6 curiosities of Egyptian culture

Egyptian culture has been one of the most admired and mythologized. We are perhaps talking about the most prosperous civilization that the history of humanity has known, the same one that for years was cradle of great thinkers and incredible scientific, technical and academic advances.

In fact, after Mesopotamia, Egypt was the second enclave where written language was developed: the famous hieroglyphs. These come from words hiero (sacred) and glyph (Recorded), and they follow a structure that had not been seen before in the Mesopotamian territories of Sumer and Acadia.

Although the practice and interpretation of these images has been forgotten for centuries, It is increasingly common to find people interested in the topic. This is due to the revitalization that Egyptian culture is experiencing thanks, in large part, to globalization and the rise of social media.

6 curiosities of Egyptian culture

1. The pyramids were built by free men

Despite popular belief, the pyramids of Egypt were not built by slaves. The men who worked in them usually did so on three-month contracts, they received a salary and, furthermore, they enjoyed a lot of respect despite their humble origins.

The admiration they provoked was such that, if they died while working, They could be buried in the tombs of the Giza necropolis. In this way, they were closer to the pyramids of the pharaohs, which was quite an honor. Slaves, for their part, were usually used for domestic work.

2. They loved cats

Many people know the adoration that the Egyptians felt for felines, but they do not understand the level of extreme veneration that they professed towards them. This is because Egyptian culture considered these animals to be incarnations of the god Ra, in his role as killer of the serpent Apophis (the embodiment of chaos and evil).

Later, the figure of Ra was subordinated to that of the goddess Bastet. Protector of homes and goddess of war, This deity turned cats into sacred and untouchable beings that, somewhat later, would become domestic animals.

3. They invented the mortar

This compound used to make construction elements was created by the Egyptians. They used it to orient the bases of the pyramids, although It is currently debated whether the Etruscans had anything to do with also with the appearance of this element.

The pyramid of Cheops was the first in which the mortar was used, around 2,600 BC From that moment and as a result of this, different types of plasters were developed, among which placement plasters, finishing plasters and decorative plasters stood out.

4. It was a much more egalitarian society than the Greek or Roman society

In Ancient Egypt, women had more rights than their Roman and Greek contemporaries. In fact, in Egyptian culture there was divorce, they could inherit (as in Celtic culture), and mistreatment was frowned upon.

Besides, Women could have their own business and work in numerous jobs. Most of them, yes, were related to health and motherhood.

“Egyptian Chess”, by the painter Lawrence Alma-Tadema. 1865.

5. The left foot of the statues always comes in front of the right

If we look at any statue built during the golden period of Ancient Egypt, we will see that the left foot is always forward. This occurs because Egyptian culture considered the left side to be the side of life, as the heart was located there.

In fact, during attacks on temples, enemies used to destroy the left legs and feet of the statues. Thus, symbolically, They destroyed the “life” of Pharaoh in question and this was destined to be forgotten forever.

6. His color for mourning was red

The color black, ironically, was associated with good luck. This belief arose thanks to the good omen related to the black color of the banks of the Nile, which turned this tone due to the abundant silt, announcing that the next harvest would be fertile.

The color red, for its part, was associated with the color of the interior of the coffins. It was also the color they used to represent the fury of life, the aggressiveness of combat and, in a less symbolic way, the blood of the animal sacrifices that the wealthiest families could afford at funerals.

Egyptian culture has served to develop numerous cultural (and not so cultural) elements that we consider our own today. Its medical and scientific innovations remain at the forefront of any other civilization; Its impressive architecture is also considered one of the most impressive examples of megalomania that exist.

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