The oldest pictures of bee-keepers in action are from the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. In Niuserre’s sun temple bee-keepers are blowing smoke into hives as they are removing the honey-combs. After extracting the honey from the combs it was strained and poured into earthen jars which were then sealed. Honey treated in this manner could be kept years. From the New Kingdom on, mentions of honey and depictions of its production become more frequent.
Bee-keeping methods are conservative in this region, well adapted to local conditions, for instance the kind of hives shown in these ancient reliefs, apparently woven baskets covered with clay, are still seen in the Sudan today.
The main centre of bee-keeping was Lower Egypt with its extensive cultivated lands, where the bee was chosen as a symbol for the country. One of Pharaoh’s titles was Bee King, and the gods also were associated with the bee. The sanctuary in which Osiris was worshiped was the Hwt bjt, the Mansion of the Bee.
There were itinerant apiarists in the Faiyum in Ptolemaic times using donkeys to transport their hives and possibly also beekeepers living by the Nile who loaded their hives onto boats, shipped them upriver in early spring, and then followed the flowering of the plants northwards as they were reported to do in the 19th century CE.
The Egyptians had a steady honey supply from their domesticated bees, but they seem to have valued wild honey even more. Honey hunters, often protected by royal archers, would scour the wild wadis for bee colonies.
I appointed for thee archers and collectors of honey, bearing incense to deliver their yearly impost into thy august treasury.
From: http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/beekeeping.htm
See also: https://beelore.com/2008/01/13/egypt-unites-the-reed-and-the-bee/
and: https://beelore.com/2007/08/24/tears-of-ra-the-sun-god/
Hi,
I love your site. The content is fascinating! I am an herbalist and have of late been touting bee products for their amazing health benefits. I was wondering if you could help me… I’d like to get a copy of that beautiful image of the ancient beekeeper, but the smallest I can use is 720 x 486. Can you tell me if it’s available in that size anywhere?
Thanks so much!
Julie
I would juts like to say.. Thank you so much for puttibng up this website! I’m doing an Ancient Egypt report on Animals, and my teacher said one of my main topics for my paragraph would be insects, ESPECIALLY……. BEES! Thanks to your website, i now have the 60 required notfacts i needed! Thankz a bunch!!
[…] is photo from Beelore depicts beekeeping hieroglyphics of ancient […]
Hi,
I am Beginner in this subject…………..
please if possible communicate the information regarding your style of Bee Kipping
Hi Ghadge,
The three hives you see are British Nationals. The type of beehive you use for beekeeping is quite varied around the world. I suggest you talk to local beekeepers where you live to find out what the normal way is for keeping bees and copy them. Otherwise you can go to a lot of expense importing foreign beehives that you find difficult to replicate and grow!
One very cheap system is the “top bar hive” and you can find many references on the internet as well as one on this site. Simply type “top bar hive” into my search field.
Hope this helps!
wat did the egyptians keep their bees in?
Sara,
Sorry to take a while to answer this. I believe that the Ancient Egyptians kept bees in teracotta pots. Archaeologists have found them – I will try to dig out a reference for you if it is not too late!
Beelore
Dear Sir/Madam:
I found a link that took me to this page. You have an image of mine with my copyright information removed and no credit linking back to my website- http://www.virtualinsectary.com/egypt/egypt_15.htm. Please use my copyrighted image at the above link with credit (link) directed to my website. Otherwise, I ask that you remove the image. Thank you, Dr. Stein
Dr Stein,
Thank you for drawing this matter to my attention. I have done as you instructed. Thank you for the use of your picture.
Kind regards,
Beelore
I don’t understand how you have copyright over an image that was not created by you. taking a photo of something that already exist should not allow you to claim copyright of the intellectual property. remember the people on the north African Continent are occupiers of the last 300 years hence no peace in the middle east. if you look at images of ancient bee goddess they are of African women
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