The ancient Egyptian dwarfs of the pyramids: The high official and the female worker

Abstract

The existence of dwarfism is amply documented in ancient Egypt due to the rich biological and artistic legacies. In previous articles published in this journal, I discussed the roles of people with skeletal dysplasia in ancient Egyptian civilization. In this article I, along with my Egyptian and American colleagues, describe two skeletons of dwarfs that date to 2700-2184 BCE and were unearthed from a funerary complex near the Great Pyramids in Giza. The first skeleton belongs to a high official, Per-ni-ankh-w, who died between 45 and 50 years of age. His statue is on display in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. The second skeleton belongs to a pregnant female worker found with a fetus in situ. Her estimated age at death was 25-30 years. She most likely died during childbirth due to a small pelvic outlet as supported by her narrow sacrum. The fetal bones appear normal. Radiological examination of both skeletons confirmed the clinical diagnosis of achondroplasia. Ancient Egyptians concerned themselves with the search for spiritual fulfillment through the tradition of moral teachings. Amenemope, a wise man who lived during the reign of Amenhotep III (1391-1354 BCE), advocated respect toward individuals with disabilities: Do not jeer at a blind man nor tease a dwarf, Neither interfere with the condition of a cripple. Do not taunt a man who is in the hand of God, Nor scowl at him if he errs. In summary, artistic, biological, and written resources indicate that dwarfs were well integrated in ancient Egyptian society.

How Short Is Short, and Why? A Probable Case of Proportionate Dwarfism From Egypt's Third Intermediate Period in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt

“…Consequently, ancient Egyptian depictions of individuals with proportionate or disproportionate dwarfism may have incorporated characteristics of achondroplasia, regardless of the individual's actual appearance, to indicate the individual's short stature without compromising their portrayed social status according to artistic conventions (Nunn, : 78–79). Despite these challenges, the analysis of ancient Egyptian iconography demonstrates a significant social presence of dwarfs, and some scholars have taken this visibility as evidence that dwarfs may have been held in high esteem (Dawson, ; Salib, 1962; Brothwell, ; Dasen, : 156, ; Sullivan, 2001; Hebron, : 244; Kozma, , , ; Kozma et al ., ; Hernandez, ). However, it is also possible that dwarfism had little impact on the socioeconomic status of ancient Egyptians (Weeks, : 73; Hebron, : 189).…”

“…Some authors have attributed favourable social statuses to dwarfs that were closely associated with the royals and palaces. There are individuals with dwarfism that have held legitimately respected positions within the ancient Egyptian elite, such as Seneb, Knoumhotep, Djeho and Perniankhu (Dawson, ; Weeks, : 212; Dasen, , : 126–131; Kozma, ; Kozma et al ., ). Seneb was an Old Kingdom official who held several religious and administrative titles, including Overseer of the Iwhw and a leader of the Dwarfs of the Wardrobe.…”

“…It is known that pregnancy is possible with proportionate dwarfs, and existing evidence of disproportionate dwarfs having married and, in some cases, produced offspring (i.e. Giza pregnant dwarf worker, Seneb and Perniankhu; Weeks, : 212; Dasen, , : 130; Kozma, , ; Kozma et al ., ) could further support the view that dwarfs in ancient Egypt were able to participate in most, if not all, aspects of society.…”

Skeletal Dysplasia: an Analysis of Dwarfism in Ancient Egyptian Culture

“…The Old Kingdom was a peaceful and prosperous time, marked by the building of the pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Giza. Per-niankh-w was court official in the fifth or sixth Dynasty, the later part of the Old Kingdom (Kozma et al 2011(Kozma et al , 1817(Kozma et al -1824. This man was a well-documented individual, allowing for archaeologists to uncover several details regarding his life.…”

Interlocuções do mundo (in) visual: uma incursão a cerca da imagem do cego

“…Figura 7 -Músico cego tocando harpa,1422-11 a.C. Observa-se, como referido anteriormente, a posição da cabeça elevada e os olhos fechados denotando um confronto entre luz e sombras, além disso o fato do deficiente visual ter uma profissão é um indício de uma possível política social menos exclusiva no Egito. Kozma et al (2011) indica que os egípcios seguiam um código de conduta moraldescrito no manuscrito "Instruções de Amenemope" -o qual deliberava que deficientes em geral fossem respeitados. Além disso, os papiros de Ebers (propriedade da Universidade de Leipzig) e Brugsh (propriedade do Museu de Berlim), contém registros referentes a nomes de doenças oculares, medicamentos e procedimentos médicos para tratar dos olhos e das enfermidades que os acometiam, como por exemplo, conjuntivite, dores e hemorragias.…”