bunnyjadwiga: (Default)
bunnyjadwiga ([personal profile] bunnyjadwiga) wrote2008-04-03 02:15 pm

Everyone's got to have a specialty, I guess

Someone was referred to me because I know a bunch about historical use of herbs. She's doing a paper on the Egyptian herbals, and was splashing about in search of narrowing her topic.
So, I thought I'd post my most useful responses here, in case someone else is doing the same thing.
The text she's working with is
Lise Manniche, An Ancient Egyptian Herbal,* which is generally considered a nice solid summary.
I suggested that she check out:
Guido Majno, The healing hand : man and wound in the ancient world which anyone interested in pre-modern medicine will find enlightening if somewhat disgusting (hint: there is good pus and bad pus.)
R.J. Forbes, Studies in Ancient Technology a nine-volume set that includes all sorts of information on Greek, Roman, and Egyptian technologies from engineering to perfume.
There is also the terrible Wallis Budge and his Divine Origin of the Craft of the Herbalist but I'd only use that to suggest alleyways to pursue in more reputable sources.
If I had access to it, which I don't now, I'd also suggest Dioscordies, De Materia Medica. There's a English translation from 1655 reprinted under the title The Greek herbal of Dioscorides.

Another text her instructor thought would be helpful is:
John F. Nunn, Ancient Egyptian medicine

Another fascinating book, with lovely pictures and some text from parchments, is:
James P. Allen, The art of medicine in ancient Egypt.

Manniche also wrote Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy, and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt which was well-recieved.

[identity profile] iasmin.livejournal.com 2008-04-03 07:39 pm (UTC)(link)
I buy copies of Majno's work and keep them around in case someone needs a gift. It's an excellent book. :) (Agreed on the Dioscorides too, btw. *booklust*)

[identity profile] ladypeyton.livejournal.com 2008-04-03 08:29 pm (UTC)(link)
If I had access to it, which I don't now, I'd also suggest Dioscordies, De Materia Medica. There's a English translation from 1655 reprinted under the title The Greek herbal of Dioscorides.

Hrm. I have access to the 1934 and the 1959 versions of the 1655 translation.

I was planning on ordering it in May after I'm done with the Agnus Castus.

[identity profile] iasmin.livejournal.com 2008-04-03 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Agnus Castus too is a great one. Have you gotten a copy of the Macer Floridus from the same press?

[identity profile] ladypeyton.livejournal.com 2008-04-04 12:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Poo. Unfortunately I can only access that in the original Latin or in German. All English translations in the libraries I can draw from only have the 1968 English translation in microfilm.

[identity profile] iasmin.livejournal.com 2008-04-04 03:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Hrm...perhaps look for a copy via JStor? I'm not really sure what to suggest (I'm not a librarian, just a book addict). I got mine through Bookfinder.com online. My copy's translator is Gosta Frisk, and the translation was produced by the Uppsala press that also produced my copy of the Agnus Castus (Gosta Brodin's doctoral dissertation):

Brodin, Gosta. (1950). _Agnus Castus: A Middle English Herbal reconstructed from Various Manuscripts_. Uppsala, Sweden: Almgvist & Wicksells Boktryckeri AB.