We all know from school that Ancient Egypt is a country of pyramids. Everyone has probably watched a movie about mummies and tombs of the pharaohs, and also remembers that the Egyptians invented paper. But there is something in the history of Ancient Egypt that is not written about in school textbooks. For example, the pharaohs had nothing to do with those slender young people whose profiles we looked at in the pictures.
Lipstick was made from crushed insects
The red dye carmine, obtained from cochineal, an insect from the order of Hemiptera, is still used in the production of cosmetics. However, the process of obtaining carmine is no longer part of the daily worries of fashionistas: in order to use lipstick, a modern woman does not need to digest and grind insects in a mortar, as Cleopatra did.
We didn't drink beer, but ate
Beer was the basis of the diet of the ancient Egyptians, young and old. It was used by all segments of the population: from the pharaoh to the builder of the pyramids. But this substance had little to do with what is commonly called beer in our time. Egyptian beer "kehmet" was made by fermenting grain, bread and date juice in huge clay jugs and had the consistency of gruel - it was eaten rather than drunk. Add to that the lack of refrigerators. Now answer the question: would you like to try this?
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Special slaves distracted the flies from the pharaoh
Flies annoyed the ancient Egyptians even more than modern humanity. We use fumigators and adhesive tapes to fight insects, and the Egyptian pharaoh Piopi II, who ruled the country, according to various estimates, from 64 to 94 years, for these purposes kept slaves and slaves who, smeared with honey, were supposed to distract flies to themselves. Work is not to be envied!
The grave was furnished like the house of the deceased and food was carried there
The Egyptians attached great importance to the afterlife. It was believed that after death the deceased continues to live in a different world and needs all those objects that surrounded him until he became a mummy, such as dishes, cosmetics, jewelry, toilet. In addition, food and drink, and sometimes favorite animals and even slaves were placed in the grave.
Pharaohs were obese
On the samples of ancient Egyptian art that have come down to us, we see profiles of very slender, fit people. Scientists, after conducting an X-ray analysis of the mummies, came to the conclusion that these pictures have nothing to do with reality: the rich Egyptians and especially the pharaohs were overweight, unhealthy people. Obesity has been promoted by an improper diet rich in carbohydrates, saturated fat and alcohol.
Proctologists were in great demand
As you know, the Egyptians had an advanced medicine for their time. Ancient Egyptian doctors even had specializations. There were, for example, dentists, ophthalmologists, surgeons. But proctologists were especially popular. And this is not surprising, given that the pharaohs and aristocracy spent their time in feasts and other excesses. Regular enemas, which, by the way, were invented in Egypt, and bowel lavage were vital to the Egyptian pharaohs. Some court doctors, in addition to proctology, were also engaged in dentistry - in order to maintain order in both ends of the sovereign's digestive tract.
Men were dyed along with women
Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt were used by both women and men. There were 3 reasons for that. First, the makeup protected the skin from the scorching sun. Secondly, the Egyptians believed that the gods Ra and Horus were supportive of those who use cosmetics. Thirdly, makeup had healing properties. This is partly true. Lead-based eyeliner helped fight conjunctivitis. Still, red lead and cinnabar (mercury sulfide) did more harm than good.
Children did not wear clothes until adolescence
Until the onset of puberty, ancient Egyptian children did not wear clothes or shoes. Also, to prevent head lice, they were shaved bald, leaving only a small pigtail. Bald and naked, boys and girls could only adorn themselves with beads and headbands.
The Egyptians had a demo of marriage
In ancient Egypt, there was no marriage ceremony, just one of the spouses moved to another, more often the wife to her husband's house. In this case, the wealthier Egyptians drew up a marriage contract. It sometimes prescribed the duration of the marriage - in the event that the spouses do not get along in character or turn out to be sterile, they could scatter without unnecessary formalities.
Most men have critical days
The Egyptians believed that men also had their periods. This was so common that men who did not have blood in their urine were considered rather inferior. The fact is that most Egyptians suffered from schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that was transmitted through contaminated water. Chronic schistosomiasis can lead to anemia, infertility, and sometimes even death.
During mummification, the brain was taken out through the nostrils
Mummification from the point of view of a modern person is a completely wild process. It is enough just to mention that the brain from the body of the deceased was taken out through the nostrils using special tools with hooks. The rest of the organs were most often removed and placed in separate canopy jars. Bulbs were sometimes inserted into the eye sockets.
There was a presumption of guilt in court
Despite the developed legal system, in Egypt there was a rule according to which the accused was initially guilty until he proved otherwise. Confessions were often obtained under torture and "knocked out", not only from the defendant, but also from the witnesses. By the way, the defendants had no lawyers.
Execute or pardon - the statue decided
In the era of the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC), the priests began to actively intervene in judicial processes, and in situations where the judges found it difficult to pass judgment, statues of the gods came to the rescue. On two papyri, opposite decisions were recorded, and the statue had to turn towards one of them, deciding the fate of the defendant. In reality, the movements of the statue were manipulated by the priests, who in this way often extorted bribes for the life of the accused.
There was practically no escape from insects
Various insects annoyed the Egyptians more than wild animals. Flies, lice, fleas, bed bugs, mosquitoes and worst of all, locusts. They tried to fight blood-sucking insects with the help of various oils, herbs, powders. To avoid lice, they shaved baldly. But there was no remedy for the locust. A huge swarm could destroy the entire crop and leave thousands of people hungry.
For treason could have amputated the nose
Adultery in ancient Egypt was not uncommon, although it was condemned by society. The spouses could deal with the problem themselves or go to court. In this case, the man was only threatened with 1,000 blows with a stick, and the woman could face more serious consequences: amputation of the nose and even the death penalty.
Protected with honey and donkey milk
For some reason, the ancient Egyptians decided that a paste made from honey, dates, donkey milk, and various odorous plants was a great spermicide. It is not known for certain how well this sticky mixture protected the ancient Egyptians from unwanted pregnancies, but it connected lovers, presumably, for a long time.
Dwarfs enjoyed privileges
In ancient Egypt, it was believed that small stature is a gift from the gods, so dwarfs and midgets were respected there. They could hold leadership positions, be personal assistants, keepers of jewelry, and during the First Dynasty they worked exclusively for the royal family.
Deodorant used on unwashed body
The hot climate, the inability to wash daily, hard physical labor - all this led to the fact that the body of the Egyptian worker exuded a stench. We fought with this in 2 original ways: firstly, they regularly shaved off their hair (it was believed that they were the source of an unpleasant odor), and secondly, they used deodorant. It included a variety of ingredients: needles, cinnamon, citrus fruits, flowers and even ostrich eggs. Balls were rolled out of all this and kept in the armpits. Strong-smelling ingredients could hide the smell of sweat for some time.
Women were harassed openly in the streets
According to Herodotus, in ancient Egypt, men attracted the attention of women by whistling. He described how men sailing in a boat to a sacred ceremony in the temple pulled up their clothes, whistled and hooted at the women on the shore. And no punishment for harassment …
The couple did not have the opportunity to retire
The poor Egyptians lived in large families. Elderly parents, their married or single children, grandchildren and other relatives could be under one roof of a small house. The spouses were almost never left alone, so their intimate relationship was not so intimate. On the canvases that have come down to us, children, various relatives and even servants were depicted next to the spouses lying in bed.
What surprised you the most in this collection?
Illustrator Xenia Shalagina