Did the ancient Egyptians understand human anatomy and did they practice medicine? The answer is yes.

Data derived from archaeological excavations, including carved reliefs, inscriptions, and surviving ancient Egyptian papyri, that do reveal extensive, perhaps effective, medical procedures relevant to human health care today.

Part I of this richly illustrated lecture introduces ancient Egypt’s medical world. We meet history’s earliest documented physician, Imhotep, and the earliest documented dentist, Hesy-re. We will investigate the evidence for the practice of dentistry and even the use of a prosthetic device as evident in an Egyptian mummy.

Part II first examines the role of folkloric medicine, such as “magic” and herbal remedies, used for healing in ancient Egypt. Next, we explore surviving evidence for specific surgical interventions, and a case of successful trauma surgery as evidenced on human skeletal remains recovered by Dr. Steve during recent excavations in the cemeteries behind the Great Pyramids.
Dr. Stephen R. Phillips is the Curatorial Research Coordinator in the Egyptian Section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Dr. Phillips received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in biological anthropology and Egyptian archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Phillips has traveled extensively and participated in a wide range of archaeological excavations over the past 30 years, including excavations at Petra, Jordan; near Bordeaux in southwestern France; and, he has participated in eight excavation seasons in Egypt at Giza and Saqqara.
Dr. Phillips specializes in the analysis of ancient Egyptian and modern human skeletal remains, mummies and mummification techniques, as well as the tombs and artifacts of the Great Pyramid Complex on Egypt’s Giza plateau.