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

"PROVIDING PROTECTION TO A NEW-BORN ON THE DAY OF BIRTH" Extra- and Intrauterine Complications and Abnormalities in Ancient Egypt HEDVIG GYŐRY Dedicated to Toth, Margit who has had "delivered" the transcription of the melodies of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Passion Week In the sarcophagus-chamber of Ramses VI.

1 the visitor may feel himself being in a huge ancient Egyptian sarcophagus, with an interior decorated with mythical scenes. On the ceiling one find an interesting picture: two Nut goddesses, on all fours, turned back to each other. Below their bodies, in straight lines a few gods are standing, animals either standing on earth or sailing in barks, displaying the mythical events of day- and night-time. The story of day-time starts from the lumbar part of the goddess. The solar disc is just coming into the world from her body. Under the sun a scarab with spread wings explains this cosmic event The symbolism of this picture means: the Sun-God Ra is born! It is goddess Nut who appears again under the body of the scarab, but this time facing the viewer — a fairly uncommon presentation in Egyptian art. There are, however, other novelties: the goddess displayed in kneeling position, and something even more peculiar: the lower part of her abdomen is replaced by a circle, in which a nude infant is sitting, while sucking his pointer. On each side a goddess raise her hands rendering homage. Their postures, the drawing of the womb and the motives above refer to Nut

2 displayed here as a pregnant mother expecting a child no other but the Sun-God Ra, who — after birth — will live a new life, just as regular mortals do. The message is unmistakably clear from the hieroglyphic texts painted around the scene as well: the just born, rising sun is greeted and glorified. The same goddess with an abdomen so transparent like nowadays' X-ray films appears also on the ceiling of the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses IX,

3 in addition to another appearance on an ostracon found in Deir El-Medineh.

4 On the latter she appears on her own, without any surroundings. It could be a sketch made by one of the artists working on a royal tomb. Although this scene happens in the sky, it is apparent that it was modelled after the experiences of everyday life. 1 Alexandre Piankoff: Le livre du jour et de la nuit, Le Caire, 1942, p. XL, pl. 1. Chamber of Sarcophagus; Erik Hornung: Tal der Könige. Die Ruhestatte der Pharaonen. Zürich — München, 1982, p. 117, fig. 91-ceiling of corridor 2 cf. Nut as pregnant — Dieter Jankuhn: Das Buch "Schutz des Hauses" (s3 pr), Göttingen, 1972, p. 85, see Hans Bonnet. Reallexikon der Ägyptischen Religionsgeschichte, Berlin, 1952, p. 537—38. 3 Erich Hornung: o.e. p. 127, ceiling of sarcophogus chamber 4 Heinrich Schäfer: Von ägyptischer Kunst, Leipzig, 1930, p. 126, fig. 71. = Erik Hornung: o.e. p. 106. — example for illustration of pregnancy from the Roman era: W. M. Flinders Petrie: Ehnasya, EEF Memoir 26, London, 1905, pi. XL11, (44), left lower corner (Gurob)