10 Bizarre Sexual Facts From Ancient Egypt
1. Masturbation And Creation
In ancient Egyptian creation myths, the universe began with Atum, the creator god, who emerged from chaos. Atum masturbated, and from this act, he produced the first gods, Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture). This myth symbolizes the power of sexual acts in creation and reflects how sexuality was intertwined with divine and cosmic order in ancient Egyptian culture.
2. Pharaoh Masturbation
In ancient Egypt, Pharaohs practiced ritual masturbation as a symbolic act to ensure fertility and divine favor. This act, often depicted in religious texts and art, was believed to harness the creative power of the god Atum and promote prosperity and fertility for the land. It represented the divine connection between the ruler and the gods, reinforcing the Pharaoh's role as a mediator between the divine and earthly realms.
3. Food Of The Gods
In ancient Egyptian mythology, the sexually charged conflict between gods Horus and Seth over the throne involved power struggles and trickery, with Seth trying to shame Horus into a submissive role, but Horus ultimately prevailed due to Isis's intervention.
4. Incest
Royalty and elites often practiced incest to maintain power despite health risks. Even King Tut married his half-sister, reflecting a societal acceptance of taboo relationships, prevalent among ruling families, despite legal prohibitions.
5. Necrophilia And The Embalmers
Considering the Egyptians' fascination with sex, death, and the afterlife, necrophilia may have been part of their culture. Herodotus, a Greek writer, shared insights on the sexual practices of ancient civilizations, including Babylonians and Egyptians. He mentioned how Egyptians would delay embalming to deter necrophilia.
6. Necrophilia Gods
In Egyptian mythology, necrophilia was intertwined, seen in Re's relations with Osiris' body and Horus' origin from that union. Atum, aka Re, created gods by masturbating the universe. Isis birthed Horus from Osiris post-death. Horus and Seth later engaged in a dominant battle.
7. Circumcision
Aside from ancient Hebrews, circumcision was rare in the ancient world. Over time, it integrated into many cultures through Judeo-Christian influence. Herodotus, writing in the fifth century BC, observed Egyptian circumcision. Egyptians practiced mass circumcisions, including ceremonial events with up to 120 men.
8. Sacred Prostitution
Prostitutes in ancient Egypt enjoyed social status and freedom unlike today. Unlike clandestine modern affairs, Egyptian prostitutes openly practiced, distinguishing themselves with tattoos and makeup as a legitimate profession. Prostitution was common, considered a respected trade, but with restrictions on service locations.
9. Gender Fluidity
The ancient Egyptians embraced gender fluidity within their culture, evident in the gods' lifecycles mirroring Earth's seasons and occasional sex changes. This fluidity extended even posthumously, with women believed to transform into men for a successful afterlife. Women in Egypt had similar roles to men, a rarity for that era, exemplified by the gods who displayed characteristics of both genders like bearded goddesses.
10. Contraception
The ancient Egyptians valued effective contraceptives due to their sexually liberal society. They used sheep intestine condoms and acacia gum as spermicide. Women also used animal dung to prevent pregnancy seriously.
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