The Ebers Papyrus of Ancient Egypt
Discovering One of the Most Important Records of Medicinal Plant Use
Nov 4, 2008
The Ebers Papyrus is not the oldest known record of medicinal plant use but it is one of the most important discoveries of ancient Egypt; the Indian Book of Veda predates the Ebers Papyrus by about 450 years at approximately 2000 B.C.. Text written in the Indian Veda could have been the basis for much of today's Ayurvedic medicine; it included many well known plants such as Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha), Sandalwood (Santalum album), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale).
The Chinese also recorded ancient medicine practices in the Yellow Emperor's Book of Internal Medicine dating back to approximately the same period, 2000 B.C. The Chinese maintained records of the use of medicinal plants such as Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and Opium from the ripe seeds of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum).
Ancient Egyptian Medicinal Records
Ancient Egyptians used many plants for medicinal purposes. The Nile Valley was actually referred to as the Cradle of Medicine, with many plants and trees imported from places such as Persia and India. Several old Egyptian manuscripts were in use including one during the reign of Khufu in about 2800 B.C. which records the use of medicinal herbs.
However, the Ebers Papyrus is considered to be one of the most important, preserved records of medicinal use in history. It dates back to about 1550 B.C. and was 'discovered' in 1873 by Egyptologist Georg Ebers. It is now held in Germany at the library of the University of Leipzig.
The Discovery of the Ebers Papyrus
Although the Ebers Papyrus was named after Georg Ebers, the medicinal papyrus was actually in the possession of Edwin Smith, an American who lived in Egypt, from 1862 to 1869. Little is known how Edwin Smith took possession of it but it is rumored that the papyrus was found between a mummy's legs in the Theban necropolis. The Ebers Papyrus was initially translated into German in 1890 and later into English in the 1900s.
Contents of the Ebers Papyrus
The Ebers Papyrus is a 110 page document which contains at least 700 prescriptions and remedies for medicinal use. The papyrus confirms the beliefs of complementary medicine theory today in that the Egyptians believed in maintaining the natural balance of the body in order to restore health. This included both physical and spiritual beliefs.
The medicinal remedies and prescriptions of the papyrus relate to such ailments as toenail pains, crocodile bites, burns, arthritis, intestinal disease, depression, headaches, pregnancy and fractures. Plants used include Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha), Frankincense (Boswellia carteri), Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Thyme (Thymus vulgaris).
The dating of the Ebers Papyrus was based on text within the papyrus referring to the ninth year of the reign of Amenhotep I. There is some dispute that it could be a copy of other ancient records of Thoth (3000 B.C.), an expert of that time on medicine. It is acknowledged, however, that it is one of the oldest medicinal records still in existence.
References:
Essential Science Publishing 2007 Essential Oils Desk Reference USA: Essential Science
Lawless, Julia, 1995 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils UK:Thorsons
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