The science analyzed cuneiform tablets from the 1st to 2nd millennia BCE.
Ancient medical texts from Mesopotamia revealed the role of religion in healing practices. A study published in the journal Iraq showed that in some cases, patients were directed not only to medicines but also to temples - for what modern scholars would call psychological support or 'finding luck'.
A team led by Dr. Troels Arbelle analyzed cuneiform tablets from the 1st to 2nd millennia BCE containing medical prescriptions. A total of six texts were studied, most of which focused on ear diseases, while one addressed ailments of the spleen and pancreas. In these cases, the prescriptions unusually often mentioned the necessity of visiting shrines.
This is particularly noteworthy, as Mesopotamian medicine was generally quite practical and rarely included religious prescriptions. However, ear diseases and certain internal organ issues were somehow considered to require additional appeal to the gods. The reasons for this choice remain unclear: perhaps the ear was associated with the perception of divine wisdom, or these diseases were deemed potentially dangerous and difficult to cure.
The texts mention shrines of various gods, including Sin, Ninurta, Shamash, Ishtar, and Marduk. It was also allowed that the patient could appeal to a home altar. According to archaeological data, rituals, prayers, and offerings were performed in temples. In particular, votive figurines were found in the temple of the healing goddess Gula, which were likely left by the sick in hopes of recovery.
The authors concluded that such practices must have strengthened the patient's belief in the success of the treatment. Interestingly, all the studied texts place special significance on the 'sixth day', which was considered crucial for healing. However, it remains unclear whether this referred to a specific day of visiting the temple or a symbolic period during which the patient was to 'seek luck' alongside taking medicines.
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