Ancient and Medieval Medicine Days

On Thursday 29th and Friday 30th June, over 500 local primary school children took part in our Ancient Medicine Days at Cheney. The first day involved a series of Ancient and Medieval Medicine Pantomime shows delivered by TV Presenter Simon Watt. These fun, lively and frequently grisly shows included ancient doctors and surgeons from the past, ranging from Hippocrates to Louis Pasteur, talking to the host about their discoveries and practices, a talking and singing rat, maggots, amputations, and many opportunities for lively audience participation!

One the second day, visitors from the Museum of the History of Science and outreach specialists ran workshops for small groups on subjects such as Roman medical artefacts, Medieval Islamic medicine, Ancient Greek medicine and more. Year Six pupils were then able to take a tour through an activity exhibition on ancient medicine designed and prepared by Year Eight and Nine Classics students. Activity stalls ranged from trepanning and the mysteries of Mayan medicine, Aboriginal medicine from Australia, Roman herbal medicine and a Greek Asclepion to a medieval apothecary and Egyptian healing. Students were able to hear and read about these diverse areas of medical history from beautiful display boards and the Year 8s and 9s themselves, as well as taking part in activities such as face-painting, herbal cocktails, solving a Roman maze, throwing balls into Greek urns, sampling Egyptian remedies and medicines from the apothecary, and more! The Year 8s and 9s had put an immense amount of time and care into decorating the Library, and creating striking display stalls, which were thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Thank you very much to everyone who took part in and supported the shows, workshops and activity exhibitions.