Beauty and cosmetics in ancient Egypt

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Cosmetic Box of the Royal Butler Kemeni; 1814-1805 BC; cedar with ebony, ivory veneer and silver mounting; height: 20.3 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City) Cosmetic Box of the Royal Butler Kemeni MET DP311793.jpg
Cosmetic Box of the Royal Butler Kemeni; 1814–1805 BC; cedar with ebony, ivory veneer and silver mounting; height: 20.3 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)
Fish Shaped Makeup Palette used to crush and mix different powders to create makeup paste. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Fish-shaped palette MET DP245018.jpg
Fish Shaped Makeup Palette used to crush and mix different powders to create makeup paste. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Merit's cosmetic box; circa 1390-1352 BC; wood, paint, faience, glass and alabaster; height: 22 cm, width: 29.5 cm, length: 49 cm; from Deir el-Medina (Egypt); Museo Egizio (Turin, Italy) Beauty-case, wood - Museo Egizio Turin S 8479 p04.jpg
Merit's cosmetic box; circa 1390-1352 BC; wood, paint, faience, glass and alabaster; height: 22 cm, width: 29.5 cm, length: 49 cm; from Deir el-Medina (Egypt); Museo Egizio (Turin, Italy)
Cosmetic box in the shape of an Egyptian composite capital, its cap being in the left side; 664-300 BC; glassy faience; 8.5 x 9 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art Cosmetic box in the shape of a composite capital MET DT4407.jpg
Cosmetic box in the shape of an Egyptian composite capital, its cap being in the left side; 664–300 BC; glassy faience; 8.5 × 9 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art

The ancient Egyptians regarded beauty as a sign of holiness. Everything they used had a spiritual aspect to it, including cosmetics. Both men and women wore makeup. Traders traded makeup often, especially in the upper classes. In tombs, cosmetic palettes were found buried in gold with the deceased as grave goods, which further emphasized the idea that cosmetics were not only used for aesthetic purposes but rather magical and religious purposes.

Contents

Chemistry

The two main forms of eye makeup were green eye paint and black kohl. The green eye paint called Udju [3] was made of malachite, a copper carbonate pigment. The green malachite came from the mines of Sinai as early as 3000 BC. [4] [5] The black eye-paint called Mesdemet [6] was made from galena, a dark grey ore. Crushed charcoal was also used in this process. The malachite and the galena were crushed and mixed with gum or water to make a paste. [7] Mesdemet, or kohl, was used for lining the eyes and it revealed to bring along potent health benefits in the form of protection from disease, bugs and sun rays. Red ochre clay was ground up and mixed with water to create a paste to paint on the lips and cheeks. [8]

Medical uses

The ancient Egyptians created a remedy for burns by mixing the cheek and lip stain with red natron, northern salt, and honey. [9] The Ebers Papyrus, a collection of Egyptian medical recipes dating to circa 1550 BC, shows the usual galena pigment could also be combined with specific ingredients to create eye paints that were intended to treat eye infection. [10] Modern research suggests that the lead compounds found in these eye creams causes nitrogen monoxide overproduction in the body of the wearer. Nitrogen monoxide stimulates nonspecific immunological response, allowing the body to better fight off infection. [11]

Cosmetic palettes and jars

Cosmetic palettes were used to grind makeup. The earliest examples were rectangular in shape and date back to 5000 BC. [12] The palettes later adopted a rounder shape like the Narmer Palette. [13] King Narmer's palette was the earliest piece of its kind. It has decorations of the King smiting the enemies of Egypt and the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, as well as a cavity for the grinding of cosmetics, making it a double purposed palette. These later developed into fish shaped palettes. They might have chosen the fish shape as the fish was a symbol of resurrection and new life. Tilapia are associated with fertility so the fish-shape could also refer to that. [14] The fish shaped palettes were usually adorned with precious stones for royalty. These palettes have developed into baboon shaped containers to hold the kohl which held symbolic meanings for the ancient Egyptians. [15] [ unreliable source? ]

Makeup tools

Imaginary depiction of an ancient Egyptian woman applying makeup. Diorama from the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada. AncientEgypt-LadyApplyingCosmetics-ROM.png
Imaginary depiction of an ancient Egyptian woman applying makeup. Diorama from the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada.

