Overview

The Egyptians were good at practical first aid. They could reset dislocated joints, and they could mend broken bones.

As long as the problem was on the surface of the skin, Egyptian surgery could deal with it quite effectively. Egyptian doctors were excellent at bandaging - we know that they bound willow leaves into the bandages of patients with inflamed wounds (willow has antiseptic properties). They could also stitch wounds.

Archaeologists have found stone carvings in Egypt showing surgical instruments, and there are Egyptian papyri which speak of cautery and surgery. Egyptian surgery, however, did not venture inside the body.

Bronze surgical knives, from Egypt and Mesopotamia, c.600-200BC. Knives like these may have been used during mummification

Knives like these may have been used during mummification.

Egyptians doctors did not have anaesthetics, and had only herbal antiseptics - so successful surgical operations would have been extremely difficult for them to perform.