8 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Ancient Egypt

Since one of our rooms is Egyptian themed, we thought it would be fun to get you in the mood for your escape room experience with some Ancient Egyptian facts you probably didn’t know!

1. Ancient Egyptians worshiped over 1,400 gods and goddesses.

Ra, the sun god, was the most important among their gods. He was drawn as a man with the head of a hawk and a sun disk headdress. He is considered to have created all form of life. Isis, the mother goddess, was tasked with protecting and helping those in need. Horus was god of the sky and drawn with the head of a hawk. The Pharaoh was thought to be the living version of Horus, making him the representative of the gods.

2. Toilets were found in many Ancient Egyptian tombs.

It is believed that rich Egyptians had proper bathrooms and toilets in their homes. The toilet seats were made of limestone, while poor people had only a wooden stool with a hole in it for their waste. Underneath was a container filled with sand that had to be emptied by hand. Think of it like a litter box, but for humans.

3. The lost Egyptian city of Heracleion was found after 1200 years under the sea.

It’s located under 30 feet of water and was mentioned by ancient Greek historians. It was Egypt’s main port for international trade and the collection of taxes. The city sank around the 3^rd or 2^nd century AD, most likely due to the liquefaction of the silts on which it was built following earth tremors. Ruins were discovered by French underwater archeologist, Franck Goddio, in 2000.

4. Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone.

These wooden or stone headrests were especially popular with deceased bodies, since the head of the human was thought to be the essence of life and sacred. These pillows were thought to uphold body vigor, keep blood circulating, and ward away demons.

5. The tradition of exchanging wedding rings goes all the way back to the Egyptians.

It’s thought that they used rings in a wedding ceremony as early as 3000 BC. These rings were made from braided hemp or reeds formed in a circle, and symbolized eternity. The hole in the middle represented a door leading to future events.

6. Ancient Egyptians shaved off their eyebrows to mourn the death of their cats.

That’s right. Talk about a cat obsession. They would continue to mourn until their eyebrows grew back.

7. In Ancient Egypt, killing a cat, even accidentally, incurred the death penalty.

At the height of Bast’s popularity, even accidentally killing a cat was punishable by death.

8. Many Egyptian pharaohs were actually overweight and unhealthy due to their diet of alcohol, bread and honey.

Evidence from inscriptions on temple walls and computer X-rays show signs of damaged arteries, heart disease, and bad teeth. However, their pictures and sculptors portray thin and trim figures. This is possibly because thinness was a beauty norm at that time.