On the origins of European gynaecology: the archaeological and literary sources to the development of gynaecology in Greece before 500 BC
Authors:
Tomáš Alušík
Authors‘ workplace:
Ústav dějin lékařství a cizích jazyků 1. LF UK v Praze
Published in:
Čas. Lék. čes. 2021; 160: 97-101
Category:
History of Medicine
Overview
The aim of this study is to prove that at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC at the latest an independent gynaecological tradition was formed within the Greek art of healing, from which the later Classical Graeco-Roman medicine drew inspiration. In this paper, the archaeological (especially the terracotta figurines and models and scenes painted on vases) and literary (the economic records and poetry excerpts) sources for the development of gynaecology from the advanced phases of the 2nd millennium until 500 BC are presented.
The preserved sources clearly indicate that the Greek medicine reached some positive achievements already before 500 BC. Already in that period it put emphasis on the gynaecological issues. The described sources well illustrate also the development of the religious and mythological ideas related to the gynaecological, or the gynaecological-obstetrical aspect of healing, represented by Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, which was worshiped in the Greek world already since the Bronze Age.
The Ancient Greek medicine has got the important place in the history of the European and world medical science. In the frame of medicine of the period in question, it is possible to trace back to the beginning of the 1st millennium BC the specific healing-gynaecological tradition, with an emphasis on the obstetrics. In this tradition, a combination of rational, empirical and religious aspects was used. The terracotta models from the 9th–8th centuries BC point on the widely used practice of midwifery, too. Unfortunately, it is not possible to clearly discern if the midwifes existed already before 500 BC as a specific and independent medical occupation.
Keywords:
gynaecology – obstetrics – history – Archaeology – Greece – Antiquity
Sources
- Alušík T. Dějiny lékařství a zdravotní stav populace v Řecku před rokem 500 př. Kr. 1. lékařská fakulta UK, Praha, 2018. Dostupné na: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11956/111673
- Cline EH (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean (ca. 3000–1000 BC). Oxford University Press, 2010.
- Marinatos N. Minoan religion. Ritual, image, and symbol. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, 1993.
- Nowicki K. Some remarks on new peak sanctuaries in Crete: the topography of ritual areas and their relationship with settlements. JdI 2007; 122: 1–31.
- Peatfield AAD. The topography of Minoan peak sanctuaries. BSA 1983; 78: 273–279.
- Peatfield AAD. Palace and peak: The political and religious relationship between palaces and peak sanctuaries. In: Hägg R, Marinatos N (eds.). The function of the Minoan palaces. Proceedings of the fourth international symposium at the Swedish Institute in Athens, 10–16th June 1984. Swedish Institute in Athens, Stockholm, 1987: 89–93.
- Peatfield AAD. Minoan peak sanctuaries: history and society. OpAth 1990; 8: 117–131.
- Peatfield AAD. Rural ritual in Bronze Age Crete: the peak sanctuary at Atsipadhes. CAJ 1992; 2: 59–87.
- Rutkowski B. Cult places in the Aegean world. Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of the History of Material Culture, Wroclaw, 1972.
- Rutkowski B. Minoan peak sanctuaries: The topography and architecture. In: Laffineur, R (ed.). Aegaeum 2. Annales d’archéologie égéenne de l’Université de Liége et University of Texas at Austin. Université de Liège, 1988: 71–100.
- Karetsou A. The peak sanctuary of Mt. Juktas. In: Hägg R, Marinatos N (eds.). Sanctuaries and cults in the Aegean Bronze Age. Proceedings of the first international symposium at the Swedish Institute in Athens, 12–13th May 1980. Svenska Institutet i Athen, Stockholm, 1981: 137–153.
- Myres JL. Excavations at Palaikastro II. The sanctuary site of Petsofas. BSA 1902–1903; 9: 356–387.
- Rutkowski B. Petsophas. A Cretan peak sanctuary. Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 1991.
- Morris Ch, Peatfield A. Health and healing on Cretan Bronze Age peak sanctuaries. In: Michaelides D (ed.). Medicine and healing in the Ancient Mediterranean world. Oxbow Books, Oxford, Philadelphia, 2014: 54–63.
