First appearance and sense of the term “spinal column” in ancient Egypt

Abstract

In contemporary anatomical nomenclature terms have often been derived from an ancient perspective of the human body. The term "spinal column" was used in ancient Egypt, symbolized by the "djet column." The authors discuss the first appearance of the term "spinal column," taking the ancient Egyptian interaction between religion and daily life into consideration, and they describe the different segments of the spinal column known to the ancient Egyptians. Inspection of medical papyri provides insight into the knowledge held by ancient Egyptian physicians and embalmers. It is assumed that hieroglyphs were used to depict the different vertebral regions of the spinal column (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar). The knowledge was gleaned, in fact, in pursuit of religious goals. The djet might be an example of how anatomical knowledge can improve understanding of a symbol that was previously thought to have a primarily religious meaning. The authors maintain that modern medical knowledge is useful for making a more precise and anatomically correct interpretation of the presumed sense intended by the ancient Egyptians.