History and culture of ancient India. Ancient India

Geographical ideas of the ancient East

Scientific geographical knowledge, or rather its rudiments, appeared during the slave system. Society begins to divide into classes, and the first slave states are formed - Phenicia, China, India, Assyria, Egypt. During this period, people began to use metal tools, use irrigation in agriculture, and develop cattle breeding. Then crafts appeared, and the exchange of goods between different peoples expanded. But, without good knowledge of the area, all these actions would be impossible.

Some geographical information is available in ancient monuments Chinese writing, appeared in the $VII-III$ centuries BC. So, for example, in "Yugong" mountains, rivers, vegetation, tax system, transport, etc. are described.

A number of geographical studies were carried out by Chinese scientists - Zhang Rong revealed the relationship between the speed of water flow and runoff. Based on this, measures were subsequently developed to regulate the river. Yellow River. The Chinese had instruments to determine wind direction and precipitation.

Not only China, but also India is the oldest center of culture. "Veda"- written monuments of the ancient Hindus, in addition to religious hymns, contain information about the peoples of India, about the nature of its regions. The Vedas mention such objects as the Indus, Ganges, and the Himalayan mountains. The Hindus were familiar with Ceylon and Indonesia and knew the route through the high deserts of Tibet. They had a good calendar, and there was information that our planet rotates around its axis, and the Moon shines by reflected sunlight.

Babylonians, who lived in the middle reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates, penetrated into the central part of Asia Minor and, according to experts, could reach the Black Sea coast.

On the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea lived Phoenicians, brave sailors of the ancient world. Their main occupation was maritime trade, they carried on throughout the entire Mediterranean Sea and the western coast of Europe. It was they who made a remarkable journey around Africa on the orders of the Egyptian pharaoh Necho.

Egyptians could determine the length of the year and introduced the solar calendar, they also knew the sundial. Nevertheless, having real practical experience, in theoretical terms the peoples of the ancient East retained a mythological character. For example, the ancient Egyptians imagined the Earth as a flat, elongated rectangle, surrounded on all sides by mountains.

Note 1

Taking all this into account, we can say that geography arose in ancient times, and this was associated with the practical activities of people - hunting, fishing, primitive agriculture. The first slave states arose along large rivers and natural boundaries - mountains and deserts. The first written documents appeared, which reflected the geographical knowledge of the peoples of the ancient East with a description of the then known part of the Earth.

Geographical ideas of ancient scientists

The views of ancient scientists among the geographical ideas of the ancient world are of particular importance. Ancient geography reached its heyday in Ancient Greece and Rome from the 12th century. BC. – $146$ AD This is explained, first of all, by a very favorable geographical position on the routes from Western Asia to the southern and western countries of the Mediterranean.

The earliest written documents of the Greeks are epic poems "Iliad" And "Odyssey", from which one can get an idea of ​​the geographical knowledge of this era. For example, the Greeks imagined the earth as an island shaped like a convex shield. They knew the countries adjacent to the Aegean Sea, some information about Africa, about the nomadic peoples who lived north of Greece.

The ancient Greeks attempted to compile geographical maps of the territories known to them. Parmenides, a Greek thinker, put forward the idea that the Earth is spherical, however, he came to this conclusion not experimentally, but based on his philosophy.

Many works of geographical content were written Aristotle. One of the works was called “Meteorology”, which was the pinnacle of the geographical science of Antiquity. Considering the issue of the water cycle, the formation of clouds and precipitation, he concludes that rivers carry their waters to the seas in a volume that is equal to the amount of evaporated water, so the sea level remains stable. He also wrote about earthquakes, thunder, lightning, trying to determine the reasons for their formation. It was not only natural phenomena that interested the scientist. He makes an attempt to connect the influence of natural factors on a person and his behavior. As a result, Aristotle comes to the conclusion that people living in areas with cold climates have a masculine character, but less developed intelligence and artistic interest. They are incapable of state life, retain their freedom longer and cannot dominate their neighbors.

The peoples inhabiting Asia have artistic taste and are very intellectual. Their disadvantage is a lack of courage, so they live in a slave state.

The name of the second greatest Greek scientist is Herodotus. His works were of great importance for geography, the value of which stems from his personal travels and observations. Herodotus not only visited, but also described Egypt, Libya, Palestine, and Persia. He described the nearest part of India, Scythia, and the shores of the Caspian and Black Seas.

