Imhotep was an ancient Egyptian official.
He was called Imuthes by the Greeks, 27th century BC (circa 2650–2600 BC).
The meaning of the name:
He is considered to be the first architect and engineer and physician in early history though two other good physicians, Hesy-Ra and Merit-Ptah lived around the same time.
The full list of his titles is:
The location of Imhotep's self-constructed tomb was well hidden from the beginning and it remains unknown, despite efforts to find it. The consensus is that it is hidden somewhere at Saqqara.
I will focus today on his role in medicine.
Imhotep is credited with being the founder of medicine. He was the author of a medical treatise remarkable for being devoid of magical thinking; the so-called Edwin Smith papyrus containing anatomical observations, ailments, and cures. The surviving papyrus was probably written around 1700 BC but may be a copy of texts a thousand years older. However, this attribution of authorship is speculative. The Papyrus can be viewed at the Brooklyn Children's Museum, New York City. The 48 cases contained within the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus concern:
His role in architecture and engineering
As one of the officials of the Pharaoh Djoser, he designed the Pyramid of Djoser (the Step Pyramid) at Saqqara in Egypt in 2630 – 2611 BC.
Egyptians considered Imhotep as a creative and inventive intellectual by the way he enlarged the burial site at Sakkara that was also constructed in stages. He amplified the existing tomb by adding five mastabas that decrease in sizes creating this unique form of architecture known as the great pyramid of steps. The burial compartments are great accomplishments of Imhotep’s work in design and engineering as well as debuted the progression of numerous complex structures such as tunnels, mortuaries, chapels, shafts and rooms for offerings. The massive tombs consisted of mud-brick walls and the style of the structure imitated a palace portico probably to mimic Djoser’s palace in Memphis where he lived at one point in his life.
The preservation of the king's body was very important to Imhotep, like the conservation of the nation was a responsibility. As a priest who knew all ancient practices and rules, it was a given that he had mastered the understanding of the nature of building. Amongst other values, for Imhotep, it meant definiteness.
He was called Imuthes by the Greeks, 27th century BC (circa 2650–2600 BC).
The meaning of the name:
"the one who comes in peace, is with peace".
He was an Egyptian polymath, who served under the Third Dynasty king Djoser as chancellor to the pharaoh and high priest of the sun god Ra (or Re) at Heliopolis.
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| Statue of Imhotep in Louver |
He is considered to be the first architect and engineer and physician in early history though two other good physicians, Hesy-Ra and Merit-Ptah lived around the same time.
The full list of his titles is:
Chancellor of the King of Egypt,
Doctor,
First in line after the King of Upper Egypt,
Administrator of the Great Palace,
Hereditary nobleman,
High Priest of Heliopolis,
Builder,
Chief Carpenter,
Chief Sculptor,
and Maker of Vases in Chief.
Imhotep was one of very few mortals to be depicted as part of a pharaoh's statue. He was one of only a few commoners ever to be accorded divine status after death. The center of his cult was Memphis. From the First Intermediate Period onward Imhotep was also revered as a poet and philosopher. His sayings were famously referred to in poems.
Imhotep was one of very few mortals to be depicted as part of a pharaoh's statue. He was one of only a few commoners ever to be accorded divine status after death. The center of his cult was Memphis. From the First Intermediate Period onward Imhotep was also revered as a poet and philosopher. His sayings were famously referred to in poems.
Imhotep's historicity is confirmed by two contemporary inscriptions made during his lifetime on the base or pedestal of one of Djoser's statues and also by a graffito on the enclosure wall surrounding Sekhemkhet's unfinished step-pyramid. The latter inscription suggests that Imhotep outlived Djoser by a few years and went on to serve in the construction of king Sekhemkhet's pyramid which was abandoned due to this ruler's brief reign.
You will find a role for Imhotep, in priestly wisdom, in magic, in the formulation of wise proverbs; in medicine and architecture; this remarkable figure of Zoser's reign left so notable a reputation that his name is not forgotten to this day. He was the patron spirit of the later scribes, to whom they regularly poured out a libation from the water-jug of their writing outfit before beginning their work.
