History’s first flag, or, Wave that placenta
March 30th, 2009
According to wikipedia,
the ancient Egyptians believed that the placenta was imbued with magical powers.[12] In fact, the placenta of the pharaoh was placed on a pole and carried into battle. This is history’s first flag. <http://www.psychohistory.com/htm/eln04f_footnotestrauma.html>
That is wild! What do you think “magical” meant to a polytheistic civilization such as ancient Egypt? Does it have a connection to medicine, or is it simply the association with birth and the body, that gives it magical properties?