The Top Three Most Historically Significant Artifacts of Ancient Egypt

    The top three most historically significant developments and creations that helped to contribute to ancient Egypt’s fame and prosperity are, Papyrus which made writing much easier, the plough which helped to revolutionize agriculture and the calendar, which shaped the way the Egyptians were able to tell the time and weather. Although there were many more developments in ancient Egypt, these three examples can be classified as the most historically significant. 

 

    Papyrus is a type of paper made from a plant called papyrus, it was created in Egypt and was far easier to write on than the clay tablets that were commonly used by the Mesopotamians.[1] Eventually, papyrus became a part of Egyptian trade and was used all over West Asia. Since the papyrus plant was only grown in Egypt, this paper became an important part of Egyptian trade, thus proving its importance.

 

    The plough was another extremely important Egyptian creation, before its existence people would have to break and dig into the soil by hand which was a time-consuming process. The plough proved to revolutionize agriculture, making it easier to plant crops on a larger
scale and thus helped to produce greater crop yields.[2]

 

    The final crucial Egyptian creation was the calendar. The Egyptian calendar was the first calendar based on 365 days, with twelve months.[3] It served for administrative as well as religious purposes and helped all Egyptians maintain order just as the calendar continues to help us today.

 

    In conclusion, we can clearly see the impact that Papyrus, the plough and the calendar had on ancient Egypt. And without these three creations, we can be certain that Egypt as well as the rest of the world would look very different. So crucial were these creations that their effects can even be felt to this very day.

---

[1]                TVO ILC, World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century (Toronto, ON, 2014), lesson 4, pg.29.

[2]                Jennifer Young, “A Brief History of the Plow, From Ancient Egypt to Illinois” Orange Bean. February 21, 2020

[3]                Canadian Museum of History, Mysteries of Egypt, Egyptian Civilization Sciences, (Gatineau, QC)

Bibliography:

1.     Book of the Dead for the Chantrees of Amum, Nany, 1050 B.C.E. Papyrus and paint. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Egyptian Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/548344

 

2.     Eighteenth dynasty Egyptian calendar, Mural and paint. From Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Senenmut-Grab.JPG

 

3.     Model of a Man Plowing, 1981-1885 B.C.E. Painted wood. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544255

 

4.     “Mysteries of Egypt, Egyptian Civilization Sciences.” Accessed November 3, 2021. https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/egcs02e.html

 

5.     TVO ILC. World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century. Toronto, ON, 2014.

 

6.     Young, Jennifer. “A brief History of the Plow, From Ancient Egypt to Illinois.” Orange Bean. February 21, 2020. https://orangebeanindiana.com/2020/02/21/a-brief-history-of-the-plow-from-ancient-egypt-to-illinois/