soch111 sn8.1 partb lecture...... ≈2,600 bc, 3rd-6th dynasties (pyramid building) 1st intermediate...

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Egypt“The gift of the Nile” – Isolated by seas, desert and mountains, the

culture developed along fertile strips along the Nile and on the delta.

Predynastic period: ≈4,000 – 3,100 BC

Early dynastic period: ≈3,000 BC, 1st and 2nd dynasties

Old Kingdom: ≈2,600 BC, 3rd-6th dynasties (Pyramid building)

1st Intermediate period: ≈2,200 BC, 7th-10th dynasties

Middle Kingdom: ≈2,100 BC, 11th-12th dynasties (Thebes)

2nd Intermediate period: ≈1,800 BC, 13th-17th dynasties (Memphis)

New Kingdom: ≈1,570 BC, 18th-20th dynasties (Empire, prosperity)

3rd Intermediate period: ≈1,069 BC, 21st-26th dynasties (Nubia)

Late period: 525 BC, Persian invasion – Cambyses

Hellenistic period: 332 BC, Alexander the Great (Alexandria)

Moslem period: 642 AD, Arab conquest


Egypt


Temple at Luxor

Egypt


Egyptian Society and CultureEgyptian society was very stable for tens of centuries, and depended on

rigid social hierarchies and belief that the royal family were gods.

A class of nobles, priests and administrators separated the royal family

from the populace, which was largely involved with agriculture and crafts.

Egyptian religion was polytheistic with a multitude of gods and goddesses,

spirits and demons, as well as a belief in the afterlife, which depended on

the preservation of the corpse to as lifelike a state as possible.

The practice of mummification reached high levels of excellence and was

instrumental in giving the priests some knowledge of anatomy, although it

was actually performed mainly by slaves.

Medical knowledge in ancient Egypt had an excellent reputation, and

other rulers would ask the pharaoh to send them their best physician to

treat their loved ones.


Social hierarchy

Egypt


Egyptian MedicineReligious and magical beliefs were part of everyday life in Egypt. Most

disease were thought to be due to angered gods and evil demons. Most

treatments began with a prayer or incantation to a god.

Priest-doctors, usually of goddess Sekhmet, used religious belief to great

effect and many of the cures relied on the placebo effect.

Many animal, vegetable and mineral ingredients were used in remedies and

the principle of “like cures like” was used: Eg: An ostrich egg was used for

treating fractured skulls, while an amulet with a hedgehog was used for

treating baldness.

Amulet use was widespread and this exemplifies the belief in the

supernatural causation of disease:

Homeopoetic amulets: Portrayed animals with positive emulative attributes

Phylactic amulets: Afforded protection from evil

Theophoric amulets: Portrayed gods and protected the wearer.


Egypt


Egyptian MedicineEgyptian word for doctor is ‘sewanawe’ with the first doctor’s name

recorded in history being Hesy-Ra, the ‘Chief of Dentists and Doctors’ to

Pharaoh Djoser (27th century BC).

Lady Peseshet is the first recorded female doctor (2,400 BC) who is

referred to as ‘imy-ar-sewanawet’ (‘lady overseer of female doctors’).

Many specialists were known, including dentists, ophthalmologists,

gastroenterologists, proctologists (= ‘neru phuyt’ – shepherd of the anus).

The pharaohs had their own groups of doctors and specialists, as well as

priest-doctors.

‘Houses of Life’ were combination temples/hospitals where priests and

doctors worked together to treat disease with religious and empirical means.

By the 19th dynasty (≈1,500 BC), systems such as medical insurance,

pensions and sick leave were enjoyed by employees of ‘Houses of Life’.


Edwin-Smith Surgical Papyrus (17th Cent BC)

Egypt


Egyptian HerbalismThe Edwin-Smith Papyrus, the Kahun Papyrus, and the Ebers Papyri outline

anatomy, disease, hygiene, disease, and healing knowledge. Treatments utilising

surgery, mineral, plant material, and animal product remedies are given, as well as

how these treatments were administered, (orally, topically, and through

suppositories, pessaries and enemas).

Pain relief – thyme

Diuretics and laxatives – Dill, balsam apple, onions, parsley

Asthma – sesame, honey and milk, frankincense

Digestive aids – garlic, sandalwood, juniper, mint

Chest pains – juniper, mustard seeds, aloe

Headaches – aloe, poppy seeds

Wound dressing – honey, a natural antibiotic

Anaesthetic – poppy seeds (also used for insomnia)

Burns and skin diseases – aloe

Epilepsy – camphor

Vomiting – mustard seeds to induce it, mint to stop it


The Aegean CivilisationThis is the Bronze Age Greek civilisation, which was already flourishing in

Crete by 3,000 BC. The indigenous people of Greece are known as

Pelasgians or Protogreeks and their language was different to Classical

Greek.

