New Insights into Ancient Egyptian Medical Prescriptions
The event was inaugurated with welcoming words by Dr Carsten Walbiner, Director of the DAAD Regional Office Cairo, and Felix Haala, Head of Culture and Education at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Cairo. The purpose of the lecture was to offer new perspectives on the medical landscape of ancient Egypt, highlighting its 2000 prescriptions and 1500 drugs.
In light of the growing interest in ancient Egyptian remedies across various scientific disciplines, particularly among Egyptologists, historians of science, physicians, biologists, and pharmacists, Prof. Dr Tanja Pommerening, Professor of the History of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Marburg, addressed this matter by organising her presentation into two main parts.
In the first part, she explored the historical evolution of science to pinpoint the factors contributing to the persisting gaps in modern research. In the second part of the lecture, she provided a methodological discussion and basic insights to precisely tackle the understanding of ancient Egyptian medicine. She presented ancient Egyptian prescriptions from existing 2000 prescriptions, 1400+ different ingredients, 7000+ records of drugs, 100 verbs of remedy production, 29 verbs of remedy application, and 49 types of application or preparation.
In addition, Prof. Dr Pommerening provided various translations of medical papyri such as Ebers Papyrus which broadened the audience’s knowledge to understand aspects of the history of research. Prof. Dr Pommerening illustrated the methods and contexts in which the remedies can be used to cure patients. Such remedies contained roots of pomegranate trees, milk, boutyros-plant, figs, and other ingredients.
Drawing from the information shared from the presentation, a dynamic Q&A session took place in which participants delved into the fascinating world of ancient Egyptian medicine to gain new perspectives on ancient Egyptian medicine. The event met its expectations and served as a networking platform between researchers and scientists working in the fields of archaeology, history, cultural heritage, health, medicine, and pharmacy to discuss further cooperation opportunities.
Witnessing the need for further exchange, the event was rounded off with a dinner reception providing further opportunities for networking and exchange to continue embracing knowledge and collaboration in line with the DAAD motto “Change by Exchange”.