Herodotus's work entitled "History in Nine Books" after the death of the scientist, it was divided into nine parts - according to the number of muses, and each individual part was named after them. “History” of Herodotus, on the one hand, is a generalizing historical and geographical work, and on the other hand, it is the most important monument of travel and discovery. Herodotus's travels did not contribute to the discovery of new lands, but they helped to accumulate more complete and reliable information about the Earth.

A new geographical direction arose in Hellenistic era($330-146$ BC), which later received the name of mathematical geography. The most prominent representative of this trend was Eratosthenes. In his work entitled "Geographical Notes", he uses the term “geography” for the first time. In the book, the scientist gives a description of the Oikumene, examines issues of mathematical and physical geography, thus uniting all three areas under one name, therefore he is considered the true “father” of geographical science. Unfortunately, Eratosthenes’ “Geography” has not survived to this day.

Note 2

In addition to the listed scientists, it is necessary to name the names of other ancient geographers, such as Strabo, the materialist philosopher Democritus, Gaius Plinius Secunda the Elder, Titus Lucretius Carus, Claudius Ptolemy, etc.

Roman scientists of this period created generalizing geographical works, which attempted to show all the diversity of the known world. The campaigns and wars waged by the Romans provided a lot of material for geography. All accumulated material was processed mainly by Greek scientists - Strabo and Ptolemy. Greek by origin, Ptolemy lived in Egypt in the 2nd century AD. His geographical views are presented in the book “Geographical Guide”. The volume of geographical material that Ptolemy had at his disposal was much wider than that of Strabo.

It must be said that up to the $15th century. Geographers of the most developed countries of the world added almost nothing to the existing geographical knowledge of the Greeks and Romans. Two paths for the development of geographical science were outlined with sufficient clarity:

1. Description of individual countries - Herodotus, Strabo;
2. Description of the entire Earth as a single whole - Eratosthenes, Ptolemy, who was the most outstanding and last representative of ancient mathematical geography. In his view, the main task of geography was to create maps. The most perfect map of the ancient world was compiled by C. Ptolemy in the $2nd century. AD It was subsequently published several times in the Middle Ages.

Both paths have survived to this day. Significant geographical knowledge was thus accumulated during the era of the slave system. Establishing the sphericity of the Earth, measuring its size, drawing up geographical maps, and writing the first geographical works were the main achievements of geography of that time. Attempts have been made to provide a scientific explanation for the physical phenomena occurring on Earth.

Note 3

Ancient scientists created the first written documents, which gave ideas about the geographical knowledge of the peoples of the ancient East, and described a known part of the Earth.

One of the oldest states, India, is located on the Hindustan Peninsula. Over the course of centuries and millennia, nomads, farmers, and traders entered India. Therefore, the formation of knowledge about the surrounding world, people’s economic activities, and the development of scientific ideas did not occur in isolation, but under the influence of other peoples.

Tools, household items, culture, art, and religion found during archaeological excavations made it possible to restore in general terms the features of the life and economic activities of the population of Ancient India.

Experts suggest that the Indus Valley was developed earlier than the Ganges Valley. People were engaged in agriculture, various crafts, and trade. In their free time, residents loved to listen to music, sing, dance, and play various outdoor games in nature.

Among the sources that have come down to us, revealing the ideas of the ancient Indians about nature, health and disease, a special place is occupied by written monuments - the Vedas. The Vedas are a collection of hymns and prayers, but for us they are interesting because they contain specific natural science and medical knowledge. According to some sources, the creation of the Vedas dates back to the 2nd millennium BC, according to others - to the 9th - 6th centuries. BC e.

According to the Vedas, the disease was explained by the uneven combination of five (according to other sources - three) juices of the human body in accordance with the five elements of the world: earth, water, fire, air and ether. Their harmonious combination was considered a condition without which there is no health. Among the causes of disease, important importance was attached to errors in food, addiction to wine, physical overexertion, hunger, and previous diseases. It was argued that the state of health is influenced by climatic conditions, age, and the mood of the patient.

In the valleys of large Indian rivers with high humidity and high temperatures during the hot season, many diseases raged, killing thousands of people.

