The surprising hours people really worked in the past
Daniel Coughlin
29 June 2020
Typical working hours from the Stone Age to the present day
Fox Photos/Getty
Hunter-gatherer in Stone Age Europe: three to five hours a day, 365 days a year
Leeloona/Shutterstock
Hunter-gatherer in Stone Age Europe: three to five hours a day, 365 days a year
Ongala/Shutterstock
Labourer in Ancient Egypt: eight hours a day, 131 days a year
Everett Historical/Shutterstock
Labourer in Ancient Egypt: eight hours a day, 131 days a year
Kingn8link [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Farm worker in ancient Israel: eight hours a day, 296 days a year
Kobby Dagan/Shutterstock
Farm worker in ancient Israel: eight hours a day, 296 days a year
Pe3k/Shutterstock
Artisan in Imperial Rome: six hours a day, 185 days a year
Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty
Artisan in Imperial Rome: six hours a day, 185 days a year
Regien Paassen/Shutterstock
Peasant in medieval England: eight hours a day, 150 days a year
Limbourg Brothers [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Peasant in medieval England: eight hours a day, 150 days a year
Peter Isotalo [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Artisan in the 14th-century Aztec Empire: nine hours a day, 274 days a year
Codex Mendoza [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Artisan in the 14th-century Aztec Empire: nine hours a day, 274 days a year
Codex Magliabechiano [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Labourer in 17th-century France: 10 hours a day, 185 days a year
Jgremillot, [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Labourer in 17th-century France: 10 hours a day, 185 days a year
Metropolitan Museum of Art [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Unskilled worker in mid-18th-century England: 11 hours a day, 208 days a year
William Hogarth [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Unskilled worker in mid-18th-century England: 11 hours a day, 208 days a year
William Hogarth [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Factory worker in mid-19th-century England: 16 hours a day, 311 days a year
Hulton Archive/Getty
Factory worker in mid-19th-century England: 16 hours a day, 311 days a year
Hulton Archive/Getty
Factory worker in mid-20th-century America: eight hours a day, 243 days a year
Hulton Archive/Getty
Factory worker in mid-20th-century America: eight hours a day, 243 days a year
Fox Photos/Getty
Hunter-gatherer in late 20th-century Botswana: six hours a day, 130 days a year
Isewell [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)]
Hunter-gatherer in late 20th-century Botswana: six hours a day, 130 days a year
David Barrie/Flickr CC
Hunter-gatherer in late 20th-century Venezuela/Colombia/Brazil: three hours a day, 349 days a year
Orinoquia Cambio Climático/Flickr CC
Hunter-gatherer in late 20th-century Venezuela/Colombia/Brazil: three hours a day, 349 days a year
Fotofox [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Tech worker in 21st-century China: 10 hours a day, 297 days a year
Humphery/Shutterstock
Tech worker in 21st-century China: 10 hours a day, 297 days a year
ProStockStudio/Shutterstock
Office worker in 21st-century Netherlands: 5.8 hours a day, 234 days a year
MBI/Shutterstock
Office worker in 21st-century America: 6.9 hours a day, 239 days a year
Rawpixel/Shutterstock
Office worker in 21st-century America: 6.9 hours a day, 239 days a year
MBI/Shutterstock
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