Worldwide

Ancient Egypt is one of the world's most significant historical civilisations, with its many gods, hieroglyphics and, of course, the pyramids. Over 2,000 years later, we are still impacted by discoveries and inventions made by the ancient Egyptians and are fascinated by the unique intricacies of this historic culture. Here are seven interesting facts that you may not know about ancient Egypt.

Egyptians kept many animals as pets

The ancient Egyptians are not as different from us as we might imagine. They were particularly fond of having four-legged friends, evidenced in the presence of carefully mummified animals found in tombs across Egypt. Dogs, cats, monkeys and even lions and hippos were buried with their beloved owners in the hope they would accompany them into the afterlife.

Egyptians of both sexes wore makeup

Both men and women in ancient Egypt liked to adorn their eyes with a slick of green mineral eyeshadow or black kohl. This was not just for aesthetic purposes but helped to reflect the sun and protect the wearer's eyes from the harsh African sunlight. Wealthier classes also wore lip paint and coloured their cheeks with blush, much like the make-up many of us wear today.

They used hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs were the written form of the ancient Egyptian spoken language. Using over 1,000 distinct characters, it was one of the most advanced written 'alphabets' of its time. Modern scholars have also identified historic threads between the ancient symbols and the written letters we use in today's Latin alphabet.

Pyramids and tombs were used for Pharaohs

One of the first things that come to mind when thinking of ancient Egypt is the Pyramids and great tombs of the Pharaohs. These extraordinary burial chambers were mainly for royalty and the richest of Egyptians and provided a place for grieving families to visit and leave gifts and food for their dearly departed.

They worshipped over 2,000 gods and goddesses

The Egyptians had a god or goddess for every aspect of life. Some were more important than others, but all played their part in maintaining peace across Egypt. Ra, Anubis, Isis, and Osiris were some of the most famous and had their own temples where people would go to worship.

Some ancient Egyptians bathed in sour milk

The most famous of Egyptians to partake in this peculiar habit was, of course, Queen Cleopatra. The practice was believed to improve the look and texture of the skin. There might have been some method to their madness, as modern science has shown that milk contains lactic acid, which helps exfoliate dry skin!

Ancient Egypt gave the world many inventions

Along with makeup and writing symbols, the ancient Egyptian civilisation played a part in the invention of many things that we still use today. These include modern medicine, the calendar, irrigation, writing paper and more. As well as these inventions, ancient Egypt has also been highly influential in the movies, books and online casino games such as the Book of dead, top slot at Platincasino. It is likely this fascinating and distinctive culture will continue to influence our sources of entertainment for many years to come.

Conclusion

As one of the largest historical civilisations, it is unsurprising that ancient Egypt provides plenty of opportunities to learn about another culture's history. This early and prolific civilisation has influenced many aspects of our lives, greatly enriching our entertainment industry. Have you learnt something new today?

Images and text copyright © 2023. Content supplied by an external professional marketing service. The History Files accepts no responsibility for any external links on this page.