Ancient Egyptian Medicine 3600-EG-AEM-OW
The lecture series provides an overview of medicine and medical practices from the 3rd millennium BC to Late Antiquity, primarily drawing on ancient Egypt. But materials from neighbouring cultures are also included for comparative reasons. The focus of the course is on interpreting and reconstructing ancient practices and theories based on original sources (in translation) through a modern methodological approach, by combining perspectives from both the humanities and modern medical sciences. Both written and material sources are examined and discussed. One of the main objectives of the module is to make students aware of the importance of culture in interpreting ancient medicine and science in general.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge:
-Understand the methods, scope, and social setting of ancient medicine.
-Sources relating to ancient medicine
-Connection between culture and anthropology and medical theories and practices.
Skills
-Be able to analyse and explain both the general character and particular topics relating to ancient therapeutic practices and medicine from both a chronological and thematic perspective
-Analyse ancient sources, construct and present an argument, and give an historical overview of ancient Egyptian medicine and its sources.
Competence:
-Awareness of the cultural specificity of ancient Egypt and its significance for understanding the modern world.
-Awareness of the significance of the culture of ancient Egypt.
Assessment criteria
Final written examination, seminar report. The written report, c. 2 pages (600 to 800 words) concerns one topic treated in the course. The exam paper consists of short essay questions (no more than 200 words per answer).
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: