level as her father or brother. Women

often stood behind and helped their husbands’ jobs, but they still were eligible to gain

some wealth through their own business. However, women still needed their husbands

to support their material future, so that they could guarantee their life (Johnson).

Women held many important and influential positions in Ancient Egypt. Several

examples of art and music that are pretty remarkable. Talent women became

professionals and participated in entertainment. The best examples of entertainment

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professionals are Hekenu and Iti. They were two famous musicians of the Old Kingdom;

these women were popular enough to have their performances painted on other

people’s tombs (Khalil). In the Third Intermediate Period, several powerful women were

responsible for important administrative positions. One of examples was Neskons; she

was known as ‘Overseer of the foreignland’ and ‘Viceroy of Lower Nubia’ so she was

influential and powerful in the offices. She used to be the main administrator of the

Nubian province (Grajetzki 24). Another example is Mutmedjemet; she bears some

important titles such as ‘Second Priest of Amun-Ra’, ‘Priestess of Mut’, and ‘Domain

Administrator of Mut’. Because of those powerful titles, Mutmedjemet was responsible

for performing many important religious duties (Grajetzki 24-25). The most powerful

woman of this period was one who owned the title ‘God’s Wife of Amun’; these women

had a role as main priests for the Amun of Thebes. In Upper Egypt, women managed

the main religious office over several centuries (Grajetzki 25). In the Old Kingdom, some

important King’s Mothers were involved in government by ruling for their son such as

Merineith - mother of Den (Grajetzki 27). There were ruling queens of the Middle and

New Kingdoms such as Sobekneferu, Hatshepsut, and Tausret; and there were several

powerful Great Royal Wives: Ahhotep, Tiye, Nefertiti, and Nefertari. These women kept

many important positions and became influential models at the royal court (Grajetzki 25,

27). For an economic female, high-status women often managed their own estates.

Many estates were run by several queens and some high status women of the Old

Kingdom. Female administrators became decorations in their tombs; these tombs are

known as their own monuments (Grajetzki 27). Egyptian women were able to become

physicians. In the Fourth or Fifth Dynasty, there was a woman named Peseshet, who
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was known as the ‘King’s Acquaintance’ and female ‘Overseer of Ka-priest of the King’s

mother’; she served in the household of the King’s Mother. Besides her regular titles,

she also had the title “Overseer of the Physicians’ (Grajetzki 28, 29). The title was

unique at that time; and it proves that she was a physician. Many reputable articles still

proclaim her as the first female doctor in the world (Grazetzki 29). Women in Ancient

Egypt had many respected titles and status.

Moreover, several royal women were powerful, so they involved themselves in

politics. Queen Ahhotep was the sister-consort of Seqenenra Taa II; she had been

powerful since ruling as regent instead of Ahmose the Younger because he became a

king at a young age and lacked experience (Tyldesley 12). She got a lot of trust from

the king; he encouraged his people to deeply respect her as “one who has

accomplished the rites and taken care of Egypt” (Tyldesley 13). Queen Ahhotep is

credited with caring for Egypt’s soldiers, collecting fugitives, and pacifying Upper Egypt

during the wars with Hyksos in order to get freedom back. She was an example of a

royal woman involved in military affairs (Diamond 175). Daughter of Ahhotep - Ahmose-

Nefertari, who got many great titles such as “King’s Daughter, King’s Sister, and King’s

Great Wife '', and “God’s wife of Amun”. She was the one who initiated and built up

ritual offerings throughout Egypt (Tyldesley 14). She and Ahhotep contributed to the

virilization of female royal power. They were able to approve any future political

authority within the royal family (Diamond 175). King Ahmose's use of the term

‘companion’ suggests that Ahmose-Nefertari had equated the goddess Maat (Tyldesley

14). Ahmose-Nefertari was also known as “God’s Wife of Amun ''. This title was the

most honorary position during this period. The one who owned this title was allowed to
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display the rituals that could set fire to demolish the far-away enemies (Tyldesley 15).

Ahmose-Nefertari became a goddess of resurrection, and she was worshiped until the

end of the New Kingdom (Tyldesley 15).

One of the most famous and influential women in Ancient Egypt was Hatshepsut.

She demonstrated an incredible and powerful woman who changed people’s view and

prejudice of masculinity and the male body (Diamond 168). Hatshepsut broke the

supposed relationship between men and masculinity that existed for a long time period.

She was the first person to demonstrate another form of masculinity: female

masculinity, and to prove that the manipulation of gender was the best way to obtain

and control power. She had shown that female masculinity was a potent and powerful

tool to insure authority from citizens because people were always prejudiced against

gender (Diamond 170). However, people tried to erase her existence and let it vanish in

ancient historiography (Diamond 171).

