Hygiene in Ancient Egypt: Bathing, Sanitation, Toilets, Deodorant, Toothpaste | Middle East And North Africa

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HYGIENE IN ANCIENT EGYPT

In the dry climates of Mesopotamia and Egypt, cleanliness, washing and bathing for some was not given a high priority. But those close to Nile had better access to water than those who were not near the river. Overall it seems the ancient Egyptians valued cleanliness.

The “royal chief washer “and the “royal cloth bleacher “were amongst the higher court officials. In the domestic life of private houses the great washing day was an important event, important enough to be introduced into the series of pictures in the tombs. [Source: Adolph Erman, “Life in Ancient Egypt”, 1894]

Three pictures from Middle Kingdom (2040–1782 B.C.) represent workmen watched by the chief washer busy at small tanks with the washing and wringing. We see them beating the wet clothes with wooden staves; they sprinkle them holding their arms up high; they hang one end of the folded piece of linen over a post, put a stick through the other end, and wring it with a good deal of force. They then stretch and fold up the linen, and finally the chief washer packs it up in a great bundle.

Washing and bleaching however were not considered all that was necessary for good laundry work; ingenious methods were also devised to mark the folds required by fashion, and which the fine linen would scarcely assume by itself. By what means exactly the Egyptians contrived to do this we can scarcely decide, though it is an interesting conjecture of Wilkinson's that these regular folds in the dresses were pressed in by means of a board such as is shown in the accompanying illustration.

Bathing in Ancient Egypt

The Nile and various oasis supplied the Ancient Egyptians water and some scholars credit them with inventing the custom of bathing. Bas-reliefs and tomb paintings showed attendants pouring water over bathers. Bathing was an important aspect of some religious ceremonies. Priests were required to bath four times a day. By 1500 B.C. some homes of Egyptian aristocrats were outfit with copper pipes that carried hot and cold water.

One ancient Egyptian saying went: “The washer, he who washes on the dyke, Neighbour to the crocodile as he swims up stream." This is thought to have been proscription expressing the desire for more absolute cleanliness of body; the same wish which led the Egyptians to shave both hair and beard. It was natural that with such ideas those workmen whose duties were to wash the clothes, played a special part, and is a favorite figure in poetry. [Source: Adolph Erman, “Life in Ancient Egypt”, 1894]

Upper class Egyptians bathed with soda instead of soap and used waters scented with oils and alcohols of honeysuckle, hyacinth, iris, and jasmine. The oldest known image of washing cloth was found in the tomb of Beni Hasan in ancient Egypt. It dates to around 2000 B.C. Egyptians liked fresh linen and used body ointments and skin conditioners. The Ebers Papyrus describes the treatment of skin diseases with soaplike materials made from animal fats, vegetable oils and alkaline salts.

Candida Moss wrote in the Daily Beast: Milk was an apparent mainstay of the ancient Egyptian toilette. According to legend, Cleopatra used the milk of seven hundred donkeys in the place of bath water. The regime seems to have worked, as she managed to bed both Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony and was described by Cassius Dio as “a woman of surpassing beauty” who was “brilliant to look on. ” Dr. Jessica Baron, a historian of science, told The Daily Beast that Roman women thought milk from an ass (the animal) would whiten their skin and make it softer. In ancient thought milk was connected to birth, new life, and sustenance and, thus, was a good tool for preserving one’s youth. Modern scientists, on the other hand, would identify the lactic acid in milk as an (admittedly mild) exfoliant, which can perhaps explain the brilliance of Cleopatra’s skin. If you were trying to recreate this at home you should be sure to include honey and rose petals in the mix. Cleopatra, like many ancient Greek women, would use rose water as a kind of hydrator. To this day there are all kinds of beauty products that rely upon the hydrating effects of milk and roses. [Source: Candida Moss, Daily Beast, December 23, 2017]

Tooth Paste, Shampoo and Deodorant in Ancient Egypt

Egyptians washed their hair with a mixture of water and citrus juice, sometimes mixed with soap. They freshened their breath with natron, naturally occurring sodium carbonate. A bronze razor were found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Manicurists were members of the elite.

