The Left-handed in Ancient Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Lecturer of Egyptian Archaeology- Faculty of Arts, Damanhour University

Abstract

Throughout the ages and periods, most people physically and Instinctively prefer to use their right hand in works that depend on one hand, such as eating, writing, and carrying things, etc. But abnormally, it is certain that there were a few people who used their left hand skillfully and precisely as in the current days. These people are known as left-handed. The question is that whether the left-handed were found in ancient Egypt, and is there evidence for it? It is true that searching for the left-hand examples in these immemorial times is not easy, and I will try in this research to answer these questions starting with the words that express the left and the left-handed in the ancient Egyptian language and the significance of the left in ancient Egyptian thought. Were the Egyptians pessimistic of the left-handed? It should be noted that the researcher will not pay attention to the person who is depicted using his left hand while hunting, fighting or walking, etc. as the ancient Egyptian artist followed particular depicting and drawing rules to show all parts of the human body for the viewer. The researcher will focus only on left-hand people physically, such as left-handed scribes; whether there is a left-handed king or not; and the relationship between the method of wrapping the royal kilt and the left hand, as well as some statues of individuals in the old kingdom that grasped a handkerchief or a papyrus roll in the left hand and its relationship to the left-handed. Other evidence will be presented.

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