Ancient Egyptians wore thick eyeliner in the belief that it had magical properties. It did not, but what it did have, unbeknownst to users, was medicinal properties that averted otherwise common pink eye infections. Ancient Scandinavians forged swords with the bones of animals, in the belief that it would imbue the blades with the spirit of wild beasts. It did no such thing. However, unbeknownst to the blacksmiths, the use of bones created a crude form of steel that significantly improved the blades. Below are twenty five things about those beliefs and other fascinating ancient world facts.
25. Ancient Egyptian “Magical” Eyeliner
Ancient Egyptians were susceptible to terrible cases of pink eye, or conjunctivitis – an inflammation of the white part of the eye. So they came up with an eyeliner that they believed was magical, infused with the blessings of Horus, the god of the sun, sky, and healing. A lot of mumbo jumbo and superstition went into the creation of the eyeliner, which modern research indicates was actually effective. Not because of any magical properties, but because the ancient Egyptians had stumbled upon a formula that worked against pink eye.
Ancient Egyptians, unaware of the risks of lead poisoning, featured lead prominently in many of their cosmetics. When it came to eyeliner, they went through a laborious process to synthesize various types of lead salts. Those salts had anti-microbial properties, and when applied in eyeliner form, prevented harmful bacteria from reaching the eyes. Moreover, precisely because lead is bad and our bodies know that it is bad, the application of lead eyeliner triggered an inflammatory response. It proved a hidden blessing, because the inflammation helped kill pink eye infections before they took root.