• Ancient Egypt granted women more rights than other ancient societies, allowing them to own property, make contracts, and initiate divorces.
• Gender roles in Ancient Egypt were fluid, with both sexes wearing makeup for protection from gods like Horus and Ra.
• Baboons were used in Ancient Egypt to catch criminals, acting as police animals, as depicted in tomb reliefs and hieroglyphs.

Ancient Egypt was an interesting and impressive time, as there are so many things we have to thank them for. From calendars and timekeeping to transportation and engineering, they're the reason our lives are easier. However, some strange facts about Ancient Egypt might sound bizarre or made up, but are actually true. Let's go back in history and explore these interesting facts.

5. Women's Rights

One of the most interesting facts about Ancient Egypt that you might not be aware of is that it granted women more rights than other ancient societies. While compared to today, they're not a great model for gender equality, it was still impressive back in the day. Unlike Greece and Rome, women were considered legal individuals rather than dependents of men. They could own property, make contracts in their own name, and buy or sell land or goods. They could also initiate a divorce.

4. Gender Roles

Gender roles have been pushed hard in our society, but recently, it's become more fluid, allowing everyone to enjoy what they want. But interestingly enough, gender roles were extremely fluid during this time period as well, as both sexes wore makeup. One of the many strange facts about Ancient Egypt is that they believed wearing makeup gave them protection from the gods Horus and Ra. Grinding ores like malachite and galena into a substance called kohl was applied around the eyes. And women would stain their cheeks with red paint and use henna to color their hands and fingernails.

3. Uses for Baboons

One of the strangest facts about Ancient Egypt was its use of baboons. Interestingly enough, baboons were often used to catch criminals, essentially acting as police animals. The practice was commonly depicted in tomb reliefs and hieroglyphs. A famous example comes from the Mastaba of Tepemankh in Saqqara, which shows a large baboon biting the leg of a man who is trying to fend him off. The scene was interpreted as the baboon was released to subdue a thief, like modern-day police dogs.

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