Ancient Egyptian doctors mixed practical treatment with magic and prayer. They knew a lot about wounds and bones, used honey and herbal remedies, and recorded their knowledge on papyrus. This guide explains what they knew about the body, the main remedies, medical practice, the role of priests and where in Egypt you can see traces of ancient medicine.
Embalming gave priests and doctors close knowledge of organs, though they believed the heart controlled thought and feeling. The Edwin Smith Papyrus, from about 1600 BC, describes injuries and treatments in a clear, practical way.
The Ebers Papyrus, from about 1550 BC, lists hundreds of remedies made from plants, minerals and animal products. Honey was used on wounds, and plants such as aloe, garlic, myrrh and poppy appear in prescriptions. Not every remedy worked, and many came with spells.
Doctors treated broken bones, wounds and infections, and some specialised in eyes, teeth or stomach illness. Imhotep, the architect of the Step Pyramid, was later honoured as a god of healing. Midwives helped with childbirth.
Priests of Sekhmet and other healing gods combined prayers with treatment. People also visited temples to ask the gods for health. A temple at Kom Ombo has carvings that are often said to show medical tools; read the Kom Ombo guide.
They were respected in the ancient world and recorded treatments carefully, though magic was part of healing.
A long medical papyrus from about 1550 BC with hundreds of remedies.
An official and architect of the Step Pyramid, later worshipped as a god of healing.
In the Egyptian and Luxor museums, and in reliefs at temples such as Kom Ombo.
Egyptian medicine was a mix of observation and belief. Kom Ombo and the museums are the easiest places to see it for yourself.
Book this experience: Private Day Trip to Kom Ombo and Edfu Temples from Aswan from $25.
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