The creativity of ancient Egyptian civilization was expressed not only through its magnificent architecture, but also through unique inventions that remain to this day. In Part 1, we explored 3 great inventions of the ancient Egyptians that contributed to human civilization: written language, writing materials and the solar calendar.
Today we will continue exploring the outstanding creativity of the ancient Egyptians through the following inventions:
Eye makeup: The Egyptians believed eye makeup would help them live longer, avoid eye diseases and demonstrate social status. Both men and women drew dark lines around their eyes, combining soot with galena to create “kohl” – a black ointment used around the eyes. They also favored green because it evoked the eye of the god Horus, whom they believed would protect them.
Toothpaste: The Egyptians, together with the Babylonians, invented the first toothbrushes made from wooden twigs and later developed mixtures for oral hygiene. The first toothpaste ingredients included ash, ox hooves, powdered eggshells and pumice. Later they added crystalline salt, mint, dried lilies and peppercorns to create a whitening tooth powder.
Plow: This soil-loosening agricultural tool created a technical revolution in Egyptian agriculture around 4000 years ago. At first, plow blades were designed too lightly and had to be pulled by people, making farming inefficient. By around 2000 BC, the ancient Egyptians had learned to use oxen to pull plows and increase productivity.
These inventions clearly demonstrate the outstanding creativity of ancient Egyptian civilization and had a major influence on the development of modern society.