The Role of Women

Evidence for Ancient Egyptian women is more plentiful than for many other cultures. Women appear to have a comparatively import role in society: bartering for goods at market, performing rituals in temples, and even – on occasion – becoming Pharaoh. Written documents show that women could inherit property and divorce their husbands, rights which may seem normal to us but which were unusual in ancient times.

It might sound strange to most of us today, but in the past around many parts of the world, women were thought of as less important than men. This meant they weren’t allowed the same freedoms as men. Sadly, this is still true for many women today. However, unlike much of the rest of the Ancient World, women in Egypt were held equal to men, holding many of the same basic human rights.