Ancient Egypt Classroom Kit

The kalasiris, or sheath dress, was a very simply made garment and is often shown in ancient Egyptian art as quite revealing. However, as linen is not clingy and the dress designed was a very simple shape that was not designed to be tight-fitting, the artwork probably represents an idealised version.

Women of a higher social class may have worn longer dresses and elite people could also afford higher quality linen with a higher thread count. Some linen is believed to have been so finely woven that it was almost transparent.

This dress will fit up to a 110cm bust size. Please note that final colour are subject to change. 

Men typically wore a skirt that was wrapped around the waist. This item was called a shenti.

This is the most common piece of clothing for men in ancient Egypt. The most economic shape with no wastage of fabric was a simple rectangle. It was usually wrapped around the waist, much the same as a modern towel. 

Please note that final colour and decorative elements are subject to change.

This is where it all began… one of the most important archaeological discoveries that reveals the beginnings of ancient Egypt, when King Narmer unified Upper and Lower Egypt. It is a ceremonial object rich with symbolic imagery.

The palette is 3D printed for a highly detailed and accurate replica that also allows for safe handling in the classroom. It is approximately half scale at 31cm long.

While coins are limited in ancient Egypt, and mostly restricted to the Ptolemaic period, they provide a fascinating insight to how Egypt was gradually overtaken by other Mediterranean civilisations.

The coins are printed in plastic from a 3D model of an authentic coin of Cleopatra VII. There are five coins included in the kit in a mix of colours. 

Get ready to be mummified! 

In ancient Egypt, linen was highly valued for its use as clothing, blankets, bedding and other purposes. When it became too worn, it was used as bandages for mummification. In general, the bandages used to wrap a mummy were torn from old materials, but high status mummies sometimes had bandages woven specifically for them. These bandages are sometimes stamped with images or had written inscriptions, such as those found from Tutankhamun’s embalming. The bandages in the kit are also stamped with images (such as the scarab) that refer to the cycle of birth and rebirth.

There are four rolls of 5m included in the kit. 

The ankh is one of the most important symbols of ancient Egypt, and is commonly seen in hieroglyphic inscriptions and art. It represents life and the cycle of life and death. It is often seen being held by one of the Egyptian gods or used as an amulet.

This ankh is approximately 20 x 9.5cm. 

Papyrus, known as the ‘gift of the Nile’, allowed ancient Egyptians to develop an impressive written language. The kit includes three pieces of real papyrus from Egypt, approximately A5 size. If you hold it up to the light, you can see how the strips of papyrus plant are woven together. One piece is stamped with images of Egyptian gods and goddesses.

This pyramid capstone or pyramidion, is modelled on the decorative capstones that were placed on the top of pyramids or obelisks. This is a replica of a capstone from a tomb, which offers prayers to the god Osiris. The baboons represent the presence of Thoth, and the boat of Ra the sun god is also visible. Very few capstones have survived into modern times.

All of the details of the original fragment are present here including the eroded portion near the base on one side.

The capstone is made from a limestone and quartz composite. It is 7.5 x 7.5 x 7.5cm. 

The usekh, also known as a wekesh or broad collar, is a detailed beaded necklace common in many images of Egyptian elite, including some of the well-known pharaohs. Jewellery was a popular way of adding colour and details to an outfit, and examples of Egyptian jewellery are spectacular. Gods, men, and women are all shown wearing collars like this in paintings and sculptures. 

These posters provide a timeline of the major developments in ancient Egypt, from the Old Kingdom to the New Kingdom to the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty. One side provides the date of these developments and can be used for timeline activities. 

They are double-sided, A4, and laminated, and ready to put on your classroom walls.

Scarab beetles had an important place in Egyptian society, and were representative of the sun god Re, who’s daily cycle across the sky was symbolic of birth and re-birth. For this reason, scarabs are a common find in tombs and wrapped up in mummy bandages.

Each kit contains three scarab beetles that each measure 3 x 4.5cm. These scarabs are fragile and need to be handled with care.

There are several pieces of evidence for Egyptian board games, the most common of which seems to be senet.

One of the most famous senet examples is the one found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, and is the inspiration for this replica. 

The senet box is made out of MDF, laser cut with symbols and the game pieces are 3D printed plastic, with the colour meant to resemble faience. 

Shabti or ushabti dolls provide evidence of Egyptian beliefs in the afterlife and burial practices. Shabtis were essentially servants who would serve their master in the afterlife, and were sometimes plain, or sometimes inscribed with a spell from the Book of the Dead.

The shabti doll is made from clay and hand painted with the shabti spell. It is approximately 13.5 x 4cm.