Bizarre Facts About Ancient Civilisations that Will Amaze You 

Bizarre facts about ancient civilisations can surprise you with how unique and mysterious they were! From strange rituals to unusual inventions, learning about ancient societies can help you improve general knowledge. While many ancient civilisations are known for their achievements in art, architecture, and science, some of their practices and customs might seem truly bizarre to us now. In this blog, you will read some bizarre facts about ancient civilisations for students. 

1. Egyptians used beer as currency

In ancient Egypt, beer was not just a drink—it was also used as a form of payment. Labourers who built the Great Pyramids of Giza were often compensated with beer. This was because it was nutritious and could be easily consumed as a meal substitute.

2. Aztecs played deadly ball games

The Mesoamerican ball game, played by the Aztecs, was incredibly intense. The rubber ball could weigh up to 9 pounds, and sometimes, the losers were sacrificed to the gods. The game combined both physical skill and the risk of death, making it a truly dangerous sport.

3. Cleopatra wasn’t actually Egyptian

Despite being the last Pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra was not Egyptian. She was of Greek descent, belonging to the Ptolemaic dynasty. Cleopatra spoke Greek, worshipped Greek gods, and was more culturally aligned with Greece than Egypt.

4. Early civilisations emerged across the globe

The first civilisations arose in Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, China, Crete, and Central America. Despite regional differences, these societies shared common features such as urban cities, writing systems, pottery, metalworking, animal domestication, and social hierarchies.

5. River valleys were crucial to early settlements

Many of the world’s earliest civilisations grew around rivers. Rivers provided fresh water for drinking and irrigation, transportation, and fertile land for farming. These river valleys became the heart of early agricultural societies.

6. Vikings never wore horned helmets

The iconic image of Vikings with horned helmets is a myth. This image was created in the 19th century, and in reality, Vikings wore simple helmets made of leather and metal. Horned helmets would have been impractical in battle.

7. Roman Vomitoriums were not for vomiting

Contrary to what the name suggests, Roman vomitoriums were not places for people to vomit after feasting. They were actually passageways in Roman amphitheatres that allowed crowds to exit quickly. The name comes from the Latin word “vomere,” meaning “to spew forth.”

8. Babylonians invented the 7-day week

The Babylonians, great astronomers, based their calendar on the seven celestial bodies visible to the naked eye: the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. This system gave us the seven-day week, which is still in use today.

9. Egyptians wore wigs to keep cool

In ancient Egypt, people shaved their heads to avoid lice and other pests. They wore wigs made of human hair or palm-leaf fibres, not just for style but also to protect their scalps from the hot sun and to keep cool in the desert heat.

10. Incas used knotted strings as their writing system

The Incas did not have a written language but developed a unique system called “quipu.” This system involved using knotted strings to keep records. Different coloured strings and knots represented various data, such as census information and trade records.

11. Egyptian Pharaohs were considered Gods on Earth

The pharaohs of ancient Egypt were not just political leaders; they were also believed to be the living gods on Earth, specifically the divine representatives of the sky god Horus. This belief in their godly status helped them maintain their absolute power over the people and the land.

12. The Ziggurats were temples for worship and government

In Sumerian cities like Ur, massive step pyramids called ziggurats were built as temples dedicated to local gods. These structures symbolized the connection between divine and earthly rule, and surrounding cities often centred their governance around these religious sites, which later contributed to the growth of city-states.

13. Sumerians have the oldest surviving beer recipe

Beer was such an important part of Sumerian culture that they wrote down a recipe for it on a 4,000-year-old clay tablet. This ancient beer was made from barley, and the recipe is one of the oldest surviving written documents related to brewing.

14. Egypt’s Pyramids were built as tombs for Pharaohs

The ancient Egyptians built monumental pyramids, like those at Giza, to honour and bury their pharaohs. These tombs, constructed between 2600 and 2500 BC, were designed to protect the deceased rulers’ bodies and treasures for the afterlife, reflecting the Egyptians’ deep belief in life after death and the divine power of their kings.

15. Sumerians developed the first calendar based on the Moon

To keep track of agricultural cycles, the Sumerians created the first known lunar calendar around 2000 BC. This calendar, which was based on the moon’s phases, greatly influenced future civilisations, including the Egyptians, Greeks, and Semites, all of whom adopted similar time-keeping systems.

16. Egyptians wore wigs to keep cool

In ancient Egypt, people shaved their heads to avoid lice and other pests. They wore wigs made of human hair or palm-leaf fibres, not just for style but also to protect their scalps from the hot sun and to keep cool in the desert heat.

17. Romans used Urine as Mouthwash

In ancient Rome, urine was used as a mouthwash because the ammonia it contains helped clean and whiten teeth. Roman laundries also used urine to bleach clothing. While it may seem strange, it was an effective cleaning agent in those times.

18. Japanese Samurai were skilled in Arts beyond fighting

Samurai, the elite warriors of Japan, didn’t just focus on combat. Many were also skilled in arts like poetry, painting, and calligraphy. They were well-rounded individuals, with their own personal philosophies, making them the Renaissance men of their time.

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Bonus- List of 10 Ancient Civilisations of the World

Ancient civilizations shaped the foundations of modern society through their innovations in technology, architecture, governance, and culture. Here is a list of 10 ancient civilisations of the world. 

Ancient Civilisations of the World	Present-Day Location	Civilisation Popular For
Ancient Egypt	Egypt	Pyramids, Sphinx, Hieroglyphics, and advancements in architecture, Medicine, and Mathematics.
Indus Valley Civilisation	Pakistan, India (Punjab and Sindh regions)	Advanced urban planning, drainage systems, and undeciphered writing.
Ancient China	China	Inventions such as paper, printing, gunpowder, and philosophical teachings (Confucianism, Daoism).
Mesopotamia	Iraq, parts of Syria, Turkey, and Kuwait	The Cradle of Civilisation, cuneiform writing, the Code of Hammurabi, and advanced irrigation.
Ancient Greece	Greece, parts of Turkey (ancient Anatolia)	Philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle), democracy, arts, and the Olympic Games.
Assyria	Northern Iraq, parts of Syria and Turkey	Military strategies, the first large-scale empire, and impressive cities like Nineveh.
Ancient India	India, Pakistan, Bangladesh (Ganges Basin)	Birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, ancient texts like the Vedas and Upanishads, and advancements in mathematics.
Babylonia	Iraq (southern region)	The Code of Hammurabi, advancements in astronomy, mathematics, and the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Maya Civilisation	Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador	Advanced calendar system, astronomy, and iconic ruins like Chichen Itza and Tikal.
Roman Empire	Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Turkey, North Africa	Legal systems, military organization, architecture, and cultural influence in Europe and beyond.

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Hope you enjoy reading these bizarre facts about Ancient Civilasations. If you want to know more about topics like this, then visit our Interesting Facts and General Knowledge page!