Ancient Egyptian Market Scene Coloring Pages

Egyptian markets sold everything from bread and beer to gold jewelry, perfumes, linen clothing, papyrus, pottery, and exotic imports like incense from Punt, cedar wood from Lebanon, and precious stones from Nubia.

Ancient Egyptians used a barter system, trading goods for other goods rather than using money. They also used standardized weights of grain, silver, or copper as units of value for larger purchases.

The largest markets were in major cities like Memphis, Thebes, and Alexandria. These cities sat along the Nile River, making them perfect trading hubs connecting Upper and Lower Egypt with international trade routes.

Markets were busiest in the early morning and late afternoon to avoid the intense midday heat. Many markets operated near temples during religious festivals when crowds of pilgrims visited the cities.

Both men and women worked as merchants, though women often sold items like bread, beer, textiles, and cosmetics. Some merchants were wealthy traders who imported luxury goods from foreign lands.

Markets were typically organized by product type, with bakers in one area, jewelers in another, and cloth merchants grouped together. This made it easier for customers to compare goods and prices.