The ancient Egyptians are credited with toothpaste. Mark Millmore of discoveringegypt.com wrote: “At the 2003 dental conference in Vienna, dentists sampled a replication of ancient Egyptian toothpaste. Its ingredients included powdered of ox hooves, ashes, burnt eggshells and pumice. Another toothpaste recipe and a how-to-brush guide was written on a papyrus from the fourth century AD describes how to mix precise amounts of rock salt, mint, dried iris flower and grains of pepper, to form a “powder for white and perfect teeth.”“ [Source:Mark Millmore, discoveringegypt.com discoveringegypt.com ^^^]

The ancient Egyptians used primitive toothbrushes, or "chew sticks," made of twig with frayed ends. Remnants of these chew sticks have been found in tombs dating back to 3000 B.C. The oldest known toothpaste was awful pungent, highly abrasive stuff made from crushed pumice by Egyptian doctors around 2000 B.C.

As for deodorants, Egyptians took scented baths and applied perfumed oils and little balls of incense-scented porridge into their underarms. The also discover that the removal of underarm hair decreased the odor.

Toilets and Sanitation in Ancient Egypt

Bathroom at house in Amarna

The ancient Egyptians and Romans had indoor lavatories. According to Minnesota State University, Mankato: “Proper sanitation is an important factor in any city in order to address the problems of health and sanitation. These issues were also important in the ancient world. The ancient Egyptians practiced sanitation, but in the widest sense of the word as modern technologies were not available to them. The degree of sanitation available to certain individuals varied according to their social status. [Source: Minnesota State University, Mankato, ethanholman.com +]

“Where did ancient Egyptians relieve themselves? If they had the means, bathrooms were built right in their homes. There is evidence that in the New Kingdom (1550–1070 B.C.) the gentry had small bathrooms in their homes. In the larger homes next to the master bedroom there was a bathroom that consisted of a shallow stone tub that the person stood in and had water poured over him. There is no evidence that the common people had bathrooms in their homes. +\

“In modern society a sanitation company picks up our weekly refuse. In ancient Egyptian, it was the responsibility of each household to dispose of their garbage at the communal dump-the irrigation canals. As a result, these dump canals were breeding grounds for vermin and disease. Some homes in the cities may have had trays of earth for drainage and disposal of waste. For the most part, however, ancient Egyptians simply dumped their waste in canals or open fields. +\ “Water is an important part of any sanitation process and the ancient Egyptians had plenty of water from the mighty Nile River and the irrigation systems built from it. Gathering water for individual homes was done by groups of women. The women went to the river or canal to get the water while the men actually worked in groups doing the laundry. The canals and river were also used by the common people for bathing purposes. +\

“The sanitation methods of the ancient Egyptians may seem crude when compared to the modern conveniences available in the 21st century. They did have what appears to have been a workable, viable sanitation system.

2,700-Year-Old Luxury Toilet Found in Jerusalem

In October 2021, Israeli archaeologists announced that they had found a rare ancient toilet in Jerusalem that was 2,700 years old, when only the rich had private bathrooms. Associated Press reported: The Israeli Antiquities Authority said the smooth, carved limestone toilet was found in a rectangular cabin that was part of a sprawling mansion overlooking what is now the Old City. It was designed for comfortable sitting, with a deep septic tank dug underneath. “A private toilet cubicle was very rare in antiquity, and only a few were found to date,” said Yaakov Billig, the director of the excavation. “Only the rich could afford toilets.” [Source: Associated Press, October 5, 2021]

The toilet had a seat and a hole in the middle, "so whoever is sitting there would be very comfortable," Billig said. The toilet, which was situated above a septic tank, was found inside a rectangular cabin that would have served as the ancient bathroom. The bathroom also held 30 to 40 bowls, Billig told Haaretz. He speculated that the bowls may have been used to hold air freshener, in the form of a pleasant-smelling oil or incense. [Source: Yasemin Saplakoglu, Live Science, October 8, 2021]

Live Science reported: Within the settlement, the archaeologists also discovered ornamented stones that were carved for various purposes such as for stone capitals — small detailed pieces of stone that form the tops of columns — or window frames and railings, Billig said in the video. Nearby the toilet, Billig and his team discovered evidence of a garden filled with ornamental trees, fruit trees and aquatic plants.All of these relics help the researchers recreate the picture of an "extensive and lush" mansion, according to the statement. Archaeologists first discovered the remains of the ancient mansion on the Armon Hanatziv promenade in Jerusalem two years ago, and excavations are continuing. It was "probably a palace of one of the kings of the Judean Kingdom," Billig said in the video. The world's oldest toilet was discovered in the ruins of Tell Asmar (Eshuan'na) in Iraq. It was dated to around 4,000 years ago.