The civilisation was found throughout the Southern Aegean and southern

Mainland Greece, with many remains localised in Crete, Santorini (Thera)

and the Peloponnese.

In Crete, it is known as the Minoan Civilisation, after legendary king

Minos. It was destroyed by the catastrophic eruption of the Thera volcano

in ≈1,600 BC. The eruption was the most violent in recorded history and

had worldwide effects, even described in Shang Dynasty records in China.

The eruption seems to have inspired Greek myths of Atlantis, caused

turmoil in Egypt and facilitated the descent of the Dorians who merged

with the surviving Pelagians to engender the Greeks.


Aegean Civilisation – Red/Pink


The MinoansArchaeological evidence shows settlements on Crete from ≈7,000 BC.

After ≈5,000 BC there is evidence of hand-made ceramic pottery which

marks the beginning of the civilisation, which Sir Arthur Evans, the famed

archaeologist who excavated Knossos, named ‘Minoan’.

Minoan chronology based on palace destruction and reconstruction

Prepalatial (≈3,000-1900 BC)

Protopalatial (1900-1700 BC)

Neopalatial (1700-1400 BC) and

Postpalatial (1400-1150 BC).

Major palaces in Crete are in Knossos (largest), Phaestos, Malia, Zakros

and Gournia, with many more smaller settlements throughout the island.

Thera and the Peloponnese also boasted many palaces and towns.


Knossos Palace ruins in Crete

The Minoans


Knossos Palace reconstruction

The Minoans


Knossos Palace

The Minoans


Minoan CultureMinoan art reveals a society of joyous disposition, in touch with their

environment, and in awe of the logical order of the natural world.

Unearthed artifacts reveal a people who had developed a high degree of

civilisation, had self-respect and a keen eye for observing and adapting to

their physical environment.

Rich palaces and villas were surrounded by villages and a highly

organised society existed, with a rich mercantile economy. As seafaring

people, the Minoans traded with other peoples of the Mediterranean.

Ships also protected the coast and the palaces needed no fortifications.

Arts, crafts, metalworking, pottery, sophisticated wall paintings, plumbing,

heating and running water made life in the Minoan palaces very cofortable

and ‘modern’.

Women enjoyed a high place in society with indications that even if the

society was not matriarchal, women were seen as equals to men.


Knossos Palace – “Queen’s Room”

The Minoans


Knossos Palace – Throne room

The Minoans


Thera – Akrotiri excavation site

The Minoans


Thera – “Spring” Fresco

The Minoans


Minoan Culture

The first written scripts of the Minoans resemble Egyptian hieroglyphics.

The Phaistos Disc from the Phaistos palace dates from ≈1,750 BC.

Linear A then developed at ≈ 1,500 BC, which was a syllabary that has not

been deciphered. Clay tablets have been found in palaces and villas.

Linear B was the written script of later Minoan times and was used by the

Mycenaeans. It was deciphered on 1953 by Michael Ventris, who showed

it was an early form of Greek. This was also written on clay tablets.

Most of the Linear B tablets are inventories and lists of goods fro trade

and in storage, highlighting the mercantile nature of Minoan society and its

prosperity.


The Phaistos Disc from Crete

The Minoans


Linear A and Linear B clay tablets

The Minoans


Linear B syllabary

The Minoans


Minoan ReligionReligion had an important role for Minoans and many activities, and

artistic products revolved around religious cult.

As the art of the period shows, the Minoans deified the natural world and

found in it a logical order that allowed man to live in harmony with nature.

Ritual celebrations usually took place in sacred caves, on sanctuaries on

mountain peaks, in palaces and villas which all had their own sanctuaries.

Animal and bloodless sacrifices, along with processions were part of ritual

worship of the great female nature goddess, and during these festivities

worshipers used music, dance, and prayer to achieve a state of religious

ecstasy that put them in touch with the supernatural.

The sacrifice of the bull, and bull-leaping games, were central part of the

Minoan religious festivals, symbolising man's interaction with powerful

natural forces, and ultimately his triumph through skill and power.


