Egyptian Medicine

(All of these recipes are authentic and were taken from the Papyrus Ebers.) Found in Egypt in the 1870s, the Ebers Papyrus contains prescriptions written in hieroglyphics for over seven hundred remedies. This prescription for an asthma remedy is to be prepared as a mixture of herbs heated on a brick so that the sufferer could inhale their fumes. Georg Ebers (1837­1898) Cure for Diarrhoea: 1/8th cup figs and grapes, bread dough, pit corn, fresh Earth, onion, and elderberry. Cure for Indigestion: Crush a hog's tooth and put it inside of four sugar cakes. Eat for four days. Cure for Burns: Create a mixture of milk of a woman who has borne a male child, gum, and, ram's hair. While administering this mixture say: Thy son Horus is burnt in the desert. Is there any water there?There is no water. I have water in my mouth and a Nile between my thighs. I have come to extinguish the fire. Cure for Lesions of the Skin: After the scab has fallen off put on it: Scribe's excrement. Mix in fresh milk and apply as a poultice. Cure for Cataracts: Mix brain-of-tortoise with honey. Place on the eye and say: There is a shouting in the southern sky in darkness, There is an uproar in the northern sky, The Hall of Pillars falls into the waters. The crew of the sun god bent their oars so that the heads at his side fall into the water, Who leads hither what he finds? I lead forth what I find. I lead forth your heads. I lift up your necks. I fasten what has been cut from you in its place. I lead you forth to drive away the god of Fevers and all possible deadly arts. Herbal Remedies used by the Ancient Egyptians · Acacia (acacia nilotica)- vermifuge, eases diharea and internal bleeding, also used to treat skin diseases. · Aloe vera - worms, relieves headaches, soothes chest pains, burns, ulcers and for skin disease and allergies. · Basil (ocimum basilicum)- excellent for heart. · Balsam Apple (malus sylvestris)or Apple of Jerusalem - laxative, skin allergies, soothes headaches, gums and teeth, for asthma, liver stimulant, weak digestion. · Bayberry(Myrica cerifera) - stops diarrhea, soothes ulcers, shrinks hemorrhoids, repels flies. · Belladonna - pain reliever;camphor tree - reduces fevers, soothes gums, soothes epilepsy. · Caraway (Carum carvi; Umbelliferae)- soothes flatulence, digestive, breath freshener. · Cardamom( Eletarria cardamomum; Zingiberacae)- Used as a spice in foods,digestive, soothes flatulence. · Colchicum (Citrullus colocynthus) - also known as "Meadow Saffron", soothes rheumatism, reduces swelling. · Common Juniper tree (Juniperis phonecia; Juniperus drupacea)- digestive, soothes chest pains, soothes stomach cramps. · Cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba; Piperaceae)- urinary tract infections, larynx and throat infections, gum ulcers and infections, soothes headaches. · Dill (Anethum graveolens)- soothes flatulence, relieves dyspepsia, laxative and diuretic properties. · Fenugreek(Trigonella foenum-graecum) - respiratory disorders, cleanses the stomach, calms the liver, soothes pancreas, reduces swelling. · Frankincense(Boswellia carterii) - throat and larynx infections, stops bleeding, cuts phlegm, asthma, stops vomiting. · Garlic (Allium sativa) - gives vitality, soothes flatulence and aids digestion, mild laxative, shrinks hemorrhoids, rids body of "spirits" (note, during the building of the Pyramids, the workers were given garlic daily to give them the vitality and strength to carry on and perform well). · Henna (Lawsomia inermis) - astringent, stops diarrhea, close open wounds (and used as a dye). · Honey was widely used, a natural antibiotic and used to dress wounds and as a base for healing unguants, as was castor oil, coriander,beer and other foods. · Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra - mild laxative, expels phlegm, soothes liver, pancreas and chest and respiratory problems. · Mustard (Sinapis alba) - induces vomiting, relieves chest pains. · Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) - stops diarrhea, relives headaches, soothes gums, toothaches and backaches. · Onion (Allium cepa) - diuretic, induces perspiration, prevents colds, soothes sciatica, relieves pains and other cardiovascular problems. · Parsley (Apium petroselinum) - diuretic. · Mint (Mentha piperita) - soothes flatulence, aids digestion, stops vomiting, breath freshener. · Sandalwood (Santallum albus) - aids digestion, stops diarrhea, soothes headaches and gout (used, of course, in incense). · Sesame (Sesamum indicum)- soothes asthma. · Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)- laxative. · Thyme (Thymus/Thimbra) - pain reliever. · Tumeric (Curcumae longa) - closes open wounds (also was used to dye skin and cloth). · Poppy (papaver somniferum) - relieves insomnia, relieves headaches, anesthetic, soothes respiratory problems, deadens pain.

