1. Role playing ancient trade

Pottery plate with a sealed phoenix, made in Greece, 6th Century BCE, found in the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, Naukratis, Egypt, by The Trustees of the British Museum (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Activity

The objective of this activity requires you simulate trade and use your experience in the simulation to determine HOW trade from the Mediterranean could have influenced Middle Kingdom Egyptian’s cultural development. The activity will be completed in small groups of 3 to 4 and will require you to collaborate with other groups to trade resources such as pottery, jewellery, and lumber. Each group will represent a nation that a strong trade history with Egypt during this period (Canaan, Lebanon, Greece etc.) and create a “marketplace stall” which will represent your trading route. Through this activity you will be able to simulate how interactions with other nations influenced the cultural development of Middle Kingdom Egypt.

Group allocation

• Get into groups of 3 to 4.
• Pick a nation to represent (e.g., Canaan, Lebanon, Greece, Egypt etc.)
• Make and label representations of goods being traded (e.g., Greek pottery, lumber, Canaan Jewellery).
• Create trading stall

Trade simulation

• Choose a trading partner (e.g., another nation).
• Trade with your partner nation whilst considering the value of your possessions and their importance to creating a functional society
• Repeat until you have traded with all other nation groups.

Class debrief

• How did this activity facilitate your understanding of trading/trade routes?
• How would have trade spread of ideas, technology and influenced art, literature, society, and architecture?

2. Trade and its impact on culture and perspective

Ancient Egypt Painted Pottery, by Gary Todd (CC0 1.0)

Activity

Through the analysis of the sources provided, create an extended response showcasing your knowledge regarding the influence of Mediterranean trade on Middle Kingdom Egypt’s culture, religion, art, architecture, socioeconomic status, and gender roles. Choose one of the questions below and provided a detailed 500-word response.

A) Discuss how did the exchange of items such as ceramics and art in the Mediterranean contributed to the development of new artistic expressions. Where can evidence of newly developed artistic expressions be found throughout Egyptian society and did Egypt also influence the artistic expression of other Mediterranean empires?

B) Investigate the economic and social impact of Mediterranean trade on local Egyptian communities. Did it play a key role in the production of local wealth, development, and socioeconomic status?

C) The Mediterranean trade network allowed for not only the trade of many cultural goods alien to Middle Kingdom Egypt but also ideas and practices. Explain how, with examples, how trade influenced Egyptian ideas, practices and even pharaohs over time.

D) It was very common for merchants, scholars, and zealots of all types to travel among the Mediterranean trade routes. How did this contribute to the spread of religion and cultural practices? And how did it impact the Egyptians perspectives of on other empires?

E) Explain how Mediterranean trade effected gender roles. Highlight the role of women partaking in Mediterranean trade and how it influenced their roles in society and cultural outlooks across the Mediterranean.