Ancient Egyptian Medicine

A set of 35 vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture notes about Ancient Egyptian Medicine, covering key concepts, deities, medical practices, and cultural beliefs.

Primitive medicine

A derogatory term for early medicine that is often viewed as problematic.

Earliest successful amputation

Occurred in eastern Borneo, Southeast Asia, about 31,000 years ago.

Maat

The concept of order, justice, and balance in Ancient Egyptian culture. Also associated with truth and the goddess of truth.

Heka

Access to power, significant in Ancient Egyptian religious belief and magic.

Upper Egypt

The southern part of Ancient Egypt, characterized by the higher altitude of land.

Lower Egypt

The northern part of Ancient Egypt, which includes the Nile Delta.

Creation myths

Stories about the gods creating the cosmos in a balanced world according to maat.

Cyclical time

The belief that time is not linear but recurring, affecting diagnosis and treatment.

Rituals for healing

Practices, including appeasing deities like Sekhmet, to facilitate healing.

Opening of the Mouth ceremony

A ritual for rebirth into the afterlife associated with the goddess Maat.

Isis

A healing goddess known as a protector and the mother of Horus, invoked during childbirth

Thoth

The god of knowledge, writing, science, and healing. balances violence of illness and peace of health, also involved in reviving.

Heka in health

Utilizing the concept of magic and the divine for healing and health restoration.

Swnw

The term for a doctor or physician in Ancient Egypt.

Wab priest

A purity priest responsible for communications with the gods and healings.

Sau

A magician or exorcist who also performed somatic treatments.

Ebers papyrus

A significant medical text that includes remedies for various ailments.

Edwin Smith papyrus

A medical document with cases of trauma and treatments with incantations.

Berlin/Brugsch papyrus

Contains references to breast issues, fertility tests, and gynecological conditions.

Ancient antibiotics

Natural substances produced by bacteria and fungi used for treating infections.

Tetracyclines

Antibiotic compounds found in significant amounts in ancient Egyptian bones.

Maat in health

The concept that one's health is a result of maintaining balance with the divine.

Magical practices in medicine

The combination of physical and oral rites to invoke healing powers.

Obedience in healing

The necessity for patients to submit to rituals to restore health.

Natural occurrences of maat

Understanding health and disease as reflections of relationships in the cosmos.

Sekhmet

A goddess known for destruction and healing, often invoked during plagues.

Communicative nature of illness

The idea that a healer facilitates communication between the divine and human realms.

Divine messages in healing

Message from the gods received through healers to aid in treatment.

Kahun papyrus

Earliest known papyrus discussing obstetrics and other health problems.

Healing remedies

Procedures like using catfish skull to alleviate headaches documented in papyri.

Animal bites

Documented treatment methods in texts, indicating a range of medical knowledge.

Divine remedies

Interventions believed to be from religious or magical origins for healing.

Bread and beer

Used in Ancient Egypt, often containing traces of antibiotics in barley.

Incantations

Spiritual utterances used as remedies for various ailments in Ancient Egyptian medicine.