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The circumcision

In Saqqara, in Ankhmahon’s tomb. Visir of the Pharaoh Teti (Dynasty 2345 BC) there is a bas-relief with a representation of circumcision. The hieroglyphics illustrate the dialogue:
The operator laying on the floor on the left tells his assistant, who’s holding the patience’s arms:
“Hold it, quickly, don’t let it fall”
he answers
“I’ll do as you want”.
On the right, instead, the patient says:
“Rub it well, to make it efficacious”
and the operator answers:
“I’ll make it painless, pleasant”.
These last sentences let us suppose that the object in the operator’s hands, on the right, had an anesthetic use, others affirm that it is a sharp tool and that the word “rub” refers to the sharpening.
According to Nunn the circumcision has a ritual meaning to access virility instead of being an hygienic practice as it is usually thought.
This explains better the meaning of the presence of this scene in the dignitary’s tomb, if it refers to himself or to his children, but doesn’t explain the meaning of the dialogue.

From “The medical culture in Ancient Egypt” by Roberto Zacco.

 

The circumcision in Ancient Egypt "In ancient Egypt, circumcision was seen as a mark of passage from childhood to  adulthood. The alteration of the body and ritual of circumcision was intended to give access to ancient mysteries, which were reserved only for the initiated. To this day, the content of those mysteries are unclear but are likely to be myths, prayers, and enchantments that are central to Egyptian religion. For example, the Egyptian Book of the Dead tells of the sun god Ra cutting himself and creating two  guardian deities with his blood. The Egyptologist Emmanuel vicomte de Rougé interpreted this as an act of circumcision. Circumcisions were performed by priests in a public ceremony, using a stone blade. It is thought to have been more popular among the upper echelons of the society, although it was not universal and those lower down the social order are known to have had the procedure done.
Circumcision was also adopted by some Semitic cultures living in and around Egypt. In ther fifth century BC, Herodotus documented that circumcision was only practiced by the Egyptians, Colchians, Ethiopians, Phoenicians, the 'Syrians of
Palestine', and "the Syrians who dwell about the rivers Thermodon and Parthenius, as well as their neighbours the Macronians and Macrones". However, he also reported that "the Phoenicians, when they come to have commerce with the Greeks, cease to follow the Egyptians in this custom, therefore, they allowed their children to remain uncircumcised."   
It's clear that since the ancient Egyptians, the practice and reasoning behind circumcision has changed, especially with the advanced medical and health information technology in today's advanced world. However, in some countries and cultures, circumcision is still a powerful symbol of both religious and cultural practice, and is still holds value from the roots of the ancient Egyptians."

 

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