10+ Curious Facts About Ancient Egypt You Wouldn’t Learn at School
They made eyeshadow from crushed malachite. The red powder, which was applied on the lips and cheeks, was obtained from ocher. Although, according to some sources, Cleopatra crushed beetles to get the perfect red hue. All these powders and liquids were mixed with animal fat and then applied to the body.
Henna was also very common — it was used to paint finger nails and draw patterns on hands. In addition, it’s believed that the Egyptians carried out such a procedure as sugaring — they used honey and sugar to remove unwanted hair
Women in ancient Egypt had a broad range of rights.
Women in ancient Egypt enjoyed considerable legal and financial independence compared to other societies of the time. They could buy and sell property, be employed at court, make wills, and even conclude legal contracts. Egyptian women didn’t usually work outdoors, but those who did usually received equal pay as men. The popular professions for women were a perfumer, a temple attendant, a mourner, a musician, and a dancer. Women could even be in charge of business and work as doctors.
Unlike the women of ancient Greece who belonged to their husbands, Egyptian women had the right to divorce. It’s known that Egyptian couples could even conclude a marriage contract.
Egyptian women used contraception.
The Egyptians approached the question of having children very seriously. For example, if a woman was unable to have children, her husband could take a second wife. During childbirth, a pregnant woman was assisted by midwives. It’s interesting that according to tradition, a pregnant woman had to be completely shaved, including her head.
At the same time, contraceptives were allowed and available to women — medical texts that mention such drugs have survived to this day. There were both rather dubious medications like celery-based drinks, and quite effective recipes. For example, they used a formulation made from fermented acacia gum that produces a sperm-killing lactic acid.