At the time of the toilet Jerusalem was a busy political and religious center in the Assyrian empire and home to between 8,000 and 25,000 people. But not so long before this time and afterwards Jerusalem was controlled by the same people that controlled Egypt. “While they did have toilets with cesspits across the region by the Iron Age, they were relatively rare and often only made for the elite,” the 2023 study mentioned below said. “Towns were not planned and built with a sewerage network, flushing toilets had yet to be invented and the population had no understanding of existence of microorganisms and how they can be spread.”

Plumbing in Ancient Egypt

According to Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine: “In 3000 B.C., a single ruler, Menes, unified the entire land and set the stage for an impressive civilization that lasted 3,000 years. He began with the construction of basins to contain the flood water, digging canals and irrigation ditches to reclaim the marshy land. From these earliest of times, so important was the cutting of a dam that the event was heralded by a royal ceremony. King Menes is credited with diverting the course of the Nile to build the city of Memphis on the site where the great river had run. By 2500 B. C., an extensive system of dikes, canals and sluices had developed. It remained in use until the Roman occupation, circa 30 B.C. – 641 A.D. For pure water, the Egyptians depended upon wells. Their prowess in divining hidden sources is shown in the “Well of Joseph,” constructed about 3000 B.C. near the Pyramids of Gizeh. Workers had to dig through 300 feet of solid rock to tap into the water. [Source: Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine, July 1989, theplumber.com ^]

Pools at Maru-Aten

“By 2500 B.C. the Egyptians were pretty adept with drainage construction, accentuated by the significance that water played in their priestly rituals of purification and those affecting the burial of the kings. According to their religion, to die was simply to pass from one state of life to another. If the living required food, clothing and other accoutrements of daily life, so did the dead. Thus, it’s not surprising that archaeologists have discovered bathrooms in some tombs. ^

“Many other details of Egypt’s past are lost in obscurity. But of their engineering skill there is no doubt. Knowing only the lever, roller, inclined plane and possibly a long copper saw, they erected immense monuments in the desert sands and along great cliffs. When anyone reflects on ancient Egypt today, the Great Pyramid of Cheops and its staggering dimensions invariably are brought to mind: It stands 481 ft. high and contains 2 million blocks of yellowish limestone. Each block weights 2.5 tons, was quarried miles away, floated on barges, and dragged from the shores of the Nile to its present site. ^

“The other monument of renown is the Sphinx, guardian of the pyramids, which the ancients carved out of bedrock. It is shaped like a crouching lion with a human head. Unfortunately it was built before the services of a good Roman plumber were available. Located outside present day Cairo, it has lost limestone blocks to the marauding influence of underground water pollution – caused mainly by nearby villagers throwing household and human waste out in the street.” ^

Pipes and Home Plumbing in Ancient Egypt

According to Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine: “Excavators of the mortuary temple of King Suhura at Abusir discovered niches in the walls and remnants of stone basins. These were furnished with metal fittings for use as lavatories. The outlet of the basin closed with a lead stopper attached to a chain and a bronze ring. The basin emptied through a copper pipe to a trough below. The pipe was made of 1/16″ beaten copper to a diameter of a little under 2″. A lap joint seam hammered it tight. [Source: Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine, July 1989, theplumber.com ^]

“Also found within a pyramid temple built by King Tutankhamen’s father-in-law at Abusir, was a brass drain pipe running from the upper temple along the connecting masonry causeway to the outer temple on the river. Excavators have discovered a tomb which supposedly contains the body of Osiris before he became a god. It contains the dividing line between Life and Death, i.e., a deep moat containing water that surrounds all sides of the figure of the god on his throne. After 5,000 years, water still fills the canal through underground pipes from the River Nile. ^

