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Organic Farming in Ancient Egypt

Received: 5 September 2024     Accepted: 24 September 2024     Published: 31 December 2024
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Abstract

Organic farming in ancient Egypt was a system that relied on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs. The ancient Egyptians used natural resources, such as the Nile River, to cultivate their crops using organic methods. They relied on manures for food production and horses and oxen for farm power. The agricultural way of life in ancient Egypt was influenced by religious beliefs and the use of simple farming tools like hoes, pitchforks, sieves, sickles, shadufs, and hand plows. Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs emphasized the role of deities in life and the afterlife, particularly in agriculture. Deities such as Hapy, Osiris, Isis, Nipri, and Min were connected to agriculture and were used to guard and celebrate crops. Hapy, the god of the flood, connected the myth of Osiris' resurrection to the idea of plenty, flooding, and the energy of rivers. Ancient Egyptians used various methods for farming, including plowing, hoeing, sowing, and irrigating the land. They used oxen and cows to plough and break up silt blocks, and used animal dung for organic fertilization. Manure, rich in nutrients and heat, was used to improve the soil's fertility. A special nitrogen fertilizer was also used to increase the land's fertility. Farmers hoed the land with an ax or light hoe if flood waters remained. Sowing involved workers carrying seed pods and releasing them, with sheep trampled and left in the earth's folds. The Nile flood transformed the lands into fertile soil, making agriculture the first resource for Egypt's eternal civilization. The spiritual and religious side of ancient Egyptians involved prayers and protection of deities related to fertility, growth, and protection. Simple farming tools like hoes, pitchforks, sieves, sickles, hand plows, and shaduf were used for these tasks.

Published in International Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry (Volume 9, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijbc.20240902.15
Page(s) 45-50
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Deities, Farming, Fertilization, Livestock, Organic, Tools, Ancient Egypt

References
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[5] David R., Hand Book to Life in Ancient Egypt, University of Manchester, 2003.
[6] Darby W. J., Ghalioungui, P., and Grivetti, L. Food: The Gift of Osiris. 2 vol. Academic Press, 1977.
[7] Goodison L., & Morris C., Ancient Goddess: The Myths and the Evidence, British Museum Press, 1999.
[8] Hart G., the Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, 2nd ed., London, 2005.
[9] Hunt T., Ancient Egypt: Ancient Wisdom for the New Age, New Holland, 1998.
[10] Jordan M., Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, United State of America, 1993.
[11] Mackenzie, D., Egyptian Myths and Legends, London, 2014.
[12] Posener, G., Macfarlane, A., Sauneron, S., & Yoyotte, J. (1959). A dictionary of Egyptian civilization.
[13] Redford D., The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, vol. 1, Oxford, 2001.
[14] Rigby D& Cάceres D., "Organic Farming and the Sustainability of Agricultural Systems" Agricultural Systems 68 (2000) 21-40.
[15] Singer E., Holmyard E. J., & Hall, A. R., A History of Technology, Oxford University Press, London, 1954
[16] Wilkinson T., the Thames & Hudson, Dictionary of Ancient Egypt, London, 2008.
[17] Ellis‐Barrett, L. (2004). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt20045Richard H. Wilkinson. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. London: Thames & Hudson 2003. 256 pp., ISBN: 0 500 051208 £24.95. Reference Reviews, 18(1), 10–11.
[18] Witt, E., Isis in the Ancient World, London, 1997.
[19] Wenke, J., "Early Dynastic Period" in: Donald Redford, ed., The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, vol. 1, Oxford, 2001, 413-418.
[20] Weterstorm W. &Murray M., "Agriculture" in: Donald Redford, ed., The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, vol. 1, Oxford, 2001, 37-44.
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[23] T. J. James, Life in the Days of the Pharaohs: Scenes from Life in Ancient Egypt, translated by Dr. Ahmed Zuhair Amin, reviewed by Dr. Mahmoud Maher Taha, Cairo, 1997.
[24] Salim Hassan, Ancient Egypt, Part Two, Egyptian General Book Authority, 1992.
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  • APA Style

