--- Assumpta Kintu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Mr. Kipenji, > Thank you for this scholarstic, academic, historic, > cultural piece which every African should know > about!!!!! > > I do encourage everyone whose computer has the > capabilites to visit these numerous sites. Trust me > you will not be sorry. > > While at it, remember Egypt is the "CRADLE OF > CIVILIZATION" regardless of what "other people with > egos" wants you to believe. Also recall that the > oldest "remains of man" were found in Africa by the > Leakeys, specifically, Kenya. Jesus was actually an > African!!!!! Whoops!! Did I say that aloud?? > Africans, Keep your civilization alive!!!!!! > While at it, have a great new week! > amk > > --- Owor Kipenji <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > Imhotep, Doctor, Architect, High Priest, Scribe > and > > Vizier to King Djoser > > by Jimmy Dunn > > > > Of the non royal population of Egypt, probably one > > man is known better then all others. So successful > > was Imhotep (Imhetep, Greek Imouthes) that he is > one > > of the world's most famous ancients, and his name, > > if not his true identity, has been made even more > > famous by various mummy movies. Today, the world > is > > probably much more familiar with his name then > that > > of his principal king, Djoser. Imhotep, who's > name > > means "the one that comes in peace". existed as a > > mythological figure in the minds of most scholars > > until the end of the nineteenth century when he > was > > established as a real historical person. > > > > He was the world's first named architect who built > > Egypt's first pyramid, is often recognized as the > > world's first doctor, a priest,. scribe, sage, > poet, > > astrologer, and a vizier and chief minister, > though > > this role is unclear, to Djoser (reigned 2630–2611 > > BC), the second king of Egypt's third dynasty. He > > may have lived under as many as four kings. An > > inscription on one of that kings statues gives us > > Imhotep's titles as the "chancellor of the king of > > lower Egypt", the "first one under the king", the > > "administrator of the great mansion", the > > "hereditary Noble", the "high priest of > Heliopolis", > > the "chief sculptor", and finally the "chief > > carpenter". > > > > Of the details of his life, very little has > survived > > though numerous statues and statuettes of him have > > been found. Some show him as an ordinary man who > is > > dressed in plain attire. Others show him as a sage > > who is seated on a chair with a roll of papyrus on > > his knees or under his arm. Later, his statuettes > > show him with a god like beard, standing, and > > carrying the ankh and a scepter. > > > > > > Inscription with the names of Netjerikhet (Djoser) > > and Imhotep > > > > Imhotep may have been born in Ankhtowë, a suburb > of > > Memphis early in Egyptian history. However, other > > classical writers suggested that he was from the > > village of Gebelein, south of ancient Thebes. His > > father might have been an architect named Kanofer. > > His mother could have been Khreduonkh, who > probably > > belonged to the province of Mendes, and he may > have > > had a wife named Ronfrenofert but none of this is > > by any means certain. As a commoner at birth, he > > rose through the ranks quickly due to his genius, > > natural talents and dedication. > > > > As the High Priest of Heliopolis, he would have > been > > one of the chief priest of Lower (northern) Egypt. > > Even though Egypt's capital may have been located > at > > Memphis, it is likely during this period that > > Heliopolis was recognized as the religious capital > > of Egypt. > > > > As a builder, Imhotep is the first master > architects > > who we know by name. He is not only credited as > the > > first pyramid architect, who built Djoser's Step > > Pyramid complex at Saqqara, but he may have had a > > hand in the building of Sekhemkhet's unfinished > > pyramid, and also possibly with the establishment > of > > the Edfu Temple, but that is not certain. The Step > > Pyramid remains today one of the most brilliant > > architecture wonders of the ancient world and is > > recognized as the first monumental stone > structure. > > > > Imhotep's best known writings were medical text. > As > > a physician, Imhotep is believed to have been the > > author of the Edwin Smith Papyrus in which more > than > > 90 anatomical terms and 48 injuries are described. > > He may have also founded a school of medicine in > > Memphis, a part of his cult center possibly known > as > > "Asklepion, which remained famous for two thousand > > years. All of this occurred some 2,200 years > before > > the Western Father of Medicine Hippocrates was > born. > > > > Sir William Osler tells us that Imhotep was the: > > > > "..first figure of a physician to stand out > clearly > > from the mists of antiquity." Imhotep diagnosed > and > > treated over 200 diseases, 15 diseases of the > > abdomen, 11 of the bladder, 10 of the rectum, 29 > of > > the eyes, and 18 of the skin, hair, nails and > > tongue. Imhotep treated tuberculosis, gallstones, > > appendicitis, gout and arthritis. He also > performed > > surgery and practiced some dentistry. Imhotep > > extracted medicine from plants. He also knew the > > position and function of the vital organs and > > circulation of the blood system. The Encyclopedia > > Britannica says, "The evidence afforded by > Egyptian > > and Greek texts support the view that Imhotep's > > reputation was very respected in early times. His > > prestige increased with the lapse of centuries and > > his temples in Greek times were the centers of > > medical teachings." > > > > Along with medicine, he was also a patron of > > architects, knowledge and scribes. James Henry > > Breasted says of Imhotep: > > > > "In priestly wisdom, in magic, in the formulation > of > > wise proverbs; in medicine and architecture; this > > remarkable figure of Zoser's reign left so notable > a > > reputation that his name was never forgotten. He > was > > the patron spirit of the later scribes, to whom > they > > regularly poured out a libation from the water-jug > > of their writing outfit before beginning their > work. > > > > > > Imhotep is one example of the "personality cult" > of > > Kemet, whereby a learned sage or otherwise > > especially venerated person could be deified after > > death and become a special intercessor for the > > living, much as the saints of Roman Catholicism. > > About 100 years after his death, he was elevated > as > > a medical demigod. In about 525, around 2,000 > years > > after his death, he was elevated to a full god, > and > > replaced Nefertum in the great triad at Memphis. > In > > the Turin Canon, he was known as the "son of > Ptah". > > Imhotep was, together with Amenhotep, the only > > mortal Egyptians that ever reached the position of > > full gods. He was also associated with Thoth, the > > god of wisdom, writing and learning, and with the > > Ibises, which was also associated with Thoth. > > > > We are told that his main centers of worship were > in > > the Ptolemaic temple to Hathor atf Dier el-Medina > > and at Karnak in Thebes, where he was worshipped > in > === message truncated ===
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