Sharon M. Himsl - Shells, Tales and Sails: Pesehet

Thursday, April 13, 2017

K for King's Associate, Pesehet: Female Scientists Before Our Time

Ancient Egyptian women have a long history in the medical profession, as far back as the Early Dynastic Period (3150-2613 BC). Some believe a woman (name unknown) may have run a medical school in Sais in lower Egypt in 3000 BC.

There was good reason a Greek woman named Agnodice (see A post) traveled to Alexandria in 300 BC to study medicine and then had to hide her profession back at home in Athens by wearing men's clothing. She knew where to get medical training, but had no idea what would happen when she returned home to practice her new profession (or so the story goes).

Pesehet was one of the earliest known women to practice medicine in Egypt. Evacuation of a tomb at Giza revealed that she had been a physician. A monument had been dedicated to her and among the titles identifying her was “Lady Overseer of the Female Physicians.” Pesehet was a physician during the 4th Dynasty and the building of the great pyramids (c. 2500 BC). Pesehet may even have taught at the temple school in Sais.

Great Pyramid at Giza

It's hard to say whether she is remembered more as a teacher or a physician. Pesehet was the “King’s associate,” or “King’s acquaintance,” suggesting she may have been the king’s personal physician.

Egyptian woman giving birth

It’s also mentioned that Pesehet had trained midwives, but some question whether she had trained ‘midwives’ or ‘female physicians’, as there is no ancient Egyptian word for midwifery. It’s interesting though that the Hebrew Bible may be enough clarification in this case, although not officially a historical source. In Exodus (1:16) we read: “And he (i.e., the king of Egypt) said: ‘When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them upon the stools….”

Isn't history interesting?

Source:
http://www.ancient.eu/article/49/; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2685681
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peseshet