The Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple constructed during the Ptolemaic period. The temple was used as a sanatorium. It features a unique engraving that is thought to be among the first representations of medical and surgical instruments. At the time the relief was carved, Egyptian medical science was almost certainly the most advanced in the world.
The relief showing the medical tools can be found in the building’s rear, in the passageway that surrounds the main area. The depicted surgical instruments include scalpels, curettes, forceps, specula, scissors, medicine bottles, and prescriptions. The image also includes the two goddesses, Isis and Nephtys, seated on birthing chairs during labor.
