A day in the life of an ancient Egyptian doctor - Elizabeth Cox

Summary

In ancient Memphis, Egypt, Peseshet, a female physician or 'swnw', tends to her patients with a mix of medical knowledge and incantations. From treating a severe arm fracture to casting out scorpion venom, she navigates the challenges of her profession. Peseshet also conducts a unique pregnancy test and teaches anatomy at the House of Life. Despite her expertise, she faces the harsh reality of untreatable diseases, reflecting on the limitations of her craft amidst the backdrop of the Nile's life-giving floods.

Takeaways

• 🌞 The setting is a hot morning in Memphis, Egypt, highlighting the Nile's significance in the region.
• 🧪 Peseshet is a 'swnw' or physician, indicating the role of women in ancient Egyptian medicine.
• 📚 To become a doctor, one had to be trained as a scribe and study medical papyri at the 'Per Ankh', showing the importance of education in the profession.
• 🤕 Peseshet's first patient has a severe arm injury, demonstrating the practical challenges faced by physicians.
• 🐜 Peseshet treats a scorpion sting with an incantation, reflecting the mix of medical and spiritual practices in ancient Egypt.
• 🏥 The 'House of Life' is a central place for scribes, priests, doctors, and students, indicating its role as a hub of knowledge and activity.
• 📝 Peseshet's son Akhethetep is training to be a scribe, illustrating the hereditary aspect of certain professions.
• 🚫 The profession is not easily accessible to those without family ties, revealing social and educational barriers.
• 👩‍⚕️ Peseshet oversees female physicians and trainees, indicating gender roles and divisions within the medical profession.
• 📖 She teaches about the 'metu', the body's vessels, showing the depth of anatomical knowledge in ancient Egyptian medicine.
• 😔 Peseshet encounters a patient with an untreatable tumor, underscoring the limitations of medical knowledge and practice at the time.
• 🌾 The script concludes with the anticipation of the Nile's flooding, symbolizing the cycle of life, death, and renewal in ancient Egyptian society.

Q & A

What is the setting of the script?

The script is set in Memphis, Egypt, during a sweltering morning with the Nile River mentioned as a prominent geographical feature.

Who is Peseshet and what is her profession?

Peseshet is a 'swnw', which means a doctor in ancient Egyptian terms. She is also a scribe and a teacher at the Per Ankh, the House of Life.

What are the essential supplies Peseshet checks before seeing her patients?

Peseshet checks supplies such as honey, garlic, cumin, acacia leaves, and cedar oil, which are the essentials she needs to treat her patients.

What kind of injury does the temple construction worker have?

The temple construction worker has a broken arm with a 'sed' fracture, which means it is a compound fracture with multiple bone fragments.

How does Peseshet treat a scorpion sting?

Peseshet treats a scorpion sting by reciting an incantation to cast the poison out, invoking Serqet, the goddess of venomous creatures and patron of physicians. She also attempts to cut the poison out with a knife.

What is Peseshet's pregnancy test method?

Peseshet's pregnancy test involves planting two seeds, one barley and one emmer, and urinating on them daily. If the plants grow, it indicates pregnancy, with barley predicting a boy and emmer a girl.

What is the role of Isesi, the doctor-priest Peseshet encounters?

Isesi is a doctor-priest with the role of 'neru pehut,' which translates to 'herdsman of the anus to the royal family,' or guardian of the royal anus.

What is the significance of the House of Life (Per Ankh)?

The House of Life is a place bustling with scribes, priests, doctors, and students. It stores papyri containing various records, including medical information.

What is the role of Peseshet's son, Akhethetep, in the House of Life?

Akhethetep is a promising student who is training to become a scribe by copying documents in the House of Life. His admission is facilitated by his mother and grandfather being scribes.

How does the script depict the limitations of Peseshet's medical knowledge and capabilities?

The script shows Peseshet's limitations when she encounters a woman with a tumor for which there is no known treatment, medicine, or spell. The texts advise to do nothing in such cases.

What does the script imply about the annual flooding of the Nile and its impact on the people?

The script implies that the Nile's annual flooding brings life to the soil, ensuring the next year's harvest, and also预示着 a new influx of patients for Peseshet to treat.

Outlines

00:00

🩺 A Day in the Life of Peseshet, Ancient Egyptian Physician

The script introduces Peseshet, a female physician or 'swnw' in Memphis, Egypt, during the time of the Nile's annual flooding. Her day begins with preparing her medical supplies, including honey, garlic, cumin, acacia leaves, and cedar oil. Peseshet is not only a doctor but also a scribe and a teacher at the Per Ankh, the House of Life, where she studied the medical papyri and now educates her students. Her first task is treating a temple worker with a complex arm fracture, followed by an impromptu consultation for a scorpion sting, where she uses an incantation invoking Serqet, the goddess of venomous creatures, to cast out the poison. Peseshet also offers a pregnancy test method involving seeds and a prayer to Hathor, the goddess of fertility. Throughout her day, she interacts with various individuals, including a woman with a tumor for which there is no cure, highlighting the limitations of medical knowledge at the time.

