Posted by Ancient Egypt is called The Land of the Pharaohs and is one of the most powerful civilisations in the world. Their majestic pyramids, beautiful art and incredible inventions prove that Egypt was extremely intelligent and advanced for their time.
Archeologists have been going to Egypt for so long that a whole new field of study was created – Egyptology.
Here are 10 facts about Egypt that you may not know about:
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Egyptian Pyramids Were Not Built By Slaves
Most films depict that the pyramids were built by almost 100,000 slaves which was first said by historian Herodotus. These slaves were among men, women and children. He depicted that these workers were working in bad conditions and were often abused and tortured if they weren’t working fast enough.
However, archaeological evidence has proven that only 5,000 people were permanently working on the pyramids, whereas about 200,000 labourers worked on it temporarily. In exchange for their labour, these men were given food, shelter and even medical supplies for three to four months.
2. Animals Were Seen As Incarnations of the Gods
It is a known fact that the Egyptians respected cats and loved having them as pets. They have built multiple infamous cat statues and paintings to signify their devotion and commitment. It is believed that the Egyptians were the first civilisation to domesticate cats. Most pharaohs would be buried with their pet cats and have both of them mummified. There was a time where killing cats was punishable by death.Lastly, other animals that ancient Egypt had devotion for were hawks, ibises, lions and baboons.
3. Egyptians Wore Makeup
Both men and women of Egypt wore makeup in large quantities as they believe it gives them a form of protection. Until this day, most people from Middle Eastern countries would still wear kohl which is a substance used around the eyes. Kohl is made by grinding ores such as malachite and galena and then mixed with soot in order to make the colour darker for the eyes. Furthermore, they would also use red paint and henna around their lips, hands and fingernails. Fragrances were also a staple for the people of Ancient Egypt. The perfumes they wore were most made from lily, myrrh or cinnamon.
4. Egyptian Women had Equal Rights
Unlike what is depicted in modern day news, Egyptian women actually had equal rights. They were allowed to buy and sell property and were even permitted to sit in the company of men unlike women from other Middle Eastern countries. Women who chose to work were given equal payment as men and had so much freedom such as Hatshepsut and Cleopetra who then ascended the throne.
5. Canopic Jars to Preserve Internal Organs
Canopic jars are known to be used for the storage and preservation of a deceased’s internal organs except for the heart during the mummification process. These jars will then be buried with the mummified bodies. Each jar will hold a different organ whereas the heart will remain in their chest. This is because they believed that the heart is the home of one’s soul.
Related link: International Cat Day: 5 Ways to Make Your Cats Happy
6. Cleopatra was of Greek origin
Queen Cleopatra VII was the last active monarch of Egypt’s Ptolemaic Kingdom where she ruled from 51 to 30 BC all on her own. It is believed that she was born in Alexandria to a long line of Greek Macedonians that descended from Ptolemy I, who was Alexander the Great’s most trusted lieutenants.
7. Bread and beer used as currency
The workers that built the pyramids and tombs alongside the soldiers were all paid with bread and beer. This was also a form of transaction for business and was used as offerings to Gods and their dead ancestors.
8. Invented the Pregnancy Test
The first pregnancy ever recorded in history is from Egypt where women used barley and wheat seeds to determine their pregnancy and the gender. This worked by having the women urinate on the seeks and if they sprouted, it would indicate that she is pregnant. To know the gender, if the seeds sprouted barley, it would be a girl whereas if wheat was present, it would be a boy.
9. Egyptian Blue was founded in Ancient Egypt
The world’s oldest synthetic pigment was founded in Ancient Egypt and is called Egyptian Blue. They used this colour to associate the blue sky and the Nile river. The mineral that gives the gorgeous blue hue is called the lapis lazuli which is a rare and expensive naturally produced stone. This colour is now used as security inks.
10. Egyptian Doctors has specialised fields
The earliest form of medical specialisation dates back to 450 B.C by the classical historian Herodotus. When discussing Ancient Egyptian medicine, it was believed that each physician can only heal one part of the body as they all had their specialisations.