The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-09-03
The Ancient Egyptians.

Egyptian men of all rank shaved thei
heads and their entire faces, excep
sometimes portion of their chin, from
which short square beard was allowed
to depend. The barber was in attend
ance on the great lord every morning
to remove any hair that had grown anC
trim his beard, if he wore one. Tht
lords wig was also under his superin
tendence.I This consisted of numerous
small curls, fastened carefully to re-
ticulated groundwork, which allowed
the heat of the head free escape. The
dress, even of the highest class, was
simple. 1t consisted, primarily, OF the
shenti, or kilt, a short garment, folded
or fiuted, which was worn around the
IONS and fastened in front with CIR
die. The material might be linen or
wooden, according to the state Of the
weather or the Wearer's inclination.
Over this the great lord invariably
wore an ample robe of fine linen, reach
ing from the shoulders to the ankles,
and provided with full sleeves, which
descended nearly, if not quite to the
elbows. A second girdle, which may
have been of leather, confined the outer
dress about the waist. The arms and
lower parts of the leg were left bare;
and in the earliest times the feet were
also bare, sandals being unknown but
they came into fashion at the beginning
of the fifth dynasty, and thence forward
were ordinarily worn by the rich,
whether men or women. They were
either of leather lined with cloth, or of
a,sort of basket-work composed OF palm
leaves or, the stalks of the papyrus.
The shape varied at different periods.
Having dressed himself, with the as
sistance of his valet, the Egyptian lord
put on his ornaments, which con-
sisted commonly of collar of
beads or a chain of gold round
the neck, armlets and bracelets of gold,
inlaid with lapis lazuli and turquoise,
round the arms, anklets of the same
character round the ankles, and rings
upon the fingers of both hands. Thus
attired the lord took his baton or stick,
and, quitting his dressing-room, made
his appearance in the salon or eating
apartment.
Meanwhile, his spouse had performed
her own toilet, which was naturally
somewhat more elaborate than her hus-
bands. Egyptian ladies wore their own
hair, which grew in great abundance,
and must have occupied the tire-woman
for considerable period. A double
toothed comb was used for combing it,
and it may also have been brushed,
though hair brushes had not been dis
covered. Ultimately, it was separated
into numerous distinct tresses and
plated by threes into thirty or forty
fine plaits, which were then gathered
into three masses, one behind the head
and the others at either side of the face,
or else were allowed to fall in single
continuous ring round the head and
shoulders. After it had been thus ar
ranged the hair was confined by fillet,
or by headdress made to initiate the
wings, back and tail, and even some
times the head, of vulture On their
bodies some females wore only single
garment, which was petticoat, either
tied at the neck or supported by straps
over the shoulders, and reaching from
the neck or breast to the ankles; those
of the upper class had first, over this, a
colored sash passed twice around the
waist and tied in front, and secondly,
large, loose robe, made of the finest
linen, with full, open sleeves. reaching
to the elbow. They wore sandals from
the same date as men, and had similar
ornaments, with the addition of ear
rings. These often manifested an ele-
giant taste, being in the form of SER
penis or terminating in the heads of
animals or of goddesses. -RaWIjnSOn's
History Of A1cient Egypt.