An overview of the ancient professions

Since the emergence of society, people began to master various fields of activity, which later became known as professions. The list of ancient occupations is partially different from the modern one, but it also contains what has survived to this day. For a better understanding of the life and life of that time, it is worth studying the crafts and activities that people of different ages were engaged in in ancient times.

One of the oldest and most important professions on earth is goldsmith. The first work activity did not have many advantages, but it was extremely important for the society of those times. Despite such a beautiful name, this is the extraction of saltpeter by collecting sewage and other waste. Another name for the profession is "shit bearer". Due to the fact that in ancient times it was necessary to have gunpowder for defense, it had to be obtained in a very difficult and time-consuming manner.

The goldsmiths collected sewage, moreover, better than human ones, filled them with specially created containers or sheds, added various garbage, straw, carrion and everything that came to hand, after which they covered everything with turf and waited several years until the composition acquired the necessary qualities. For better results, the contents were regularly doused with urine. Thus, the mass began to ferment, releasing ammonia, which ultimately made it possible to obtain saltpeter.

The composition thus obtained was washed and dried. At colossal costs, the result was a very small amount of saltpeter. In view of the special value of this substance, goldsmiths received well for their difficult and very smelly work.

Some of the most ancient professions that were in Egypt, Greece and Rome are as follows.

• Orgy organizer - preparation of various events and celebrations for important persons. The task of such workers included finding a place for an event, buying food, selecting girls for a pleasant pastime. This profession was not held in high esteem, but it was in demand.
• Sterkorarius - the first and one of the most important professions in the Middle Ages, which consisted in cleaning the individual sewage system in each house. Since the work was extremely unpleasant, there were few people willing, but the work was paid well.
• Mourner - the second most important profession, which originated among the Egyptians and found its continuation among other peoples. The duties of mourners included speeches and screams for the deceased, they had to cry and wail during memorial services.
• Gymnasiarch - the third most important profession, which consisted in the education and development of athletes. In ancient Greece, sport was a popular and prestigious occupation, therefore the development of a beautiful and strong body was considered an important and difficult occupation.
• Scribe - the only occupation that was not inherited. The representative of the profession was engaged in the rewriting of important papers, divine books. The profession was very respected and made it possible to break through the service.
• Horse thief - an ancient gypsy profession, which consisted in stealing a good horse and using it as needed in everyday life, or exchanging it for money.

Hairdressers are one of the oldest professions. Since there was a cult of beauty in Ancient Greece and Rome, noble people tried to decorate themselves with all possible methods. Hairdressers honed the art of working with hair, creating new, interesting hairstyles, which have survived to this day.

The most difficult occupation at that time was hair dyeing, since the coloring pigment was extracted from natural plants: walnut, minerals and other elements. The duties of a hairdresser included the creation of hair ornaments and weaving them into the hair.

Another ancient and important profession, the essence of which was reduced to to memorize everything that happens around a noble person. In the nomenklatura, they took servants with a good memory, so that they remembered all events, people, conversations and any little things that would help to build business conversations correctly, conduct business with various nobles, military leaders and other people who interacted with a noble person.

The oldest profession, which consists in the search for slaves and their maintenance... Slave traders participated in hostilities, capturing civilians and making slaves out of prisoners. The danger of such an occupation is that people often made attempts to escape, and sometimes they could organize a riot, which ended in victims on both sides. There are slave traders even now, they can be found in Mauritania, Haiti, as well as in third world countries. The profession is considered one of the most profitable, but not revered.

An important profession in ancient Rome, to which young innocent girls who were not born to slaves were allowed. Their responsibilities included keeping the flame in the temple of Vesta... The fire had to burn regardless of the circumstances.If suddenly the flame extinguished, the workers who did not follow them were severely beaten until they bleed. An important condition was the observance of innocence, violation of which was punishable by burial alive. The work was not the most difficult, but very responsible, and in the event of violations, the consequences were extremely serious.

One of the oldest professions in Rome was wine making. Already in those distant times, people learned the secret of the production of this drink. The work was not hard and in peacetime brought good profits... The disadvantages of this profession include the risk of going bankrupt in wartime or in the event of a cataclysm, when the bushes died, and with them the harvest.

