Alright, so folks often ask me how I stumble into these random topics I end up spending hours on. This whole thing with ancient Egypt and, well, their views on sex and relationships? It wasn't planned. Not at all. It really just started with me trying to get a better picture of what it was actually like to live back then, beyond all the gold and gods stuff you see in museums.
My Little Dive into How They Lived and Loved
I kicked things off just by browsing, you know, looking at pictures of everyday objects, trying to imagine the people. Then I got to thinking about their social lives. What was okay? What wasn't? And that led me down a rabbit hole about marriage and all that comes with it.
One of the first things I bumped into was about marriage ages. Guys, apparently, got hitched a bit older, maybe around 16 to 20. Makes sense, I guess. They probably needed to get themselves set up, be able to actually support a family. You can't just run off and get married if you've got nothing, right? That part felt pretty normal, something you could understand even now.
But then, here’s a kicker: I found out that being a virgin before marriage? Not a massive deal for them. Seriously. Premarital sex, or just, you know, fooling around between unmarried folks, was apparently socially acceptable. That was a bit of a "whoa" moment for me. You just assume ancient societies were super strict about everything, but nope, not always the case here. It really made me stop and think how different their outlook was, or maybe how much we project our own stuff onto the past.
What Was "Hot" Back Then?
So, if they were kinda relaxed about some things, what did they find attractive? I started looking at their art – paintings, sculptures. And you see a certain style, especially for women. They're often shown as really graceful and slim, tiny waist, small firm breasts. They liked a long neck, skin that was on the paler side, and that classic blue-black hair. It’s like they had their own version of a beauty ideal, just like we do. It was interesting to see these patterns pop up again and again.
- Graceful and slim
- Small waist
- Small, firm breasts
- Long neck
- Pale skin
- Blue-black hair
It wasn't just about the body, though. The whole makeup thing was huge. And not just for women! Both Egyptian men and women wore make-up. That famous eye paint, usually green from copper, or black from lead. I read it was good for keeping the sun out of your eyes, and they even thought it had magical healing powers. Okay, fair enough. But come on! You can’t tell me it wasn’t also about looking good, feeling a bit more put-together, maybe catching someone’s eye. It’s human nature, isn't it? That stuff hasn't changed much, I reckon.
How This Whole "Practice" Even Started
You might be wondering why I even started digging into this particular corner of ancient life. It’s not like I woke up one day and decided to become an expert on Egyptian intimacy. The truth is, I was actually trying to fix a leaky faucet in my bathroom. Yeah, seriously. I was getting frustrated, taking a break, and scrolling through some history stuff online to clear my head. I saw a picture of some ordinary Egyptian tools, and it just hit me – these were real people, with real lives, real problems, probably real relationship drama too.
I realized I knew all about the pyramids and the pharaohs, but next to nothing about the average Joe and Jane Shmoe back then. How did they meet? What were dates like? Did they gossip? It was pure curiosity. So, I just started reading bits here and there, piecing things together from what archaeologists and historians have figured out. No grand plan, just following whatever caught my interest. It became this little side project, trying to understand them as people, not just historical figures.
And what I've found is that, while some things are wildly different, a lot of the basic human stuff – attraction, relationships, figuring out social rules – it's all there. They just had their own way of doing things. It’s been a fascinating little journey, this "practice" of mine, just trying to connect with people from so long ago on a more personal level. Makes you see history a bit differently, you know?