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 a scene depicting the Feast of the White Hippopotamus", which is very rare. Only one other example of this ceremony is known, from a fragment of a Saite period artifact now in the Brussels Museum. Here, the king wears the red crown and holds a baton and the white club in his hands. He wears a long ribbon hanging from his left shoulder. In back of the king are the two half-heavens that accompany the scene of the "great stride". Before him are two small dancing figures surmounted by the name of a city, and above that is a hammered-out hippopotamus with a brief caption recording the "Feast of the White [Hippopotamus]. It should be noted that the red, male Sethien hippopotamus, who was an enemy of Horus, must be distinguished from the white, female hippopotamus that here is a symbol of Apet.

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Within one of the chapels on its southern wall is recorded the temple foundation ceremony and the consecration of the temple with natron (salt). Here, the king buries a stake in the earth with a mallet. This scene depicts "stretching the cord between the two stakes", but unfortunately it is now missing. In the second scene, the king, wearing the atef crown, digs out a furrow using a hoe and then refills it with the contents of a bushel basket. The king also molds a brick and then offers a series of briquettes, which were often made of precious material, for the four corners of the temple. We are informed by a stela that: "My majesty ordered that the foundation ceremony should be prepared at the approach of the day of the Feast of the New Moon...In the year 24, second month of the second season, the last day (of the month), on the day of the tenth feast of Amun..."
There is a scene of the king consecrating the temple just to the east of the foundation ceremony.
Here, the king stands with a cane in his hand, encircling the temple with natron, which is stylized here in the form of a long ribbon. A small vessel contains the natron.

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the famous "Botanical Room", with its representations of exotic flora and fauna encountered during Tuthmosis III's foreign military campaigns. we find birds going toward the west. Two of the birds include the lapwing (Vanellus cristatus) and the red casarca (Asarka rutila). Another bird is almost certainly an ibis, while two others are not identified. Pomegranates surmount the depictions of the birds.

On the northern corner of the east wall is an inscription that states:

"Year 25, under the majesty of the king of Upper and Lowwer Egypt, Menkheperre, forever living, plants that His Majesty has found in the land of Retenu (Syria).

Here, various plants are depicted in various stages. They include Dracunculus vulg (Arum dracunculus), a type of calenchoe, probably Calenchoe deficiens Forsk or Calenchoe aegyptiaca, probably a chrysanthemum, an Arum italicum, a Dipsacus, a flower from an iris, fruites of the Punica granatum (pomegranates), Vitis vinifera (grapevines), a female gazelle, a goose, a migrating grasshopper and a raven or crow among others.
On the west wall, various birds have been identified as probably the jackdaw (Monedula turrium), the ash-colored crane (Grus cinera), an anhinga (Plotus levaillantii), a Rock dove (colomba livia), a turtledove (turtur), a Frigate eagle or "sea-eagle" (Tachypetes aquilus), a Greek partridge (Perdrix graeca), a spiny hoplopterous or "lapwing" (Hoplopterus), a gull, and Egyptian cuckoo (Centropus aegyptus), a wild good, an ordinary plover and a white egret (Herodias alba).

Various calves and a few plants are depicted on the south wall, while on the western section of the north wall, we find Blue lotus (Nymphea caerulea), sycamore seedpods, pomegranates and perhaps a desert raven. On the right are the last lines of the text concerning the plants brought back from the "Divine Land", which reads:
"All plants that grow, all flowers that are in God's Land (which were found by) his majesty when his majesty proceeded to Upper Retenu, to subdue (all) the countrie(s), according to the command of his father, Amun, who put them beneath his sandals from (the year 1) to myriads of years.
His majesty said; 'I swear, as Ra (loves me) as my father, Amun, favors me, all these things happened in truth - I have not written fiction as that which really ahppened to my majesty. [The spirits of my majesty have caused their birth and growth to glorify his foods].
My majesty hath done this from desire to put them before my father Amun, in this great temple of Amun [Akhmenu], (as) a memorial forever and ever'."

