An Elixir of Youth: Papyrus Edwin Smith vso 4,9-5,10

Abstract

  The contribution provides a new interpretation of Papyrus Edwin Smith 21,9-22,10 = Vso 4,9-5,10: a medical formula for the transformation of age to youth. The article explains the detailed instructions for its preparation and shows furthermore, that some of the described steps in this are completely unnecessary from a modern scientific point of view. In particular these unnecessary steps in preparation provide reconstruction of the underlying specific emic/ancient Egyptian concept of this formula. Furthermore, this article discusses the possible identification of the drug HmA.yt, which has previously been translated so far as “bitter almond” (“Bittermandel”) or “fenugreek” (“Bockshornklee”) and suggests translation as “mustard (seed)” (“Senf”).