Response to Surveying in Ancient Egypt

One thing that truly surprised me in the reading was the significant role religion played in ancient Egypt’s measurement systems. Their measurements, proportions, and even the angles of their building structures carried deep religious and spiritual implications. Temples, pyramids, and other sacred sites were designed to honour their gods and reflect their beliefs. This concept reminds me of the Chinese practice of Feng Shui, which also emphasizes the influence of spatial arrangements on energy and fortune. According to Feng Shui principles, the placement and orientation of objects or structures, such as homes or furniture, can directly affect a person’s well-being, luck, and prosperity. For instance, Feng Shui experts often recommend ensuring that a backdoor is not directly aligned with the front door. This is believed to prevent wealth or good fortune, represented by energy entering through the front door, from flowing straight out through the back door. In this way, people can retain the positive energy within the home. It’s fascinating how these two seemingly distinct cultures shared the same belief about spatial orientations. 

I have two questions: First, who was responsible for educating the surveyors about the various types of measurements? Second, building on that, how did the ancient Egyptians teach the measurement concept? Was there a formal system in place for instruction, or was it passed down through verbal or informal methods?