Ancient Egypt was a fascinating period of human history. Known for their incredible achievements in art, architecture, and science, this remarkable society thrived along the Nile River for thousands of years. From powerful Pharaohs ruling like deities to the everyday life of farmers, these 25 interesting facts will give you a glimpse into life during this extraordinary time period.
Servants Were Smeared in Honey
Flies have been a nuisance throughout the entire history of mankind. Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt must have especially been annoyed by flies, but they had a solution. Smear your surrounding servents with honey and let them attract the flies instead.
They Used Fly Swatters
The nuisance of flies was controlled in another way: the use of fly swatters! But in Ancient Egypt, fly swatters were fashioned out of giraffe tails.
They Drank a Lot of Beer
Beer is liquid bread, right? Ancient Egyptians depended on beer as a primary source of nutrition and was consumed daily. It was so important to Ancient Egyptians that it was also used as a form of currency.
Mark Antony and Cleopatra Were Jokesters
Apparently, Mark Antony and Cleopatra were quite the jokesters. Stories say that after a few drinks, they would put on disguises and go out into the public to play practical jokes on people in the streets.
Makeup Wasn’t a Gender Thing
Back in Ancient Egypt, both men and women wore makeup, but it was possibly not just a fashion statement. Some researchers believe that it may have been used as a sunscreen.
Men and Women Were Equal
Both genders of similar social status were equals in the eyes of the law in Ancient Egypt. Women owned land and property. They also had the right to divorce and remarry. It’s sad that that is a novel concept 2,000 years later.
They Had Toilets
The cities in Ancient Egypt didn’t have toilets in every home, of course, but toilets have been discovered in some Ancient Egyptian tombs. So while it may have been considered a luxury, it is impressive that they included them at all.
Ancient Egyptian Times Lasted a Long Time
Cleopatra lived closer in time to the present day than she did to the building of the Great Pyramids. That’s because the timeframe we currently call “Ancient Egypt” lasted over 3,000 years. That is an incredibly long run for a civilization!
Mummies Became Paint
During the Renaissance era, Ancient Egyptian mummies that were dug up were then ground and used to create a valuable shade of paint known as “mummy brown.” Try to find that color in your Crayon pack!
Pharaohs Weren’t All Gorgeous
When you see statues of Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, you probably think of their chiseled and statuesque features. However, since the Egyptian diet consisted of beer, meat, bread, and honey, a lot of these Pharaohs were unhealthy, overweight, and suffered from diabetes.
Cleopatra Was More Than a Pretty Face
Cleopatra, while perhaps best known for her beauty, was a true scholar. She spoke at least 12 languages and studied math, philosophy, and astronomy. As the old adage goes: Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Mummies Have One Organ in Them
You’ve probably heard about how Ancient Egyptians harvested the brain and other organs from bodies before they were mummified. They left one organ intact, however, because they considered the place where the soul resides — the heart.
They Weren’t the First to Mummify Remains
Ancient Egypt wasn’t the first civilization to mummify bodies. South Americans were the first that we know of, and they were doing it an incredible 2,000 years prior to Ancient Egypt.
King Tut Wasn’t a Remarkable Ruler
King Tut didn’t leave a big mark on Ancient Egyptian history — but he left a big mark on modern-day history! The discovery of his nearly intact tomb in 1922 is still the thing of legend, leading us to think of him almost every time Ancient Egypt is brought up in conversation.
There Were Three Powerful Female Pharaohs
We know of three female pharaohs who existed during the Ancient Egyptian times. Hatshepsut is often considered the greatest of them, but this powerful trio also includes Cleopatra VII and Nefertiti… Two names that you’ve likely heard before.
Related: Defiant Women of History We Should Have Studied in School
King Tut Walked On His Enemies
Literally. King Tut had images of his enemies pained onto the soles of his sandals so that wherever he walked he was always trampling his foes. Perhaps a bit silly, but an interesting fact about the boy king nonetheless.
They Stopped Burying Servants with Pharaohs
While it’s true that in the early days of Ancient Egypt, servants were killed and buried alongside their Pharaohs. At some point, however, this practice stopped and the servants were replaced with “shabti,” or models instead. I’m sure a few sighs of relief were breathed when that changed.
They Loved Pets
Most of us have heard how Ancient Egyptians revered cats, but they weren’t the only pets they owned. Dogs, hawks, ibises, lions, monkeys, and baboons were all kept by Ancient Egyptians as pets.
Ramses the Great Was Obsessed with Women
Ramses the Great was obsessed with women. How else can you explain someone who had eight wives and close to 100 concubines in their 90 years of life? This guy had some issues, clearly.
A Long-Standing Record
Nowadays, the tallest manmade structure seems to change every decade or so. But back when they first built the Great Pyramid of Giza, it took that record and firmly held it for a long time — 4,000 years, in fact!
Scarab Beetles Were Sacred
The scarab beetle meant a lot to the people of Ancient Egypt. Why? Because it symbolized life after death and resurrection. It was considered sacred because of this, and it’s one of Ancient Egypt’s most defining symbols to this day.
They Hated Bad Breath
Imagine living in a time when there wasn’t toothpaste to wash out that nasty morning breath. Well, in Ancient Egypt they weren’t happy with it either — they invented their own form of toothpaste that included pepper, iris flowers, and rock salt. Better than nothing I suppose!
They Were Flat-Earthers
The common belief in Ancient Egypt was that the earth was flat and round. The Nile was the most important feature of the world and flowed right through the middle of it. It’s not hard to imagine that an ancient culture would believe this, however. It took thousands of years to prove otherwise.
Related: 27 “Facts” from History That Have Been Debunked
There Were Three Calendars
Not content with just one calendar, Ancient Egyptians used three. One was an astronomical calendar, which was very important to them. They also had a lunar calendar and an everyday farming calendar.
Related: The Must-See Museum in Every Single State
Imhotep Was Quite the Renaissance Man
The Ancient Egyptian known as Imhotep is widely considered to be the world’s first physician. And also the world’s first engineer. And also the world’s first architect. I’m pretty sure he made his parents proud.
Related: Lost in Time: The 10 Most Mysterious Cities in Ancient History