First appearance and sense of the term “spinal column” in ancient Egypt

Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine - Tập 97 Số 1 - Trang 152-155 - 2002
Johannes Lang1, Herbert Kolenda
1Department of Neurosurgery, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Germany.

Tóm tắt

✓ In contemporary anatomical nomenclature terms have often been derived from an ancient perspective of the human body. The term “spinal column” was used in ancient Egypt, symbolized by the “djet column.” The authors discuss the first appearance of the term “spinal column,” taking the ancient Egyptian interaction between religion and daily life into consideration, and they describe the different segments of the spinal column known to the ancient Egyptians. Inspection of medical papyri provides insight into the knowledge held by ancient Egyptian physicians and embalmers. It is assumed that hieroglyphs were used to depict the different vertebral regions of the spinal column (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar). The knowledge was gleaned, in fact, in pursuit of religious goals. The djet might be an example of how anatomical knowledge can improve understanding of a symbol that was previously thought to have a primarily religious meaning. The authors maintain that modern medical knowledge is useful for making a more precise and anatomically correct interpretation of the presumed sense intended by the ancient Egyptians.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Altenmüller, 1975, Djed, 1099

Atta, 1999, Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus: the oldest known surgical treatise., 65, 1190, 10.1177/000313489906501222

Breasted, 1930

Breasted, 1936, Einleitung, 11

Edel, 1955, 23

Erman, 1982, 480

Feldman, 1999, The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus., 15, 281, 10.1007/s003810050395

Ficinius, 1489/95

Gardiner, 1982, The Egyptian writing, 6

Gardiner, 1982, Sign-list Section F. Parts of mammals, 461

Gardiner, 1982, Sign-list Section R. Temple furniture and sacred emblems, 501

Gardiner, 1982, Sign-list Section S. Crowns, dress, staves etc., 504

Germer, 1997, Ergebnisse moderner Mumienforschung, 115

Helgason, 1987, Commentary on the significance for modern neurology of the 17th century B.C. Surgical Papyrus., 14, 560

Homung, 1967, Schrift und Sprache, 22

Lurker, 1992, Djet, Djetpfeiler, 78

Nunn, 1996, Concepts of anatomy, physiology and pathology, 42

Nunn, 1996, Surgery, trauma and dangerous animals, 163

Seidel, 1993, Mögen sie eine Erinnerung sein für die Nachwelt, 50

Wallenstein, 1996, 105

Westendorf, 1966

Westendorf, 1998, Teil I: Die Quellen: Der bestand an medizinischen texten: Papyrus Edwin Smith, 16

Westendorf, 1998, Teil II: Zum inhaltlichen und formalen aufbau der textgruppen und einzeltexte: C Verschiedenes, Die Fachsprache, 96

Westendorf, 1998, Teil III: Der Kranke und seine krankheiten: rumpf und körperinneres, rücken, 180

Westendorf, 1998, Teil VI: Anhang I: Die bedeutendsten papyri in zusammenhängender übersetzung: papyrus Ebers, 547, 10.1177/000313489906501222

Westendorf, 1998, Teil VI: Anhang I: die bedeutendsten papyri in zusammenhängender übersetzung: papyrus Smith, 711, 10.1177/000313489906501222

Wildung, 1980, Ptah, 62, 10.1177/000313489906501222

Winzer, 1993, Mumie mit Kartonagenhülle, 78

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine

Tập 97 Số 1

152-155

Thông tin tác giả