Ancient African Medicine

--With a Concentration on Ancient Egypt--

Ji Hee Kim

Professor Tchaiko Kwayana

English 101

11/2/13

Ji Hee Kim

Professor Tchaiko Kwayana

English 101

11/2/13

Ancient African Medicine

              Human civilization started in Africa. This may sound

incredible but it is nevertheless true, despite the fact that it has

not been written in any textbooks. At least, they were not in

any textbooks I was educated with. They developed the first

tools, as well as other aspects of human civilization such as

astronomy, jewelry, fishing, mathematics, crops, art, use of

pigments, cutting and other pointed instruments and animal

domestication. Africa flourished in two Golden Ages before the

coming of the European: one lasted from “the birth of man and the

development of organized societies”(Clarke) to 1700 B.C.; the other, from the Egyptians’

Eighteenth Dynasty to Cleopatra’s death(Clarke). Some of the oldest tools today were dug up in

Africa, and it is reported that Africans were the first ones to discover fire—the most important

discovery of all, for without fire humans would have died already long ago. Africa is also the

place from where our human ancestors originated. Therefore, it would not be wrong for us to say

that Africa is the mother of all modern civilizations. It has been proven by genetics, supported by

science, and dug up by archaeologists. Africa was not always the way it is now. At first, it, along

with the other 6 continents made up a huge, single landmass called Pangea. Then, as the tectonic

plate moved, and Pangea slowly split apart until it became the 7 continents we now have today.

Long ago, Africans traveled these continents in at least three waves(Barclay) through three

different routes, and in doing so, spread their wisdom and inventions. Proof of their travel exists

in the form of stone tools, food remains, architecture, human skeletons, and their own

descendents all over the world. Sadly, through the passage of time we have lost much knowledge

of the past, including past medical practices.

Map of Africahttp://www.art.com/products/p15440252-sa-i3744997/africa-map-1922-with-portions-of-europe-and-asia.htm

http://fc.codmanacademy.org/branches/geographya/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=5

Contrary to popular belief, Africans, and in particular Egyptians, were the first to develop

an advanced medical system. Nowadays, we credit most of these advances to Europeans or

Greeks; however, before these cultures had even started developing medical procedures, the

Egyptians were practicing medicine. I say Egyptians in particular because they possess one of

the more well-documented ancient civilizations. Today, doctors take the Hippocratic oath, based

on the beliefs of Hippocrates, the “father of medicine”, on what a physician should be and how

he should act, but the actual person deserving of the title, “father

of medicine”, would be Imhotep, the first Egyptian physician.

After all, he did live 2000 years before Hippocrates. In fact,

Imhotep was the one who established Per Ankh, or the House of

Life—the equivalent to a present day hospital—and developed

many of the medical tools we use even to this day (Ashra). On a

certain wall in Egypt from ancient times, is a carving of Imhotep

and various medical tools they used at the time. Unfortunately, the

block featuring Imhotep’s head on it is missing, but along the rest

of the wall we can spot a scissor, a needle, a scale, and a prescription—all of which should sound

very familiar to anyone of the 21st century. Yet despite this

incontrovertible proof, as well as other evidence, one wonders why

we do not call Egyptian civilization the birthplace of medicine. It is

also interesting to note how the Greek god of medicine is named

Asklepios (Atsma)—the Kemetic name for Imhotep (Ashra). The

similarities between their religions and names give credence to the http://blog.watershed.net/2012/08/10/nutrition-experts-from-the-medical-world-run-for-your-lives/

Ankhhttp://www.energyenhancement.org/Ankh%20Symbol1.jpg

theory that the Greeks had stolen and adopted Egyptian culture, only to tweak it to suit

themselves.

Another remnant from Egyptian civilization used in modern times is the famous medical

symbol, Rx (Kwesi). This symbol originated from the eye symbol of Horus, an Egyptian deity of

many forms and titles, the most common being that of the lord of the sky or sun (Dunn). When

one places the images side by side, a distinct resemblance can be seen between the two.

The eye of Horus is on the medical wall of Imhotep as well. The incorporation of gods in

medicine displays the manner in which the Egyptians practiced medicine. Nor were they alone in

this. It was common for many Africans to use both magic and medical treatment in what they

called “medicine”. Sometimes the roles were divided. One person administered magic, while

another acted as the physician, while in other cases, the priest and physician may be the one and

the same (one person acted as both priest and doctor). Many doctors at the time doubled as

priests or scribes and possessed ecclesiastical as well as lay titles such as “chief doctor and scribe

of the word of god”(Strouhal).  The priest would pray to gods, and drive out or destroy the

“spirits” that possessed the patient (in reality, illnesses of which they did not know the causes)

using rituals, spells, incantations, talismans and amulets. While Egyptians were skilled at

medicine, they were inept at treating ailments where the cause was not externally visible, such as

Eye of Horus, Symbol Rxhttp://www.resurrectisis.org/Number0.htm

internal ailments and injuries. The Egyptians believed physical medicines, such as the use of

herbs, only helped decrease the pain, while magic was the actual cure. Though people of today

would consider this irrational, nevertheless, much of their cures worked as they used both

physical and spiritual medicine in concert. “Magic is effective together with medicine. Medicine

is effective together with magic”(Ebers papyrus).

Methods of physical treatment were wide and varied.

Though the Egyptians are

primarily known for their

surgical techniques, it was

rare for them to utilize

them in actual treatment.