“The ancient Egyptians were early developers of pipe and the techniques of making copper alloys. In the beginning, of course, their pipe and fittings were very crude. Like the Mesopotamians, they used clay pipe made from a combination of straw and clay. First it was dried in the sun, and then baked in ovens. As they improved upon their clay sewer pipe, the Egyptians were able to drain the low-lying portions of the Nile Valley, and gradually the entire region evolved into a fertile garden. ^

“It is here in Egypt that the noria or Egyptian wheel became a common use. As in Mesopotamia, it consisted of a chain pump comprising a number of earthen pots carried round and round by a wheel. Other examples of their craftsmanship are found in bowls of beaten copper on which they casted double spouts. Originally copper basins were used only by the pharoahs.” Archaeologists have found “a stone bath with plastered sides and drain. Just below the outlet of the bath, water drained into a vase perforated at the bottom and cemented into the earth. ^

“The homes of the wealthy were airy and roomy, literally. There were bedrooms, servants’ quarters, halls, dining rooms – and bathrooms. Actually, a “bathroom” was usually a small recessed room with a square slab of limestone in the corner. There the master of the house stood while his slaves liberally doused him with water. The waste water ran into a large bowl in the floor below or through an earthenware channel in the wall where it emptied into still another bowl outside. Then that bowl was baled out by hand. Remains of early earth closets with limestone seats also have been discovered, the disposal evidently in the sandy soil.” ^

Did a Fart Lead to a Revolt Against an Ancient Egyptian King

According to the Greek historian Herodotus, a fart set off a chain of events that led to a revolt against King Apries of Egypt. Iphikrates posted on Reddit.com: In 570 B.C. the Egyptian king Apries, at the urging of the Lybians whose lands were being usurped, sent a large army against the Greek settlers of Cyrene (near modern Benghazi). The Greeks, however, proved silent but deadly: contrary to everyone's expectations, the Egyptian army suffered a crushing defeat. Believing that Apries deliberately sent them out to die, the survivors banded together with the relatives of the fallen and rebelled against the king. Apries responded by sending a trusted man named Amasis to dissuade the rebels, but they instead proclaimed Amasis their true king. Amasis figured that this trumped his previous job description and decided to roll with it. He consequently prepared to march against Apries.

Undaunted by the backfiring of his plan, Apries tried again: He sent against Amasis an esteemed Egyptian named Patarbemis, one of his own court, instructing him to take the rebel alive and bring him into his presence. When Patarbemis came and summoned Amasis, Amasis, who was on horseback, rose up and farted, telling the messenger to take that back to Apries (Hdt. 2.162.3)

When Apries heard of Amasis' refusal, he blew up and had the messenger Patarbemis mutilated. This outrage so infuriated the Egyptian population that whoever was still on Apries' side now turned coat. Apries, left with no other option, gathered his personal guard and all the mercenaries money could buy, and marched out to meet Amasis in the field.

In the hot wind of the Egyptian desert, the two armies came to blows — and Apries' outnumbered forces were swiftly overwhelmed. Apries was taken prisoner by Amasis. For a while he was kept alive, but the people demanded his death, and so Amasis' men took a rope and squeezed the air out of him. You'll notice that at the time of the fabled fart, the rebellion was already well under way. Amasis passing gas was only his way of rejecting a summons to the royal court, which started a chain of events that worsened a situation that already looked pretty bleak for Apries to begin with. It seems somewhat disrespectful to blame the uprising on a fart when in fact it was triggered by the unnecessary death of thousands of Egyptians.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, escholarship.org ; Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Egypt sourcebooks.fordham.edu ; Tour Egypt, Minnesota State University, Mankato, ethanholman.com; Mark Millmore, discoveringegypt.com discoveringegypt.com; Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Discover magazine, Times of London, Natural History magazine, Archaeology magazine, The New Yorker, BBC, Encyclopædia Britannica, Time, Newsweek, Wikipedia, Reuters, Associated Press, The Guardian, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, “World Religions” edited by Geoffrey Parrinder (Facts on File Publications, New York); “History of Warfare” by John Keegan (Vintage Books); “History of Art” by H.W. Janson Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.), Compton’s Encyclopedia and various books and other publications.

Last updated August 2024