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A beige excerpted page with black and red Egyptian text. A medical papyrus of herbal knowledge
Reproduction of the Ebers Papyrus General Collections. (Photo: Wellcome Images, Photo Number: L0016592)

The Ebers Papyrus from Egypt becomes the first known written text on the human body.

3000s BCE

SLA
TFCM
HISS
GLSO
Reproduction of the Ebers Papyrus General Collections. (Photo: Wellcome Images, Photo Number: L0016592)

The text describes what can be felt in physical examination: the pulse and recognition of disordered states. Mueller and Soyano (2021) write: "Herbs, substances of plant origin (oils, resins, etc.), or minerals were part of the ancient Egyptian pharmacopeia. A well-established system of medical care existed." While this is the first known written document about health care practices, many other systems of healing knowledge exist during this time period that are held in oral tradition rather than in the recorded, written form–as is the case also today.