H07 Papyri and sarcophagi: a tour of dermatology in Ancient Egypt

Abstract Long before medicine was demystified by the Renaissance, Enlightenment and modern thinkers with whom we are most familiar, skin its diseases were pondered on Ancient Egyptians. Through their writings remains, scholars able to assemble a picture of what dermatological conditions ailed Egyptians how they contemporaneously perceived. The Ebers Papyrus (c. 1550 Bc), largest record Egyptian medicine, is noted for vivid descriptions lesions grisly details treatments. Some mentioned therein straightforwardly identified from descriptions, whereas others open interpretation. Recent DNA evidence has also shed light this topic, causing re-evaluate presence various conditions, such as leprosy tuberculosis, in different parts ancient world. perhaps famed preservation bodies through process mummification, which provides us unique glimpse into nature disease Mummified tends be shrunken, deeply pigmented brittle. Even so, nails, hair epidermal ridging preserved. Prolonged rehydration staining can reveal stratum corneum, keratinocytes, melanin, collagen elastic fibres, along adnexal structures subcutaneous tissue. Mummies identifiable include Ramses V (d. 1145 whose face, neck, shoulders, lower abdomen scrotum bear marks smallpox. diagnosis later confirmed electron microscopy, variola viral corpuscle his skin. Skin tumours have been found mummified syndromic features diseases, predispose multiple malignancies, Gorlin–Goltz syndrome, suspected two fraternal mummies around 3000 Bc. One specimen c. 1300 Bc having venous ulcer, subsequently when histology demonstrated perivascular haemosiderin deposition. Other tentative diagnoses made appearance alone, including pustular dermatosis, impetigo pemphigus foliaceus. Too often do perceive medical history starting earnest during last few centuries. bequeathed wealth information, both historical archaeological, which, combined techniques, allowed peer millennia world that feel simultaneously alien familiar. This presentation/poster will showcase understand future research might hold store.