Ancient Africans and their fascinating art of hygiene and cleanliness

Menstrual hygiene

It is interesting to note the methods women of ancient Africa were employing to keep clean during that “time of the month”. Ancient Egyptians were known to use papyrus, a thick paper used which was then used for writing.

They would soak the hard and rigid paper for a while to make it sponge-like and absorbent.

Some used light wood to soak up the flow as was done by the Greeks.

Old rags were also used, washed and re-used. Some cultures even used moss plant or carpet grass folded and hidden in their underwear.

The Dogon people of Mali were segregated during their menstrual periods to hay huts, where women sit on piles of hay and bleed. Sometimes, soft sturdy plant fibres were used to absorb the flow.

Women in more temperate regions used sheep wool and other animal fur and sometimes knitted wool. Those in coastal African countries used seaweed and seagrass.