Background:

Physicians were famous in ancient Egypt. They were in the same class as magicians. Most of them were also priests. This is because disease to the ancient Egyptian was a curse from god and getting well should be by standing the evil spirit that caused this illness. The ancient Egyptian world for physician is swnw. One of the most famous titles of a physician is also sS or both swnw-sS meaning the scribe physician or the scribe of the physician and this is very likely because they were supposed to be educated individuals. One of the most famous ancient physicians is Imhotep vizier of Djoser. Physicians should practice religious activities along with prescribing some elements using plants, herbs, seed and fruits. They also needed the help of magicians. Thus they are in one group and their duty was to heal. Our main sources of information are the medical papyri and the Ebers papyrus. Some deities were responsible to heal. Each one was responsible for a part of the body as referred to in the Book of the Dead.

The statue:

It dates back to the beginning of the 6th dynasty. It is made out of painted limestone. It was found at Giza. The strange position is due to some king of deformity or a person who was in the act of sitting down and adjusting his kilt. The facial features are not regular and rough. The eyes are not on the same level. The nose and mouth are improper. The hieroglyphic inscriptions on the base are the title of the physician snw; chief physician and ni anx ra; his name. The body of the statue is ill proportioned; the neck is too short and the muscles and hands are too small. Traces of color prove that it was one colored. The statue is an example for realism in art.