Credit: Four credit hours

Course Description: This interdisciplinary class is designed to study health and disease in ancient Egypt from the perspective of medicine, biology and Egyptology. After introductory lectures in both disciplines, the course will focus on human remains from ancient Egypt and the application of modern laboratory techniques to bone, tissue and DNA. This course will include lab assignments and fieldtrips (TBA).

Instructors: Dr. Lisa Sabbahy (Egyptology) and Dr. Rania Siam (Biology)

Textbooks: Reader to be compiled by the instructors.

Course Outline:

Class 1; Introduction to ancient Egypt: geography, environment, and chronology.

Class 2: Overview of ancient Egyptian history, religion, and monuments.

Class 3: Infectious agents: introduction to bacteria, viruses and parasites

Class 4; Infectious diseases: signs, symptoms and diagnosis

Class 5: Studying disease in ancient Egypt and the contribution of new technologies

Class 6: Doctors, medical texts, prescriptions, and diet.

Class 7: Daily life, household cults, magicians, and amulets

Class 8: Overview of a cell and genetic materials

Class 9: DNA and molecular biology studies

Class 10: Ancient DNA studies

Class 11: Introduction toanatomy and anatomical studies in ancient Egypt

Class 12: Funerary beliefs and practices: focus on burials

Class 13: Mummification and the Royal Mummy caches

Class 14: Class reports

Class 15: Class reports