Innovation No. 53 of 77 in the book
Managed Beekeeping
Clay hives moved along the Nile to follow flowers
- When
- c. 2400 BCE
- Dynasty
- 5th Dynasty
- Era
- Old Kingdom
Egypt kept bees in built hives — and moved them to follow the blossom — by around 2400 BCE, in the Old Kingdom. A sun-temple relief shows the whole operation.
Beekeepers stacked long horizontal tubes of clay as artificial hives, smoked the bees to calm them, and drew out the honeycomb, just as some traditional keepers still do.
They even loaded hives onto boats and floated them up the Nile so the bees could feed on flowers coming into bloom region by region — migratory beekeeping, 4,400 years ago.
Managed beekeeping, hives and all, was first practiced in Egypt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the earliest archaeological evidence for managed beekeeping in ancient Egypt?
The earliest confirmed evidence dates to approximately 2400 BCE during Egypt's Old Kingdom (5th Dynasty). Egypt kept bees in built hives — and moved them to follow the blossom — by around 2400 BCE, in the Old Kingdom. A sun-temple relief shows the whole operation.
How did ancient Egyptians develop managed beekeeping, and what is its legacy?
Beekeepers stacked long horizontal tubes of clay as artificial hives, smoked the bees to calm them, and drew out the honeycomb, just as some traditional keepers still do. Beekeepers stacked long horizontal tubes of clay as artificial hives, smoked the bees to calm them, and drew out the honeycomb, just as some traditional keepers still do. Managed beekeeping, hives and all, was first practiced in Egypt.