Ancient Egyptian head cones: Mysterious headgear that could be related to sensuality and fertility rituals

Name: Ancient Egyptian head cone

What it is: A cone-shaped ornamental hat worn by ancient Egyptians

Where it is from: Egypt

When it was made: The earliest known burials containing these "coffee cup"-sized caps are about 3,300 years old, according to a study in the journal Antiquity.

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What it tells us about the past:

Between 1550 and 30 B.C., many ancient Egyptian paintings and sculptures depicted men and women wearing small, conical adornments on top of their heads. The type of activities people did while wearing these caps varied greatly, with paintings showing them at funerary banquets and while hunting, playing music or even giving birth, according to the Antiquity study.