- Arnott R. Healing cult in Minoan Crete. In: Betancourt PP, Karageorghis V, Laffineur R, Niemeier WD (eds.). Meletemata: Studies in Aegean archaeology presented to Malcolm H. Wiener as he enters his 65th year, vol. I. Université de Liège: Histoire de l’art et archéologie de la Grèce antique, University of Texas at Austin: Programs in Aegean scripts and prehistory, Liège, Austin, 1999: 1–6.
- Doumas C. The wall-paintings of Thera. The Thera foundation – Petros M. Nomikos, Athens, 1992.
- Immerwahr SA. Aegean painting in the Bronze Age. The Pennsylvania State University Press, Philadelphia, 1990.
- Davis E. Youth and age in the Thera frescoes. Am J Archaeology 1986; 90: 399–406.
- Gesell G. Blood on the horns of consecration? In: Sherratt S (ed.). The wall paintings of Thera. Proceeding of the first international symposium, vol. 2. Thera Foundation, Athens, 2000: 947–956.
- Koehl R. The ‘sacred marriage’ in Minoan religion and ritual. In: Laffineur R, Hägg R (eds.). Potnia: Deities and religion in the Aegean Bronze Age. Proceedings of the 8th international Aegean conference. Université de Liège: Histoire de l’art et archéologie de la Grèce antique, University of Texas at Austin: Programs in Aegean scripts and prehistory, Liège, Austin, 2001: 237–243.
- Marinatos N, Hägg R. On the ceremonial function of the Minoan polythyra. OpAth 1986; 16: 57–73.
- Marinatos S. Excavations at Thera VII. Archaiologike Hetaireia, Athens, 1976.
- Porter R. The flora of the Theran wall paintings: Living plants and motifs – sea lily, crocus, iris, and ivy. In: Sherratt S (ed.): The wall paintings of Thera. Proceeding of the first international symposium, vol. 2. Thera Foundation, Athens, 2000: 585–618.
- Ferrence SC, Bendersky G. Therapy with saffron and the goddess at Thera. Perspectives in biology and medicine 2004; 47: 199–226.
- Pingiatoglou S. Eileithyia. Königshausen und Neumann, Würzburg, 1981.
- Betancourt PP. A New Study of the shrine of Eileithyia, Minoan goddess of childbirth and motherhood. Kentro 2016; 19: 15–16.
- Kanta A, Davaras K (eds.). ΕΛΟΥΘΙΑ ΧΑΡΙΣΤΗΙΟΝ. Το ιερό σπήλαιο της Ειλειθυίας στον Τσούτσουρο. Herakleion, 2011.
- Olmos R. Eileithyia. In: Fondation pour le Lexicon iconographicum mythologiae classicae (ed.). Lexicon iconographicum mythologiae classicae, Band III. Artemis Verlag, Zürich, München, 1986: 685–699.
- Schefold K. Götter- und Heldensagen der Griechen in der Früh- und Hocharchaischen Kunst. Hirmer Verlag GmbH, München, 1993.
- Aurora F, Nesøen A, Nedić D et al. DAMOS – Database of Mycenaean at Oslo. University of Oslo, 2013. Dostupné na: https://damos.hf.uio.no/1
- Ventris M Chadwick J. Documents in Mycenaean Greek (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press, 1973.
- Homéros. Ílias (přeložil Otmar Vaňorný). Petr Rezek, Praha, 2007.
- Homéros. Odysseia (přeložil Vladimír Šrámek). Evropský literární klub, Praha, 1940.
- Homérské hymny. Válka žab a myší (přeložil Otakar Smrčka). Státní nakladatelství krásné literatury, hudby a umění, Praha, 1959.
- Canfora L. Dějiny řecké literatury. Koniasch Latin Press, Praha, 2001.
Labels
Addictology Allergology and clinical immunology Angiology Audiology Clinical biochemistry Dermatology & STDs Paediatric gastroenterology Paediatric surgery Paediatric cardiology Paediatric neurology Paediatric ENT Paediatric psychiatry Paediatric rheumatology Diabetology Pharmacy Vascular surgery Pain managementArticle was published in
Journal of Czech Physicians
2021 Issue 2-3
Most read in this issue
- COVID-19 antibody testing: examination of the antibody response to coronavirus in common practice
- Computer vision syndrome – symptoms and prevention
- The risk of insect-borne diseases transmission in the Czech Republic and Slovakia
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – how to effectively fight the nowadays most common liver disease?