Wood had to be imported from far away - cedar from the Lebanon, ebony from Africa - so furniture was rare and expensive. The ancient Egyptians did not use very much furniture because of this.

The rich had beds but most ordinary people slept on mud benches covered with mats. Instead of pillows, there were headrests made of ivory, wood or pottery.

In wealthy homes there were chairs to sit on, and three legged stools were also popular. There were no cupboards or wardrobes. Clothes and household goods were kept in wooden chests and boxes, while foodstuffs such as oil and grain were stored in pots and baskets. Trays of food or jars of drink were put on tall stands.

Filed under: Egyptian