Pestilences in Ancient Egypt and Their Relation to Certain Deities and Events الأوبئة في مصر القديمة وعلاقتها بآلهة وأحداث معينة

نوع المستند : Original Article

المؤلف

Professor of Egyptian Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, Mansoura University

المستخلص

Abstract:
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.
الملخص:
عرفت مصر الأمراض والأوبئة منذ عصور مبکرة، لکنها عرفت أيضًا الطب والعقاقير، يهدف هذا البحث إلى فهم نظرة المصريين القدماء للأوبئة وتفسيرهم لأسبابها، بالإضافة لعمل مسح لأهم وأکبر الأوبئة التي مرت بمصر القديمة والحديثة. وقد عرفنا عن الأمراض والأوبئة من المومياوات والأجساد التي وصلتنا، بالإضافة إلى النصوص التي ترکها المصريون القدماء. ومن أقدم ما سمعناه عن الأوبئة في مصر القديمة ما ورد في قصة سنوهي المحفوظة ببردية برلين 3022، 34-45، فيقول: "کيف ستکون هذه الأرض الآن بدون هذا الإله الکامل (يقصد أمنمحات الأول، أول ملوک الأسرة الثانية عشرة)، الذي انتشر خوفه في البلاد مثل عام الوباء الخاص بسخمت". وقد إرتبطت الأوبئة في مصر القديمة بعدة أشياء منها الإلهة سخمت التي صورت على هيئة لبؤة، أو أحيانًا بهيئة القطة المنزلية. وکان اسمها باللغة المصرية القديمة "سخمت" يعني القوية أو القوة. ويوجد لسخمت حوالي 300 تمثال بمعبد موت بالکرنک غالبًا تم عملها لترفع المعبودة سخمت وباء شديد بالبلاد. وربط المصري القديم بين الأوبئة ومخلوقات بمسميات مثل "خاييت"، "دند"، و"دحرت". وکانت الأيام الخمس بنهاية السنة المصرية تعرف بأيام سيئة الحظ. ربطت عدة حضارات بين المجاعات والأوبئة فکثير ما تزامنا. وربما لأهمية النيل کشريان للحياة في مصر القديمة فقد ربط المصري بين الفيضانات المنخفضة والأوبئة. وبعرض النتائج سنجد أن أهم الأوبئة التي مرت بمصر کانت الطاعون والکوليرا، وأن الکورونا أو کوفيد 19 لم يکن أسوأ وباء ألمَّ بمصر.

الكلمات الرئيسية

الموضوعات الرئيسية

المراجع

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