WOMEN OF ANCIENT EGYPT HAD LIPSTICKS AND CREAMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18992, 11 February 1930, Page 13

WOMEN OF ANCIENT EGYPT HAD LIPSTICKS AND CREAMS.

When The Pharaohs Ruled Men Also Used Cosmetics

(Written for the “Star” by Dr Hans Demel, Egyptologist and Orientalist.)

Cosmetics, rouge and powders are in general use throughout the East, not only by women, but by men also, and have played an important part in people’s lives right down the ages. Even the discoveries made in Egyptian tombs show that in the opulent, past which history has made famous, paints and cosmetics <rere very popular besides the employment of -tattoo marks for the ornamentation of ,the body. First of all, in the human face the eyes were always carefully made up. and two kinds of paint were used for that purpose—green and black. Originally, the green alone was known to the ancients and was manufactured from ground malachite; but later on, the black pigment was obtained from a substance which was called stibium in Latin, and used in conjunction with Nile mud. Painting for Protection. Green paint was smeared on the lower lid, and the black pigment over the eyebrows and upper lid, while the line of the brows was continued all black almost to the ear. At certain epoch? fashion dictated that the line. be drawn right up to tl?e ear. By these means the eyes appeared to be much larger and held a greater brilliance; in contrast with the white around it, the pupil gained darkness and depth. This was the ideal of beauty in ancient Egypt and it was not merely a fashion, but an almost religious practice, a sacred custom from which even the images of divinities were not exempt. Furthermore, the men and women of that time did not use pigments around their eyes only to improve their appearance, but with a view to protect the eyes from the obnoxious effects of the sun’s rays. Imitations Existed Already. The pigments were prepared and mixed in a mortar, and kept in a special box. When required they were applied by means of an ivory, ebony or metal stick. When several kinds of pigments came into use, according to the season of the year and the state of the eyes, the paint box was divided into several compartments, nio- often than not in itself quite a work of art. It seems, indeed, that some sort of indecision must have existed in the choice of pigments, for there were a good many fraudulent compounds, and some makers had to protect their wares by means of a label; for instance, “genuine Mesdemet” was the name of a highly prized special cosmetic much in use among the belles of the Nile. Probably the latter was composed of first-grade ingredients and was well worth imitating.

But most important of all in Ancient Egypt were the oils and salves. The custom of smearing the body with unguents and salves was extensively practised, no doubt owing to climatic conditions. The same habit persists today in the East, if not in Egypt. An Oriental research worker in his travels in Mesopotamia, discovered that the Bedouin labourers in the excavations generally smeared their bodies with fats or oils in order to protect the skin

from the fierce heat of the sun and the blistering effects of the sand drifts wherein they toiled. Salves and Precious Perfumes. m In olden times, the use of salve for the body was necessary for everyone, from the Pharaohs down to the meanest beggar. For instance, old papyrii quote one instance when workmen went on strike and refused to work, not merely to obtain better food, but because they did not receive salves or oils. In various parts of Egypt a very fine oil was manufactured at the time for the preparation of unguents, but needs were so great and production so limited that it became necessary to import oils, and foreign princes made it a practice to send presents of oil _ to Pharaoh. Those oils and salves mainly came from Syria or Cyprus, and possibly also from Ethiopia and the Somali coast. There is record of a vessel of precious salve sent by the King of Alasia (Cyprus) to Amenophis IV. (who was Pharaoh from 1375 to 1335 8.C.). The Treasure Houses of the Pharaohs were always filled with all kinds of ointments and salves which were contained in artistically wrought vessels, some made in stone, with lids hermetically sealed so as not to let the precious perfume escape. Furthermore, a special official was allocated to the care of the salves, and bore the proud title of “Keeper of the Salves from the King’s Treasure House”.

Perfumed Cones Worn on Head. The whole life of the ancient Egyptians seems to have been influenced by the usage of salves, men, women and children alike. It was a habit among women, for every festiviyt, to smear their hair and head with creams of various perfumes. The warm climate soon caused the hair oil to evaporate and to set free the perfume. Sometimes they mixed ointment with tallow and shaped it into a pointed cone; this would next be smeared with sweet smelling ointment and soaked with perfumed oils. This fixture placed on the top of the head remained in place easilj' and was not disturbed by the movements of the wearer. These cones of perfumed salves were perfectly white, but sometimes they were worn streaked with red. In very high temperatures the whole of the contrivance melted away, the oil smeared through the hair to the skin and the overflowing salve poured down the neck of the Wearer, enveloping her with scented vapours which persisted for a very long time. These peculiar Customs are mentioned in the Bible, and even to this day, among the Nubian race, the habit has persisted. Mustard and Cress, and Girls. When it was desirable to pay a particular compliment to a guest, the custom was to anoint him with salves. Some Egyptian paintings and carvings reveal scenes of the king, when at a banquet, the guests, either male or female, were honoured by having their hands and arms anointed with salves. Even in State ceremonies, the ointments were never lacking. In fact,

anointing oneself and others seemed part and parcel of the daily ritual in ancient Egypt, and oils were never even lacking in guest houses, where the drunkards in company with fallen maidens sat, oil besmeared, and with wreaths of mustard and cress around their heads. Considering the important part played by oils and salves in daily life, it is not to be wondered that they found a ready use in religion, where they acquired the dignity of a symbol. Even in the Bible we find that oils and salves played important roles. The ceremony of anointing the High Priest gave him many privileges and was of an impressive character in the religious ritual of Egypt. But the salves were not all the means used to placate the gods, perfumes being very popular for that purpose. Again, the Eg}rpti‘ans made use of incense, in the worship of their gods and their dead as is well known. The most widely employed essence was myrrh. The Egyptians did not grow this plant themselves, but caused it to be brought from far distant lands. Scented resins were also used to dispel evil spirits, and the sweet-smelling incense was to the Egyptians the particular sign of divinity. All the popu lation sought thereby to propitiate the gods by burning incense in their houses, by fumigating their clothes, and even themselves. The most popular perfume was Kophi, which was known also to the Greeks. It was obtained from extracts of various resins, such as turpentine mixed with wine and honey. The mixture was allowed to dry. Then it was slowly. When particular honour was paid to a guest, perfume would be burnt upon his leave-taking, a custom that Egyptians have observed right down to the present day of lipsticks and scented creams that still reign supreme. (Anglo-American N.S. Copyright.)