Disease

Egyptian Bookshelf

by Joyce Filer

Disease and sickness were among the more unpleasant facts of life in ancient Egypt and Nubia, where many of the illnesses we encounter today, such as tuberculosis, leprosy and malaria were already flourishing. Drawing extensively on the evidence provided by human remains, texts, statuary and other works of art, Joyce Filer describes some of the health problems suffered by king and commoner alike. She examines the case of individuals such as Seneb, an achondroplastic dwarf who achieved high status as a court official during the Old Kingdom, or the young child whose crippling bone disease was revealed by the mummified remains. Dental disease, chest complaints and parasitic infection from the waters of the Nile were a common part of Egyptian daily life.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1996