Egyptian Beekeepers, 25th Century BC

Egyptian Beekeepers, 25th Century BC

The oldest pictures of bee-keepers in action are from the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. In Niuserre's sun temple bee-keepers are blowing smoke into hives as they are removing the honey-combs. After extracting the honey from the combs it was strained and poured into earthen jars which were then sealed. Honey treated in this manner could be kept years. From the New Kingdom on, mentions of honey and depictions of its production become more frequent. One of Pharaoh's titles was Bee King, and the gods also were associated with the bee. The sanctuary in which Osiris was worshiped was the Hwt bjt, the Mansion of the Bee. Due to it's antiseptic and antifungal properties, honey was both used internally and externally, to soothe irritated skin, and aid in the healing of wounds and infections, Doctors of ancient Egypt put this property of honey to work, treating open wounds with honey to prevent infection. This treatment is described in the Edwin Smith Papyrus, and the method must have saved untold numbers of lives from deadly infections at pyramid work sites where scrapes, gashes, and cuts would have been common.

Album / Science Source / New York Public Library

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4857 x 1829 px | 25.4 MB

41.1 x 15.5 cm | 16.2 x 6.1 in (300 dpi)