If you think today's obsession with beauty is something new, think again! Men AND women have been in touch with their bodies and beauty dating back as far as the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptian's concern was based as much on pleasing the “gods” of their time as it was for personal adornment.
In fact, it could be said that they prepared their bodies more for the “afterlife” than the current time. All one need do is read about the tombs and mummies that have been excavated and study what was found. Lavish pictorial examples reveal how extravagantly the aristocracy lived their lives.
Just take a look at the detail the next time you have an opportunity to view Egyptian archaeology reports. Gold and silver bracelets, lapis and jade pendants, rings of gold studded with semi-precious stones. All are evidence of just how deeply involved the human race is with beauty and adornments.
Many wore wigs and false braids with jewels threaded through them. Women wore elaborate combs and pins made of copper, bronze and silver. Oddly enough, silver was considered a more precious metal than gold and was widely used to decorate boxes and pots where they stored their implements of beauty.
For all of their elaborate trappings, much of it was not just an attempt at satisfying their vanity. They held the belief that certain metals and elements were specifically tied to powers that were bestowed upon them by the “gods,” so a great deal of the adornment was steeped in spiritual belief.
Women and men both used a paste made from copper material to paint their eyes a vivid green. Ochre, a red clay, was used to tint their lips.
Ancient Grecians displayed their vanity through elaborate hairdos. Each hairdo was a visual message letting you know their age, if they were married and how far up the socio-economic scale their class. The same practices were followed up by the Romans.
The ancient Chinese women enjoyed wearing jewelry as well, choosing gold and jade. Here is another example of a gemstone that was revered more highly than gold. Jade was available only to the very rich.
The next time you hold a thought in your mind that we are peopled with a society more focused on beauty than any other in history, just remember, we come by it naturally. . .from our ancestors!
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