Journal Article

Pestilences in Ancient Egypt and their Relation to Certain Deities and Events

Baligh, Randa

2022

Overview

Diseases and pestilences were recorded in Egypt since the earliest times, as were medicines and remedies. This research aims to understand how the ancient Egyptians viewed pestilences and construed their causes, in addition to surveying the major pestilences that occurred in ancient and modern Egypt. Evidence of pestilences and diseases may be found in mummies and texts from ancient Egypt. One of the earliest references in texts comes from the Story of Sinuhe in Papyrus Berlin 3022, 34-45. It refers to the fear of Amenemhat I spreading in the land like Sekhmet's \"year of the pestilence\". Pestilences in ancient Egypt were often associated with the goddess Sekhmet who was depicted in feline form as a lioness or domestic cat. Her name means strength in ancient Egyptian language. Sekhmet has over 300 statues in the precinct of Mut in Kanak, which were probably made so the goddess would lift a terrible pestilence. Egyptians also considered pestilences were associated with certain creatures known as the \"Khayeet\", \"Dened\" and \"De.hret\". The five Epagomenal Days at the end of the Egyptian year were considered unlucky days. Much like other cultures, the Egyptians associated famine or low Nile inundations with pestilence as the Nile was and still is the artery of life for Egypt. From the study, it appears the plague and cholera were among the worse pestilences that Egypt experienced, and Corona or Covid-19 was not the worse pestilence to hit Egypt.

• Publisher: المجلس العربي للآثاريين العرب
• Subject: الآلهة الفرعونية / الإرشادات الوقائية / انتشار الأوبئة / مصر القديمة