Ancient Egyptian Inventions That Are Still Used Today
There are so many things in our lives that we use on a daily basis that we don’t really consider them inventions anymore. But are we aware of their origins? You’d be surprised to see just how many things we have the Pharaohs to thank for.
1. Bowling
Who said Pharaohs didn’t have fun every once and a while? Huge stones and pins were found in the 19th century in Fayoum 90 kilometers south of Cairo. The whole area led archaeologists to believe that 5,000 years ago, ancient Egyptians did indeed play blowing using these stones to target the pins.
2. Sail boats
With the Nile runing through all of Egypt, ancient Egyptians decided to use it in every way possible. So they invented sailboats, making the river not only a main source of water, but also a transportation route and a huge fishing market. The first sailboats were made out of papyrus then later on out of wood.
3. The 365-day calendar
The 365-day calendar was invented by Pharaohs based on the Nile’s flood cycle to indicate when to expect a flood or a lower water level and to help farmers irrigate the land.
This of course played an important role as the country depended on farming for the most part. However, this calendar is slightly different from ours. It’s year is 365 and 1/4 days long and it’s divided into 12 months each consisting of 30 days, with five additional days at the end of the year.
4. Toothpaste and breath mints
Toothpaste and breath mints actually go back to the Pharaohs, as they cared about having healthy teeth and didn’t appreciate bad breath. They used cinnamon, honey, frankincense and myrrh to create breath mints.
5. Black ink
Black ink and even colored ink did not exist before the ancient Egyptians decided to document their history by using vegetable gum, soot and bee wax. Their ink is still evident on temples, papyrus and other monuments they have left behind.
6. Make-up and paint
There’s no denying that the Pharaohs were the masters of makeup, body paint and cosmetics. Makeup was used by both males and females, not just for beautifying but also for religious reasons. Whenever you see drawings of Pharaohs, you will for sure notice the very thick “kohl” that almost every woman uses today.
7. Surgical instruments
It’s no secret that ancient Egyptians were very fond of mummification and, of course, had major knowledge when it came to that matter. This is why they were the first to invent certain surgical instruments that, although they may not work for us these days, were definitely helpful in 2,500 BC. Some of these instruments can still be found on display at Cairo’s National Airport.
8. High heels
High heels were actually “in” in 3,500 BC as they were used to separate high class people from the low class who walked barefoot. Men and not only females wore heels. The tradition said that the higher the heel, the higher position.
9. Hair combs
One of the oldest hair combs belongs to an Egyptian king and is 5,500 years old. Although it was made out of wood and seemed pretty brutal, it was very important to an Egyptian, especially for those of higher positions, as they cared deeply about their appearance and beauty.
10. Door locks
Door locks were also spotted in Egypt around 4,000 BC. They were about 0.6 meters long, so they were actually really big, but the theory says that ancient Egyptians were actually so much bigger in size in comparison to us, and therefore their doors must have been huge. These pin tumbler locks were made out of wood and are said to have been very secure.
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