Of the signs of individual diseases, the symptoms of malaria, anthrax, elephantiasis, icteric-hemoglobinuric fever, skin and genitourinary diseases were well described. Cholera was considered one of the most terrible diseases. People of the Vedic period knew that plague was the result of a previous epizootic among rodents, that rabies in humans begins with the bite of a rabid animal, and leprosy is the result of prolonged contact between a healthy person and a sick person.

In the system of medical knowledge, important importance was attached to diagnosis. The doctor was primarily charged with the duty of “unraveling the disease and only then proceeding with treatment.”

The professional value of a doctor, according to Vedic literature, was determined by the degree of his practical and theoretical training. These two sides must be in complete harmony. “A doctor who neglects theoretical knowledge is like a bird with a cut wing.”

The richness of the flora and fauna of India predetermined the creation of many medicines, which, according to sources of that time, numbered more than a thousand. Some of them have not yet been studied. Among animal products, milk, fat, oil, blood, glands, and animal bile were widely consumed. Mercury, copper and iron compounds, arsenic, and antimony were used to cauterize ulcers, treat eye and skin diseases, and for oral administration.

Mercury and its salts were especially widely used: “A doctor familiar with the healing properties of roots is a man who knows the power of prayers - a prophet, and one who knows the effect of mercury is a god.” Mercury was known as a panacea for many diseases. Mercury vapor killed harmful insects.

In Ancient India they knew about the medicinal properties of various muds, as evidenced by references to mud therapy, which was recommended for many diseases known at that time.

The gradual accumulation of knowledge from the field of botany and chemistry, which began since the time of the Vedas, increasingly contributed to the development of pharmacology in India.

When examining the patient, not only his age was taken into account, but also the natural conditions of the place of residence, as well as the patient’s occupation. The medicine of Ancient India was familiar to many peoples.

Key words: Vedas, anthrax, cholera.

On the territory of Ancient India, or rather in the north-west of the Hindustan Peninsula, in the third millennium BC there were two centers of civilization: the Harappans and Mohenjo-Daro. Science knows very little about the culture of these civilizations, since the writing of the peoples who inhabited this territory still remains a mystery. It is impossible to name names and trace specific routes of travelers. But archaeological excavations provide indirect evidence that the civilization of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro conducted intensive trade with Mesopotamia and Indochina. Not far from Bombay, the remains of an ancient shipyard dating back to the times of the Indus civilization were found. The size of the shipyard is amazing: 218x36 m. Its length is almost twice that of the Phoenicians. At the beginning of our era, Indians began to trade with Sumatra, Java and other islands of the Malay Archipelago. Indian colonization began to spread in this direction. The Indians also penetrated into the central regions of Indochina before the Chinese.

11. Travel and geographical knowledge in Ancient China.

The civilization of Ancient China arose in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. e. in the Juan River basin. By the end of the 2nd millennium BC. The Chinese settled throughout East Asia, reaching the banks of the Amur River in the north and the southern tip of the Indochina Peninsula. In Ancient China, spatial ideas about the surrounding world were also not limited to the borders of their country. Chinese travelers were well aware of the geography of China. The ancient Chinese not only sailed along their rivers, but also sailed their ships into the Pacific Ocean. Already during the Shan-Yin dynasty (XVII - XII centuries BC), the Chinese state had overseas colonies. You can learn about this from the “Shan Odes”, in one of the parts of the Book of Songs. In the 11th century BC. When one of the emperors of the Zhou dynasty ascended the throne, he was presented with a ship as a gift. The fact that sea travel was an integral part of the life of Ancient China is evidenced by the fact that the ruler of the kingdom of Qi in the 6th century BC. sailed on a ship at sea for six months for research purposes. The Chinese philosopher Confucius spent more than 13 years as a traveling teacher. In addition to trading and pleasure ships, there were also powerful warships in Ancient China. The chronicler reports a major naval battle between the kingdoms of Wu and Qi in 485 BC. It is known that in these kingdoms there were special shipyards where military and civilian ships, as well as ships for government officials and ambassadors, were built. To intensify trade in Ancient China from the 7th century. BC. detailed geographical overviews were created, which can be considered as a prototype of a guidebook. They described not only natural conditions, but also economy, transport, etc. During the Zhangguo era, pilgrimage and scientific tourism began in China. The priests went to Bohai Bay (Yellow Sea) to the islands of Penglai and Yingzhou, where elders lived who held the secret of immortality. Another example of the Chinese people's deep knowledge of geography is the construction of the Great Wall of China. Its construction, which began in the 4th century. BC, proves the excellent knowledge of the Chinese in the field of physical geography. The wall ran clearly along the border separating the steppe regions where nomads lived from the agricultural ones. The intensity of travel in Ancient China increased in the 3rd century. BC. during the Han Dynasty. This was facilitated by two factors: a) the presence of well-developed communications in the country, b) liberalization of political life. The most famous traveler of Ancient China was Sima Qian. Three great journeys of Sima Qian are known, which took place in the period 125 - 120 BC. The first is to the southwest and northwest of China. Along the lower reaches of the Yellow River, Sima Qian walked through the valleys of the Huaihe and Yangtze rivers to Lake Taihu. Further, south of the Yangtze and through Zheejiang, he arrived in the last possession of China in the south, the province of Hunan. The return journey passed along the Xiangjiang River, Lake Dong-tinghu, the lower reaches of the Yangtze and further to the north. The second is the areas newly conquered by China in the southwest. Through Sichuan and Yunnan Province, Sima Qian reached the Chinese border with Burma. The third is to the northwest along the Great Wall of China to Gansu Province. Sima Qian not only traveled, but also described his travels in detail. He is called the “father of Chinese historiography”, in European literature the “Chinese Herodotus”. His “Historical Notes” became a kind of standard for subsequent historians. Sy-ma Qian described in most detail the northern neighbors of China - the Huns, who in the 3rd century. BC. created a military-tribal alliance. His works also provide geographical information about China's southwestern neighbors, such as Korea.

