Costumes of Egypt
Customs
The meaning of custom is that it is a human activity or tradition that derives from a certain belief of a society, and customs and traditions are inherited as money and land are inherited, and customs enter all areas of life, such as art and social relations. As customs and traditions also enter daily conversations, there are many phrases that you find yourself saying and do not know where they came from, but they acquired them in this way, so every country has customs and traditions that it has acquired since ancient times and also the Middle Ages.
How were the customs carried over?
It was carried by many things, including monuments, history, some phrases, and transmission from one generation to the next, but it depends on the extent of acceptance of this custom about the religious beliefs, life, and values that you grew up with.
Psychologically, a custom consists of three things: your knowledge of the thing to be done, the presence of an incentive to do this thing, and finally, the ability to do this thing. For example, if you hear a certain sentence and find acceptance for this sentence and then say it more than once, this sentence will become a daily habit, and then the habit will spread among all Egyptians.
Traditions and customs are behavior patterns just for a group of people, acquired through some oral words from the previous group in the form of tradition or celebration of a festival of some sort, and certain customs in a certain society may become a part of formal law or influence the constitution, as which side of the street vehicles should be driven on, so the direct difference lies between customs and traditions: the former arises from imitation done by one generation towards the previous generation through various fields and very strictly, whilst customs do not have to be that way. Customs and traditions perform a social function by strengthening social ties and unity bonds, bringing back events, holidays, or folklore. If they are, the customs are usually harmful to society, such as in the case of female infanticide or going to fortune tellers or astrologers.
One of the most prominent social customs in Egypt is the spirit of family unity, where the family holds a sacred place where family members gather on various occasions like holidays and weddings, where gifts are exchanged and meals are eaten together. Social courtesies are also an integral part of daily life, as greetings and visits are exchanged between neighbours and friends.
Egypt is known for its ancient traditions and unique customs that reflect its deep history and the influence of successive civilizations. Egyptian society adheres to many customs that range from social events to religious celebrations and daily behaviours.
Marriage in Egypt is characterized by special customs that include the engagement period, the presentation of the net, and weddings that vary between rural and urban areas, so weddings are often filled with traditional dance and music, as well as traditional rituals like henna before the wedding party.
customs from the Pharaohs
Pure Incense is an establishment tracing its lineage to the incense wooden sticks so beloved by the ancient Egyptians. The pharaohs employed incense in their religious rituals to purify the ambiance and elevate morale. On the walls of Egyptian temples are illustrated the rituals surrounding incense burning, for it was therein the sacred space to interact with the gods and incense—the most cherished offering to the goddesses—burning acts. This has remained to this day, where incense, especially on Fridays, is burning to perfume the air and protect from envy. The six-month expedition of Queen Hatshepsut to Puntland to bring back the incense trees indicates just how sacred this substance was to the Pharaohs.
For example, the custom of the seventh day after the birth of a child is an authentic Egyptian custom, and the word came from the word Sabbouh, which means a week in English. He specialized in the seventh day because this day is when the sense of hearing is complete, which indicates the progress in which the ancient Egyptians lived, and this celebration was for the newborn to hear the celebration of his arrival in the world and was passed down until it became a basic Egyptian custom in every Egyptian home.
The Egyptians also have customs in celebration of joys, and they also have customs in mourning, as they perform a funeral ceremony after forty days, whether in a church or a mosque, and this custom was taken from the ancient Egyptians who performed the mummification process after forty days and then held a funeral ceremony for him.
The custom of breaking the clay pot was a custom among the Egyptians, where they used to break all the clay pots of the deceased so that his soul would not return to life again until this custom became present in our time, but it refers to negative people as they break the clay pot to remove the negative energy that was in the place.
As it is known that envy is a custom among the Egyptians, they considered that the Eye of Horus is one of the things that prevents envy. Horus, the ancient Egyptian god, was one of the most important kings, as they used the eye of Horus on the chest of the dead to prevent him from negative energy during his transition to the other world, and at present, the eye of Horus has become one of the most famous necklaces that Egyptians use to prevent envy and negative energy, and there is also a famous eye, the blue eye or what is called the blue bead, which is also used to prevent envy.
Among the wonderful customs in Egypt is the custom of celebrating Sham El-Nessim, which is one of the most famous holidays that we took from the ancient Egyptians, and it is a holiday to celebrate the arrival of spring, and this holiday is characterized by eating some foods like colourful eggs and salted fish, and these are two Egyptian foods, as salted fish were present among the Egyptians as a result of the abundant fish due to the floodwaters.
One of the most famous authentic Egyptian dishes is its cultivation on the banks of the Nile, belonging to the era of the pharaohs, as indicated by ancient papyri, and some accounts indicate that the pharaohs considered it a poisonous plant, while others believe that they used it in their food.
According to some reports, the name “molokia” is from the Fatimid al-Moez's recovery from colic after eating it, so it was limited to the kings and princes of Egypt. Over time, its name changed from “molokia” to “molokhia” to become one of the most famous Egyptian popular dishes that are now served on the tables of Egyptians.
A Brief Analysis of Policy, Cultural, and Historical MilieusThe costumes of ancient Egypt carry an immense weight in comprehending the social, cultural, and religious relations of one of the most complex civilizations in the world. Clothing played an essential role in the lives of the ancient Egyptians; it was not worn solely to cover the body. Rather, it signified social class, sex, occupation, and religion, all of which were in harmony with the surroundings and the sophisticated civilization that the people of the Nile River developed.
Linen is the Fabric of Choice in the ancient Egyptian clothes.
