Egyptian civilization is often shrouded in an aura of mystery and enigma that, in reality, has been fueled by our own ignorance. In fact, the more details we discover about her, the more we realize how surprisingly modern many aspects of her way of life are. For this reason, in this article we show you some of the most important curiosities of the Egyptian civilization that perhaps you did not know and that will surely surprise you.
Curiosities of the Egyptian civilization at couple level
Life as a couple is the subject of some of the most interesting curiosities of the Egyptian civilization. Its inhabitants married and formed families, but they did so in a very pragmatic way, without too much ceremonial pomp. In fact, it was common practice to have a “year of eating”, a sort of trial period to see how the cohabitation would work out, which generally took place in the home of the man’s family. After that, it was possible to proceed to divorce, which could be requested by both men and women.
Extravagant contraceptive methods
For the ancient Egyptians, conceiving children was a joy and a vital aspiration. But formulas for not procreating were also explored. This is demonstrated by various preserved medical papyri, which present contraceptive methods that are striking in the eyes of our time. For example, the application of crocodile feces on the vagina. But despite the extravagance of these and other methods, many have in common their vaginal character, suggesting some knowledge of how conception works.
Pets with divine character
Another of the curiosities of the Egyptian civilization is his devotion to pets. They were considered the earthly representation of the gods. In fact, there are real animal necropolises. In some cases, such as the ibis, their gizzard was stuffed to ensure their food in the afterlife, which also suggests that they knew how this and other organs functioned.
Strikes and sit-ins, already in the New Empire
The strike is an ongoing manifestation of protest by workers who are dissatisfied with their working conditions. But it was already being practiced by the ancient Egyptians, as evidenced by papyri dating back to the New Empire: workers in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings even staged sit-ins over late payment of their wages.
Time for leisure and board games
The strikes of the ancient Egyptians show us the hard-working nature of this civilization. However, they also had time for fun, with games that differed little from some of today’s games. One of them is Senet, very similar to checkers: on a checkered board, two players moved their pieces to eat those of the enemy and reach the opposite side of the board, where their ‘house’ was located.
These curiosities of the Egyptian civilization are proof that, beyond the myths and conspiracy theories that surround them, their inhabitants had much in common with us. If you want to discover in person more details about their culture, you can join one of our tours in Egypt, with professional guides who will be able to tell you anecdotes like these.
