The Content and Significance of the Mesopotamian Cuneform Source Sakikkû in the Development of Medicine

Document Type : Conference Paper

Authors

1 Medical Doctor; PhD Candidate, Department of History, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Türkiye

2 Department of History of Medicine, School of Pesian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The Sakikkû (SA.GIG) series, a 40-tablet diagnostic handbook from ancient Mesopotamia (11th century BCE), represents a pivotal advancement in medical history. Compiled by scholar Esagil-kin-apli, it systematized symptom observation and prognosis. Organized into six groups, the text documented ~3,000 entries covering: environmental omens (Tablets 1–2); head-to-toe symptomatology (Tablets 3–14); and disease progression patterns (Tablets 15–25), including early contagion recognition. Later tablets detailed neurology (epilepsy), divine causation theories, and obstetrics (fetal development). While maintaining spiritual elements, Sakikkû prioritized empirical methods, anatomical precision, temporal tracking, and prognostic correlations, thereby establishing foundational diagnostic principles that influenced later medical traditions. This study was conducted to highlight the importance of sakikkû in Mesopotamian medicine.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Volume 14, Suppl. 1
The 2nd History of Medicine Meeting: Entangled Histories: Contribution of Iran and Türkiye to the Development of Medical Sciences; 2025 Oct 7-10; Shiraz, Iran
October 2025
Pages 53-56

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