Peseshet, Lady Overseer of Physicians
A ten‑minute portrait of Egypt’s earliest recorded female medical administrator and the Old Kingdom’s healing tradition.
Chapters
- 0:07 A Mother’s Title
- 1:34 Healing in the Old Kingdom
- 3:01 Saïs – The Ancient Medical School
- 4:28 Legacy of a Pioneer
On-screen text
- 0:07 A Mother’s Title
- 0:14 A Mother’s Title
- 0:31 Peseshet: Overseer of Female Physicians Historical record · False door of Akhethotep, Giza (Louvre E 101)
- 0:49 Women healers in the Old Kingdom The Institute's interpretation · Grajetti, A. (2005). *Ancient Egyptian Women*
- 1:07 Hieroglyphic title Historical record · Gardiner, A. H. (1929). *Egyptian Grammar*
- 1:25 Dating Akhethotep’s mastaba Historical record · Giza Mastaba of Akhethotep Excavation Report (1992)
- 1:34 Healing in the Old Kingdom
- 1:41 Healing in the Old Kingdom
- 1:58 Ancient Egyptian surgery Historical record · Edwin Smith Papyrus (London 12559)
- 2:16 Ebers Papyrus remedies Historical record · Ebers Papyrus (Papyrus Berlin 3038)
- 2:34 Old Kingdom surgical tools Historical record · Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Surgical Instrument (Object 1975.123)
- 2:52 Roles of female healers The Institute's interpretation · Blakemore, K. (2020). *Women in Ancient Egypt*
- 3:01 Saïs – The Ancient Medical School
- 3:08 Saïs – The Ancient Medical School
- 3:25 Saïs as a medical school Tradition / scripture · Herodotus, *Histories* 1.166
- 3:43 Darius restores Saïs Historical record · Udjahorresnet inscription, Saïs (5th c. BCE)
- 4:01 Persian patronage of Egyptian medicine The Institute's interpretation · Nunn, J. (1996). *Ancient Egyptian Medicine*
- 4:19 Egyptian influence on Greek medicine The Institute's interpretation · Hippocrates, *Aphorisms* (tradition)
- 4:28 Legacy of a Pioneer
- 4:42 Earliest formal medical hierarchy The Institute's interpretation · Nunn, J. (1996). *Ancient Egyptian Medicine*
- 5:14 Why papyri are rare The Institute's interpretation · British Museum Conservation Report (2021)
- 5:35 Royal honor for female physician The Institute's interpretation · Grajetti, A. (2005). *Ancient Egyptian Women*
Sources
Historical record: False door of Akhethotep, Giza (Louvre E 101) · Gardiner, A. H. (1929). *Egyptian Grammar* · Giza Mastaba of Akhethotep Excavation Report (1992) · Edwin Smith Papyrus (London 12559) · Ebers Papyrus (Papyrus Berlin 3038) · Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Surgical Instrument (Object 1975.123) · Udjahorresnet inscription, Saïs (5th c. BCE)
Tradition / scripture: Herodotus, *Histories* 1.166
The Institute's interpretation: Grajetti, A. (2005). *Ancient Egyptian Women* · Blakemore, K. (2020). *Women in Ancient Egypt* · Nunn, J. (1996). *Ancient Egyptian Medicine* · Hippocrates, *Aphorisms* (tradition) · British Museum Conservation Report (2021)
Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 221 s of CPU.
Scenes Hathor has no parts for yet (3) — the next things to make
- Animated breakdown of the hieroglyphic signs on the false door.
- Animated breakdown of the hieroglyphic signs on the false door.
- Final black screen fades in simple white text: “Legacy of a Pioneer”.