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Visit 2nd Egypt room

Green Malachite

Upper eyelids were painted black and lower ones were colored green. Green was created by using malachite (a basic copper carbonate: Cu2CO3(OH)2).

Black Galena

Egyptians used to paint the upper eyelids with black. The blackpigment used with this purpose came from Galena. Galena eye paint was widely applied in Ancient Egypt to produce the so called KOHL.

Lead

Eye-paints were commonly created from using natural lead-based compounds to extract the pigments (Martinetto et al., 2001). Red lead in particular, even if dangerous for health, was widely used to paint eyes (eyelid).

Red Ocher

The red was created by an earthy pigment called ochre, which was most likely mixed with a vegetable oil, or another form of grease to get the paste-like consistency for the lips (Hayes, 1990)

Natural elements used for production.

Marble pestle and mortar.

The Egyptians used pestle and mortar to mix ingredients for cosmetic purposes. This one in particular, has a small size which suggests it was used to prepared small amounts of cosmetics or expensive luxury goods.

Kohl tube, in glass.

Glass. New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reigns of Amenhotep II, Tuthmosis IV and Amenhotep III (1425-1353 BC). Deir el-Medina, Tomb of Kha. This glass bottle is an exemplar kind of tube used to preserve kohl.

Kohl container, faience

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty (1539-1292 BC). This is kind of kohl container of the same period of the other objects but of unknown provenance.

Kohl container with applicator, in wood and bone

Deir el-Medina, Tomb of Kha. The kohl applicator was usually made of wood. The applicator can be considered as the last step in the kohl "life-cycle." After the production and conservation it wa sfinally applied on either men or women face.

Mirror with handle in the shape of a lotus flower, in bronze and wood

A mirror, together with the applicator, represents the last passage of the application of the kohl (and of the kohl life-cycle).

Eye of Horus

Amulet depicting the udjat eye. Faience. New Kingdom - Ptolemaic Period (1539-30 BC).

Funerary mask of Merit, in linen, stucco, gold leaf and glass

The Merit mask is an example of how khol was effectively applied by Egyptians.

Khol.

Cosmetic jar, in Glass

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, second half, ca. 1500-1400 BC.Drovetti collection (1824)

Cosmetic container

Box (number 1) with Kha and Merit depicted

Kha and Merit receiving offerings from one of their sons, Nekhetef. Familiar and sacral scenes were the most common pictures on cosmetic boxes.

Box (number 2) with Kha and Merit depicted

Kha and his wife receiving offerings from their son, Nakhttaneb are the subject of this other type of cosmetic box.

Cosmetic palette, in greywacke

Graywacke. Protodynastic Period. Even if it is elder than the other, its significative for cosmetics where applied thanks to it.

Kha's Book of the Dead, Cyperus papyrus

Thi scene of the book of the Dead shows how important was cosmetics for Egyptians.

Face makeup.