Healing in ancient Mesopotamia: the reliance on aquatic elements in magical-medical practices

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Abstract

The ancient Mesopotamian corpora regarding healing practices clearly show how fauna, flora and other natural elements were closely examined, transformed, and exploited, becoming materia magica and materia medica (i.e., ingredients required for remedy preparation). Naturally, not only the specialists who developed them but also the patients who received them became deeply dependent on these elements. Given the rich aquatic environment that characterized the Mesopotamian territory, the magical-medical repertoire comprised diverse references to aquatic elements. In this regard, we have been trying to intertwine the postulates of History of Religions and Environmental History to be applied to the study of ancient Mesopotamian healing practices. As such, with this paper we aim to present some considerations on the referred dependency, particularly focusing on aquatic elements (e.g., crabs, turtles) changing the traditional analytical focus which highlights the human’s specialists/patient’s relationship, to the human/non-human one.
Original languageEnglish
Pages1
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished - 22 Aug 2024
Event4th World Congress of Environmental History - University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Duration: 19 Aug 202423 Aug 2024

Conference

Conference4th World Congress of Environmental History
Country/TerritoryFinland
CityOulu
Period19/08/2423/08/24

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