Strigil

Date43-409

MediumIron

DimensionsObject/Work: 215 x 65 x 10 mm

ClassificationsGrooming/cosmetic equipment

Terms

Object numberTN04325

DescriptionRoman strigil. For the Romans personal grooming was an important part of their everyday lives. Strigils, such as this one would have been used for removing dead skin before the invention of effective soaps. A perfumed oil would have been applied to the skin, and the strigil then used to remove the dead skin and the oil. They were often used in conjunction with a visit to the public baths and were made in different sizes for different parts of the body. The wealthier members of society would have had slaves to scrape their skin for them, while the poorer people would have had to do it for themselves.

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