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Image Gallery
The high status of women in ancient Egypt was reflected in many aspects of the culture but, notably, in the number of female deities who embodied the concept of the Divine Feminine and were honored by both women and men. Women were regarded as men’s equals in almost every aspect save one’s occupation.
As men were recognized as the head of the household, so were they regarded as authority figures, ordained by the gods, in business and politics. Since the first divine king, Osiris, had been male, Egyptian monarchs who came after him were also, even though there were exceptions including Hatshepsut and Cleopatra VII. Balance and harmony, symbolized by the goddess Ma’at and her white feather, was a central value of Egyptian culture and equality – or near-quality at least – was understood as essential to the social stability Ma’at and her fellow deities encouraged.
The following gallery presents the women of ancient Egypt, primarily of the upper class, and some of the goddesses who represented the culture’s values.
Questions & Answers
Could women rule in ancient Egypt?
- There were queens in ancient Egypt - such as Hatshepsut and Cleopatra VII - but this was generally frowned upon because the first divine king, the god Osiris, was male and so Egyptian monarchs were also.
Did women have equal rights in ancient Egypt?
- Women had nearly equal rights in ancient Egypt. Men were the heads of households and so were considered authority figures in other areas, but women could be supervisors, priestesses, overseers, and scribes.
What were some of the jobs performed by women in ancient Egypt?
- Women in ancient Egypt were basket-weavers, bakers, brewers, cooks, musicians, dancers, launderers, as well as scribes, estate managers, priestesses, artisans, weavers, professional mourners, and waitresses.
What was the most powerful position a woman could hold in ancient Egypt?
- After the Middle Kingdom, the most powerful position a woman could hold in ancient Egypt was God's Wife of Amun, the female counterpoint of the High Priest of Amun.
License & Copyright
This image was first published on Flickr.
Original image by Jacques Pasqueille. Uploaded by Ibolya Horváth, published on 29 July 2016. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs. This licence only allows others to download this content and share it with others as long as the author is credited, but they can't change the content in any way or use it commercially. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.
