Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus
The Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus is one of the earliest known medical texts from ancient Egypt, dating back to around 1825 BCE. This papyrus, discovered at the archaeological site of Lahun, offers a glimpse into the medical practices concerning women's health during the Twelfth Dynasty. It consists of thirty-four segments, each addressing specific gynecological conditions and proposing various non-surgical treatments, reflecting the ancient belief that many illnesses were linked to the womb. The text highlights a range of remedies, including the use of scented oils, dietary suggestions, and unconventional treatments like the insertion of crocodile dung. Written in Hieratic script, the document emphasizes the patient's symptoms as the primary means of diagnosis, with no procedures detailed for examining patients. Although the treatments may seem unusual by modern standards, they provide valuable insights into the historical context of women’s health care. The papyrus is currently housed at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology and serves as an important resource for understanding ancient Egyptian medicine and women's health issues.
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Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus
The Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus is the oldest known medical text attributed to the ancient Egyptians. Dating back to approximately 1825 BCE, the document is the work of a medical scribe who discusses diagnoses and treatments for various women’s health conditions. Although it is among the oldest known medical texts, it is not the oldest—a pair of Sumerian clay tablets has been dated to the last quarter of the third millennium (c. 2250–2001 BCE). Found at the archaeological site of Lahun in 1889, the Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus is currently housed at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at the University College London.
Overview
The author of the papyrus officially dated the document as being written in the twenty-ninth year of the reign of Amenemhat, which likely refers to Amenemhat III, who ruled from c. 1860–1814 BCE during ancient Egypt’s Twelfth Dynasty (1991–1802 BCE). It was probably part of a series of medical texts, the remainder of which have since been lost. Physically, it is one of the largest manuscripts from the late Middle Kingdom at 3.2-feet (1-meter) long. It was written in Hieratic script, a form of written language different from the more famous hieroglyphs. Even in antiquity, the papyrus was in poor shape and likely had been regularly used as a reference tool.
The document was discovered by British Egyptologist Flinders Petrie in many fragmented pieces requiring meticulous repair. Its modern name is derived from a misunderstanding that led Petrie to cite the site location as “Kahun.” Despite many missing pieces, the document provides great insight into the medical treatment of women in antiquity.
Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus consists of thirty-four paragraphs, with each segment detailing a specific illness and suggesting a treatment. Oddly, the document does not indicate the effectiveness of the treatments. The document highlights the ancient Egyptian belief that many illnesses were linked to problems with the woman’s womb. For example, to treat a female patient who complains of pains in her eyes and neck, the author recommends immersing her body in scented oils and purifying the womb. As all the listed treatments in the papyrus are non-surgical, the author further suggests rubbing the patient’s eyes with goose leg fat before having her eat the liver of a donkey. While such regimens may seem odd to modern readers, other documents from the period indicate that they were standard treatments.
Over the course of the document’s three pages, the author offers similar suggestions for a variety of female conditions, including gynecological problems, fertility, pregnancy, contraception, and birth. No procedures are included to explain how to examine the patient; rather the patient’s complaints are seen as presenting the only necessary evidence of a specific condition. The author recommends a variety of non-invasive cures, including an assortment of specially brewed scented oils, oral supplements like honey and sour milk, and even the insertion of crocodile dung into body cavities.
Bibliography
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