Besides the treasure trove of antiques made of gold, silver, ebony, ivory, precious jewels, weapons, furniture, fine linen and rare perfumes, an exotic object attracts attention. of experts: King Tutankhamun’s condom.
When the tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered and excavated for the first time in 1922, American archaeologist Howard Carter was amazed to witness with his own eyes the treasure of countless precious artifacts.
It is more than 5,000 artefacts made from many materials from gold, silver, ebony to ivory… They are exquisitely crafted, becoming indispensable items, following this famous Kingdom Pharaoh to “another world.”
As the most famous Pharaoh of ancient Egypt, it is not too difficult to understand when all information about King Tut is always sought after.
The life and death of King Tutankhamun are still a mystery for posterity
The excavation of King Tutankhamun’s tomb took place in 1922 – the beginning of the last century, which lasted for 15 years. This created a worldwide sensation when it aroused public interest in ancient Egypt.
Among thousands of antiquities, a small piece of linen has caught the attention of the expert team. The device was designed to look like today’s condom. Examination revealed that this 3,000-year-old object contained the DNA of King Tutankhamun. This shows that this is an indispensable item, accompanying Pharaoh into eternity.
3,000-year-old condom in the tomb of the famous king of ancient Egypt
According to the description, King Tutankhamun’s condom consisted of a “cover” made of fine linen, soaked in olive oil. It is also attached to a string tied around the abdomen. It is estimated that the artifact was “manufactured” in 1350 BC, making it the world’s oldest condom still in existence.
In addition, in this king’s tomb, the team of experts also found the remains of two fetuses. Test results showed that King Tutankhamun was their biological father.
Experts estimate that if this condom is used for contraception instead of ritual or disease prevention, it is unlikely to be highly effective.
According to ancient documents left behind, the ancient Egyptians used different methods of contraception. In one of them, they used a mixture of crocodile dung mixed with other ingredients to create an IUD. The ancient Egyptians believed that crocodile dung was alkaline, acting as a substance to “kill” sperm.
Egypt may have been one of the first civilizations in the world to create and use condoms. Meanwhile, in ancient Rome, people made condoms from the intestines or bladders of animals. The ancient Chinese invented tissue paper impregnated with oil. While the Muslims and Jews of the Middle Ages came up with the idea of tarring or “soaking” male genitalia in onion juice, for the purpose of preventing pregnancy.
Visitors from all over come to admire many antiques in the king’s tomb, on display at the Cairo museum (Photo: News).
The world’s first recorded outbreak of a sexually transmitted disease, syphilis, occurred in the 15th century in the French army. At that time, the need for something to protect against disease becomes more essential. They used linen sheets soaked in a chemical solution. By the Renaissance, some condoms were made from animal intestines or bladders.
Then, the early 19th century was also the time when modern condoms were born. By 1850, several rubber companies began to produce a series of these products.
Tutankhamun was a Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (circa 1567-1202 BC). Scientists estimate that he died around 1352 BC, when he was less than 18 years old. As such, he only ruled the country for 9 years.
This pharaoh is often referred to by the more common name King Tut. To this day, his death is still considered an unanswered mystery for posterity. After excavating King Tut’s tomb, scientists found many important facts related to his death.
For many years, rare antiques taken from King Tut’s tomb have been displayed at the Cairo Museum (Egypt) and are open to visitors from all over the world to visit and admire. Through those artifacts, the public somewhat understands more about the life of this young king.
