Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T11:55:08.584Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Otorhinolaryngological diseases in the minoan era

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

George Velegrakis
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Crete School of Medicine, Greece.
Charalambos Skoulakis
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Crete School of Medicine, Greece.
John Bizakis
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Crete School of Medicine, Greece.
John Segas
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Crete School of Medicine, Greece.
Emmanuel Helidonis*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Crete School of Medicine, Greece.
*
Professor E. Helidonis, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Crete, PO Box 1352, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Abstract

Minoan civilization was one of the civilizations of the past and flourished in the island of Crete between the years 2600 B.C. and 1100 B.C. Archaeological excavations brought to the light buildings and items, showing that the Minoans had an extensive knowledge about hygiene and health matters.

Among the items were idols, depicting anatomical parts of the human body and different pathological changes. These idols were offered by suffering people to gods and goddesses in order to beg for their help in curing them.

In a study carried out on idols kept in the Heraklion Museum, a number of interesting anatomical details and pathological changes, concerning the head and neck area were recognized.

Type
Historical Article
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alexiou, S. (1969). Minoan Civilisation (Alexiou, S., ed.), Heraklion, Crete, pp. 63107.Google Scholar
Doro, Levi (1925–26). Le cretule diAg. Triada e diZakro, Annuario, VIIIIX, pp. 71201.Google Scholar
Fauré, Paul. (1975). La vie Quotidienne en Crete au temps de Minos 1500 Av. JC. Libraire Hagette, Paris, p. 8.Google Scholar
Havakis, J. (1970). The Minoan Medicine, Publications ‘ZHTA’, Athens, p. 124.Google Scholar
Marinatos, S. (1929). The Protominoan tombs of Krasi. Archaeological Bulletin 1929: 119120.Google Scholar
Sakelarakis, J. (1985). The Heraklion Museum, Ekdotiki Athinon S.A., Athens, p. 9 and p. 91.Google Scholar