Fa Xian was a Buddhist monk and traveler - from 399 to 414 he traveled throughout most of inner Asia and India. It is believed that his journey began the ongoing cultural cooperation between China and India. He left notes about his trip. Biographical information about Fa Xiang is scarce. It is known that he was born in Shaanxi province and spent his childhood in a Buddhist monastery. Having become a monk and discovering gaps in the laws of Buddhist teachings then known in China, Fa Xian decided to make a pilgrimage to India for complete copies of the laws. Since the 4th century AD. e. In China, Buddhism flourished, which penetrated from India and spread in the country from the 1st century. Buddhism had a huge influence on the development of Chinese culture. Pilgrims—Buddhist monks—were heading from China to India, making their way through the deserts and high mountain passes of Central Asia. One of them was Fa Xian, who left a deep mark in historical and geographical literature. In 399, with a group of pilgrims, he set out from his hometown of Xi'an (Chang'an) northwest across the Loess Plateau and further along the southern edge of the sandy deserts of northwestern China. Fa Xian writes about the difficulty of this part of the path in his diary: “There are evil geniuses in the sand stream, and the winds are so burning that when you meet them, you die, and no one can avoid it. You don’t see any birds in the sky, or four-legged on the ground". Pilgrims had to find their way along the bones of those who set out on the journey before them. Having walked along the “silk” road to Mount Boxiangzi, the pilgrims turned west and, after a seventeen-day journey, reached the wandering Lake Lop Nor. Near this lake, in an area now sparsely inhabited, in the time of Fa Xian there was an independent state of Shenshen, and the traveler met here a population familiar with Indian culture. At the end of the 19th century, N. M. Przhevalsky, when visiting Lop Nor, observed the preserved ruins of Shenshen, which confirmed the existence of a large cultural center here in the past. After staying at Lop Nor for a month, the travelers headed northwest and, having crossed the Tien Shan, reached the valley of the Ili River, then they turned southwest, crossed the Tien Shan again, crossed the Taklamakan desert from north to south and the cities of Khotan reached the foot of the Kunlun ridge. Thirty-five days later, a small caravan arrived in the kingdom of Khotan, which had “several tens of thousands of monks.” Fa Xian and his companions were admitted to the monasteries. They were lucky enough to attend a solemn festival of Buddhists and Brahmins, during which luxuriously decorated chariots with images of gods were transported through the cities of the Khotan kingdom. After the holiday, Fa Xian and his companions headed south and arrived in the cold, mountainous country of Balistan, in which, apart from cereals, there were almost no cultivated plants. From Balistan, Fa Xian went to eastern Afghanistan and wandered for a whole month in the mountains covered with eternal snow. Here, according to him, “poisonous dragons” were encountered. Having overcome the mountains, the travelers took the path to Northern India. After exploring the sources of the Indus River, they arrived at Folusha (probably the present city of Peshawar), located between Kabul and the Indus. After many difficulties the caravan managed to reach the city of Banu, which still exists today; then, again crossing the Indus in the middle part of its course, Fa Xian came to the Punjab. From here, descending to the southeast, he crossed the northern part of the Indian peninsula and, crossing the great saline desert lying east of the Indus, reached the country which he calls the "Central Kingdom." According to Fa Xian, “the local residents are honest and pious, they have no officials, do not know the laws, do not recognize the death penalty, do not eat any living creatures, and in their kingdom there are no slaughterhouses or wine shops.” In India, Fa Xian visited many cities and places where he collected legends and stories about Buddha. “In these places,” notes the traveler, describing the Karakorum, “the mountains are steep like a wall.” Along the steep slopes of these mountains, their ancient inhabitants carved images of Buddhas and numerous steps. Fa Xian found a Buddhist monastery in the Ganges Valley, where he studied and copied the sacred books of Buddhism. Having stayed in India for a long time, the traveler in 411 sets off on his way back to his homeland by sea. From the mouth of the Ganges he sailed to Ceylon, where he lived for two years, and then in 413 he went to Java on a merchant ship. After a five-month stay in Java, Fa Xian returned to his hometown of Xianfu (Canton).

