Magyar László szerk.: Orvostörténeti Közlemények 170-173. (Budapest, 2000)

KÖZLEMÉNYEK — COMMUNICATIONS - Győry, Hedvig: "Providing protection to a new-born on the day of his birth ". Extra-and intrauterine complications and abnormalities in ancient Egypt. — „Az újszülött védelméről gondoskodni születése napján ". Méhen kívüli és belüli komplikációk és rendellenességek az ősi Egyiptomban

the represented person. Other types of dwarfism are melted. There are characteristically the disproportionate long trunk with short limbs. The head is big, the face is normal. The dwarfs with short trunk should be extremely rare for there is only one representation known — on a late period obelisk — where this type is presented.

101 The unusual shaping of the representations points in some cases to the occurrence of certain disorders as club foot or coxa vara, in other cases, however, the malformations can be tracked down to stylistic — iconographie reasons, as e.g. the flat forehead, typical from the Middle Kingdom onward. This phenomenon became later organic part of the iconography of the god, whom Herodotos calls Pataikos. Though for dwarf various Egyptian words could be used , Egyptians does not seem to separate the distinct pathological dwarfs in their writings. They obviously noticed the dissimilarities but did not care about classification. During the Old Kingdom the word dng was used both for the small sized indigenous Egyptians and those seized during an expedition in foreign counties — as pygmies. They were considered as divine dancers in cultic life. Especially the central African pygmies from Punt were highly estimated. We have e.g. the copy of a letter of the Pharaoh Pepi II, (who was to live 96 years), carved in stone on the tomb of Harkhuf. The young child pharaoh not long after his accession to the throne shows his childish excitement over the arrival of a pygmy: "The King's own seal: Year 2, third month of the first season, day 15. The King's decree to the sole companion, Lector priest, Chief of scouts, Harkhuf. Notice has been taken of this dispatch of yours which you made for the King at the Palace, to let one know that you have come down in safety from Yam with the army that was with you. You have said in this dispatch of yours that you have brought (S) all kind of great and beautiful gifts, which Hathor mistress of Imaau has given to the ka of King Neferkare, who lives forever. You have said in this dispatch of yours that you have brought a pygmy of the god's dances from the land of the horizon-dwellers, like the pygmy whom the god's seal bearer Bawerded brought from Punt in the time of King Isesi. You have said to my majesty that his like has never been brought by anyone who did Yam previously. Truly you know (10) how to do what your lord loves and praises. Truly you spend day and night planning to do what your lord loves, praises, and commands. His majesty will provide you many worthy honours for the benefit of your son's son for all time, so that all people will say, when they hear what my majesty did for you: "Does anything equal what was done for the sole companion Harkhuf when he came down from Yam, on account of the vigilance he showed in doing what his lord loved, praised, and (15) commanded? " Come north to the residence at once! Hurry and bring with you this pygmy whom you brought from the land of the horizon-dwellers live, hale, and healthy, for the dances of the god, to gladden the heart, to delight the heart of King Neferkare who lives forever! When he goes down with you into the ship, get worthy men to be around him on deck, lest he fall into the water! When he lies down at night, get worthy (20) men to lie around him in his tent. Inspect ten times at night! My majesty desires to see this pygmy more than the gifts ot the mine-land and of Punt! When you arrive at the residence and this pygmy is with you live, hale and healthy, my majesty will do great things for you, more than was done for the god's seal-bearer Baw101 véronique Dasen: o.e., 26/1.