Uncover the 8 Surprisingly Essential Household Items That Defined Ancient Egyptian Family Life!
–>
The ancient Egyptian equivalent of Post-Its were thin shards of broken pottery, which families would scrawl notes and drawings on just like we might scribble something down in a notebook. Called ostraca, the hard little shards archaeologists have found over the years include everything from religious texts to delivery and tax receipts and children’s schoolwork.
Between 2005 and 2026, archaeologists excavated over 43,000 ostraca from ancient Egypt’s Arthribis. They found that most of the pieces were emblazoned with Demotic script, a kind of Egyptian cursive. Many also contained hieroglyphs, Greek, and other language and lettering systems. Others bore drawings of gods, animals, or other aspects of daily ancient Egyptian life.
Stone Pillows
A stone pillow may sound like an oxymoron. But this was the reality for many ancient Egyptians, who fell asleep with their heads on stone pillow stands each night. Also known as headrests, these contraptions consisted of a crescent-shaped stone resting on a flat base, and could be made of marble, ceramics, ivory, or even glass.
Ancient Egyptians used these unique pillows for a variety of reasons. Nights could sometimes be hot, but an elevated stone would have allowed air to flow freely under the neck. Additionally, the elevation helped prevent insects from crawling on people’s faces or into their noses or mouths. Additionally, these headrests served spiritual purposes. Ancient Egyptians believed the head was sacred and must be protected, and headrests often featured carvings of protective deities believed to fend off evil spirits.
Board Games
The ancient Egyptians enjoyed all kinds of leisure activities, from sports and hunting to swimming in the Nile. But board games were also a beloved pastime. Some tomb walls and papyrus scrolls even bear depictions of deceased people playing various board games with deities. Many of the games had religious significance, and the ancient Egyptians had a huge variety of them.
The most well-known ancient Egyptian board game is Senet, which means “passing.” The game itself was seen as a representation of souls’ journeys to the afterlife, and the Egyptian Book of the Dead even contains inscriptions of people playing this game.
Another popular game was Mehen, which is known for its circular board. The game is believed to be a recreation of the battle between the snake deity Mehen and enemies of the sun god Ra. Then there was Hounds and Jackals, which involved trying to move animal-shaped pegs to the end of the board before your opponent could. The rules for many of these games have been lost, but scholars have invented different modern takes and interpretations of these games.
Cosmetics and Perfumes
Cosmetics were popular among ancient Egyptians of all genders and social classes, though routines were certainly more elaborate among the upper classes. Wealthy women would exfoliate, use honey and sugar waxes, and wear facemasks before applying makeup. Servants might then apply eyeshadow, lipstick, and kohl, an eyeliner that helped shield the eyes from the harsh desert sun and dust—and of course provided a distinctive, striking look. Kohl was made from a blend of galena, malachite, oils, fats, and other ingredients, and was usually stored in special cases, which often bore elaborate carvings.
Makeup was also popular among men in ancient Egypt, and it was often used for religious and spiritual purposes in addition to beauty reasons. Cosmetics bowls were often emblazoned with various symbols or deities, such as Bes, the god of fertility, households, and children. Makeup was also generally thought to protect against evil, in addition to warding off sunburns and dryness.
In general, the ancient Egyptians were fastidious about cleanliness, appearance, and scent. They bathed daily and washed their hands regularly. A chapter in the Egyptian Book of the Dead makes it clear that one is not to attempt to speak to the dead unless one is “clean, dressed in fresh clothes, shod in white sandals, painted with eye-paint, anointed with the finest oil of myrrh.”
A perfume known as kyphi, which sometimes consisted of pine resin, saffron, frankincense, myrrh, mastic, mint, juniper, and more spices, was also extremely popular. So were breath mints, which could be made at home by mixing frankincense, cinnamon, pine seeds, and other ingredients together with honey.
Read More:
The Door Balancer Eliminates The Need for Door Props, Door Stops and Door Wedges
(as of August 2, 2026 00:03 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Fire Blanket - 1500F CE Certified Emergency Fire Blanket for Home and Kitchen. 500GSM Fabric & 0.5mm Thick - 100% Fiberglass Fire Extinguisher for Car,Warehouse Office - 2pc (47x47 inches) by Supa Ant
$53.45 (as of August 2, 2026 00:03 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
PROMIXX FORM Sports Water Bottle - Premium BPA Free Water Bottle for Fitness Sports & Outdoors - Sustainable Drinks Bottle with Measurement Markers and Leakproof Lid - 760ml / 26oz (Midnight Blue)
$17.92 (as of August 2, 2026 00:03 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Joking Hazard Enlarged Box Empty Box for Card Storage
$24.95 (as of August 2, 2026 00:03 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Post Comment