Ancient Egypt was a world in which everyone knew their place. The pharaoh (king) was at the top of their society, as a living god. The farm workers were at the bottom, although they were the largest group. The pharaoh and the temples owned most of the land and employed most of the people in Egypt.

Top level

At the top of ancient Egyptian society was the pharaoh,

Middle level

In the middle were the priests, officials, scribes, and the skilled craft workers, such as masons, artists and goldsmiths, with their wives and children.

Lower levels

At the bottom were the majority of the people, including farm workers, domestic servants, soldiers and unskilled workers. Prisoners of war, at the very bottom of society, were used for the hardest and most dangerous work in the army and the mines.

People had few chances to improve their status, though some did. The important division in ancient Egyptian society was between those who could read and write and those who could not. If people could learn how to read and write they could get a better job. If a labourer worked hard they could afford to send their son to the temple school. But most boys did not get this chance. So if their father was a farm worker, they would be too.