student number

265 Pages·2012·3.71 MB·English

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HEALTH RELATED TO WOMEN:
OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY

by

Debra Susan Bouwer

Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of

MA - IN ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN STUDIES

at the

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

Supervisor: Professor P S Vermaak
Co-supervisor: Ms A Ferreira

FEBRUARY 2012
DECLARATION

STUDENT NUMBER: 7023715

I, DEBRA SUSAN BOUWER, declare that

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HEALTH RELATED TO WOMEN: OBSTETRICS AND
GYNAECOLOGY

is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated
and acknowledged by means of complete references.

ii
ABSTRACT

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HEALTH RELATED TO WOMEN:
OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY

The success of any civilisation rests on a number of factors, to include their ability to
procreate and produce heirs. This given, the health of women in any society is of most
importance given their primary role in both birth and raising children. The study of
medicine dedicated to the care of women in ancient Egypt is of vital importance and to
this end, various archaeological finds have been consulted and analysed. Information in
the field gynaecology shows a relatively advanced discipline with many overlaps with
modern medicine and modern pharmacopoeia. Information on obstetrics is more limited
with reliance on mythological texts, inscriptions, artifacts, conjecture and deductive
reasoning required. A lot of areas still require exploration in the field and the study raises
issues for future research.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There are many people who have been a pillar of support throughout the research into
this thesis.

I am indebted to my supervisor, Professor Vermaak for his patience, guidance and
academic expertise.

The help of the staff at the UNISA library and the wonderful system they have in place
for quick access to journal articles.

To my parents and sister for their emotional and moral support and endless
encouragement, one of whom deserves special mention; my mother Sue, for her tireless
and often late night hours of editing corrections in spelling and grammar, whose keen
eye has been invaluable.

The informal support and encouragement of many friends has been indispensable and
at times, provided many laughs at times when sorely needed.

Last, but certainly not least, to my husband and great friend Dr Johan Bouwer who
provided a knowledgeable sounding board to my endless theories and advise on
pharmacology.

