Ancient Egypt storage of grain

Storage is the intermediate stage between cereal production and processing and its distribution and consumption.

By ancient Egypt times grain storage and progress from the simple family store to large state-run systems.

The dry climate of Egypt would have indeed allowed farmers to bulk process their harvest communally to the clean grain stage prior storage.

Even without the sophisticated equipment that is available today, grain storage proved remarkably non-problematical in ancient Egypt, although infestation was always a potential problem.

Some of these have been excavated: they were made of dried clay bricks or baked bricks and had domed roofs.

It was the system that was almost certainly used by Joseph, he gathered in the grain of the seven good years before the seven famine years and thus with careful rationing, prevented starvation.

At that time the system was highly organized, hierarchal system of grain storage, which for the most part was successful in feeding population, even during the lean years.

Grain was stored at national, regional, local and household levels.

The state would have to collect and manage surpluses and meet local as well as central needs in case of any difficulty.

Archeological evidence indicates that large storage facilities were attached to temples and palaces.
Ancient Egypt storage of grain