Supervisors info:
Vargas Escobar Arturo, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Ισπανικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας, Φιλοσοφική Σχολή
Δρόσος Δημήτριος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Ισπανικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας, Φιλοσοφική Σχολή
Μαυρίδης Σπυρίδων, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Ισπανικής Γλώσσας και Φιλολογίας, Φιλοσοφική Σχολή
Summary:
Some of the most important civilizations of the pre-Columbian period, settled in
Mesoamerica and in the central Andes during the classic and post-classic period, are
the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas. Their scientific achievements, in addition to
mathematics, astronomy, writing and architecture, also expand in the field of medicine.
This research work offers a synthesis of knowledge about pre-Columbian medicine.
Through a historical-cultural approach, the spatial, climatic, and temporal
circumstances that gave rise to the formation of the worldview of pre-Columbian
civilizations and their way of living in a dialectical sense with nature are presented.
Their concept of health-disease is analyzed according to their perception of the cosmos;
in this sense, a diagram of the natural and supernatural factors that, according to these
peoples, determine the origin of diseases is offered. The categories of their main
therapists with the various specialties, as a fundamental part of the organization of their
health models, and some of their diagnostic and healing methods are presented. The
objective is to demonstrate the importance of these therapeutic practices, some of which
are still in force today under the general name of traditional indigenous medicine, and
to expose the causes that demand the need for their preservation
Keywords:
pre-Columbian medicine, health, disease, healing methods, indigens
