Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo 2015 Volume 143, Issue 9-10, Pages: 639-643
https://doi.org/10.2298/SARH1510639P
Full text ( 244 KB)
Representations of lancet or phlebotome in Serbian medieval art
Pajić Sanja (Faculty of Philology and Arts, Department of Applied and Fine Arts, Kragujevac)
Jurišić Vladimir (Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kragujevac)
The topic of this study are representations of lancet or phlebotome in
frescoes and icons of Serbian medieval art. The very presence of this medical
instrument in Serbian medieval art indicates its usage in Serbian medical
practices of the time. Phlebotomy is one of the oldest forms of therapy,
widely spread in medieval times. It is also mentioned in Serbian medical
texts, such as Chilandar Medical Codex No. 517 and Hodoch code, i.e.
translations from Latin texts originating from Salerno-Montpellier school.
Lancet or phlebotome is identified based on archaeological finds from the
Roman period, while finds from the Middle Ages and especially from Byzantium
have been scarce. Analyses of preserved frescoes and icons has shown that, in
comparison to other medical instruments, lancet is indeed predominant in
Serbian medieval art, and that it makes for over 80% of all the
representations, while other instruments have been depicted to a far lesser
degree. Examination of written records and art points to the conclusion that
Serbian medieval medicine, both in theory and in practice, belonged entirely
to European traditions of the period.
Keywords: medieval medicine, medical instruments, holy physicians, history of medicine, Serbian medicine
Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike
Srbije, br. 178018 i br. 175056