Introduction - Ancient Egyptian Inventions
On this page you will find a list of interesting information about the numerous inventions of this great civilization, with a short description of each. Many of these inventions enabled these ancient people to thrive for thousands of years. Many of their inventions were used and copied by some of the great civilizations to follow; including ancient Rome and Greece. The below list of facts is written for both kids and adults.Click here for a great selection of Amazon.com books about Ancient Egypt.
Famous Ancient Egyptian Inventions Facts
- Writing - Although the ancient Egyptians were not the first civilization to create writing they did invent hieroglyphics a very advanced form of writing. They used their written symbols to record all kinds of information and to write about their culture and history.
- Papyrus Writing Sheets - The ancient Egyptians are often incorrectly credited with the invention of paper which instead should actually be credited to the ancient Chinese. However the Egyptians did create papyrus writing sheets which was a paper-like writing material made from the stems of the papyrus plant. Papyrus plants are tall reeds that thrive in shallow swampy water such as that along the banks of the Nile River. Papyrus writing sheets became one of this ancient civilizations biggest exports and they kept the process of how it was manufactured a secret from other civilizations of the time.
- Black ink - was an important invention of the ancient Egyptians. It enabled them to write documents that to this day are clear enough to read. The Egyptians used a mixture of vegetable gum and beeswax with soot.
- Clocks - The earliest known clocks were invented by the Egyptians. These clocks were sundials and are believed to have been first used around 3500 BC; the oldest surviving sundial, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, dates back to 1500 BC. The Egyptians also invented the water clock which utilized a bowl that slowly filled up with water to measure the passage of time.
- Ox-drawn plow - was an extremely important invention of this ancient culture. This enabled them to quickly and efficiently plow their fields for farming.
- Solar Calendar - The ancient Egyptians were the first to adopt a calendar based on the Earth's rotation around the Sun; a solar calendar. They recognized certain events, like the flooding of the Nile, that occurred regularly and were able to figure out there were 365 days in the year.
Facts about Other Ancient Egyptian Inventions
- Toothpaste - was an invention of the ancient Egyptians. They invented it, for the same reasons we use it today, to help keep their teeth and gums clean and to fight bad breath. They used several different ingredients to create toothpaste including crushed eggshells, spices, and grounded animal hooves.
- Breath Mints - To help fight bad breath the Egyptians invented a form of breath mint. Various spices and herbs such as cinnamon, frankincense, and myrrh were combined with honey to produce small pellets. Like the breath mints of today the ancient Egyptians would suck on and chew these pellets to mask bad breath.
- Bowling - Although not the same as the bowling we know today the ancient Egyptians invented a game that was an early predecessor of modern-day bowling. Archaeologist uncovered a room near Cairo where the game was played. Several balls of different sizes were found there along with a lane where the balls were rolled.
- Makeup - Although impossible to confirm it is believed the ancient Egyptian civilization was the creator of makeup. Both men and women wore makeup. They were especially known for their eye makeup which can be seen in much of their art.