A 6th grade history report by Sabrina Thiruvathukal From paper to toothpaste, Ancient Egypt gave society many important inventions - many of which are still in use today.

1. Important Innovations in Ancient
Egypt
By: Sabrina Thiruvathukal

2. Thesis
Most of the significant innovations in fashion and personal
hygiene during ancient Egyptian time are still being used today.

3. Ancient Egyptians invented
Paper
Written Language
The Calendar
The Ox-Drawn Plow
Black Ink
Sundial
Water Clock
Source: Jonathan Atteberry & Patrick J. Kiger "10 Amazing Ancient Egyptian Inventions" 12 January 2011. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://
science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/5-amazing-ancient-egyptian-inventions.htm> 14 February 2016

4. Important Innovations in Inventions in fashion
and personal hygiene include:
The Wig
Cosmetics
Toothpaste
Breath Mints
Source: Jonathan Atteberry & Patrick J. Kiger "10 Amazing Ancient
Egyptian Inventions" 12 January 2011. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://
science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/5-amazing-
ancient-egyptian-inventions.htm> 14 February 2016

5. Wigs
Modern WigAncient Wig

6. Material Used to Make Wigs
● Were made of human hair
which was often
supplemented by plant fiber
or from the wool of sheep.
Source: Ancient Egyptian Hair and Beauty. Retrieved from:
http://purchasereq.tripod.com/id9.html
● Are made of human hair, animal
hair or synthetic fibers.
2016In Ancient Egypt

7. Why people wear wigs?
● Ornate hair decorations
● Wigs protected the scalp from the sun
● They shaved their head and wore wigs to
protect them against lice
● For fashion
● Baldness
● Some people lose their hair during cancer
treatment and wear wigs
2016Ancient Egypt

8. Eye makeup in Ancient Egypt

9. Eye makeup in Ancient Egypt
Egyptians wore green eye paint and black kohl
Green eye paint was made of copper
The black kohl was used as eyeliner and was made of lead.
These two minerals were not readily available in Egypt which
means the Egyptians made the makeup from rock salt and natron
Source: Beauty and cosmetics in ancient Egypt. (2016, January 21). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 04:08, February 15, 2016, from https://
en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beauty_and_cosmetics_in_ancient_Egypt&oldid=70085672

10. Eye makeup
● Used kohl (eyeliner) to prevent eye
infections
● Kohl helped the damaging effects of sun
glare of their eyes
Source: Source: Ancient Egyptian Hair and Beauty. Retrieved from: http://
purchasereq.tripod.com/id9.html
● Used for beauty
● Now it is made of safer material and is not
made out of lead
2016In Ancient Egypt

11. Facial Makeup in Ancient Egypt
Facial makeup included stains from red pigmented clay that was
used for blush and lipstick
They used henna which is a red dye made from a plant to paint
nails and to dye hair.
In 2016 we still use henna to dye their hair and for beauty

12. Henna is still used in Egypt

13. Toothpaste
Egyptians are believed to have started using a paste to clean their teeth
around 5000BC, before toothbrushes were invented.
Ancient toothpastes were used to keep teeth and gums clean, whitening
teeth and freshening breath.
Source: History of Toothbrushes and Toothpaste, Retrieved from: http://www.colgateprofessional.com/patient-education/articles/history-of-toothbrushes-and-toothpastes

14. Toothpaste

15. Toothpaste
● Ingredients included a powder of ox hooves,
ashes and burnt eggshells that was
combined with pumice.
● Ingredients include fluoride, coloring,
flavoring, sweetener, as well as ingredients
that make toothpaste a smooth paste foam
and stay moist.
Ancient Egypt 2016

16. Breath Mints
Ancient Egypt 2016

17. Breath Mints
● Invented the breath mints to stop bad breath
● They would boil different herbs and spices- often
frankincense, myrrh, and cinnamon-which was then
mixed in with honey to form small candy-shaped
pellets that could be sucked on and chewed.
● While these may not have tasted as good as our
breath mints today, they did help freshen up
mouths.
● We still use breath mints to stop bad breath
● Breath mints today are made of different
ingredients. Homemade breath mints can be
made of sugar, gum paste and peppermint
extract.
● Breath mints taste better now
Ancient Egypt 2016

18. Invention Timeline
In 5000 BC
toothpaste
was invented in
Ancient Egypt
In 4000 BC
makeup was
invented in
Ancient Egypt
In 2700 BC
Wigs were
invented in
Ancient Egypt
In 2500BC
Breath mints
were invented
in Ancient
Egypt

19. Conclusion:
Wigs, Cosmetics, Toothpaste and Breath Mints were important
inventions in Ancient Egypt that we are still using today.

20. References
Ancient Egyptian Hair and Beauty. Retrieved from: http://purchasereq.tripod.com/id9.htm
Beauty and cosmetics in ancient Egypt. (2016, January 21). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 04:08, February 15, 2016, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beauty_and_cosmetics_in_ancient_Egypt&oldid=700856722
History of toothbrushes and toothpaste, Retrieved from: http://www.colgateprofessional.com/patient-education/articles/history-of-
toothbrushes-and-toothpastes
Jonathan Atteberry & Patrick J. Kiger "10 Amazing Ancient Egyptian Inventions" 12 January 2011. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://
science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/5-amazing-ancient-egyptian-inventions.htm> 14 February 2016
Unwrapping the Secrets of Ancient Egypt: Ancient Inventions Still Used Today, (2014), Retrieved from: http://www.themuseum.ca/blog/
unwrapping-secrets-ancient-egypt-ancient-inventions-still-used-today