Lesson summary of the course "Medical Geography. Topic: Development of medical-geographical concepts in Ancient India, Ancient Tibet and in the Middle Ages in Arab countries (grade 10)

Publication date: 06.04.2015

Short description: Goal: Formation of scientific ideas in various countries. Objectives: To generate knowledge about medical and geographical concepts in Ancient India, Ancient Tibet and in the Middle Ages in Arab countries, to establish the uniqueness of Tibetan medicine. To form knowledge

material preview

Lesson 4 Slide No. 1

Topic: Development of medical and geographical concepts in Ancient India, Ancient Tibet and in the Middle Ages in Arab countries.

Goal: Formation of scientific ideas in various countries.

To develop knowledge about medical and geographical concepts in Ancient India, Ancient Tibet and in the Middle Ages in Arab countries, to establish the uniqueness of Tibetan medicine.

To develop knowledge about the development of medical and geographical concepts in the Middle Ages, to broaden one’s horizons about science in the Middle Ages.

Continue to develop students’ cognitive interest; stimulating the creative thinking activity of students;

Lesson type: lesson-lecture with elements of conversation.

During the classes:

I. Stage “Org. moment".

Checking the student's readiness for the lesson.

II. Stage “Learning new material”. Reception "Lecture". Slide number 2

Epigraph: “When we turn to medicine of the ancient period, even if it originates from such an enlightened source as the Buddha of Medicine, our arrogance often makes us believe that all this is outdated and inapplicable in the modern world.”

Lecture outline: Slide No. 3

Development of medical and geographical concepts in Ancient India. Slides No. 4-7

The people of Ancient India, earlier than others, began to accumulate knowledge about various diseases and methods of curing them. The great monument of literature - the Vedas - contained not only myths and legends about gods and sages, but also medical prescriptions and recommendations.

Medical knowledge was compiled in the Yajur Veda, compiled around the 9th century BC. According to them, in case of illness or injury, a person must turn to the healing gods. Later, explanations of the texts were compiled by various healers. The gods Shiva and Dhanvantari were considered the founders of medicine. “And the raging sea, in addition to all kinds of jewelry, threw the first learned doctor onto the earth.”

Initially, only Brahmins could treat, and they did not charge for treatment. Gradually, a whole class appeared - the Vedia caste, engaged exclusively in medicine. Brahmins later only taught the art of medicine and called themselves gurus. During training, the student followed everywhere

his teacher, studying holy books, medicines and treatments. Only after completing his education did the doctor receive the right to practice medicine from the rajah.

The main features of Indian doctors representing the Vedia caste were the obligation to dress cleanly, cut nails and beard, speak respectfully and come to the patient upon request. The doctor took payment for his work, and only Brahmins were treated for free. The doctor didn't have to

help an incurable patient. All medications were prescribed after a thorough examination of the patient and establishment of the nature of the disease. In addition to the Brahmins and representatives of the Vedia caste, there were folk doctors - healers.