The ancient Egyptians used many different tools to apply their makeup. Most commonly, they used a brush made from the Salvadora persica tree. [16] They would also use a small stick to apply the kohl to their eyes. They often used a pad to apply powders to their face, and they used a reed with a piece of red ochre clay attached to the end to paint their lips. [17]

Use in different social classes

The use of cosmetics in ancient Egypt varied slightly between social classes, where more makeup was worn by higher class individuals as wealthier individuals could afford more cosmetics. Kohl was an expensive product that only members of the upper class could afford. [18] The kohl that the lower class could afford came in sticks, whereas the kohl the upper class could afford was kept in ornately carved boxes made of precious materials. [19] [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Dynasty of Egypt</span> Dynasty of ancient Egypt

The First Dynasty of ancient Egypt covers the first series of Egyptian kings to rule over a unified Egypt. It immediately follows the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, possibly by Narmer, and marks the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period, when power was centered at Thinis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebers Papyrus</span> Ancient Egyptian medical papyrus

The Ebers Papyrus, also known as Papyrus Ebers, is an Egyptian medical papyrus of herbal knowledge dating to c. 1550 BC. Among the oldest and most important medical papyri of Ancient Egypt, it was purchased at Luxor in the winter of 1873–1874 by the German Egyptologist Georg Ebers. It is currently kept at the Leipzig University Library in Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narmer</span> Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Early Dynastic Period

Narmer was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Early Dynastic Period, whose reign began at a date estimated to fall in the range 3273–2987 BC. He was the successor to the Protodynastic king Ka. Many scholars consider him the unifier of Egypt and founder of the First Dynasty, and in turn the first king of a unified Egypt. He also had a prominently noticeable presence in Canaan, compared to his predecessors and successors. Neithhotep is thought to be his queen consort or his daughter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mascara</span> Cosmetic for eyelashes

Mascara is a cosmetic commonly used to enhance the upper and lower eyelashes. It is used to darken, thicken, lengthen, and/or define the eyelashes. Normally in one of three forms—liquid, powder, or cream—the modern mascara product has various formulas; however, most contain the same basic components of pigments, oils, waxes, and preservatives. The most common form of mascara is a liquid in a tube with an application brush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narmer Palette</span> Egyptian archaeological artifact

The Narmer Palette, also known as the Great Hierakonpolis Palette or the Palette of Narmer, is a significant Egyptian archaeological find, dating from about the 31st century BC, belonging, at least nominally, to the category of cosmetic palettes. It contains some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. The tablet is thought by some to depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the king Narmer. Along with the Scorpion Macehead and the Narmer Maceheads, also found together in the main deposit at Nekhen, the Narmer Palette provides one of the earliest known depictions of an Egyptian king. On one side, the king is depicted with the bulbed White Crown of Upper (southern) Egypt, and the other side depicts the king wearing the level Red Crown of Lower (northern) Egypt, which also makes it the earliest known example of a king wearing both types of headdress. The Palette shows many of the classic conventions of Ancient Egyptian art, which must already have been formalized by the time of the Palette's creation. Egyptologists Bob Brier and A. Hoyt Hobbs have referred to the Narmer Palette as "The oldest Egyption historical record".

The Early Dynastic Period, also known as Archaic Period or the Thinite Period, is the era of ancient Egypt that immediately follows the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt in c. 3150 BC. It is generally taken to include the First Dynasty and the Second Dynasty, lasting from the end of the archaeological culture of Naqada III until c. 2686 BC, or the beginning of the Old Kingdom. With the First Dynasty, the Egyptian capital moved from Thinis to Memphis, with the unified land being ruled by an Egyptian god-king. In the south, Abydos remained the major centre of ancient Egyptian religion; the hallmarks of ancient Egyptian civilization, such as Egyptian art, Egyptian architecture, and many aspects of Egyptian religion, took shape during the Early Dynastic Period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kohl (cosmetics)</span> Ancient eye cosmetic used as mascara

