Miniature Wooden Granary Model Discovered in an Ancient Hidden Chamber Reveals Egyptians Consumed a Lot of Grains

Food grains have satiated the basic dietary needs of people for ages and a recently unearthed wooden model is the proof of it. A wooden model of a granary with scribes that was decorated with plaster, paint, and linen was discovered in Thebes, according to Live Science. Thebes was the ancient name of the modern-day city of Luxor and is located on the eastern banks of the Nile River in Egypt. 

The model of the granary was found in a hidden chamber at the side of a passage that led into a tomb cut out of rock. The tomb belonged to a royal chief steward named Meketre, who was serving King Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II of Dynasty 11 and continued to work with the royals till Dynasty 12 took over. The Metropolitan Museum of Art revealed details about the model through a publication that mentioned how the decorated diorama represented a miniature granary, suggesting the importance of wheat and barley in Egyptian civilization. The diorama was made from a wooden box that measured 29.5 by 22 by 14.4 inches and had slightly peaked corners, indicating the ancient architectural style. 

This particular form of design was popular during that period as it helped people protect their homes against thieves and rodents. The insides of the wooden box were divided into two sections. One of the sections represented the storage area of the granary and the other section was used to measure the grains and carry out accounting works. The box also consisted of miniature models of 15 men which were roughly 7.9 inches tall and six of them were shown carrying sacks of grains. The rest of the models were seen recording the supply information on papyrus scrolls and wooden tablets.

Agriculture was a major contributor to the expansion and prosperity of the Egyptian empire. The ancient Egyptian civilization was among the first group of people who started agricultural practices on a large scale and based their farming schedule around the annual flooding of the Nile, stated BBC. The Egyptians divided their calendar into three seasons such as Akhet, Peret, and Shemu. During the Akhet season, Ethiopia received heavy rainfall during the summer months that resulted in the flooding of the Nile, and the fertile lands used to get covered in about two meters of water.

The Peret season gave rise to thick dark mud after the floodwaters dispersed, making the land fertile for farming. The Shemu was essentially the harvest season when the Egyptians collected their crops and seeds to store them in large silos. The Egyptians also used to dig channels and walls for irrigation purposes that diverted the flood water from cities towards the farmlands. It was called basin irrigation. Along with wheat and barley, the Egyptians also relied on other grains such as einkorn ahead and emmer wheat out of which they made bread. People in the civilization also consumed beans, lentils, and later chickpeas and fava beans, per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States.