Surgical interventions were widely practiced in Ancient India, and surgery itself was called shalia. Some of the most famous operations at that time included the removal of stones from the urinary tract, the extraction of cataracts, the application of fixing pressure bandages for fractures and wounds, stopping bleeding by cauterization, plastic surgery (for example, restoring the integrity of the nose or ear by transplanting tissue from a healthy adjacent area of ​​​​the body ).

A large number of medical works were devoted to hygiene. They talked about keeping food fresh, the benefits of bathing and using ointments, and brushing your teeth. A huge number of medicinal herbs were known. Various animal parts were also used to prepare medicines. The properties of metals and other chemicals, as well as their compounds, were studied. Many poisons and ways to combat them were discovered.

The development of medical and geographical concepts in Ancient Tibet, the uniqueness of Tibetan medicine. Slides No. 8-10

The medicine of ancient Tibet is a unique synthesis of scientific and philosophical knowledge. Having first emerged on the basis of Indian teaching, it continued to develop and improve. To this day, the principles of oriental medicine are very popular, effectively combining age-old wisdom with modern diagnostic and treatment methods.

The basis of the medicine of ancient Tibet is the work “The Four Tantras.” The treatise is a collection of practical and theoretical knowledge, talks about medicinal substances and the philosophy of oriental medicine in Tibet.

The main source of medical knowledge in ancient Tibet is considered to be a treatise created by the scientist-doctor Vagbhata Jr. at the turn of the 2nd-3rd centuries. It was translated into Tibetan in the 7th century by order of King Trisong Detsena,

The basis of medicine in Ancient Tibet is the doctrine of three essences - nyepa, which include mucus, wind and bile. Man exists through their interaction with each other, and when this relationship is disturbed, poisons arise - dullness, anger and attachment. Thus, all diseases of the body were associated with the mind. In order to cure a disease, it is necessary to take into account the condition of other organs that are weakened and may impede healing. The basic principles of therapy were: “to treat the patient, not the disease,” “to treat where the pain comes from, and not where it hurts,” “the body must be treated as a whole.”

The main methods of therapy practiced in ancient Tibet included diet, healthy lifestyle, medications and various procedures. They were used both individually and in combination, depending on the severity of the patient’s condition and other factors.

According to the treatise “Zhud-shi”, there are no plants that could not be used as medicines. Any means were used to make them, and recipes for medications sometimes included several dozen ingredients mixed in certain proportions. If at least one component was missing, the medicine was considered useless.

Physical exercise. "Lazy Eights" technique

The teacher suggests doing an exercise that activates the brain structures that ensure memorization and increases the stability of attention. Slide number 11

Development of medical knowledge in the Middle Ages and in Arab countries. Slides No. 12-14

The concept of “the Middle Ages” was strengthened by the period limited to the time between antiquity and the Renaissance. “Intermediate centuries” is another name for this historical period. One of its features is its enormous duration - about a millennium.
Characteristic of the Middle Ages was the growth of cities, which had high population density, unsanitary conditions, and a low level of medical care for the sick. All this contributed to the massive spread of epidemics. Judging by the descriptions, these were plague, typhus, dysentery, and smallpox.
It is not possible to examine the development of medical-geographical concepts during this historical period in many countries. Let us dwell, albeit very briefly, only on the Arab countries united into a single Muslim state - the Caliphate, where medicine has received significant development. This was facilitated by advances in the field of chemistry and botany, which advanced the development of drug science and contributed to the creation of previously unknown drugs. Along with chemistry and botany, mathematics, astronomy, and geography received significant development. Relatively less success was achieved by the scientists of the Caliphate in the field of anatomy, surgery, and obstetrics due to the religious prohibitions of Islam.
The greatest scientist and outstanding physician of the Middle Ages was Abu Ali Ibn Sina (Avicenna) (980-1037). He compiled works on medicine, geology, astronomy, chemistry, history of geology

However, Ibn Sina's most significant contribution was to medicine. He wrote more than 20 works in this area. His most important medical work is “The Canon of Medical Science.” The Canon consists of five books. The first of them contains general questions of medicine, information on anatomy, general concepts about diseases, their causes, manifestations, maintaining health and methods of treating them. The second book presents data on drugs and their mechanisms of action. The third describes individual diseases and methods of treating them. The fourth book is devoted to surgery, the fifth contains a description of complex medicinal substances, poisons and antidotes.

