Ancient Egyptian Medicine | History Documentary

Ancient Egyptian Medicine | History Documentary.
Ancient Egyptian Medicine was famous throughout the ancient world and in this history documentary, I explore the rich and complex belief system that underpinned their healing practices.
Warning: This video contains graphic historical medical images and terminology.
For a long time, much of what we knew about Ancient Egyptian medicine came from the writings of Greek physicians and historians, who visited the country around 500 BCE - a time that was as distant from the start of the first dynasty 5000 years ago as it is from today.
I explore the Ancient Greek sources and the older Egyptian texts and inscriptions to find out just how advanced their medical knowledge was.
In a companion video - Ancient Egyptian Psychiatry - I’ll build on this introduction to explore the medical papyri in more detail to find out what the Ancient Egyptians thought about mental illness and how to treat it.
As always? I’d also love to hear about any suggestions for new videos.
Academic References:
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2015). Ancient Egyptian Medicine: A Systematic Review. Annals of Philosophy, Social and Human Disciplines, 2.
Armayor, O. K. (1978). Did Herodotus ever go to Egypt. Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, 15, 59-73.
Dawson, W. R., & Harvey, F. D. (1986). Herodotus as a medical writer. Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, 33(1), 87-96.
Ghalioungui, P. (1983). The Physicians of Pharaonic Egypt by Paul. Cairo.
Herodotus - The Histories.
Jouanna, J. (2012). Egyptian medicine and Greek medicine. In Greek medicine from Hippocrates to Galen (pp. 1-20). Brill.
Mahnke, H. E., Arlt, T., Baum, D., Hege, H. C., Herter, F., Lindow, N., ... & Lepper, V. (2020). Virtual unfolding of folded papyri. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 41, 264-269.
Metwaly, A. M., Ghoneim, M. M., Eissa, I. H., Elsehemy, I. A., Mostafa, A. E., Hegazy, M. M., ... & Dou, D. (2021). Traditional ancient Egyptian medicine: A review. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 28(10), 5823-5832.
Sabbahy, L. K. (2022). Daily Life of Women in Ancient Egypt. ABC-CLIO.
Veiga, P. (2017). Opium: was it used as a recreational drug in ancient Egypt?. EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste.
Ventegodt, S. (2020). Comparison of the medical principles of the ancient Egyptian and the ancient Greek medicine based on the medical papyri and Corpus Hippocraticum. Journal of Alternative Medicine Research, 12(2), 145-154.
Copyright Disclaimer
The primary purpose of this video is educational. I have tried to use material in the public domain or with Creative Commons Non-attribution licences wherever possible. Where attribution is required, I have listed this below. I believe that any copyright material used falls under the remit of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this, I will not hesitate to immediately remove that content. It is not my intention to infringe on content ownership in any way. If you happen to find your art or images in the video, please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.
Images
Wikimedia Commons
Metropolitan Museum, New York
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
British Museum, London
Public Domain or used on Fair Use basis for education purpose
Video produced by Professor Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston.
Herodotus readings by Prof Nick Isles.
#mental health # history #history of medicine #psychiatry #ancientegypt

[@debbiebussastrology4830]

Very interesting. I am an Egyptology student and am fascinated with the medicine and health of the ancient Egyptians.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you - I hope I got the Egyptology bits correct - let me know if I have missed something!

[@debbiebussastrology4830]

@@professorgraemeyorston all good :) I was inspired to watch the Gods of Egypt today. Fun to watch.

[@hausasmartkids]

Nice, would like to learn more of African traditional medicine originating from ancient Egypt

[@bebonabil9614]

im a medical egyptian student and wanna read about how my ancestors practiced medicine

[@lanalou2749]

A true picture, without exaggeration.... That's what we get from your presentation of information. Thank you Professor 🙏🏽

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I'm doing my bit to stem the tide or misinformation.

[@EclecticDD]

Very interesting, I look forward to more.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks D, there are more on the way, just need a few more hours in the day to get them all done.

[@tomyorston6037]

Another great documentary Prof 👏

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you Thomas, it's all in the teamwork.

[@user-qe9cq5vh4w]

Effective medicine, like magic, just like Magic 💜✌🏻🕊️☝🏻🌷😍

[@FelipeSilva-pj8vl]

Interesting general view, but I'd like a video about a more-detailed one way better. Maybe you could consider this possibility in the future, sir, please??? Thanks for this video!!!!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Have you seen my other video on Egyptian mental health.

[@FelipeSilva-pj8vl]

@@professorgraemeyorston I'll certainly watch it when I have a proper free time to. Seems pretty interesting!!!!!!

[@lilykatmoon4508]

I almost want a medical degree and a specialization in gastrointestinal disorders so I can call myself a “shepherd of the anus” on my business cards, lol. That’s hysterical.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It would certainly raise a few eyebrows!

[@DarthTwilight]

Butthole Watchman

[@voyaristika5673]

I do appreciate the factual information without distractions that make retention a bit harder. But I must say, I'm worried that I won't be able to keep a straight face next time I visit my GI doc, what with picturing him in shepherd's garb and all. But if he walks in with a border collie, that's it, game over.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Please respect your shepherd!

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

TY.30 Dynasty

[@IntrepidFraidyCat]

I love Egyptology and am familiar with the major players, butt 😉 "Shepherd of the Anus" is definitely a new one to me! A very enjoyable video, thank you.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Intrepid, not quite sure what they were hoping to herd.