An ancient profession that appeared due to the need to help people suffering from toothache. Since in ancient times people ate improperly, drank a lot of alcohol and did not follow the hygiene of the oral cavity, dental problems arose quite early. At that time, there were no special devices for the treatment of teeth or potions to relieve pain. In case of serious problems, the tooth was removed with a hot pair of forceps. To reduce the discomfort, the patient was given a lot of alcohol beforehand. Toothache was removed by any means at hand, it was water, fruit juices, alcohol and more.

In ancient times, attempts to assassinate rulers were not uncommon, and food poisoning was considered one of the simplest and most effective ways. To avoid undesirable fate, noble people hired tasters for themselves.... The task of such workers was to sample food and drink that was intended for the ruler. If the taster felt good, then the food was good for consumption. The profession did not require special skills and knowledge, but it was considered quite dangerous, since death could occur at any of the meals.

The demand for information has existed since ancient times, they have always appreciated news that no one knew about, even if they were not true. The scammer's job was to learn, hear, eavesdrop on something that will be useful for the ruler. They paid well for new information, because work was considered worthy, although there were some difficulties - if the informer systematically brought false news, he was punished.

Since in ancient times boats were the main means of transport, rowers were hired to drive them. The people who were supposed to ensure a fast and stable course of the ship were like slaves, they did not receive payment and were severely punished in case of any disobedience. As a maintenance, the rowers were fed, and a special overseer monitored the quality of the work and whipped if he did not like something.

In ancient times, the cult of a beautiful body was dominant, because people tried to play sports, look athletic and attractive. So that the athlete does not have extra hair on his body that would spoil the impression of his appearance, the profession of armpit plucking has appeared. This person had to eliminate all vegetation under his hands, and sometimes on other parts of the body at the request of the client.

In addition to the professions of antiquity described above, others can be noted.

• Funeral clown. This is a special person who was supposed to amuse all the guests of the sad event, while wearing the mask of the deceased.
• Seeker of the dead... In medieval Europe, during periods of epidemics, there was a profession of a seeker of dead bodies. A specially appointed person went from house to house and checked for the dead. Thus, it was possible to track the course of the spread of the disease and, if necessary, close certain regions to quarantine.
• Scribes... These are important people who belonged to the upper class of society. The importance of the scribe was enormous, since these people had knowledge of arithmetic, literacy, could help the ruler in many state affairs, participate in the keeping of historical records and negotiations with other rulers.

There were also a number of professions in Russia that are worth talking about. A description of each of them will make it possible to understand how the ancient Russian works differed from the already known ancient Roman and ancient Greek professions. Among the professions that do not exist now, the following can be distinguished.

• Goldsmith - a person who took out sewage when the sewer tanks were filled. The name of the profession comes from the humorous formulation of waste - "night gold". The work was not revered, but badly needed.
• Coachman - a person who transported people from one point to another on sledges or carts. With the invention of cars and other transport, the profession has outlived its usefulness.
• Barge Haulers - workers who were hired for the season to perform a specific job. These people, among other things, had to pull large boats, which was extremely difficult. They received pennies for their work, and the work itself was hard labor, therefore, over time, it was canceled.
• Lamplighters - people who made sure that the city lights worked properly, they cleaned them, set them on fire and extinguished when needed.

If we talk about the professions that still exist, albeit in a limited number, the following can be distinguished.

• Potter - this is the most common old work that has survived to this day. Pottery has existed since ancient times, many artifacts were found in the era of the ancient Slavs. It is believed that the first pottery was sculpted by women, as the men were busy hunting. Modeling of dishes and other clay products has not lost its relevance today.
• Ofenya - peddler - a street vendor who traveled with his goods. Such a person had to be able to speak loudly and beautifully and sell his goods. Now there are also street vendors who are beckoning to buy their products.
• Saddler - a worker who made blinkers, attached to the head near the horse's eyes, and all other elements of the harness. Now the profession is in little demand, but it still remains relevant.

In ancient Russia, there were various craftsmen who honed their craft and were considered in demand. Gradually, they began to move away from the large arsenal of works, which gave impetus to the emergence of artisans. These people specialized in narrow work, but they did it well. Artisans made products and could exchange them for food as payment. The way of life of people changed over time, professions were transformed, some turned out to be unnecessary and unclaimed. The progress of society leads to the emergence of some works and the elimination of others.