In ancient Egypt, one of the most popular and numerous textiles was the flax linen, which was predominantly cultivated along the banks of the Nile. The high temperatures in Egypt made it unavoidable to wear light and porous materials; hence, linen became the most appropriate material to use. All the same, the process of making linen from the flax plant was rather labor-intensive because it involved soaking the plant, pounding it down to retrieve fewer strands of it, and finally, yarn coming from those strands.
Zibellina esdromis fine-quality linen was especially popular with the nobles’ elite. The most advanced, termed "palace linen," was quite light but stable, glossy, and a bit transparent, indicating that it was designed for the affluent class. Nobility and priests, including the pharaohs, wore the most delicate and immaculate white linen attires, which were also for royalty due to their unblemished look and spiritual aspect, while the lower class dressed in the most tattered and coarse fabrics.
The clothing worn by the elite reflected their position, riches, and belief in their godliness. As earthly gods, the Queen and Pharaoh donned fashionable elements of clothing infused with various images. One of the most popular items of clothing worn by the pharaoh was the'shendyt’, a tailored pleated skirt that was extended with both gold and gem decorations. It was held in place by a decorative sash and, at times, was worn with a beautifully crafted robe or jacket for events.
Pharaohs also had a piece of headgear that was almost a statue of a king, called the ‘names’, which is a striped fabric wrapped around the head and tied at the back. All three, together with the false beard, the headdress of a king, and crowns with either the white or red crown of Egypt or the double crowns of Egypt—a sign of authority and power, only that it was royal power.
They wore clothes similar to those of the pharaoh but not as ostentatious. Richer men and women wore complex necklaces that included gold and colored stones. Their dresses were elaborately designed to exhibit their social class, with women frequently dressing in body-hugging sheaths made out of quality linen.
As the elites displayed their opulent clothing, the vast majority of the Egyptian population, consisting of farmers, laborers, artisans, and servants, put on simpler clothes. Working-class men were mostly found dressed in a simple loincloth or a knee-length coarser linen kilt. The tunic dresses worn by women were no exception and were specially designed to facilitate a woman's domestic and daily activities.
In spite of having simple clothing, it was clear that they took time and effort in the way they looked. The cleanliness and general appearance of the Egyptians of all social classes were important, and this can be attributed to the fact that they applied perfumes, oils, and cosmetics on a daily basis as part of their dressing code.
Religious and ceremonial costumes
Religious beliefs and practices permeated every aspect of daily life in ancient Egypt; hence, the costumes worn during religious and ceremonious activities depicted the outlook of the society. To express their sanctity and the god’s role they were playing, priests wore linen white robes. Most high priests were draped in leopard-skin cloaks, which were worn around the robe’s bust region during the ceremony to indicate closeness to the gods.
Dresses of deities were often characterized by very elaborate and expensive garments, with some, like goddess Hathor, even dressed in detailed sheath dresses. The meaning behind the use of practical animal skins and feathers, as well as ornamental pieces, was to call for the presence of divine beings and their goodwill.
Moreover, no attire in ancient Egypt would be complete without the inclusion of ornamental pieces. For the ancient Egyptians, jewelry had a purpose beyond mere decoration; it was considered to be a protective talisman worn against dark forces. Everyone, regardless of rank, embellished and decorated themselves with intricate pieces of jewelry, such as neckpieces, ear decorations, wrist and ankle covering ornaments, and even finger bands.
Rings, earrings, necklaces, and other kinds of jewelry were usually very expensive things because they were made from gold and other precious stones for the rich class, whereas the lower class spent less on ornamental copper, bronze, or colored glazed beads.
In the history of mankind, when different civilizations have flourished and left behind valuable artifacts, amulets have also been widely utilized among the ancient Egyptians. They were not merely decorative charms worn on a necklace or a bracelet, which was the fashion of the day; they also represented gods, animals, and other holy things believed to give protection in life and death.
Another obstacle that the ancient Egyptian costume faced was makeup. Not only women but also men used kohl—a black lead ore powder—first to decorate their eyes but mainly to protect them from the glaring sun. This was supplemented with bright eye shadows in the form of malachite green and lapis lazuli blue, while red ochre served as a blusher and lipstick.
The upper classes also took to wearing wigs. Men and women wore wigs made from human hair or plant materials, but in most cases, men styled them formally to reflect their social status. The lower classes did not wear wigs most of the time; rather, they kept their hair short or completely bald because of the heat.
7. Children’s Costumes: Minimal but SymbolicThe clothing of the youth in ancient Egypt was scanty, especially when considering the early stage of their age. Toddlers and infants were often fully unclothed, especially when it was hot in the summer. However, sometimes they were decorated with some jewelry, like amulets, for that matter. Boys, as they grew older, would wear the simple skirts of their fathers, while girls would wear sheath dresses as their mothers.
8. The Influence of Egyptian Costumes on Modern FashionThe design and appearance of dresses worn by ancient Egyptians greatly influenced today’s fashion trends, especially in the 20th century. The year 1922 saw the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb, which brought about an overwhelming obsession with everything Egyptian culture that followed, hence the term "Egyptomania," which inspired Art Deco fashion, architecture, and jewelry designs. Even now, parts of Egyptian dressing such as heavy eyeshadow, elaborate jewelry designs, and draped pleats are still used by modern designers.
Conclusion
Costumes in ancient Egypt were more than just garments; they were embedded in society with great spirituality, art, and meaning. The costumes worn by the king during his reign and the commoners’ daily wear are representative of the complex social stratification, religious practices, and customs of that incredible civilization. Costume history gives an insight into the centuries-old culture, where it is not just a sense of fashion for them but a way of helping build the historical infrastructure of the present society.
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