Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

The role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and their children

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Witts, Jennifer
Other Authors: Cornelius, I.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613766719373312
access_status_str Open Access
author Witts, Jennifer
author2 Cornelius, I.
author_browse Cornelius, I.
Witts, Jennifer
author_facet Cornelius, I.
Witts, Jennifer
author_sort Witts, Jennifer
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50522
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:41:21.859Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2012
publishDateRange 2012
publishDateSort 2012
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50522 The role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and their children Witts, Jennifer Cornelius, I. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies . Women -- Egypt -- History Children -- Egypt -- History Women -- Health and hygiene -- Egypt Children -- Health and hygiene -- Egypt Magic, Egyptian -- History Medicine -- Egypt -- History Dissertations -- Ancient studies Theses -- Ancient studies Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the role that magic and medicine played in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and children. In a time when giving birth often ended in the death of the mother and child, and child mortality was extremely high, a variety of protective measures were undertaken by the ancient Egyptians. Medicine as the scientific treatment of ailments and women's health in general did exist in Egypt, however, life in Egypt was determined by religion and especially magic. The health of the ancient Egyptian woman and her child was studied by looking at the way in which magic influenced medicine, as well as by looking at how this connection between magic and medicine influenced the life and health of ancient Egyptian women and children. The research model followed was that of an interlinking society in which each aspect of Egyptian life had varying impacts on each other. The degree of impact of magic on aspects such as menstruation, conception and pregnancy was investigated, as well as, the magico-medical spells, amulets and other devices that were used to protect a woman and her baby. A catalogue of sources is given, including written and non-written sources. The first included the medical papyri and magical spells against evil forces and sickness. The second group were visual representations, divine statuettes, amulets and the specialized magical stelae (cippl) and "magical wands" ("Zaubermesser"). This thesis attempts to better understand how feminine issues such as menstruation, pregnancy, and giving birth were perceived and contended with, as well as to shed some light on the medical and magical treatment and protection of the women and children in ancient Egypt. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die rol wat magie en medisyne in die lewens van vrouens en kinders in antieke Egipte gespeel het. In 'n tyd toe die geboorte van 'n kind baie keer die dood van die ma en haar baba veroorsaak het, en kindersterftes uiters hoog was, het die antieke Egiptenare 'n verskeidenheid beskermingsmaatreëls gebruik. Medisyne as die wetenskaplike behandeling van siektes en vroulike gesondheidsorg het in Egipte bestaan, maar die lewe in Egipte was egter bepaal deur die godsdiens en veral die magie. Die gesondheid van die vroue en kinders van antieke Egipte is bestudeer deur te kyk hoe magie medisyne beïnvloed het, sowel as om te kyk hoe die verband tussen magie die medisyne die lewe en gesondheid van vroue en kinders in antieke Egipte bepaal het. Die navorsingsmodel wat gevolg is, is van 'n samelewing waarbinne elke aspek van die lewe in Egipte 'n impak op die ander het. Die graad van impak van magie op aspekte soos menstruasie, konsepsie en swangerskap is ondersoek, sowel as die "magies-mediese" spreuke, amulette en ander middels wat as beskerming vir die vrou en haar baba gebruik is. 'n Katalogus van bronne is ingesluit en sluit beide skriftelike en nie-skriftelike bronne in. Onder die eerste groep val mediese papiri en magiese tekste teen bose magte en siekte. Die tweede groep gee aandag aan visuele voorstellings, godebeeldjies, amulette en die gespesialiseerde magiese stelae (cippl) en "toorstaffies" ("Zaubermesser"). Hierdie tesis poog om beter te verstaan hoe vroulike sake soos menstruasie, swangerskap en geboorte gesien en hanteer is, sowel as om meer lig te werp op die mediese en magiese behandeling en beskerming van vrouens en hulle kinders in antieke Egipte. Masters 2012-08-27T11:33:27Z 2012-08-27T11:33:27Z 2005-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50522 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 157 p. : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Women -- Egypt -- History
Children -- Egypt -- History
Women -- Health and hygiene -- Egypt
Children -- Health and hygiene -- Egypt
Magic, Egyptian -- History
Medicine -- Egypt -- History
Dissertations -- Ancient studies
Theses -- Ancient studies
Witts, Jennifer
The role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and their children
title The role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and their children
title_full The role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and their children
title_fullStr The role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and their children
title_full_unstemmed The role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and their children
title_short The role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient Egyptian women and their children
title_sort role of magic and medicine in the lives of ancient egyptian women and their children
topic Women -- Egypt -- History
Children -- Egypt -- History
Women -- Health and hygiene -- Egypt
Children -- Health and hygiene -- Egypt
Magic, Egyptian -- History
Medicine -- Egypt -- History
Dissertations -- Ancient studies
Theses -- Ancient studies
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50522
work_keys_str_mv AT wittsjennifer theroleofmagicandmedicineinthelivesofancientegyptianwomenandtheirchildren
AT wittsjennifer roleofmagicandmedicineinthelivesofancientegyptianwomenandtheirchildren