Kohl (Arabic: كُحْل, romanized: kuḥl), Kajal, Kajol, or Tiro is an ancient eye cosmetic, traditionally made by grinding stibnite (Sb2S3) for use similar to that of charcoal in mascara. It is widely used in the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, Caucasus, West Africa, and the Horn of Africa, typically as eyeliner to contour and/or darken the eyelids. The content of kohl and various ways to prepare it differ based on tradition and country. Several studies have questioned the safety of kohl due to the dangers of lead poisoning. Importing kohl into the United States is banned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eye liner</span> Cosmetic applied around the eyes

Eye liner or eyeliner is a cosmetic used to define the eyes. It is applied around the contours of the eye(s). It is often used to create various aesthetic effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eye shadow</span> Make-up applied to the eyelids

Eye shadow is a cosmetic applied primarily to the eyelids to attract attention to the wearer's eyes, making them stand out or look more attractive. Eye shadow can also be applied under the eyes, on the cheeks, or to brow bones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of cosmetics</span> History of cosmetics in cultures

The history of cosmetics spans at least 7,000 years and is present in almost every society on earth. Cosmetic body art is argued to have been the earliest form of a ritual in human culture. The evidence for this comes in the form of utilised red mineral pigments including crayons associated with the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa. Cosmetics are mentioned in the Old Testament—2 Kings 9:30 where Jezebel painted her eyelids—approximately 840 BC—and the book of Esther describes various beauty treatments as well.

This is a glossary of ancient Egypt artifacts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cosmetic palette</span> Archaeological artifacts from predynastic Egypt

Cosmetic palettes are archaeological artifacts, originally used in predynastic Egypt to grind and apply ingredients for facial or body cosmetics. The decorative palettes of the late 4th millennium BCE appear to have lost this function and became commemorative, ornamental, and possibly ceremonial. They were made almost exclusively out of siltstone with a few exceptions. The siltstone originated from quarries in the Wadi Hammamat.

The Amratian culture, also called Naqada I, was an archaeological culture of prehistoric Upper Egypt. It lasted approximately from 4000 to 3500 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoomorphic palette</span> Ancient Egyptian artifacts

The zoomorphic palette is a type of cosmetic palette made during the predynastic period of Egypt. The palettes are found at burial sites, for example Abydos in the second half of the 4th millennium BC.

The Throw stick hieroglyph of ancient Egypt is an old hieroglyph that dates from the Predynastic Period; it is from the assemblage of hieroglyphs used on the ornamental, or ceremonial cosmetic palettes. It is used on the palettes both as a throwing-stick weapon in the animal hunt being portrayed-(the Hunters Palette), as well as on certain palettes, as a determinative referring to a "foreigner", or "foreign territory".

<i>Bull Palette</i> Ancient Egyptian greywacke palette

The Bull Palette is the fragment of an Ancient Egyptian greywacke palette, carved in low relief and used, at least in principle, as a cosmetic palette for the grinding of cosmetics. It is dated to Naqada III, the final two centuries of the fourth millennium BC, immediately preceding the Early Dynastic Period). It is in the collection of the Louvre, inventory no. E11255.

The Manshiyat Ezzat Palette is an ornately adorned schist cosmetic palette from predynastic Egypt found at a cemetery in the eastern Delta town of Manshiyat Ezzat, Dakahlia Governorate. The gravesite is from Pharaoh Den's reign, First Dynasty of Egypt. The palette is of low to moderate bas relief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clothing in ancient Egypt</span>

Ancient Egyptian clothes refers to clothing worn in ancient Egypt from the end of the Neolithic period to the collapse of the Ptolemaic Kingdom with the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC. Egyptian clothing was filled with a variety of colors. Adorned with precious gems and jewels, the fashions of the ancient Egyptians were made for not only beauty but also comfort. Egyptian fashion was created to keep cool while in the hot desert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cosmetic packaging</span> Packaging for cosmetics

The term cosmetic packaging is used for containers and secondary packaging of fragrances and cosmetic products. Cosmetic products are substances intended for human cleansing, beautifying and promoting an enhanced appearance without altering the body's structure or functions.

References

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  15. "Ancient Egypt: the Mythology - Baboon". www.egyptianmyths.net.
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Bibliography

Further reading