Debra Bouwer

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE
DECLARATION ii
ABSTRACT iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
GLOSSARY OF MEDICAL TERMS xiv
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 5
1.2 HYPOTHESIS 5
1.3 SOURCES 7
1.3.1 Primary Documentary Sources 8
1.3.2 Secondary Documentary Sources 11
1.4 METHODOLOGY 11
1.5 THESIS LAYOUT 16
1.5.1 Section A – Introductory Chapters 16
1.5.2 Section B – Core Chapters 17
SECTION A - INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS 18
CHAPTER 2: ANCIENT EGYPT AND THEIR MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE 19
2.1 MEDICAL PRACTICE IN ANCIENT EGYPT 20
2.2 GENERAL HEALTH IN ANCIENT EGYPT 26
2.3 MEDICINE AND MAGIC 28
2.4 OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY IN ANCIENT EGYPT 30
CHAPTER 3. SOURCES 36
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3.1 PRIMARY SOURCES 38
3.1.1 The Kahun Medical Papyrus or Petrie Papryus 38
3.1.2 The Ramesseum Papyrus IV 40
3.1.3 The Edwin Smith Papyrus 41
3.1.4 The Ebers Papyrus 44
3.1.5 The Berlin Papyrus 47
3.1.6 The Carlsberg VIII Papyrus 48
3.1.7 Mythological Texts 49
3.1.8 Archaeological remains of Ancient Mummies 50
3.2 SECONDARY SOURCES 51
3.2.1 Ostraca, Amulets, Inscriptions and Letters 51
3.2.2 Research Papers, Presentations, Books and Articles 52
CHAPTER 4. PHARMACOPOEIA 54
4.1 ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS 56
4.2 MEASUREMENT AND DOSAGE 56
4.3 DRUG THERAPY 59
4.3.1 Animal and Insect Products 60
4.3.2 Herbs and Plant matter 66
4.3.3 Minerals 73
4.3.4 Human by products 74
SECTION B: CORE CHAPTERS 75
CHAPTER 5. ANATOMY OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WOMEN 76
5.1 STATURE OF ANCIENT EGYPTIANS 77
5.1.1 Pelvic measures of ancient Egyptian women 77
5.1.2 Pelvic measures of ancient Egyptian women compared to modern 87
Egyptian women
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CHAPTER 6. GYNAECOLOGY OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WOMEN 90
6.1. MENARCHE AND MENSTRUATION 91
6.1.1 Work Absenteeism and Menstruation 99
6.1.2 The Menstrual Hut and Menstrual Taboo 104
6.1.3 Hsmn as Menstruation or Post Birth Purification 110
6.1.4. Complications of Menstruation 113
6.2 FERTILITY, CONCEPTION AND CONTRACEPTION 114
6.2.1 Fertility 114
6.2.1.1 Fertility Godesses 119
6.2.1.2 Fertility and Medicine 120
6.3 CONCEPTION 121
6.3.1 Diagnoses of Pregnancy and Foetal Gender 124
6.4 CONTRACEPTION 131
6.5 GENERAL GYNAEOLOGICAL COMPAINTS 145
6.5.1 The effects of rape 145
6.5.2 Bladder or vaginal Infection 146
6.5.3 Osteoporosis 146
6.5.4 Cancer 150
6.5.5 Ovarian Dropsy 150
CHAPTER 7. OBSTETRICS OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WOMEN 156
7.1 OBSTETRICS AND MYTHOLOGY 157
7.2. COMPLICATIONS DURING PREGNANCY 166
7.3 PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH 170
7.3.1 Duration of Pregnancy 170
7.3.2 Medical prescriptions to aid in childbirth 171
7.3.3 Place for Childbirth 174
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7.3.4 Childbirth 177
7.3.4.1 Birthing Bricks 178
7.3.4.2 Role of the Gods and Goddess in Childbirth 187
7.3.4.3 The Rituals of and Instruments of Childbirth 192
7.3.5 The role of the placenta 196
7.4 COMPLICATIONS OF CHILDBIRTH 199
7.4.1. Perineal Tears 200
7.4.2 Prolapse of the Uterus 201
7.4.3 Vesicovaginal fistula 201
7.4.4 Eclampsia 204
7.5 BREAST FEEDING 204
7.6. GENERAL CONDITIONS OF UNCERTAIN ASSOCIATION 207
CHAPTER 8. CONCLUSION 211
8.1 RESEARCH OVERVIEW 211
8.2 CONCLUSIONS 214
8.2.1 Gynaecology in ancient Egypt 214
8.2.2 Obstetrics in ancient Egypt 218
8.2.3 Pharmacopoeia 220
8.2.3.1 Pharmacopoeia then and now 220
8.2.4 Towards a brief understanding of women’s health in ancient Egypt 223
8.2.5 Future research questions 224
8.3 THE SUCCESS OF WOMEN’S HEALTH IN EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITY 226
APPENDIX I. Relevant hieroglyphics and their possible corresponding meaning 228
APPENDIX II: Products, method of application and purpose 231
APPENDIX III: Reference list of ostraca, description and approximate dates 234
BIBLIOGRAPHY 236
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LIST OF TABLES
page
Table 1 Plant species housed in the Manchester Museum 66
Table II Herbal and Plant species and their common name as agreed by 68
several authors
Table III Drug concentration (ng/g) in Egyptian mummies 72
Table IV Classification of pelvic measures 82
Table V Interpretation of information provided by Ostraca CGC. 25782 101
Table VI The distribution of the metu as described in the vessel book 124
Table VII The contraceptive roles of varietals of Acacia 138
Table VIII Herbal Medications and their effects on pregnancy 144
Table IX: Drugs intended to contract the uterus in Ebers Papyrus 173
Table X: Comparison of Medical Papryi 213

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LIST OF FIGURES
page
Figure 1. The hieroglyphic symbol for a male doctor 23
Figure 2. The hieroglyphic symbol for a female doctor 24
Figure 3. Depiction from the outer wall of the temple of Kom Ombo 26
showing the medical tools used by the ancient Egyptians
Figure 4. Gardiner’s List B5 and B6 33
Figure 5. The ‘Kahun Medical Papyrus' or 'Gynaecological Papyrus’ 39
Figure 6. Hieroglyphic depiction of measures 57
Figure 7. Small volume measures, each one roughly half of the next 58
higher vessel in size (ranging from 01.- 6.0ml)
Figure 8. Eye of Horus with its fractional components 59
Figure 9. Gardiner’s List M1, M2 and N33 65
Figure 10. Measurements showing Henhenit’s Pelvic Cavity 79
Figure 11. Diameters of superior aperture of lesser pelvis (female) 80
Figure 12. Pelvic dimensions of an average female as compared 80
with those of Henhenit
Figure 13. Pelvic dimensions of an average female as compared 81
with those of Aäshait
Figure 14. Measurement of the Pelvic Girdle 86
Figure 15. Pre-dynastic female mummy showing a uterine prolapse 87
Figure 16. Hieroglyph denoted hsmn 92
Figure 17. Extract from Edwin Smith Papyrus, refers to hsmn (menstruation) 93
Figure 18. Pictorial sketches of clothing on ostraca from Deir-el-Medina 96
Figure 19. Isis Knot or Tyet of Carnelian 97
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