Medicine and Healing Practices in Ancient Egypt provides a new perspective on healthcare and healing treatments in Egypt from the Predynastic to the Roman periods. Rather than concentrating exclusively on diseases and medical conditions as evidenced in ancient sources, it provides a ‘people-focused’ perspective, asking what it was like to be ill or disabled in this society? Who were the healers? To what extent did disease occurrence and treatment reflect individual social status? As well as geographical, environmental and dietary factors, which undoubtedly affected general health, some groups were prone to specific hazards. These are discussed in detail, including soldiers’ experience of trauma, wounds and exposure to epidemics; and conditions - blindness, sand pneumoconiosis, trauma and limb amputations – resulting from working conditions at building and other sites. Methods of diagnosis and treatment were derived from special concepts about disease and medical ethics. These are explored, as well as the individual contributions and professional interactions of various groups of healers and carers. Medical training and practice occurred in various locations, including temples and battlefields; these are described, as well as the treatments and equipment that were available. Ancient writers generally praised the Egyptian healers’ knowledge, expertise, and professional relationship with their patients. A brief comparison is drawn between this approach and those prevailing elsewhere in Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome. Finally, Egypt’s legacy, transmitted through Greek, Roman and Arabic sources, is confirmed as the source of some principles and practices still found in modern ‘Western’ medicine. Combining information from the latest studies on human remains and the authors’ biomedical research, this book brings the subject up to date, enabling a wide readership to access often scattered information in a fascinating synthesis.

In Rosalie David's hands, the Egyptian builders of the pyramids are revealed as simple people, leading ordinary lives while they are engaged on building the great tomb for a Pharoah. This is an engrossing detective story, bringing to the general reader a fascinating picture of a special community that lived in Egypt and built one of the pyramids, some four thousand years ago.

In Rosalie David's hands, the Egyptian builders of the pyramids are revealed as simple people, leading ordinary lives while they are engaged on building the great tomb for a Pharoah. This is an engrossing detective story, bringing to the general reader a fascinating picture of a special community that lived in Egypt and built one of the pyramids, some four thousand years ago.

The Experience of Ancient Egypt provides a comprehensive portrait of what we know about ancient Egypt today, examining in detail issues of religion, of beliefs and practices surrounding death, of everyday life and of literature. In an engaging style, the author traces Egyptology from its classical roots, through the painstaking process of deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, to the most up-to-date bio-medical and archaeological techniques, never forgetting how time has proved that it is impossible to deliver the absolute truth about ancient Egypt.

This volume contains the proceedings from two conferences held in 2007 and 2008 as part of a major research programme on Ancient Egyptian medicine. Topics include the modern scientific techniques and methodologies used in analysing ancient medicine, discussion of specific Egyptian pharmacological remedies and their effectiveness, the incidence of specific diseases, and the development of professional techniques and level of uniformity in Egyptian medical practice.

With its mysterious animal gods, mummies, pyramids, ornate tombs and arcane rites, the world of the ancient Egyptians continues to fascinate us.

Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt is the first book to provide a complete historical overview of the beliefs of this extraordinary civilization, from its earliest settlements dating back to 5000 BC, to the Roman province of the 4th century AD.

As Rosalie David's engrossing study shows, every aspect of ancient Egyptian society, from education and law to medicine, birth and death, was permeated by religion and magic, and dominated by the divine life forces of the sun and the Nile. We discover the complex and intriguing world of gods and goddesses, from Anubis the jackal-headed God of death to Tauert the hippopotamus-goddess of childbirth; the cult of sacred animals; the world of oracles and seers; temples, death rituals and the afterlife. Concluding with a glossary of pharaohs, queens and deities, and new translations of Egyptian spells, this is an essential work for all students of history and Egyptology, and an informative, entertaining read for anyone with an interest in the ancient world.  

The study of human remains from ancient Egypt and Nubia has captured the imagination of many people for generations, giving rise to the discipline of palaeopathology and fostering bioarchaeological research. This book contains 16 papers that cover material presented at a workshop entitled 'Palaeopathology in Egypt and Nubia: A Century in Review,' held at the Natural History Museum, London (August 29-30, 2012), which formed part of a three-year research project, 'Sir Grafton Elliot Smith: Palaeopathology and the Archaeological Survey of Nubia.' The papers explore the subject of palaeopathology from its beginnings in the early 1900s through to current research themes and the impact of technological development in the field. Revealing the diverse range of methods used to study human remains in these regions, the book gives readers an insight into the fascinating work carried out over the last century, and suggests some possible future directions for the field.