    Salama, M. E. A., Kandil, H. A. A., Mohamed, A. N. A. (2024). Organic Farming in Ancient Egypt. International Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 9(2), 45-50. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijbc.20240902.15

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    ACS Style

    Salama, M. E. A.; Kandil, H. A. A.; Mohamed, A. N. A. Organic Farming in Ancient Egypt. Int. J. Bioorg. Chem. 2024, 9(2), 45-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ijbc.20240902.15

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    AMA Style

    Salama MEA, Kandil HAA, Mohamed ANA. Organic Farming in Ancient Egypt. Int J Bioorg Chem. 2024;9(2):45-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ijbc.20240902.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijbc.20240902.15,
      author = {Mahmoud Elmohamdy Abdelhady Salama and Hoda Abd Allah Kandil and Amany Nageh Ali Mohamed},
      title = {Organic Farming in Ancient Egypt
    },
      journal = {International Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry},
      volume = {9},
      number = {2},
      pages = {45-50},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijbc.20240902.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijbc.20240902.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijbc.20240902.15},
      abstract = {Organic farming in ancient Egypt was a system that relied on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs. The ancient Egyptians used natural resources, such as the Nile River, to cultivate their crops using organic methods. They relied on manures for food production and horses and oxen for farm power. The agricultural way of life in ancient Egypt was influenced by religious beliefs and the use of simple farming tools like hoes, pitchforks, sieves, sickles, shadufs, and hand plows. Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs emphasized the role of deities in life and the afterlife, particularly in agriculture. Deities such as Hapy, Osiris, Isis, Nipri, and Min were connected to agriculture and were used to guard and celebrate crops. Hapy, the god of the flood, connected the myth of Osiris' resurrection to the idea of plenty, flooding, and the energy of rivers. Ancient Egyptians used various methods for farming, including plowing, hoeing, sowing, and irrigating the land. They used oxen and cows to plough and break up silt blocks, and used animal dung for organic fertilization. Manure, rich in nutrients and heat, was used to improve the soil's fertility. A special nitrogen fertilizer was also used to increase the land's fertility. Farmers hoed the land with an ax or light hoe if flood waters remained. Sowing involved workers carrying seed pods and releasing them, with sheep trampled and left in the earth's folds. The Nile flood transformed the lands into fertile soil, making agriculture the first resource for Egypt's eternal civilization. The spiritual and religious side of ancient Egyptians involved prayers and protection of deities related to fertility, growth, and protection. Simple farming tools like hoes, pitchforks, sieves, sickles, hand plows, and shaduf were used for these tasks.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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    AB  - Organic farming in ancient Egypt was a system that relied on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs. The ancient Egyptians used natural resources, such as the Nile River, to cultivate their crops using organic methods. They relied on manures for food production and horses and oxen for farm power. The agricultural way of life in ancient Egypt was influenced by religious beliefs and the use of simple farming tools like hoes, pitchforks, sieves, sickles, shadufs, and hand plows. Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs emphasized the role of deities in life and the afterlife, particularly in agriculture. Deities such as Hapy, Osiris, Isis, Nipri, and Min were connected to agriculture and were used to guard and celebrate crops. Hapy, the god of the flood, connected the myth of Osiris' resurrection to the idea of plenty, flooding, and the energy of rivers. Ancient Egyptians used various methods for farming, including plowing, hoeing, sowing, and irrigating the land. They used oxen and cows to plough and break up silt blocks, and used animal dung for organic fertilization. Manure, rich in nutrients and heat, was used to improve the soil's fertility. A special nitrogen fertilizer was also used to increase the land's fertility. Farmers hoed the land with an ax or light hoe if flood waters remained. Sowing involved workers carrying seed pods and releasing them, with sheep trampled and left in the earth's folds. The Nile flood transformed the lands into fertile soil, making agriculture the first resource for Egypt's eternal civilization. The spiritual and religious side of ancient Egyptians involved prayers and protection of deities related to fertility, growth, and protection. Simple farming tools like hoes, pitchforks, sieves, sickles, hand plows, and shaduf were used for these tasks.
    
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