Masticatories in ancient Egypt

Abstract

Many of the gaps in our knowledge of the day-to-day lives of the ancient Egyptians are the result of archaeologists' failure to recognize the nature of the more lowly remains uncovered by them during their excavations or to appreciate their value as potential sources of information. Among such items are the expectorated remains of masticatories (quids). A masticatory may be defined as a substance chewed, for whatever purpose, without the intention of ingesting. A large number of substances of plant origin are employed in various parts of the world as masticatories, either in the raw or in manufactured form. A number of these are reviewed.The possible light the study of ancient quids may shed on various aspects of human existence is examined with particular reference to material from the United States and Mexico. Although no actual remains of masticatories appear to have been reported from ancient Egypt, like other plant remains, they must have been preserved by the dry climate and perhaps occur abundantly amid settlement débris in particular. But they have either been regarded as beneath notice, or more probably have not been recognized.The section on treatment of the teeth and gums in the Ebers Papyrus refers to the use of masticatories of plant origin, as does also a recipe for resin-based pellets as a mouth deodorant.The role of the sugar cane was filled in ancient Egypt by the papyrus plant, the lower part of whose stem was chewed to extract the juice and the residue spat out. This use of papyrus stems is attested in Old Kingdom reliefs, as well as by Classical writers and papyri.A masticatory of non-plant origin was natron which was chewed in the form of balls and pellets.