Ocular Diseases in Ancient Greek Art

Although ancient Greek physicians studied a great number of ocular diseases in their medical texts such as glaucoma, cataract, trachoma, chalazion, trichiasis, entropion, ectropion and pterygion, in ancient Greek art there were only few examples which represent ophthalmic diseases. These examples...

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Main Authors: Konstantinos Laios, Marilita M. Moschos, George Androutsos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences 2016-05-01
Series:Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://rhm.ir/index.php/rhm/article/view/228
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author Konstantinos Laios
Marilita M. Moschos
George Androutsos
author_facet Konstantinos Laios
Marilita M. Moschos
George Androutsos
author_sort Konstantinos Laios
collection DOAJ
description Although ancient Greek physicians studied a great number of ocular diseases in their medical texts such as glaucoma, cataract, trachoma, chalazion, trichiasis, entropion, ectropion and pterygion, in ancient Greek art there were only few examples which represent ophthalmic diseases. These examples are found especially in portraits, and the ophthalmological disease is an important feature of the portrait of a depicted person. A majority of these portraits date back to Hellenistic times except for few examples dated in prehistoric years. Although votive limbs in the form of eyes were a common dedication in the shrines of ancient healing gods as the shrines of Asklepios and Amphiaraos, one could expect the presentations of ocular diseases; all these had no pathological sings. Nevertheless, these representations of ocular diseases should be distinguished from the monstrous fgures of ancient Greek mythology which remind of ophthalmological pathologies such as the Cyclops who had one eye and Argos Panoptis with more than two, because these are fantastic fgures of mythology far from reality
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spelling doaj.art-d0414c689f7b44e19b32c92d603a7a292022-12-21T18:59:53ZengShiraz University of Medical SciencesJournal of Research on History of Medicine2251-886X2251-886X2016-05-01525767Ocular Diseases in Ancient Greek ArtKonstantinos Laios0Marilita M. Moschos1George Androutsos2Medical School, University of AthensFirst Ophthalmological Clinic, Medical School, University of AthensMedical School, University of AthensAlthough ancient Greek physicians studied a great number of ocular diseases in their medical texts such as glaucoma, cataract, trachoma, chalazion, trichiasis, entropion, ectropion and pterygion, in ancient Greek art there were only few examples which represent ophthalmic diseases. These examples are found especially in portraits, and the ophthalmological disease is an important feature of the portrait of a depicted person. A majority of these portraits date back to Hellenistic times except for few examples dated in prehistoric years. Although votive limbs in the form of eyes were a common dedication in the shrines of ancient healing gods as the shrines of Asklepios and Amphiaraos, one could expect the presentations of ocular diseases; all these had no pathological sings. Nevertheless, these representations of ocular diseases should be distinguished from the monstrous fgures of ancient Greek mythology which remind of ophthalmological pathologies such as the Cyclops who had one eye and Argos Panoptis with more than two, because these are fantastic fgures of mythology far from realityhttp://rhm.ir/index.php/rhm/article/view/228Ocular DiseasesAncient Greek ArtPortraitFigurines
spellingShingle Konstantinos Laios
Marilita M. Moschos
George Androutsos
Ocular Diseases in Ancient Greek Art
Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Ocular Diseases
Ancient Greek Art
Portrait
Figurines
title Ocular Diseases in Ancient Greek Art
title_full Ocular Diseases in Ancient Greek Art
title_fullStr Ocular Diseases in Ancient Greek Art
title_full_unstemmed Ocular Diseases in Ancient Greek Art
title_short Ocular Diseases in Ancient Greek Art
title_sort ocular diseases in ancient greek art
topic Ocular Diseases
Ancient Greek Art
Portrait
Figurines
url http://rhm.ir/index.php/rhm/article/view/228
work_keys_str_mv AT konstantinoslaios oculardiseasesinancientgreekart
AT marilitammoschos oculardiseasesinancientgreekart
AT georgeandroutsos oculardiseasesinancientgreekart