Science and magic in ancient Egypt

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC is presenting "The Art of Medicine in Ancient Egypt" now through 15 Jan 2006 (NYTimes AP article - registration may be required - Newsday's version is here.):

To protect a pregnant woman in ancient Egypt, the seal on a magic jar containing a strip of papyrus could have been pressed on her skin. For the good health of a baby, a wand inscribed with the image of a goddess might be used to draw a protective circle around the spot where the child lay.

I wish I was going East this winter - the Met's great anyway, and their Egyptian collection is astounding to begin with. The Met's website is here, their Egyptian collection here, the special exhibit here.