Historical Women - Merit-Ptah

For this third entry to my Historical Women series I am staying in ancient Egypt, but moving further away in time from Hatshepsut. This woman was called Merit-Ptah and we do not know that much about her other than what can be seen and what is said about her on a tomb in the necropolis close to the step pyramid in Saqqara.

Her name means Beloved of the god Ptah and she was born either during the 2nd or 3rd dynasty in ancient Egypt. Her son was a High Priest and describes her as Cheif Physician which makes her the first woman in history, known by name, that praciticed medicine and she might also be the first known women in science.

She is not to be confused with the wife of Ramose, the Governer of Thebes and Vizier under Akhenaten who shared her name.

Pictures were borrowed here and here. Facts were taken from Wikipedia.