WAS THE FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME RECOGNIZED IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST?

Was the fetal alcohol syndrome recognized by the Greeks and Romans?

Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers/scientists are frequently quoted as expressing an awareness of potential harm associated with drinking during pregnancy. However, the statements attributed to these authors were not made by them. Instead, they are interpretations, presented in the form of verbatim statements, of their views relating to procreation. Although they did have something to say abo...

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Background: About 40 thousand newborns are delivered annually with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). It induces serious CNS complications. Methods: In a review of, the word “fetal alcohol syndrome” was searched in PubMed and Google Scholar and the retrieved articles were summarized. Results: Many studies showed that alcohol can cause more defects in fetus than heroin, cocaine and marijuana. The pos...

Wood Use in the Ancient Near East

Wood. Forests were exploited from the very beginnings of Near Eastern civilization. Enough hints exist from such Aceramic Neolithic sites as Jericho in Israel and Çayönü, Asikli Höyük, Nevali Çori, and Hallan Çemi in Turkey to indicate that extensive forest use has a history in this region of at least ten thousand years. These sites provide ample burned evidence for architectural timbers used a...

Circumcision in the Ancient near East

FOR a long time, scholars have assumed a direct relationship between the Egyptian and West Semitic worlds in one matter of personal hygiene and, probably, of religious rites.' "Circumcision," stated Eduard Meyer, "was at home in Egypt from the earliest times, and from there it was adopted by the Israelites and by the Phoenicians."2 However, the evidence that one gleans from the Egyptian sources...

Seed Eaters of the Ancient Near East: Human or Herbivore