Over time, the farmers of ancient Egypt were able to produce more food than they needed just for themselves. This enabled some people to do types of work other than farming. Many of them set up workshops and became craftworkers. Often a son would learn his father’s craft and follow him into his workshop. Some craftworkers worked for the pharaoh or Egyptian nobles, to make items for their tombs or temples. Despite only having simple tools to work with, the craftworkers of ancient Egypt were highly skilled. There were stoneworkers, carpenters, potters, glassworkers, leatherworkers, spinners and weavers, metalworkers and jewellers.

Tombs and temples

Many craftsmen worked at the temples, where they made items needed for the burial of a pharaoh. Goldsmiths, jewellers and glassblowers made exquisite treasures that would eventually be buried in a tomb. Joiners and boat-builders worked together to build the funerary boats. Painters, sculptors and engravers produced the fabulous decoration on the tomb walls. The workers were paid not with money but with goods such as vegetables, fish, milk and firewood. These were stored in their cellars and later bartered (swapped) for other household supplies.