Ronald B. Coleman, Jr.
Ancient Egyptians were the first culture to record studies of the human anatomy dating back to the 3
rd
century BC. The Ancient Egyptian practice of mummification involved two stages: embodiment of the deceased and wrapping of the body. The first process had the most influence of anatomical future anatomical studies. After the body was washed with sweet-smelling palm, the Egyptians would make an incision and begin to remove the internal organs. Students may relate to this process through a discussion of frog, mouse, or insect dissections. The Ancient Egyptians made the world aware of the decomposition of important internal organs of which other civilization may not have been aware. Later, in the 5
th
century BC, Greek physician Hippocrates continued to advance the world's knowledge of the human body.
While the study of the human anatomy in the Middle Ages and Renaissance period in Europe focused on idealizing specific body parts, shape, and form, 20
th
century medical scientists moved towards deeper understanding of the different systems of the body
7
. Location, composition, and function are the three lenses at which we study and compare different systems within the body.
