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Ancient Egyptians and Breasts
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Although this blog is about breastfeeding, there is no mistaking that the way in which the West views breasts has a lot to do with the perception of breastfeeding in this country.
Scholars have spent their lives and energies tracing the root of female discrimination around the world. I am no different, although I simply find pictures, post them here, and try to make some sense of this culture we live in that takes such great issue with breasts and breastfeeding.
Today while on the Metropolitan Museum of Art web site I noticed a picture of an ancient Egyptian woman on a coffin. Check it out: Her nipple is exposed! I don't know when people started getting so touchy about breasts. I've even fallen victim to this craziness. At least there is evidence that shows there was a time when breasts weren't so taboo.
Labels: breastfeeding in public
posted by Jennifer James @ 5:04 PM,
3 Comments:
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At April 14, 2008 3:01 AM,
Cairo Mama said...
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The Egyptians had Hathor the Cowgoddess . She is often depicted nursing.
http://cairomama.blogspot.com/2007/01/hathor-cowgoddess.html
Today's Egyptians are mostly Muslims and though many cover their heads, I never had a problem nursing in public there. -
At April 15, 2008 6:42 AM,
said...
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Awesome pictures, Cairo Mama. Wish I could have seen inside. I hope to travel to Egypt one day.
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At May 2, 2008 4:38 PM,
Abby said...
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My husband is Egyptian, and for a while, we had a large papyrus hanging in our living room with an exposed breast on it. When we moved, we decided not to hang it in our new living room, but I thought it was interesting that even in modern papyrus depicting ancient scenes, that they would stay true to history.
