CONCEPTS OF DEAD AMONG ANCIENT CIVILIZATION 27 



Since the ancient Egyptian regarded life beyond the grave 

 as a certainty, his tomb became a house of eternity, a suitable 

 refuge for his immortal spirit. Because of this, he was not so much 

 interested in making an accurate reproduction of his earthly 

 dwelling, but rather planned to make it as permanent, safe and 

 impregnable as possible. By the year of 3000 B.C., the simple grave 

 had evolved into a bricklined or rock-cut chamber, surrounded 

 by annex rooms, all of which ^vere approached from the ground 

 level by a long stairway. From a simple sand mound, a superstruc- 

 ture of masonry developed, which was rectangular and flat-topped. 

 The next step was in the direction of the impressive, pyramidal 

 form which was adopted around 2780-2720 B.C. Other less im- 

 posing types of tombs followed this period. The pyramids were 

 constructed for the sovereigns to avoid stealing of mummies until 

 such time, thousands of years in the future, when the spirit would 

 be in a position to return (Addison, '32; Reisner, '12; Wieder- 

 mann, 1895). 



Thus it can be seen that there were too many factors working 

 against the practice of human dissection in early Egyptian times 

 to make this a noteworthy anatomical period. These were in- 

 herent in the customs and religious beliefs which existed. Since 

 the body was opened in preparation for mummification, the pre- 

 cursor of the anatomist was born in Egypt. The embalmers un- 

 doubtedly obtained some information about human viscera. 



What anatomical information is known about this interval 

 has come down to us in the form of a notable scroll, the Edwin 

 Smith Papyrus (1600 B.C.). This is a surgical rather than an ana- 

 tomical treatise. References, however, were made to certain bones 

 in the human body, as well as to the heart and brain. That on 

 the heart and its connections, is judged to be remarkable when 

 taking into account the chronological period. In respect to the 

 central nervous system, the convoluted appearance of the brain 

 was described and the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid were 

 mentioned (Elsberg, '31). 



During a part of this epoch, namely 1502 B.C., there was 

 another medical document, known as the Eber's Papyrus. Refer- 

 ring to the pulse it stated: "the heart speaks in all the limbs"; 

 they, therefore, believed in the presence of vessels. This was dis- 



