Date of Graduation

Summer 2021

Degree

Master of Arts in History

Department

History

Committee Chair

Julia Troche

Abstract

This thesis explores the history of medicine in ancient Egypt between the Middle and New Kingdoms, and offers a case study highlighting the use of religion and magic in healing and analyzing health inequity. I am interested in medical practices, treatments, diagnosis methods, and access to healthcare in the ancient world. I seek to bridge the gaps and help unify the knowledge surrounding ancient Egyptian medical practices and contribute to the studies in the history of medicine. I explore types of diseases that commonly affected the ancient Egyptians and how they integrated religion and magic into their understanding and treatment of diseases. My main area of research focus is how hierarchical society influences health inequities in the ancient world and specifically focuses on women’s health in ancient Egypt. This thesis will demonstrate that there was differential access to healthcare in ancient Egypt based on gender and class. This thesis contextualizes medical texts within their broader roles in healthcare and utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to re-examine assumptions about medicine in the ancient world.

Keywords

ancient Egypt, religion, magic, health inequity, history of medicine

Subject Categories

History of Science, Technology, and Medicine | Medical Humanities | Near Eastern Languages and Societies | Other History | Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology

Copyright

© Samantha Rose Gonzalez

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Open Access

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