Keywords

💡Memphis, Egypt

Memphis, Egypt refers to the ancient city of Memphis, which was the capital of ancient Egypt during the Old Kingdom period. In the script, it is the setting where Peseshet, the main character, performs her duties as a physician. The mention of Memphis establishes the historical and geographical context of the video, which is essential for understanding the cultural practices and medical knowledge of the time.

💡swnw

The term 'swnw' is an ancient Egyptian word for a physician or doctor. Peseshet is described as a 'swnw,' which indicates her profession and role in the society. The script emphasizes the importance of this role by showing Peseshet's daily activities and responsibilities, highlighting the central theme of medical practice in ancient Egypt.

💡scribe

A scribe in ancient Egypt was a scholar who was trained in reading, writing, and record-keeping. Peseshet had to train as a scribe to become a physician, which underscores the connection between literacy and medical knowledge in that era. The script mentions her training as a scribe to illustrate the rigorous education required to practice medicine and the value placed on learning in ancient Egyptian society.

💡Per Ankh

Per Ankh, translated as the 'House of Life,' was a place where knowledge was preserved and studied in ancient Egypt. In the script, it is where Peseshet studied the medical papyri and now teaches her students, signifying its role as a center of learning and the repository of medical wisdom.

💡medical papyri

Medical papyri are ancient Egyptian texts that contain medical knowledge, treatments, and spells. The script mentions that Peseshet studied these papyri, which were essential resources for her medical practice. They represent the accumulated knowledge of Egyptian medicine and the script uses them to show the depth of Peseshet's expertise.

💡incantation

An incantation is a chant or speech with magical properties, often used in ancient cultures for healing or protection. In the script, Peseshet uses an incantation to treat a scorpion sting, invoking the goddess Serqet. This demonstrates the integration of religious and magical practices with medical treatment in ancient Egypt.

💡Serqet

Serqet is the Egyptian goddess of protection against stings and bites of venomous creatures. In the script, Peseshet recites an incantation invoking Serqet to cast out the poison from a scorpion sting, illustrating the role of deities in Egyptian medical rituals and the belief in their power to aid in healing.

💡pregnancy test

The script describes an ancient Egyptian method for determining pregnancy, involving planting seeds and urinating on them to see which one grows. This test is a cultural example of early attempts to understand and diagnose pregnancy, showing the ingenuity and the limitations of medical knowledge at the time.

💡Hathor

Hathor is the ancient Egyptian goddess of love, beauty, music, and motherhood, often associated with fertility. Peseshet recommends a prayer to Hathor for fertility, which reflects the intertwining of religious beliefs and medical practices in ancient Egypt and the importance of divine intervention in matters of health and well-being.

💡neru pehut

The term 'neru pehut' is a humorous translation for 'guardian of the royal anus,' which refers to Isesi's role in the script. It highlights the social hierarchy and the specialized roles within the royal court, providing a glimpse into the diverse professional landscape of ancient Egypt.

💡metu

The 'metu' refers to the body's vessels in ancient Egyptian medical texts, which were believed to transport blood, air, urine, and even bad spirits. Peseshet quizzes her students on the metu, indicating its significance in the understanding of the human body and the practice of medicine in ancient Egypt.

💡tumor

A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells, which can be benign or malignant. In the script, Peseshet encounters a woman with a tumor that has no known treatment according to the texts. This situation illustrates the limitations of medical knowledge at the time and the emotional impact on both the physician and the patient.

💡Nile's annual flooding

The annual flooding of the Nile River was a crucial event in ancient Egypt, as it enriched the soil and ensured agricultural productivity. The script mentions this event to signify the cyclical nature of life and the constant renewal it brought, including the arrival of new patients for Peseshet, symbolizing the ongoing cycle of life, death, and regeneration.

Highlights

Peseshet, a female doctor or swnw in ancient Egypt, checks her medical supplies including honey, garlic, cumin, acacia leaves, and cedar oil.

To become a doctor, Peseshet trained as a scribe and studied medical papyri at the Per Ankh, the House of Life, where she now teaches students.

Peseshet treats a worker with a severe arm fracture, binding and immobilizing the injury on-site at the temple construction site.

On her way to the House of Life, Peseshet is intercepted by a woman seeking help for her son who was stung by a scorpion.

Peseshet performs an incantation to cast out the scorpion venom, invoking Serqet, the goddess of venomous creatures and patron of physicians.