I will focus today on his role in medicine.
Imhotep is credited with being the founder of medicine. He was the author of a medical treatise remarkable for being devoid of magical thinking; the so-called Edwin Smith papyrus containing anatomical observations, ailments, and cures. The surviving papyrus was probably written around 1700 BC but may be a copy of texts a thousand years older. However, this attribution of authorship is speculative. The Papyrus can be viewed at the Brooklyn Children's Museum, New York City. The 48 cases contained within the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus concern:
- 27 head injuries (cases #1-27)
- 6 throat and neck injuries (cases #28-33)
- 2 injuries to the clavicle (collarbone) (cases #34-35)
- 3 injuries to the arm (cases #36-38)
- 8 injuries to the sternum (breastbone) and ribs (cases #39-44)
- 1 tumour and 1 abscess of the breast (cases #45-46)
- 1 injury to the shoulder (case #47)
- 1 injury to the spine (case #48)
As one of the officials of the Pharaoh Djoser, he designed the Pyramid of Djoser (the Step Pyramid) at Saqqara in Egypt in 2630 – 2611 BC.
He may have been responsible for the first known use of columns in architecture.
As an instigator of Egyptian culture, Imhotep's idealized image lasted well into the Ptolemaic period.
The Egyptian historian Manetho credited him with inventing the method of a stone-dressed building during Djoser's reign, though he was not the first to actually build with stone.
Stone walling, flooring, lintels, and jambs had appeared sporadically during the Archaic Period, though it is true that a building of the Step Pyramid's size and made entirely out of stone had never before been constructed.
Before Djoser, pharaohs were buried in mastaba tombs.
Egyptians considered Imhotep as a creative and inventive intellectual by the way he enlarged the burial site at Sakkara that was also constructed in stages. He amplified the existing tomb by adding five mastabas that decrease in sizes creating this unique form of architecture known as the great pyramid of steps. The burial compartments are great accomplishments of Imhotep’s work in design and engineering as well as debuted the progression of numerous complex structures such as tunnels, mortuaries, chapels, shafts and rooms for offerings. The massive tombs consisted of mud-brick walls and the style of the structure imitated a palace portico probably to mimic Djoser’s palace in Memphis where he lived at one point in his life.
The preservation of the king's body was very important to Imhotep, like the conservation of the nation was a responsibility. As a priest who knew all ancient practices and rules, it was a given that he had mastered the understanding of the nature of building. Amongst other values, for Imhotep, it meant definiteness.
Although not certain, it has been believed that during a 40 year period of the Third Dynasty, Imhotep influenced and was the ultimate master builder of numerous other projects which have been finished. He wrote an encyclopedia of architecture that was used as the main bases and as guidance for Egyptian builders thousands of years after his death.
His death
In Ancient Egypt, Imhotep was considered to be an example of "personality cult" of Kemet, the notion that a person can be deified after his death and become some sort of a special intercessor for the living. Nonetheless, the conditions of Imhotep’s death are unknown. The mystery behind his death is amplified as his disappearance coincided with the disappearance of all his medical texts and architectural manuscripts. His tomb has never been found
In addition, despite his major impact on Ancient Egyptian architecture and field of medicine, even ancient historians failed to write about him, which adds to his mystery. What makes this mystery somewhat ironic is that the name "Imhotep" in Ancient Egyptian language translates to “He who came in peace,” underlining the way he came into the world, made his impact, and left it in peace taking all his genius work with him. However, Imhotep became even more famous with his death and was worshipped for 2,000 years afterwards. Because of the mystery behind his death, he was considered as a demi-god. In Greek mythology, Asclepius was the god of medicine, therefore, Imhotep was often associated with him. Some even believed that he was Asclepius himself. Only statues made of him remained which referred to his genius mind and served to illustrate his existence on earth. After his death, he was known to be responsible for the use of columns and monumental stone in Egyptian architecture and considered to have fully advanced ancient Egyptian medicine. Nevertheless, he slowly turned into a legend and then a myth.
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Manal Raafat
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