A large place in the “Canon” is given to hygiene issues. The scientist’s health rules and dietetics formed the basis for many works on these topics by researchers in subsequent generations.
Ibn Sina paid a lot of attention to the interaction of the environment and man, the role of the environment in the occurrence of diseases, noting the dependence of health on the geographical conditions of the area in which a person lives. Ibn Sina owns the following poetic lines:

Subject to all flaws. Heal yourself with nature - in the garden and open field.
III. Stage “Reinforcement of educational material” Slide No. 16

Questions for conversation:

What can you say about the methods of treating diseases in Ancient India?

Who are Brahmins? What is the main feature of Indian doctors?

What medical procedures were widely practiced in ancient India?

What were most of the ancient Indian medical works devoted to?

Why is ancient Tibetan medicine considered unique?

What is the basic principle of ancient Tibetan medicine?

Name the largest and most outstanding doctor of the Middle Ages?

What did Ibn Sina attach great importance to in medicine?

What are the lines of his poem about: Slide No. 17

An active, fast person, be friends with gymnastics, always be cheerful,
He is proud of his slender figure, and you will live a hundred years, and maybe more.
Sitting in a seat for a whole century Potions, powders are the wrong path to health,
Subject to all flaws. Treat yourself with nature - in the garden and open field?
IV. Stage "Final". Grading.

V. Stage “Reflection”. Slide number 18

The guys in a circle speak in one sentence, choosing the beginning of a phrase from the reflective screen on the board:
1. Today I learned... 7. I learned...
2. It was interesting... 8. I did it...
3. It was difficult... 9. I was able...
4. I completed the tasks... 10. I will try...
5. Now I can... 11. Gave me a lesson for life
6. I purchased...

If the material does not suit you, use the search

Ancient India

Ancient India, one of the first world civilizations, brought the greatest amount of spiritual values ​​to world culture. It is a rich subcontinent with a complex and turbulent history. Great religions were born here, empires rose and fell, but the enduring originality of Indian culture was preserved from century to century. This civilization built large, well-planned brick cities with running water and created pictographic writing that has not yet been deciphered.

India got its name from the name of the Indus River, in the valley of which it is located. "Indus" literally means "river". With a length of 3180 km, the Indus originates in Tibet, flows through the Himalayas, the Indo-Gangetic Plain, and flows into the Arabian Sea. Archaeological finds indicate the presence of human society in Ancient India already during the Stone Age, it was then that the first permanent settlements appeared, art and social relations arose, and prerequisites appeared for the development of one of the most ancient civilizations in the world - the Indus Civilization, which arose in Northwestern India (now mostly in Pakistan). It dates back to approximately XXIII-XVIII centuries BC. e. and is considered the third oldest ancient civilization to appear. Its formation, like the first two in Mesopotamia and Egypt, was associated with the organization of high-yield irrigated agriculture.

The first archaeological finds of pottery and terracotta figurines date back to the fifth millennium BC, they were made in Mehrgarh. Thus, Mehrgarh can already be considered a city - the first city in India, which we know about from archaeological excavations.

AND
The equestrian deity of the indigenous inhabitants of Ancient India - the Dravidians - was Shiva. He is one of the three main deities of Hinduism - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. All three gods are a manifestation of a single divine essence, but each is assigned a certain “sphere of activity.” So, Brahma is the creator of the world, Vishnu is its preserver, Shiva is its destroyer, but he also recreates it anew. Among the indigenous inhabitants of Ancient India, Shiva headed the main pantheon of gods, was a demiurge, ruler of the world, a model who achieved spiritual self-realization.

The Indus Valley lies in the north-west of the subcontinent in the vicinity of the world's oldest culture - Sumer. Trade ties certainly existed between these civilizations, and it is likely that Sumer had a great influence on the Indus civilization. Throughout Indian history, the main route for the invasion of new ideas has been the northwest. All other routes to India were so blocked by mountains, forests and seas that, for example, the great Chinese civilization left almost no traces in it.

It was from the northwest in the 2nd millennium BC. e. strangers came, whose invasion largely determined the future of India. These were nomadic Aryan tribes who owned bronze weapons and war chariots. Over the course of many centuries, they entered India through the Afghan passes, eventually settled throughout northern India and, instead of nomadic animal husbandry, began to switch to a sedentary lifestyle of farmers and artisans, creating the preconditions for the emergence of the first cities and the rapid development of culture (including writing) , religion, technology. The conquered local population, mostly darker-skinned Dravidian tribes, were relegated to the role of inferior subjects in the north, but managed to maintain independence in the south. Geographical barriers made the south inaccessible, and its development proceeded separately, although religious and cultural influences constantly penetrated there from the north.