The Nile Valley civilization, which spanned a period from c. 5000 B.C. to the early centuries A.D., was one of the earliest created by humankind. This handy reference provides a comprehensive overview of more than five millennia of Egyptian history and archeology, from predynastic times to the Old and New Kingdoms to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Accessible, authoritative, and clearly organized, the Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt offers an engaging look at a culture whose art and architecture, religion, and medicine would come to form the basis of Western Civilization.
The thematically arranged chapters allow readers easy access to particular topics, including historical background, geography, government, religion, funerary customs, architecture, literature, the military, the economy, and everyday life. Drawing on written sources dating from c. 3100 B.C. and historical evidence including monuments, artifacts, inscriptions, and preserved human remains, Rosalie David covers everything from the Sun Cult and the pyramids to the arrival and spread of Christianity. The Handbook contains 112 maps, photographs, and original line drawings, a chronological table, an appendix listing museums with Egyptian collections, and extensive bibliographies included with each chapter.
Combining both archeological and historical sources, the Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt provides all the essential information required by anyone interested in Egyptian history, archaeology, religions, or culture.
In this new edition, the author discusses the latest findings in areas that are currently at the forefront of Egyptological research. A new chapter on Egyptology describes the history of thefield, the results of the latest excavations, and the techniques involved in new scientific studies, such as DNA analysis and the tracing of disease patterns. This newly revised edition takes into account the discoveries of the last few years that have led Egyptologists to change their perspective on some aspects of life in ancient Egypt, including a reevaluation of the purpose and functions of the Egyptian temples, the role of the Great Royal Wife, and the possible date and nature of the Biblical Exodus.

Egyptian mummies have always aroused popular and scientific interest; however, most modern studies, although significantly increased in number and range, have been published in specialist journals. Now, this unique book, written by a long-established team of scientists, brings this exciting, cross-disciplinary area of research to a wider readership. It shows how this team's multidisciplinary, investigative methods and the unique resource of the Egyptian Mummy Tissue Bank are being used for the new major international investigations of disease evolution and ancient Egyptian pharmacy and pharmacology. It also assesses the current status of palaeopathology and ancient DNA research, and treatments available for conserving mummified remains. Descriptions of the historical development of Egyptian mummifications and medicine and detailed references to previous scientific investigations provide the context for firsthand accounts of cutting-edge research by prominent specialists in this field, demonstrating how these techniques can contribute to a new perspective on Egyptology.

Supporting the current trends toward document-based teaching, this book introduces the reader to the multifaceted world of ancient Egypt through revealing excerpts from 51 texts written by Egyptians themselves. A wealth of evidence survives to tell the stories of ancient Egypt, including monuments, artifacts, paintings, sculptures, human remains, and literature. But there is yet another way to access this fascinating culture-through original writings that span the period from circa 3100 BCE to 400 CE. This book's 51 documents include schoolboys' letters and exercises, prayers, hymns, love poems, narratives, historical inscriptions, medical and mathematical texts, and religious and funerary inscriptions. Most of the texts are penned by Egyptians, but another perspective is added through the inclusion of commentary about Egypt by the Greek historian Herodotus. The documents are divided into sections to shed light on numerous aspects of Egyptian life including domestic values and household provision, economics, intellectual concerns, government and warfare, recreational life, and religious beliefs and practices. Each section provides historical context and discusses the meaning and significance of the individual excerpt. The work highlights related themes and ideas to encourage students to explore the legacy of ancient Egypt in an essay, paper, drama production, or class presentation. Offers a fresh yet accessible approach to the study of ancient Egypt by giving readers firsthand insights into Egyptians' own perceptions of their unique world Illuminates the character and social history of the ancient Egyptians as well as many aspects of daily life and practice Shows how the extensive timespan of ancient Egyptian civilization and its domination of the surrounding geographical areas exerted a profound influence that lasted through time Demonstrates how significant aspects of ancient Egyptian culture have been transmitted to the modern world Includes "Topics and Activities to Consider" to encourage discussion and allow readers to expand their knowledge

Written by a noted Egyptologist, Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt, Revised Edition explores 5,000 years of this mysterious civilization. Containing the most up-to-date information and organized thematically, combining historical and archaeological information in a highly accessible format, this volume is the only book that explores all aspects of life in ancient Egypt, from predynastic times to the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. In this new edition the author discusses the latest findings in areas that are currently at the forefront of Egyptological research. A new chapter on Egyptology describes the history of the field, the results of the latest excavations, and the techniques involved in new scientific studies, such as DNA analysis and the tracing of disease patterns. This newly revised edition takes into account the discoveries of the last few years that have led Egyptologists to change their perspective on some aspects of life in ancient Egypt, including a reevaluation of the purpose and functions of the Egyptian temples, the role of the Great Royal Wife, and the possible date and nature of the Biblical Exodus.