The history of its use according to studies goes back to 3500 BC

"Memory of the Nation" ... Al-Kohl ... a beauty companion for Arab women despite the competition in cosmetics

• In the Arabian Peninsula, the Arabian Kohl appeared since the pre-Islamic era, and it is a stone that comes from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

  Archives

• A group of cosmetics (kohl) that were used by women in the past.

  (The National Archives)

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«Memory of the Nation»

A weekly page provided by "Emirates Today", in cooperation with the "National Archives" of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, with the aim of introducing the way life in the Emirates before the federation, and during its early beginnings, and the great effort made by the founding fathers of the state for its establishment, and linking it to what the UAE leaders achieve, Today, her children are among the achievements the world has witnessed.

Since ancient times, women have known ornamental tools and used them to highlight their beauty, and have mastered in extracting the cosmetics they need from the materials that are available in the environment around them, including plants, herbs and stones of different and varied specifications.

The Arab woman was particularly famous for the beauty of her eyes thanks to the use of kohl in their adornment, and despite the great development in the field of cosmetics and its products, kohl is still one of the most important cosmetics and toiletries that Arab women rely on.

The references mention that the use of kohl spread in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, and its use dates back to the Bronze Age, that is, around 3500 BC, and was used by several peoples and civilizations, the most famous of which is the Pharaohs.

In the Arabian Peninsula, the Arabian Kohl appeared in the pre-Islamic era, and it is a stone that comes from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to what the "Zayed Encyclopedia of the Emirates and Heritage" states, by Hamdi Tamam, pointing out that Gulf women in particular are the most adherent of Arab women to Arabic kohl. It prioritizes all synthetic eyeliner, and uses it all the time and throughout its life cycle.

And the Arabic kohl is not made by specialized experts or in specific chemical laboratories. Rather, it was and still is made in homes, and the way girls make it is inherited from mothers and grandmothers.

Eyeliner industry

The encyclopedia describes the method of making the Gulf kohl, explaining that it is in the form of a stone called al-Athamd, and is treated in more than one way, an ancient method in which the antimony stone is placed on the coals until it bursts and the fine gravel is scattered from it, then it is soaked in a mixture of water and Arabic coffee for 40 days, then It is grinded until the kernels disintegrate and turn into a powder, then sifted into a fine cloth, and then packed in the brakes and ready for use.

There is another method, which is newer than the previous one, but it does not differ much from it, as the kohl goes through the same stages, except that it is soaked in a mixture of water and henna leaves instead of water and coffee.

There is a third method, in which the antimony stone is placed in a mixture called “Naga” which is made of rose water and saffron or rose water and water for a period of two to three months until the stone softens, then it is removed from this mixture and pounded until it becomes smooth like powder, then sifted to get rid of Impurities, and repeat that more than once to become pure usable.

«Al-Athamd and Al-Sarai»

While Sheikha Subha al-Khaili, in her book “Wayne al-Taroush,” which describes features of the heritage of the Abu Dhabi desert from the thirties to the sixties of the last century, mentions that kohl was one of the main adornments for women, explaining: “It is known that Bedouin women did not exaggerate their use. Cosmetic materials, the Bedouin woman’s adornment was limited to simple types, such as kohl and henna, and women used kohl (al-matmad), which is “al-matmad” language, and it was kept in a decorated pouch, called “baksha”. As for the preserved kohl called “kohl al-sarai”, it was It is kept in seashells, and is often used by newborns, children and some women.

With regard to the customs of celebrating the birth, it indicates that they used to put in the child's bed "mans" things that bring him good and happiness when he grows up and give him good luck. If the newborn is a girl, they put gold and eyeliner for her, and if he is male, they put a dagger, a gun or a sword for him.

The benefits of kohl

In addition to its importance as an ornamental tool, kohl has several benefits, according to what the Arabs agreed, the most important of which is to increase and strengthen vision, as kohl helps to get rid of weak vision, and it can also be used in cases of eye infections, excessive sensitivity of the eye, and ulcers that the eyes may be exposed to due to external pollutants. In addition to its deadly effect on the germs that the eyes are exposed to, the antimony compounds inside it help to kill the parasites, and it is used in cases of pathological congestion of the eye, as well as the kohl helps the germination of eyelashes, as it contains a number of properties that affect the skin and activate the hair follicle to work on its germination and fixation Also, kohl stone is included in treatments for ringworm, and some cases of non-inherited baldness, and it works as a protective device to protect the eye from any external threat that it may be exposed to from the surrounding environment, and helps to protect the eyes from weak vision in the stages of aging, and works to stop internal bleeding of the eye and treat wounds Eye.

Therefore, the ancient use of kohl was not limited to women only, but also men used it, and some still use it in the Arabian Peninsula until now, seeking its many benefits.

On the other hand, studies warn against using kohl as a health hazard because it contains very high levels of lead, and it is prohibited to import it in many countries, and it is banned in American and European pharmaceutical and food establishments.

Poems

Kohl and the beautiful eyes have been mentioned in many poems throughout the ages, and one of the most prominent stories circulating in the region has also been associated with it, which is the famous story of the famous Azraqa al-Yamamah, which was said to be the first to wear kohl among the Arabs. Najdia from Jedis al-Yamamah is said to have seen the person on a three-day walk.

And it is narrated that in one of the wars the enemy covered up by cutting trees and carried them in front of them, and the blue dove saw that, so she warned her people, but they did not believe her.

When the enemies arrived at her people, they destroyed them, demolished their structures, and pulled out the blue eye of the pigeon, and found it stuffed with antiquity, which is a black stone that she used to knock and wear. After that, it was said to those who were sharp-sighted: “He saw from the blue of the pigeon”, and the strength of her sharp eyesight was attributed to the kohl that she used to use.

Arabic kohl is made at home, and the method of making it is inherited from mothers and grandmothers.

Despite the great development in the field of cosmetics, kohl is still one of the most important cosmetics and toiletries.

Kohl helps eliminate poor eyesight, and is used for irritation and hypersensitivity to eyes.

Studies warn against the use of kohl because it contains very high levels of lead.

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