According to many documents, Hatshepsut was the best female ruler in ancient

Egypt. First, she started with the feminine statues, then she put in various male traits to

form statues that had both male and female features. Eventually, her statues finished

with a full masculine portrait; Hatshepsut hid most of her female attributes (Diamond

172). Masculinity helped her to gain the benefits and consent in politics. Besides, she

also gained mobility and social power (Diamond 172). Hatshepsut secured all the power

possible to become a successful king, such as: her membership in the highest echelon

of society, her mature age, her education. These powers combined together and gave

her the cultural capital to embrace female masculinity. Her origins, titles, and status,

such as God’s Wife of Amun, King’s Daughter and King’s Wife also helped her a lot to
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be a king (Diamond 172-173). Also, she displayed a masculine appearance so she was

able to get closer to the relationship with the gods, compared to when she would have

in her female appearance (Diamond 175). According to archaeologists, her temple is a

massive structure at Deir el-Bahri; it was known as one of the largest women's temples

of ancient Egypt (Diamond 176).

Hatshepsut was an intelligent and ambitious person. She had skills, talent, and a

strong will to be a ruler. Unstoppably, Hatshepsut had challenged hegemonic

masculinity. First, she became a regent for Thutmose III, instead of his biological mother

- Isis. Within the first seven years, she raised herself to king (Diamond 177). Then, she

reduced Thutmose III’s personal power by snatching administrative power from him and

eventually overshadowing his power (Diamond 177). Next step, she became a co-ruler.

This position gave her the opportunity to spread out her own authority and to declare

her own policy (Diamond 177). Before taking the throne, Hatshepsut presented her age

and experience in co-rulership so that she confidentially took over the official

iconography of the central power (Diamond 177). By manipulating her gender, she

finally stepped into the throne, and acted as a king by using her own power. With her

ruling policy, she became a leader for all citizens; she built and worshiped the gods; she

led military expeditions and organized long-distance trade missions (Diamond 178). She

also claimed and made citizens believe that her father assigned her to be his heir. After

being a king, she added to her name ‘United with Amun’, which means a close and

personal relation with the god Amun (Diamond 178). She had calculated carefully what

she needed to do and performed those steps slowly so that she could achieve her goal

as a king. Her campaign was dynamic and flexible (Diamond 179). Hatshepsut was an
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Egyptian king for over twenty years, and helped Egypt prosper. Her citizens also

accepted her masculine appearance. She demonstrates how flexible gender could be in

ancient Egypt; everything could be possible if they had enough skills, abilities, and

status (Diamond 181). Hatshepsut performed masculinity from a female body to make it

become a masterful tool to approach power, advantage, and legitimacy.

Women are always wonderful individuals. Women in ancient Egypt particularly

were also wonderful. Egyptian women not only had the role of wife and mother at home.

They also handle many influential and important positions in society, such as

physicians, entertainers, etc. For several gifted women, they could become regents, co-

rulers or even a king to attend politics and the military. Many women assisted and made

Egypt prosper. They had contributed many values and benefits to ancient Egypt.
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Reference

Diamond, Kelly‐Anne. “Hatshepsut: Transcending Gender in Ancient Egypt.” Gender &

History, vol. 32, no. 1, Mar. 2020, pp. 168–188. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/1468-

0424.12462.

Grajetzki, Wolfram. “Meritptah: The World’s First Female Doctor?” Ancient Egypt

Magazine, vol. 19, no. 3, Dec. 2018, pp. 24–31. EBSCOhost, search-ebscohost-

com.libproxy.uco.edu/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=hlh&AN=133764847&site=ehost-live.

Johnson, Janet H. “Women's Legal Rights in Ancient Egypt.” Women's Legal Rights in

Ancient Egypt, University of Chicago, 2002,

https://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/1/777777190170/.

Khalil R, Moustafa AA, Moftah MZ and Karim AA (2017) How Knowledge of Ancient

Egyptian Women Can Influence Today’s Gender Role: Does History Matter in

Gender Psychology? Front. Psychol. 7:2053. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.02053

Tyldesley, Joyce. “Marriage and Motherhood in Ancient Egypt.” History Today, vol. 44,

no. 4, Apr. 1994, p. 20. EBSCOhost, search-ebscohost-

com.libproxy.uco.edu/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=hlh&AN=9405047640&site=ehost-live.

Tyldesley, Joyce. “Queens of the Early New Kingdom The Politically Active Queens.”

Ancient Egypt Magazine, vol. 15, no. 5, Apr. 2015, pp. 12–15. EBSCOhost,

search-ebscohost-com.libproxy.uco.edu/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=hlh&AN=102242126&site=ehost-live.
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Wilson, Hilary. “Crowning Glories: Women’s Hairstyles.” Ancient Egypt Magazine, vol.

21, no. 3, Jan. 2021, pp. 50–57. EBSCOhost, search-ebscohost-

com.libproxy.uco.edu/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=hlh&AN=148095527&site=ehost-live.

Wilson, Hilary. “Women and Marriage.” Ancient Egypt Magazine, vol. 21, no. 4, Mar.

2021, pp. 52–57. EBSCOhost, search-ebscohost-

com.libproxy.uco.edu/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=hlh&AN=149352613&site=ehost-live.