Soap Invention: We have been using soap for years, from cleaning to bathing… Nowadays, both cheap and expensive soaps are being sold in the market with their fragrance and qualities. But did you know where soap came from, who invented it or when the first evidence of it was found…let us know.
What does history say?
Historians say that about 5 thousand years ago, people of Babylon civilization used soap. The old name of Babylon was Babil. Which is currently near Baghdad. Soaps were found here during excavation. Although no clear evidence has emerged as to how soap was made, it is certain from the soap found in the excavation that soap had been invented by that time.
Archaeologists have found evidence that the ancient Babylonians knew how to make soap before 2800 BC. Because soap-like material was found in the clay cylinders of that time. Let us tell you that it was written on these that we use ‘fat boiled with ashes’ (a method of making soap) for cleaning.
It is clear from old records that the ancient Egyptians used to bathe daily. The Ebers Papyrus, a medical document from around 1500 BC, describes the preparation of a soap-like substance by mixing animal and vegetable oils with alkaline salts. Which was used to fight skin diseases and to clean the body while bathing.
How did soap come to be called ‘soap’?
To remove oil and stains from clothes, soap was made by mixing tea and ash. It is said that about 4 thousand years ago, when Roman women were sitting on the banks of the Tiber River and washing clothes, the fat of some sacrificed animals came flowing from the upper end of the river. Which was frozen in the soil on the banks of the river. After this, when it was applied to clothes, it gave a unique shine. According to the information, the fat had flowed from Mount Sapo, hence this soil was named ‘Soap’. This is where the name of the soap came from.
luxury tax on soap
During the World War, when there was a shortage of soaps made from animal and vegetable fats, companies started using synthetic materials as raw materials. In the 19th century, soap started being counted among luxury items. At that time, heavy taxes were imposed on soap in many countries of the world.
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