Medico-dermatological notions in Mesopotamian cuneiform sources

In the last decades the study of ancient Mesopotamian medicine has enjoyed a considerable popularity among Assyriological studies. The recent publications of both primary sources and secondary literature have shed new light on a field previously unknown to the general public. Among such activities, also contributions on dermatology have been provided. However, the theme is still lacking a comprehensive study offering, on the one hand, updated references on dermatological technical terms and considering, on the other, dermatological information from both scientific texts and sources outside the medical corpora. From this rich gamut of references, it is possible to reconstruct not only medical information concerning dermatological diagnosis, but also Mesopotamian common beliefs on skin ailments and diseases. The wide variety of genres displaying such data provides good arguments for the cultural-historical importance of skin appearance among ancient Mesopotamian civilizations. By comparing both medical and non-medical content, it will be shown how common beliefs on skin ailments and diseases were spread and shared among scholars and laymen.