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This pair of obelisks was produced from granite on the island Sehel at Aswan under the supervision of the steward Amen-hotep. Their transport by ship and the erection of both obelisks at Karnak is shown in detail in the so-called "Hall of O" in the first portico of the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. A relief in her Red Chapel also provides a report about the donation of these two obelisks.
The standing, northern obelisk of Hatshepsutt must be considered one of the most famous single monuments within the whole of the Karnak complex. Originally, she erected four obelisks at Karnak, but only this one remains. However, at approximately 29.56 meters tall, it is the largest standing obelisk in Egypt. Built of red granite, it weighs some 323 tons (note that various figures are given by different sources for the obelisk's height and weight). The bottom part of the obelisk has a slightly different tint than the top, because it had been walled up by her successor, Tuthmosis III.
On its base are thirty-two horizontal lines of hieroglyphs, eight lines to each side, that describe why she had constructed this obelisk. The inscription reads in part:

"I was sitting in the palace and I remembered the One who created me; my heart directed me to make for him two obelisks of electrum [a natural alloy of gold and silver], that their pyramidions might mingle with the sky amid the august pillared hall between the great pylons of [Tuthmosis I].... My Majesty began to work on them in the year 15, the second month of Winter, 1st day, continuing until Year 16, fourth month of Summer, 30th day, spending 7 months in cutting it from the mountain.... I acted for him with a straightforward heart, as a king does for any god... Let not anyone who hears this say it is boasting which I have said, but rather say, 'How like her it is, she who is truthful to her father.' The god knows it in me [namely] Amun, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands.... I am his daughter in very truth, who glorifies him."

To a significant degree, historians owe what little they know of obelisk raising from archaic sources to this inscription.
All four sides of the obelisk are carved with a central column of inscriptions and, on the upper half, eight tableaux on which the king (in Egypt, the female ruler was not termed a queen, but a king), is directed toward Amun going from the northwest corner towards the southeast corner. On the north face, the central inscription begins with Hatshepsut's titles, including the Horus, the Two Goddesses and the Golden Horus names:

"Horus 'Powerful of Kas', the Two Ladies 'Flourishing of Years', Golden Horus 'Divine of Appearances', King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Lord of the Two Lands 'Maat-Ka-Ra'. Her father Amun had established her great name 'Maat-Ka-Ra' on the Ished tree, her annals are million of years, duration and power, son of Ra 'Hatshepsut, unified with Amun', beloved of Amun-Ra, King of the Gods, as [reward for this good, enduring and excellent monument], that she had donated to him (at the occasion) of the first royal jubilee ( sed festival). May she live forever."

On the west side, after the same title, the text reads:

"Horus 'Powerful of Kas', the Two Ladies 'Flourishing of Years', Golden Horus 'Divine of Appearances', King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Lord of the Two Lands 'Maat-Ka-Ra'. She made (it) as her monument for her father Amun, Lord of the Throne of the Two Lands, erecting for him two large obelisks at the great gate [Pylon) 'Amun is Great in-Terror', wrought with very much electrum, which illuminates the Two Lands like the sun. Never was the like made on earth since the beginning. It was done for him (Amun) by the sun of Ra 'Hatshepsut, unified with Amun', may she live forever like Ra.

Hence, Hatshepsut specifies that these obelisks were intended to be erected in front of the fifth pylon. On the east facade of the obelisk, her title includes only the Horus name and she affirms that the building of these obelisks was for her father:

"Horus 'Powerful of Kas', King of Upper and Lower Egypt 'Maat-Ka-Ra', beloved of Amun-Ra. Her majesty has made the name of her father established on this enduring monument, so that the King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Lord of the Two Lands 'Aa-kheper-ka-Ra' ( Thutmosis I) will be praised by the majesty of this god, when the two great obelisks were erected by her majesty on the first time ( of her royal jubilee). The King of Gods (Amun) said: 'Your (fem.) father, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt "Aa-kheper-ka-Ra' had given the command to erect obelisks. Your (fem.) majesty will repeat the monuments. (So that) you may live forever."

The Southern facade likewise provides only Hatshepsut Horus' name as well, and reads:

"Horus 'Powerful of Kas', King of Upper and Lower Egypt 'Maat-Ka-Ra', brilliant emanation of Amun, whom he has caused to appear as king upon the throne of Horus 'Holy of Holiest' of the Great House, whom the ennead of gods have brought up to be mistress of the circuit of the sun. They have united her with life, power and joy of the heart, the First of the Livings, son of Ra 'Hatshepsut, unified with Amun', beloved of Amun-Ra, King of the Gods, may he (Hatshepsut) live forever like Ra."