After the incantation, Peseshet attempts to physically remove any remaining poison by cutting it out with a knife.

A woman asks Peseshet for a pregnancy test, and Peseshet explains her fail-safe method of planting barley and emmer seeds and urinating on them to determine pregnancy and predict the baby's gender.

Peseshet also suggests a prayer to Hathor, the goddess of fertility, for women seeking to conceive.

At the House of Life, Peseshet encounters the doctor-priest Isesi, who holds the role of neru pehut, or guardian of the royal anus, a position she does not envy.

The House of Life is a bustling center of learning with scribes, priests, doctors, and students, storing records beyond just medical information.

Peseshet's son Akhethetep is training to become a scribe, copying documents as part of his education, with his admission facilitated by his mother's and grandfather's profession.

Peseshet oversees female doctors and trainees in Memphis, as male doctors refuse to be overseen by a woman.

In her anatomy lesson, Peseshet quizzes students on the metu, the body's vessels that transport blood, air, urine, and bad spirits.

A desperate woman with a large, hard lump under her arm seeks Peseshet's examination, revealing an untreatable tumor.

Despite her extensive knowledge, Peseshet must deliver the grim news that there is no treatment for the woman's tumor, as advised by all texts.

Peseshet reflects on the limitations of her medical practice, acknowledging that not all patients can be helped, even as she faces a new influx of patients with the Nile's annual flooding.

Transcripts

It’s another sweltering morning in Memphis, Egypt.

As the sunlight brightens the Nile, Peseshet checks her supplies.

Honey,

garlic,

cumin,

acacia leaves,

cedar oil.

She’s well stocked with the essentials she needs to treat her patients.

Peseshet is a swnw, or a doctor.

In order to become one,

she had to train as a scribe

and study the medical papyri stored at the Per Ankh, the House of Life.

Now, she teaches her own students there.

Before teaching, Peseshet has a patient to see.

One of the workers at the temple construction site has injured his arm.

When Peseshet arrives,

the laborer’s arm is clearly broken,

and worse, the fracture is a sed, with multiple bone fragments.

Peseshet binds and immobilizes the injury.

Her next stop is the House of Life.

On her way, a woman intercepts Peseshet in the street.

The woman’s son has been stung by a scorpion.

Peseshet has seen many similar stings and knows exactly what to do.

She must say an incantation to cast the poison out.

She begins to recite the spell,

invoking Serqet, patron of physicians and goddess of venomous creatures.

Peseshet recites the spell as if she is Serqet.

This commanding approach has the greatest chance at success.

After she utters the last line,

she tries to cut the poison out with a knife for good measure.

Peseshet packs up to leave, but the woman has another question.

She wants to find out if she is pregnant.

Peseshet explains her fail-safe pregnancy test:

plant two seeds: one barley, one emmer.

Then, urinate on the seeds every day.

If the plants grow, she’s pregnant.

A barley seedling predicts a baby boy,

while emmer foretells a girl.

Peseshet also recommends a prayer to Hathor, goddess of fertility.

When Peseshet finally arrives at the House of Life,

she runs into the doctor-priest Isesi.

She greets Isesi politely, but she thinks priests are very full of themselves.

She doesn’t envy Isesi’s role as neru pehut,

which directly translates to herdsman of the anus to the royal family,

or, guardian of the royal anus.

Inside, the House of Life is bustling as usual with scribes,

priests,

doctors,

and students.

Papyri containing all kinds of records, not just medical information,

are stored here.

Peseshet’s son Akhethetep is hard at work copying documents

as part of his training to become a scribe.

He’s a particularly promising student,

but he was admitted to study because Peseshet is a scribe,

as was her father before her.

Without family in the profession,

it’s very difficult for boys, and impossible for girls,

to pursue this education.

Peseshet oversees all the female swnws and swnws-in-training in Memphis.

The men have their own overseer,

as the male doctors won’t answer to a woman.

Today, Peseshet teaches anatomy.

She quizzes her students on the metu,

the body’s vessels that transport blood,

air,

urine,

and even bad spirits.

Peseshet is preparing to leave

when a pale, thin woman accosts her at the door and begs to be examined.

The woman has a huge, sore lump under her arm.

Peseshet probes the growth and finds it cool to the touch

and hard like an unripe hemat fruit.

She has read about ailments like this, but never seen one.

For this tumor there is no treatment, medicine or spell.

All the texts give the same advice: do nothing.

After delivering the bad news, Peseshet goes outside.

She lingers on the steps of the House of Life,

admiring the city at dusk.

In spite of all her hard work,

there will always be patients she can’t help,

like the woman with the tumor.

They linger with her, but Peseshet has no time to dwell.

In a few short weeks,

the Nile’s annual flooding will begin,

bringing life to the soil for the next year’s harvest

and a whole new crop of patients.