Sanatoria in Græco-Roman Egypt : approaches to healing heritage

Author

Kitat, Sarah al-Sayyid

Source

المجلة العلمية لكلية السياحة و الفنادق

Publisher

Alexandria University Faculty of Tourism

Publication Date

2021-12-31

Country of Publication

Egypt

No. of Pages

17

Main Subjects

History and Archaeology

Topics

• Otolaryngology
• Chronic diseases
• Middle East
• Physical fitness
• Exercises
• Nasogastric intubation

English Abstract

Sanatoria is a health institution for patients of different diseases, particularly chronic diseases.

These health resorts present fresh-air treatment, heliotherapy, balanced diet, physical exercises and professional medical treatment.

By the 19^th century, sanatorium was used a successful therapeutic method for curing tuberculosis.

Building sanatoria expanded on large scale in Europe, America and reached as far as the Middle East including Egypt.

These centers became part of the healing heritage around the world.

Tracing the origin of the sanatoria, they coincide with the sanatoria in Græco-Roman Egypt.

Seeking for divine intervention, sanatoria were annexed to the temples of Egypt.

By the second century BCE, a small chamber in the upper terrace of the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir El-Bahari was used as health center.

The sanatorium of Dendara temple combined two therapeutic procedures; incubation and healing statues.

The temple of Seti I at Abydos and the temple of Imhotep at Memphis (Asklepeion) were well-known sanatoria for sick people.

The temples of Serapis and Isis at Canopus and Menouthis were described as healing centers.

The present paper throws the light on the devolvement of the sanatorium in the modern world
comparing it with the Egyptian sanatoria during the Hellenistic and Roman times.

The study aims to analyze the similarities between the same health resorts in two different times.

Furthermore, the paper throws the light on the differences between the concept of healing program applied in the sanatoria of Græco-Roman Egypt and those found around the world during the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Data Type

Conference Papers

Record ID

BIM-1307077

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• MLA
• AMA