Ancient Egypt in Seattle
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Dr. W. Benson Harer Jr., of Seattle, an OB/gyn by profession and an amateur Egyptologist by passion, learned about a case of female genital herpes from a centuries-old medical text written on papyrus. Examining photos of papyrus scrolls, records of a mummy autopsy and clay figures, Harer has found indications of herpes, chlamydia and cervical cancer. In one ancient medical text, the image of a knife is used to convey pain associated with ulcerated sores of the vulva, a sign Harer says suggests the herpes virus.
His interest in sexually transmitted diseases in a long-ago civilization may be the ultimate proof that no aspect of ancient Egypt has gone unstudied, a fact that was in evidence this weekend as 300-plus Egypt scholars gathered from around the world to discuss all about Egypt. The event is the 59th annual meeting of The American Research Center in Egypt, a nonprofit formed to facilitate American study in Egypt and to strengthen cultural ties between the countries.
Americans’ fascination with ancient Egypt persists partly because “it presents us with two very different faces,” said Gerry D. Scott III, the center’s director, who is based in Cairo, Egypt. “It’s a combination of things that are familiar, that strike a chord with us, and things that are mysterious, that are alluring.”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004370166_egypt24m.html
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