ancient egypt social classes ancient egypt legacy

Fashion was only part of the reason for the Egyptians' notoriously heavy hand when applying eyeliner. Status and appearance went hand in hand, and as far as the upper class was concerned, the more makeup the better. They could also create green eye makeup by combining a mineral called malachite with galena to tint the ointment.įor the Egyptians, makeup was not limited to women. They combined soot with a mineral called galena to create a black ointment known as kohl, which is still popular today. Even more impressive, some cosmetically minded cultures still create makeup using the same techniques pioneered by the Egyptians thousands of years ago. Since they first invented eye makeup as far back as 4000 B.C.E., it's never gone out of style. Sure, eye makeup might not rank alongside fire or the wheel as one of the most important discoveries in human history, but it gives the Egyptians a run for longevity. They also thrived as inventors, and, as you'll see in this list of 10 amazing Egyptian inventions, their creations changed everything from fashion to agriculture so drastically that we still see their influence today. For instance, Egyptian women donned ornate jewelry and wigs, the men boxed, fenced and wrestled for sport and the children played with board games, dolls and other toys. Over the thousands of years ancient Egyptians thrived, they ushered in perhaps the most advanced civilization the world had ever known, and many of the fixtures of their society are still commonplace. Of course, the pyramids are only part of ancient Egypt's legacy.

Originally standing 481 feet (147 meters) tall, the Great Pyramid towers over monuments like the Statue of Liberty and Big Ben.

There may be no greater tribute to a society's ingenuity and vision than Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza. Sure, the Great Pyramid is magnificent, but ancient Egyptians can take credit for a whole lot more than that.

Ancient egypt social classes ancient egypt legacy