Publication Date
3rd century AH / 9th century AD
Publication Place
-
Museum of Islamic Art
Subject
Cast brass.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الطول: 16.50 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
1/ 25319
Record ID
object;ISL;eg;Mus01;47;ar
Library Location
Museum of Islamic Art
Date
3rd century AH / 9th century AD
Notes
The piece is a long-handled surgical scalpel that ends with a sharp blade whose tip is thinner and wider than its handle. This scalpel was found along with a large group of surgical tools in excavations that took place in the city of Fustat - the first Islamic capital of Egypt, which was established in 21 AH / 641 AD. This group indicates the extent of progress in the field of medicine and surgery in Islamic Egypt. In general, Muslims excelled in the field of surgery in the early ages. Historical sources and manuscripts provide us with information attesting to the progress achieved by the science of surgery in all countries of the Islamic world. The Andalusian doctor Abu al-Qasim Khalaf bin al-Abbas al-Zahrawi (329-404 AH / 940-1013 AD) is perhaps the most famous Muslim surgeon. He pointed out that the surgeon must be familiar with anatomy and called for dissecting corpses to find out the cause of death and benefit from it in similar cases. One of Al-Zahrawi’s most famous works is his encyclopedia “Al-Tasrif for those who are unable to compose,” in which he described and illustrated more than one hundred and fifty surgical instruments. When performing surgical operations, Muslim surgeons were keen to sterilize the surgical site on the human body, and Al-Zahrawi mentioned different methods of sterilization. Muslim surgeons also knew several methods of anesthesia using olives, sugar, poppy, and the plant of St. Hassan. They also knew anesthesia by inhalation using a sponge dipped in the juice of hashish, opium, tares, and St. Hassan, then dried in the sun and re-moistened before performing the surgery. It was placed on the patient’s nose, so he went into a deep sleep, avoiding feeling the pain of the operation. Muslim surgeons used surgical sutures made from the intestines of animals such as cats. Al-Zahrawi taught his students how to sew wounds with magical internal stitches, similar to the sutures used in plastic surgery. Al-Zahrawi also told us about correcting deformities in the lip, ear, and nose, and vascular surgery. Muslim doctors practiced splinting bone fractures and used splints and bandages to treat fractures of the skull, shoulder, and arm. Perhaps the large numbers of medical and surgical tools that have arrived to us indicate the tremendous progress in the field of medicine and surgery in the Islamic world in an early period.
Sample Text
Salah Sayour "Surgical scalpel" in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;eg;Mus01;47;ar