[@thegallivanthropologists]

Very interesting. I have a number of Egyptologist friends from my cohort. We are hoping to visit in 2023 and teach people how to explore this history responsibly. Thanks for teaching while you travel. As anthropologists we find the history of the World's ecology and her people are essential to the engagement of people in the preservation of our wonderful World. Thank you for all your effort with this. We also have a new channel that is striving to teach people to travel for history, cultures and ecological reasons. We are a father and son who will be driving an electronic vehicle around the World to promote eco-tourism and cultural heritage. Please consider checking it out and giving us your feedback as we hope to grow and improve. Thanks!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

What a great idea, good luck with your travels. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to hearing about your adventures!

[@SekhaKemet-RememberEgypt-ij4jl]

It is always nice to have someone speak on the many foreign influences on Kemet's fundamental life and practices in its thousands of years of existence. By the time we arrive at the tail-end of the New Kingdom, it is hardly recognizable with hundreds of foreign gods being "adopted" into the pantheon taking or sharing the functions of the original understanding ... however, its roots in the Old Kingdom lay a far-reaching foundation that can be mapped, felt, and understood. I would like to add that the people of Ancient Kemet (Egypt) were no different than we are today with our hospitals steeped in religion with the multiple Our Ladies of This or Saint of That ... prayers for the sick and those surviving the dead... ringing the bells when one successfully completes chemotherapy ... or the welcoming chapels in every hospital. The spirit world was just as important to them as it is to us today and may be perceived as odd in the future (most probably not)... One may refrain from using the word "magic" in that the implication is to "trick" someone into believing a "lie" or something of a nefarious nature ... instead one may choose to see the ancient people as what they were ... faithful and carried a belief for thousands of years in the goodly Gods that stemmed from the initial God of all Gods, PTH (Ptah), providing protection, knowledge, and nourishment. In the end, they believed their spirit (ka) to return or be resurrected to dwell among the stars and with PTH. It is that belief that propelled them to do "the right things" (follow the 42 virtues of Maat) and drove their "will" to live when ill. No matter how much data collected, or medicines given to a person who has lost their "will" to live the prognosis will always be poor. That "placebo" effect is something that "modern medicine" accounts for but does not understand. As for the "transference" of headaches from a human to a fish, could not help but think of the King credited with the initial unification of Upper and Lower Kemet (Egypt) King Narmer c. 3100 BCE with the hieroglyphs that make up his name Nar(an electric catfish) and Mer (a chisel used to make ditches (waterways). The Malapterurus electricus or the Nile catfish was used medicinally for all sorts of pain relief (see: longnow.org/ideas/the-shocking-medical-history-of-electric-fish/) in this ancient civilization. The adult form of this catfish can deliver a jolt of around 400 volts; so, the babies were used for treatment. Exactly how we use TENS pads today to deliver small amounts of electricity to relieve mood and, of course, pain. Those beautiful herbs 🪴🌱shown have been studied for their properties and synthetically reproduced into tablets, liquids, and salves to meet the needs of an ever-growing population. Just studying them alone is a heart-warming achievement but also holds vast knowledge about the properties of things of a biological nature and how to restore balance and settle the "mind". Thank you, and brava 👏👏👏👏Loved this presentation and will share it here: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556119656352 www.youtube.com/@SekhaKemet-RememberEgypt-ij4jl/playlists

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

PROF 🇺🇸 USA DR ARE THE LUCK OF THE DRAW SOME ARE DUDS

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

I THINK GRAPHICS WERE EXAGGERATED

[@TooCoolFaDaBullshitMsFrankie]

Cranberry Juice

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

PROF NOW IN 2010 MY DR TRAINS OTHER DRs ALL.Trainees Have been F expect more.F in medical field

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

GYN FEMALE DRs I.HAVE NEVER HAD F DR NOW IN 2000 I BROKE MY ANKLE AND HAD FEMALE ORTHO

[@nguyenphuckhang2235]

That thumbnail is sus

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It's taken from an image that is thought to show circumcision.

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

WE REALLY CANNOT DECIPHER THEIR WRITING HERBS OPIUM AND CANNIBUS. MIDDLE EAST HAS LOTS OF.OPIUM SAW MARINE VIDEO ENJOY MARINE VIDEOS

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

OK.URINARY M AND F

[@Mark-rm2fp]

Spreading false information by showing images representing ancient Egyptians as not Black.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Most of the images, although admittedly not the thumbnail, are contemporary images - ancient Egyptians did not portray themselves with black skin.

[@Mark-rm2fp]

@@professorgraemeyorston nonsense. If you are a professor and truly a student of that civilization you know that they depicted themselves with African features and that early pharaohs were Nubians. This isn't even debatably wether or not pre conquest Egypt was Black African or not. So it leaves one to infer that you are either ignorant of or deliberately portraying white supremacy or white inferiority by attempting to usurp the identity of the true builders and rulers of that civilization. The story must be told as authentically as possible. History belongs to Humanity not a "race".

[@davidschmidt270]

@@professorgraemeyorston 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@davidschmidt270]

@@Mark-rm2fp Dear mark ....I find that this emoji best describes how I feel about your comments : 🤮🤮🤮

[@DefaultName-yf5sd]

Maybe this channel isn’t for you.