What are some bizarre cultural traditions of ancient Egypt?
Even though people often admire Egypt’s pyramids, rulers and religious gods, many of the country’s traditions seem strange by today’s standards. Let’s look at some of the most unusual and engaging ones.
Ceremonial Masturbation into the Nile River
One of the strangest traditions involved pharaohs ceremonially masturbating into the Nile River. This wasn’t simply a crazy activity, but an important note in religious rituals. In the writings of the Egyptians, Atum brought the world into being by stimulating himself sexually. It was widely believed that Atum's ejaculation caused the Nile’s waters to provide life. Therefore, in their rituals, pharaohs often mimicked the creator’s action to show that the land would be fertile and the river’s waters would not dry up.
Reversed gender roles in labor
History records that according to Herodotus, Egyptians had cultural differences from other ancient peoples. While men spent their days at the loom in the home, women were seen in the marketplace and business world—something that was rare for their role in ancient history. Egyptians also wove fabric downward, unlike other cultures where fabric was woven upward and Herodotus noted this as just another way their culture stood out from others.
Public vs. private behavior
In a different aspect of their culture, the Egyptians have meals outdoors but deal with private bodily needs inside. Their reasoning? Since eating is so clean, we ought to do it where others can see. Everyday actions like eating and drinking were done in public, while private bodily functions were handled inside the home.
Disregard for the brain
The practice of mummification involved grabbing the brain with a hooked probe and tossing it away. Ancient Egyptians believed that the heart was the center of thought and emotion, not the brain. Because of this, the brain was not seen as valuable in the afterlife and was thrown away like general waste.
Extreme cleanliness and ritual purity
Being clean was very important to the priests. Every other day, they shaved their whole bodies to keep lice and dirt away, washed themselves four times each day and put on only linen clothes and papyrus sandals. Religious purity was so important that Egyptian priests avoided foods like beans and fish, which were considered impure.
Even if these actions seem strange or odd today, they were important to the people of ancient Egypt to support cosmic balance, keep the environment clean and receive the gods’ approval.
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