The ancient Egyptians are known for creating one of the greatest early civilizations in world history,

leaving behind a rich cultural legacy that includes the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.

But if you look beyond their architectural marvels, what was life really like for the ancient Egyptians?

As it turns out, mummification was just the tip of the

pyramid. Let's delve into some of the strangest customs of ancient Egypt.

The ancient Egyptians were early proponents of hygiene and knew the importance of keeping their bodies clean, even if they didn't yet understand bacteria.

They did, however, make the link between maintaining personal hygiene and not getting sick.

While this seems amazing for a culture that was formed over 5,000 years ago, their chosen solution left a little to be desired. The ancient Egyptians were big

fans of laxatives, with most people using them several times a month to keep diseases away.

The prevailing medical theory of the time was that the body contained numerous channels, which could become blocked by evil spirits leading the person to become sick.

They believed that laxatives unblocked these channels, and in fact it was seen as the remedy to most, if not all, ailments.

Ironically, this even included complaints of diarrhea.

The types of laxatives used included figs, bran, and dates, but it's also been found that

they used bowel stimulants such as colosynth and castor oil.

And laxatives weren't the only peculiar topic when it comes to ancient Egyptian medical

techniques.

Childbirth can be one of the most painful experiences

in a mother's life, so imagine going through labor without the support of modern medical care

and practitioners. When giving birth in ancient Egypt, mothers would go into a squatting position

over two large bricks, now known as Abidos birth bricks. The bricks would be decorated with colorful images of the

gods and happy children to invoke protection for the mother and new baby. They believed that the infant

needed to be protected from evil spirits who would attempt to harm the child from birth. After all,

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