AIDS and AAA in Egypt?
1996
Could Ancient Egyptian Disease AAA Be AIDS?
Commentary
Evidence: low
Author Information
Author(s): Robert J. Littman, David M. Morens
Primary Institution: University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii
Hypothesis
Is it possible that the disease AAA mentioned in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs could be related to AIDS or an HIV-associated condition?
Conclusion
The evidence suggests that AAA is unlikely to be associated with AIDS or HIV, based on linguistic interpretations and historical context.
Supporting Evidence
- The determinative in the hieroglyphs indicates a category of disease, not specifically sexually transmitted diseases.
- AAA is used in various contexts in Egyptian medical texts, not just related to the bladder or genitalia.
- Current interpretations suggest that the phallus-with-discharge symbol indicates serious illness, not AIDS.
Takeaway
The letters suggest that an ancient Egyptian disease called AAA is probably not AIDS, as the meanings of the hieroglyphs don't support that idea.
Limitations
The argument relies on linguistic interpretation and lacks archaeological evidence.
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