Agricultural holidays in ancient Egypt
“Agricultural Holidays in Ancient Egypt.” What are the names of these holidays, when were they celebrated, and what are the manifestations of celebrations of these holidays??
The ancient Egyptians relied heavily on agriculture for their state economy, built ports for export, built canals (the Sesostris Canal) and developed an agricultural calendar based on observing the stars and rivers. They celebrated many agricultural holidays, including:
* Harvest Festival: It was celebrated at the end of the harvest season, and was an opportunity to express thanks to God for the abundance of crops. (It is celebrated in the month of “Baramhat”) [Baramhat, remove the rain and bring it] is an old popular proverb indicating the month of harvest.
* Flood Day: It was celebrated at the beginning of the flood season, and was an opportunity to welcome the water that nourishes the land and helps agriculture. (Celebrated in the month of Tut)
* New Year’s Day: It was celebrated at the beginning of the new year, and was an opportunity for optimism and to start over. (It is celebrated in the month of “Nowruz”), so it is called Nowruz Eid.
*Shammu (Sham el-Nessim) or the Spring Solstice: It was a festival of music, dancing, wrapping green onions around necks, and eating salted fish and white goose.
*The Winter Solstice: The Egyptians used to dip in the waters of the Nile. It resembles the Feast of the Epiphany, and it is believed that it was on the occasion of the heat of the earth and the scattering of seeds.
They used to take advantage of the holidays and act out the story of the killing of Osiris, Isis’ grief over him, and then Horus’ revenge for his father. These holidays were an opportunity for social rapprochement and increasing family ties between members of society.
Source: websites