Ancient Egyptian Medicine Lesson

Painted limestone relief showing Amenhotep and family in prayer, adorned in pleated garments and wigs, from his tomb chapel at Asyut.
Tomb Relief of the Chief Physician Amenhotep and Family. (c. 1279–1257 BCE). Cleveland Museum of Art, Item No. 1963.100. Public Domain. Source: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1963.100

Learning objectives

In this lesson, students will examine how ancient Egyptians understood the human body and disease, exploring the connection between practical medicine, religious belief, and magical ritual. They will investigate a range of primary sources, including medical papyri, archaeological finds, and temple inscriptions, to understand how Egyptian physicians diagnosed illness, applied remedies, and trained within an organised professional system. Students will have the opportunity to achieve this through choosing their own method of learning, from reading and research options, as well as the chance to engage in extension activities. This lesson includes a self-marking quiz for students to demonstrate their learning.

How would you like to learn?

Option 1: Reading


Step 1: Download a copy of the reading questions worksheet below:

Download
Egyptian Medicine Questions.docx
Microsoft Word Document 28.2 KB

Step 2: Answer the questions by reading the webpage below:


Option 2: Internet research


Download a copy of the research worksheet and use the internet to complete the tables.

Download
Egyptian Medicine Research.docx
Microsoft Word Document 30.8 KB

Test your learning



Extension activities



Resources for subscribers