LGBTQ+ in ancient Egypt

“LGBTQ+ identities and sexualities are just a human phenomenon, attested throughout the millennia, particularly in the form of same-sex relationships and gender fluidity. The problem for us is to try and find traces of them, because they have always been minority phenomena and so not quite as well represented in the historical record,” says Luigi Prada.

He is an associate professor in Egyptology at Uppsala University. In his research, he has studied texts from the high culture and daily life of ancient Egypt. There are mythological stories and religious texts, for example, in which male gods have same-sex relations.

“Perhaps more interestingly, we have documents from everyday life, letters that people sent to one another. And when we really look in detail, we can find expressions of queer identities and queer sexuality, even if it’s something that belongs to a minority of the population. For example, we have a letter on papyrus from two men to a third man, proposing a ‘ménage à trois’.”

The dark side of queer life

But ancient Egypt, too, was far from a land of utopia: there is also a dark side to queer life in ancient Egypt, with evidence of behaviour that, by today’s standards, we would call homophobic. For example, in a set of graffiti carved on the wall of a temple in Luxor, a man is accused of secretly having sex with other men in that corner of the building.

“The term we would use nowadays is ‘outed’, if what the graffiti say was true. Or perhaps, this man was just the target of completely made-up accusations, we just cannot tell. But, what is remarkable is to see how being queer could also be ‘weaponised’, to socially ridicule or shame someone. Indeed, when it comes to the attitudes of society at large, there are examples of inclusion but also plenty of exclusion, discrimination and outright mockery.”

Dreams and sexuality

The ancient Egyptians believed in the prophetic power of dreams, and because of this they wrote lengthy books on papyrus scrolls that describe thousands of dreams in detail. These include same-sex sexual fantasies, experienced by both men and women. Prada argues that this gives an insight into the queer fantasies of ancient Egyptian women, which we would otherwise never be able to access.

“Throughout history and civilisations, male homosexual behaviour has always been something that stood out, being typically condemned and discriminated against. In comparison, female homosexuality was a more ‘invisible’ phenomenon, partly because the social role of women was not necessarily as public-facing. So this is really precious information for us.”

Different perspective

As a teacher and researcher of Egyptology, Prada spends a lot of time at the Gustavianum, where there is a large collection of artefacts from ancient Egypt. The holdings include shards of pottery and stone on which everyday life messages were written, as well as papyrus scrolls.

The search for evidence of queer life has given him a different perspective on ancient Egypt. Beyond the golden masks and imposing pyramids of the pharaohs, a window opens onto human emotions, identities and desires.

“From real-life documents, letters and graffiti scratched on walls, we can really understand, first of all, the personal experience of these people. And also, on the other hand, society’s reception of these queer identities and queer sexualities in the past.”

What can we learn from history?

“The fact that queer identities and queer sexualities have always been part of human nature. The cultural framework and understanding of these behaviours may vary immensely across the centuries, millennia, and lands. But queer people have always existed. Thus, it’s fascinating to see how ancient Egypt can mirror the experience of us people in the 21st century, and how its ancient inhabitants, too, can teach us that we still have far to go.”

Annica Hulth