The upper part of the southern obelisk, broken into pieces, is mounted on concrete blocks in the proximity of the sacred lake. The base of Hatshepsut's missing southern obelisk is not without inscriptions. Like the northern standing obelisk, there are eight lines of inscriptions carved horizontally on its four sides. The text starts with the top line of the southern facade of the base with the titles of the queen and her recounting of the erection of two great obelisks made from southern (Aswan) granite on the occasion of her first renewal (sed-festival). It reads: "Two great obelisks of enduring granite of the South, (their) summits [pyramidions] being of electrum of the best of every country."
On the west side of the base, the queen affirms that she has acted under the command and supervision of Amun, recognizing his divinity. Hatshepsut implies that she has conceived of nothing without following his laws (of proportion) because her "heart was in sia (wisdom)". She affirms that "Karnak is the horizon on earth [the first appearance], the August Ascent of the beginning, the sacred eye of the All-Lord, the place of his heart". On the north side of the base, after a long oath of faith where the queen affirms that her power over the earth is due to divine kindness and that she will descend into the amenti and exist "in eternity as an "Undying One", she specifies that these two obelisks were extracted from the mountains and erected in seven months, during the fifteenth year of her reign.
On the east side of the base, the queen recounts how, following her desire to embellish the obelisk, she measured the best electrum by the "hekat, more than the entire Two Lands had (ever) seen. The ignorant, like the wise, knoweth it".

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 we have a contemporary description of the image of the barque .That does not seem to exaggerate the beauty of this boat, and even omits the delicate reliefs the decorate its hull and still retain some traces of the yellow paint that was used to depict the vessel's gold coating. We know from the Harris papyrus that the barque Userhat was around 68 meters long.
We see in the center of the boat the naos which contained the sacred barque of Amun, which is placed on a pedestal preceded by a staircase holding up the masts and the obelisks. Before this pedestal are three jackal headed figures and seven Nile gods who worship Amun. In the rear behind the naos the king is navigating the boat by holding the steering oar himself. The king also appears in the front of the boat, offering gifts of vegetables and purification incense.
A human-headed sphinx with a cheetah body is perched on his roost atop the wedjat eye that is apparently always to be found on the prow of the barques. Between the sphinx and the king sits an offering table. It should be noted that all of this scene has been reworked by Amenhotep III. Originally the two royal representations were smaller and traces of these earlier scenes remain on the prow, on the offering table and toward the stern on the flabellum held by the ankh.

 

There may have originally been the two smaller barques of Khonsu and Mut behind the naos, as in the barque of Seti I in the Hypostyle hall, but if so, there images have been carefully removed, whereas those of the two original kings were preserved.
The inside part of the royal boat that towed the barque of Userhat at the end of a rope is the only section of that depiction which has survived. Originally, there were sixty oarsmen that propelled it, though only those of the back section can still be seen. They are profiled on the immense cabin that is adorned with a double frieze of ovals and uraei.
Four priests are leaning with their faces turned toward the stern between the first oarsman and the standing king. Two of the priests hold censers and flabellums.
On a small kiosk situated toward the prow, the king was depicted striking down and treading upon Egypt's enemies.
On the south wing at the rear (east face) of the third pylon of Amenhotep III is inscribed a very long text of some seventy-one vertical lines, though only the lower section survives. A sample of this text reads:
"He is one who taketh thought, who maketh wise with knowledge...without his like, the good shepherd vigilant for all people...

searching bodies, knowing that which is in the heart, whose fame apprehends the (evil)...

adorning the splendid Great House of him who began him, with monuments of beauty and splendor forever"
Hence, this text apparently proclaims Amenhotep III's accomplishments and qualities.

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This is the so called magic image of Amun. Here, the pharaoh is referred to as per-aa in the two cartouches, and he is making libation in the presence of a very strange image. The representation has the head of Amun, wearing a crown topped by a solar disk surmounted by two large feathers, which emerge from a goatskin bottle embraced by the extended wings of Ma'at. In turn, this depiction surmounts a pedestal crowned by a uraeus, in front of which is a lion whose chest comes up to the level of the shafts. It would seem that this "magic image of Amun" was perhaps paraded during processions. This scene then sits upon a table fronting a series of lotuses, each of which is giving birth to a new lotus framed by two buds.