The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-23
LADIES OF ANCIENT EGYPT.
The Life and Habits of Women in That
Country.
From the Chicago Times.


Egyptian ladies of rank did not live in
the harem. but We're much honored.
and were even considered to have souls
They were admitted into the priesthood.
and are known to have assembled the
throne at very early date. The woman
was, in fact, accorded equal rank with
her husband father or brother and
double thrones or chairs are often found
sculptured or figured with two persons
sitting side by side. One such throne Of
wood, overlaid and ornamental in some
places with thin gold, is actually now IN
the British Museum, and is perhaps the
Oldest existing piece of house hold furn-
iture
The ladies spent much of their time with
the needle. The finest embroideries done
by the Egyptians were of great beauty;
they used gold and silver threads of pure
metal, and the Hebrews when they left
the country took with them some of the
knowledge of this art. The borders of the
various robes, scarfs and dresses were
frequently most beautifully worked and
also the art of dying was well understood
and pracuced by them. There are many
sculptures showing the women of Egypt
weaving or using the spindle. The ladies
amused themselves with music and dane
ing; they played ball, mora, much as il
is now played in Italy, and draughts for
their entertainment they mad professional
jugglers and tumblers, many of these
last being women.
The ordinary dress of the ladies was a
skirt of fine linen, fastened at the waist
or neck, or held up by the braces over the
shoulders. and reaching to the ankles
Round the waist was a rich colored or en-
broidered sash tied in a knot, the long
ends of which hung down in front. over
all, across the shoulders. loose cape was
worn of finest linen, enriched with dyes
or needlework, fastened in front, and
with full open sleeves as far as the ell
bow. They also wore mittens; a pair was
found with one of the mummies. Slaves
or servants did not wear this dress, but
had generally long, tight gown, tied
at the neck, with close sleeves.
In Egypt much ceremony was observed
as to head dress. The rank of the wearer
can usually be easily decided by the form
of it, and the manner of dressing the
hair or wig. Ladies of the royal house
were entitled to wear the beautiful vul-
ture head dress, frequently splenddly
ious stones. The royal viper-the uraeus
was only worn by the Pharohs La
dies wore their own hair long, often
plated into tresses in triplet plat and
fastened together at the end by wooden
string of the same color, kept in position
al the side of the head by hair studs of
ivory or porcelain and hairpins of ivory,
wood or gold Bands of gold and orna-
mental fllets, with a lotus bud falling
over the forehead, were very general.
and also light wells fringed with gold were
worn. The eyes and eyebrows were en-
riched with dark lines of kohl or stbium,
made of anthony, black oxide of manga
nese. lead, black powder of burnt almonds
or frankincense. The boxes for keeping
these various eye paints in are of many
shapes and kinds. Some of them are in
lunches of five cumbersome to keep the
little stylus in, and one for each quarter
of the year Others are of wood, porce-
lain, ivory, or glass, in the shape Of lit
tie columns or images of various deities,
etc. Many of them have the stylus still
remaining in them, and the head of this
is often carved into the resemblance of
a hawk acorn or other ornament.
The nails and finger tips were dyed
red with henna, made of the pounded
leaves of the Lawsonia In prehistoric
times the feet were bare, but sandals be-
gan to be Used at very early period
Thev were usually made of papyrus, the
universal material with which the aver
age Egyptian not only clothed himself
mt even used as food; but leather and
nalm leaves were also used. Ladies gen
erally wore them open, with high curved
toes and they were sometimes highly
ornamented with embroidered work and
gems. Anklets of gold and silver and
ieweled work were also worn.
First Bootblack christmas eve)-Say,
Jimmie does yer believe in Santa Claus?
Second Bootblack-Naw.
FIRST Bootblack-Den lend me dat stock
ing yer got on yer lef leg, and I'll hand
it back in de morning.-HaTper' Bazar.