Category: Daily Life in the Past

By Tim Lambert Toilets in the Ancient World In the ancient world, people were capable of designing quite sophisticated toilets. Stone Age farmers lived in a village at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands. Some of their stone huts had drains built under them, and some houses had cubicles over the drains. They may have… Continue reading A History of Toilets

By Tim Lambert Early Toys Before the 20th century, children had few toys and those they did have were precious. Furthermore, children did not have much time to play. Only a minority went to school but most children were expected to help their parents by doing simple jobs around the house or in the fields.… Continue reading A History of Toys

By Tim Lambert Early Trousers The Cro-Magnon people who lived in Europe during the last Ice Age wore trousers made from animal skins. In a cold climate trousers were practical clothing.  Much later, about 3,00 BC people in Central Asia wore trousers because they spent much time riding horses. Again, trousers were a practical form… Continue reading A History of Trousers

By Tim Lambert Early Underwear The ancient Egyptians sometimes wore loincloths. The Romans also wore underwear. Both Roman men and women wore a loincloth or shorts called a subligaculum. Women also wore a band of cloth or leather around their chest called a strophium. During the Middle Ages, men wore linen shorts called braies, but… Continue reading A History of Underwear

By Tim Lambert Artichokes Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean. They were eaten by the Greeks and Romans and later by the Arabs. However, after the fall of Rome, artichokes were rare in Europe until the 15th century when they were grown in Italy. From there, artichokes spread to the rest of Europe. Asparagus Asparagus… Continue reading A History of Vegetables

By Tim Lambert WOMEN IN THE ANCIENT WORLD Women in Sumer Sumer was the world’s first civilization. It arose in what is now Iraq at about 3,500 BC. Sumerian women could own property such as land and slaves. They could also own businesses. Women could be witnesses in court the same as men. Some Sumerian… Continue reading A History of Women

By Tim Lambert Early Women Doctors There were women doctors in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. There were also women doctors in the Roman Empire. One famous woman doctor was Antiochis of Tlos. She lived in what is now Turkey in the First Century. Another famous woman doctor was Metrodora. She wrote a textbook called… Continue reading A History of Women Doctors

By Tim Lambert Women’s Clothes in the Ancient World Not surprisingly, given the hot climate, Egyptians wore only light clothing. Women wore dresses with shoulder straps. Clothes were made of linen or cotton. Later in Egyptian history, clothes became more elaborate and colorful. Egyptians wore jewelry. Those who could afford it wore jewelry of gold,… Continue reading A History of Women’s Clothes

By Tim Lambert Early Women’s Sports Greek women were not allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. However, women had their own games dedicated to the goddess Hera (wife of Zeus). The Heraean games were held once every 4 years. In Rome from about 55 AD, some women fought as gladiators, but the practice was… Continue reading A History of Women’s Sports

By Tim Lambert Early Women’s Underwear Ancient Greek women wore a form of bra called an apodesme. Both Roman men and women wore a loincloth or shorts called a subligaculum. Women also wore a band of cloth or leather around their chest called a strophium or mamilare. After the fall of Rome, women did not… Continue reading A History of Women’s Underwear