Three priestess figurines from Crete

The Minoans


Three snake goddess figurines from Crete

The Minoans


Bull leaping fresco from the Knossos Palace

The Minoans


Minoan MedicineMinoan medicine was interwoven with religion and the recurring symbol of

the snake associated with healing and medicine that is seen worldwide is

also evident in Cretan goddesses.

Crete has a very diverse flora and numerous herbs, flowers and plants of

every kind flourish in its mild climate even today. Archaeologists have

found Minoan distillation equipment and jars with organic residues that

have been chemically identified.

Medical plants and oil residues identified include lavender, laurel, sage,

rosemary, coriander, cumin, dittany, rue, saffron, safflower, anise, verbena,

aleppo pine, myrtle and fig. Many of these are still use by herbalists I

Crete today.

In Chamalevri in W. Crete aromatics were made since ≈2,000 BC.

Complex cosmetics were found, containing ingredients such as anise,

carnations, oil of iris, beeswax, honey, olive oil and resin.


Minoan ritual from a sarcophagus in Ayia Triada

The Minoans


SummaryMesopotamia: First civilised societies with sophisticated religion,

culture and occupational differentiation. Ashipus performed spiritual

diagnostics based on a supernatural causation of disease, while

Asus treated disease more pragmatically based on empiricism.

Egypt: Advanced culture, with early invention of writing, metal

working skills, highly organised social and culture and civilisation.

Advanced religious beliefs and social structure. Priest doctors

treated patients based on a supernatural causation of disease,

while lay doctors treated disease more pragmatically based on

empiricism.

Aegean civilisation: The Pelasgians and Protogreeks developed a

highly civilised culture with advanced religion, writing system and

well-organised social order. Arts and crafts flourished.


For Further InvestigationMesopotamia:

1916 film: “Intolerance” – Silent classic: Babylon section of film focusses on Belshazzar

1962 film: “War Gods of Babylon” – Italian epic film loosely based on Sardanapalus

1963 film: “I am Semiramis” – Story of Queen Semiramis (≈800 BC)

2001 documentary: “Secrets of Ancient Empires: The First Civilizations”

Egypt:

1954 film: “The Egyptian” – Story of Sinuhe the physician in the 18th Dynasty

1955 film: “Land of the Pharaohs” – Romanticised film about ancient Egypt

1961 film: “Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile” – Life of Nefertiti, famous queen

1963 film: “Cleopatra” – Notoriously expensive film flop about Cleopatra

2003 documentary: “Egypt: Land of Mummies” – Excellent!

Aegean Civilisation:

1960 film: “Minotaur the Wild Beast of Crete” – Italian epic film loosely based on Theseus

1961 film: “Atlantis, the Lost Continent” – Fanciful interpretation of the Atlantis legend

2000 documentary: “Empires - The Greeks Crucible of Civilization” – very good


For Further InvestigationMesopotamia:

http://www.indiana.edu/~ancmed/meso.HTM - Mesopotamian medicine

http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/nemythology/a/mesopotamiarel.htm - Mesopotamian religion

http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa53 - Mesopotamian

history

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11000 - eText of the “Epic of Gilgamesh”

Egypt:

http://www.touregypt.net/ehistory.htm - Egyptian history

http://historylink101.net/egypt_1/religion.htm - Egyptian religion

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ancient_egyptian_medicine.htm - Egyptian medicine

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/ - Egyptian culture

http://www.egyptianmyths.net/ - Egyptian mythology

http://www.touregypt.net/edwinsmithsurgical.htm - Edwin-Smith Papyrus

Aegean Civilisation:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/episodes/sinking-atlantis/90/ - Full Minoans documentary online

http://heritage-key.com/world/palace-knossos-discovery-and-renovation - Knossos palace

http://heritage-key.com/world/legend-atlantis - Atlantis legend

http://www.indiana.edu/~ancmed/meso.HTM

http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/nemythology/a/mesopotamiarel.htm

http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa53

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11000

http://www.touregypt.net/ehistory.htm

http://historylink101.net/egypt_1/religion.htm

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ancient_egyptian_medicine.htm

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/

http://www.egyptianmyths.net/

http://www.touregypt.net/edwinsmithsurgical.htm

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/episodes/sinking-atlantis/90/

http://heritage-key.com/world/palace-knossos-discovery-and-renovation

http://heritage-key.com/world/legend-atlantis

soch111 sn8.1 partb lecture...... ≈2,600 bc, 3rd-6th dynasties (pyramid building) 1st intermediate...

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