When they did, it tended to consist of trepanation and

amputation. It was more of a last resort, as there was less

chance of survivors. Instead, they tended to utilize

massaging, splinting, and therapeutic herbs and foods;

however, when they did perform surgery they had more

success than one might expect. There exist records of 10

cases of trepanned skulls carried out on living patients, all of whom survived the trepanning for

long periods of time (Strouhal). Through their many conquests, Egyptians amassed a vast

repertoire of herbs, and were the first to recognize many of these herbs’ properties (White).

Among them are castor oil, cumin, dill, and coriander, as well as many other unrecognizable

herbs (due to difference in names). With these, Egyptians made mixtures of all kinds for most

illnesses one might be able to think of and more—even for baldness and infertility. Some

mixtures contained rather exotic elements, ranging from animals’ body organs to urine and feces

and were ineffective; however, there were many mixtures that were.

Egyptian medicine was broad and specialized. Physicians

concentrated on treating illnesses regarding one area of the body

for the most part, so they had different doctors for different parts

Statue of the Goddess Tawarethttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_04.2.365.jpg

Corianderhttp://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/2008/10/p_SIP912623.jpg

Trepanned skullhttp://www.alef.net/ALEFBodyArt/Trepanning/TrepannedSkull01.Gif

Wired teethhttp://ancientpeoples.tumblr.com/post/25377007790/treatment-methods-for-oral-and-dental-ailments-in

of the body. “The practice of medicine is very specialized among them. Each physician treats

just one disease. The country is full of physicians, some treat the eye, some the teeth, some of

what belongs to the abdomen, and others internal diseases”(Hierodotus, Histories 2, 84).

Interestingly enough, there is not much evidence supporting the existence of Egyptian dentists,

despite all the specialization. In total, there are only 6 references to dentistry: 5 from Old

Kingdom and 1 in the 26th dynasty. Prescriptions existed for disinfectants, astringents, and mild

analgesics, but there was no dental surgery. The closest they ever got to it was anchoring loose

teeth by fastening the loose tooth to a stable one with gold or silver wire. Of this, there are only 5

recorded examples that remain (Strouhal). Many Egyptians had bad teeth, so bad they damaged

people’s health.

Physicians learnt the skills and knowledge of their professions at the Houses of Life. As

apprentices at the House of Life, they gained practical experience, but primarily had to study

what was already written—medical texts written by previous doctors. These medical texts tended

to describe internal anatomy based on analogy with

human bodies, and had names for the internal

organs well-known from butchery and cooking.

Contrary to what is widely regarded as fact,

embalming and surgery were two completely

unrelated fields. The embalming procedure had

nothing in common with medical

autopsies(Strouhal). The medical texts not only served as a “fount of knowledge” (Strouhal), but

also as “insurance against possible failure”(Strouhal). Physicians had to follow a certain code in

practicing their profession similar to that of the Hippocratic Oath and supporting this, laws which

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/mj08/nlm_update_kotzin/graphics/image076.gif

punished them if they did not follow the code. These laws also helped to protect doctors and

resemble our present-day malpractice laws. Diodorus, a Greek historian, describes the codes and

laws which bind Egyptian physicians: “[They] administer their treatments in accordance with a

written law which was composed in ancient times by many famous physicians…If they follow

the rules of this law as they read them in the sacred book and yet are unable to save their patient,

they are absolved from any charge; but if they go contrary to the law’s prescriptions they must

submit to a trial with death as the penalty” (Diodorus).

All in all, these many similarities in laws, tools, and knowledge between Ancient Egypt

and Ancient Greece, as well as the similarities between Ancient Egypt and the present-day,

underlines Africa’s title of the “Mother of Civilization” and prove that, contrary to what is

widely held as fact, most of our knowledge originated from Africa—not Greece, or any other

ancient civilization.

Works Cited

Atsma, Aaron J. “Asklepios”. Theoi Greek Mythology. Theoi Project. 2000-2011.Web. 10 Oct.

2013. < http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Asklepios.html>

Barklay, Eliza. “Ancient Man and his First Civilizations”. National Geographic News. Web. 2

Nov.2013.

<http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Ancient_American_affinities/

American_affinities.htm>

Clarke, John Henrik. “Africa: The Passing of the Golden Ages”. National Black United Front.

May. 1988. Web. 2 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.nbufront.org/MastersMuseums/JHClarke/ArticlesEssays/

PassingOfGoldenAge.html>

Diodorus. Historical Library.

Dunn, Jimmy. “Horus, the God of Kings in Ancient Egypt”. Tour Egypt. 1996-2013. Web. 10

Oct. 2013. <http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/horus.htm>

Gay, Robins. “Women in Ancient Egypt”. Women’s Roles in Ancient Civilizations-A Reference

Guide. Ed. Bella Vivante. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press. 1999. 178-9. Print.

Hierodotus. “Histories 2”.

Kwesi, Ashra. “Ashra Kwesi Explains Ancient African Medical Instruments at the Per Ankh-

Kemet(Egypt)”. Youtube. Youtube, 26 Jan. 2009. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

Osaze, Jabari. “Ancient Egypt (Kemet): Birthplace of Medicine”. Youtube. Youtube, 22 Oct.

2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

Strouhal, Eugen. "Life of the Ancient Egyptians". Ancient Egyptian Civilization. Ed. Brenda

Stalcup. Trans. Deryck Viney. Opus Publishing Ltd. 1992. 99-109. Print.

White, John Manchip. Ancient Egypt: It's Culture and History. 1st ed. Dover Publications. 1970.

Print.

Images

http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/medicine.htm

http://www.crystalinks.com/eberspapyrus700a.jpg