During this entire long period, no written monuments have been preserved, so it is impossible to say with certainty to what extent the Aryans adopted the culture and traditions of the Dravidian subjects they despised, but the role of the Aryans themselves is beyond doubt; their language, religion and social structure largely shaped society India. The Aryan conquerors brought with them the worship of the gods Varuna and Indra, who personified the forces of nature, the priestly caste (Brahmins) and ritual animal sacrifices. Their sacred hymns were later collected in four books known as the Vedas (to know, to know), giving the religion the name Vedic. Having undergone many changes over thousands of years, it took the form of modern Hinduism, which is still the religion of many Indians and revere the Vedas as their sacred scripture.

A
Riyan society was divided into four main classes or castes: Brahmins, military nobility, peasants and (later) merchants, and servants. Servants and those who did not belong to any caste - they were later called "untouchables" - had almost no rights compared to the higher castes. This system served as a form of racial control, keeping the Dravidian tribes subservient to the Aryan overlords. Over time, it became increasingly stricter and more complex, dividing people into smaller and smaller groups and subgroups. As a result, each person was assigned by birthright a certain position in society and occupation, was allowed to eat only the food prescribed for his caste and to marry only with representatives of his caste. This cruel and unjust system was based on the Hindu doctrine of karma. According to him, every living being received reward and punishment in this life for actions committed in one of his previous lives, therefore social humiliation was a clear sign of sinfulness. The caste system is firmly rooted in Indian society and, despite all the government's attempts to break down ancient class barriers, remains alive to this day.

However, in the VI century. BC e. The rigid caste system, the omnipotence of the priests and the ritual sacrificial aspects of Hinduism gave birth to two powerful reformist religious treatments: Jainism and Buddhism. They found numerous adherents, but having failed to replace Hinduism, they became independent religions, although they shared the Hindu belief in life as an endless cycle of birth, death and reincarnation, predetermined by the karma of every living being.

The main tenets of Jainism were non-violence, rejection of caste divisions in society and reverence for life in all its forms. The last principle was observed so strictly that the Jains tried to do everything possible so as not to inadvertently crush even an insect. Jainism took deep roots in India itself, but did not find much spread outside the subcontinent.

But Buddhism was destined to become one of the world's greatest religions. Its founder, Sidhartha Gautama, became known as Buddha (“the enlightened one”). They say that he was born into the family of a sovereign prince and grew up in luxury and contentment, but experienced a deep shock when he first encountered death and suffering. Having achieved enlightenment after a long search for truth, he spent the rest of his life preaching the “Middle Way,” so called because the person following it does not strive for either luxury or asceticism (refusal of basic worldly goods). Buddha preached moderation, compassion and equality of all people. But the main thing in his teaching was that life is suffering generated by desires. Therefore, giving up desires allows the soul to break out of the eternal circle of rebirths and achieve a state of bliss (nirvana). The development of culture, art, architecture and brick and stone construction in Ancient India is also associated with Buddhism.

The end of the ancient era is characterized by the growth of large land ownership. Villages - through grants or purchases - became the property of monasteries, temples and individual Brahmins. Rich merchants could also become owners of villages. The village elders, who concentrated the land in their hands, turned from representatives of self-government into small landowners, and bonded debt and rent became widespread in the village. These processes of growth of large land ownership and expansion of peasant dependence at the end of the ancient period are considered in historiography as the main signs of the transition to a new socio-economic formation - feudal.

Until now, the civilization of Ancient India, this mysterious subcontinent with its turbulent history, religion and great culture, asks many difficult and insoluble questions to researchers.

Literature.

1. Reader on the history of the Ancient East. Ed. M.A. Korostovtseva, I.S. Katsnelson, V.I. Kuzishchina. M.: Higher. school, 2000.

2. Bulletin of Ancient History, M., 2008, No. 4, 7.

3. Myths of the peoples of the world. Encyclopedia, 2000.

4. Bongard-Levin G.M., Ilyin G.F. Ancient India, M.: Main editorial office of eastern literature, 1969.

History report