Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus
{{Infobox artefact
| image = PKahun VI1-12.jpg
| created = {{circa}} 1825 BC
|caption=Page 1 and part of page 2 of the Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus|location=London, England, United Kingdom|discovered_date=1889|discovered_by=Flinders Petrie|discovered_place=Egypt}}
The Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus (also Petrie Medical Papyrus, Kahun Medical Papyrus, Lahun Medical Papyrus, or UC32057) is the oldest known medical text in Egyptian history, dated to {{Circa}} 1825 BCE, during the Twelfth Dynasty. The Papyrus addresses gynecological health concerns, pregnancy, fertility, and various treatments.
History
It was found at El Lahun (Faiyum, Egypt) by Flinders Petrie in 1889{{cite book |last1=Worton |first1=Michael |author-link1=Michael Worton |last2=Wilson-Tagoe |first2=Nana |date=2004 |title=National Healths: Gender, Sexuality and Health in a Cross-Cultural Context |location=London |publisher=UCL Press/Cavendish Publishing | page=192 |lccn=2005295595 |isbn=978-1-84472-017-0}} and first translated by F. Ll. Griffith in 1893 and published in The Petrie Papyri: Hieratic Papyri from Kahun and Gurob.{{cite book |last=Griffith |first=F. Ll. |author-link1=Francis Llewellyn Griffith |date=1898 |title=The Petrie Papyri: Hieratic Papyri from Kahun and Gurob |url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b000766831;view=1up;seq=174 |location=London |publisher=Bernard Quaritch }} (Please note the book pages run from back to front.) It is kept in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology of the University College London. The later Berlin Papyrus and the Ramesseum Papyrus IV cover much of the same ground, often giving identical prescriptions.{{cite book |last=David |first=Ann Rosalie |date=1996 |orig-year=First published 1986 |title=The Pyramid Builders of Ancient Egypt: A Modern Investigation of Pharaoh's Workforce |edition=Paperback |url=https://archive.org/details/pyramidbuildersa00arda_510|url-access=limited |location=London |publisher=Routledge |page=[https://archive.org/details/pyramidbuildersa00arda_510/page/n134 124] |lccn=85010775 |isbn=978-0-415-15292-1}}
The text is divided into thirty-four sections, each section dealing with a specific problem and containing diagnosis and treatment; no prognosis is suggested. Treatments are non-surgical, comprising applying medicines to the affected body part or swallowing them. The womb is seen as the source of complaints manifesting themselves in other body parts, for which its fumigation is recommended, either by oils and incense or whatever the woman smells roasting, should it cause her to smell roasting.{{cite book |last=Dixon |first=Laurinda S. |date=1995 |title=Perilous Chastity: Women and Illness in Pre-Enlightenment Art and Medicine |url=https://archive.org/details/perilouschastity00dixo_0|url-access=registration |location=Ithaca, New York |publisher=Cornell University Press |pages=15f |lccn=94034911 |isbn=978-0-8014-8215-1}}[http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt/med/birthpapyrus.html "Manuscript for the health of mother and child", translated by Steven Quirke, University College London]
Contraception
In Column 3, Line 6 of the Papyrus, there are details of a contraception method involving the burning or sprinkling of crocodile dung.{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=Lesley |date=2011 |title=The Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus: ancient Egyptian medicine |url=http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/37/1/54.abstract |journal=Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=54–55 |via=BMJ Journals}} The Column 3, Line 6 contraception method is often misconstrued as insertion of crocodile dung against the cervix. The context of Column 3, Line 7 depicts another contraception method involving sprinkling honey and natron salt over the woman's womb to prevent pregnancy. {{commons category|Kahun Papyri}}
See also
Bibliography
- {{cite book |last1=O'Dowd |first1=Michael J. |last2=Philipp |first2=Elliot E. |date=2000 |orig-year=First published 1994 |edition=Paperback |title=The History of Obstetrics and Gynecology |location=New York |publisher=Parthenon Publishing Group |page=43 |lccn=94019129 |isbn=978-1-85070-040-1}}
- Smith, Lesley. "The Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus: Ancient Egyptian medicine." Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care (2011): 54-55
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web |url=http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/kahunpapyrus.htm |title=The Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus |last1=Dollinger |first1=André |publisher=Kibbutz Reshafim |website=An introduction to the history and culture of Pharaonic Egypt |date=July 25, 2009 |access-date=2012-04-21}}
- [https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt/med/birthpapyrus.html full text]
{{Ancient Egyptian medicine}}
Category:Ancient Egyptian medical works
Category:Papyri from ancient Egypt