Science? What was science for the Egyptians? They might not have recognized the category of knowledge that is now called science, but many of their activities would fall within the realm of modern science. Ancient Egyptians observed and described the world, the heavens, and the human body. They measured and mapped the world around them, sometimes describing phenomena mathematically, but they also used religious imagery—as when they associated a star with a god.

Control. Egyptian scientists also tried to control forces in the world. Again, they sometimes used scientific methods that one would recognize as conforming to the laws of cause and effect. But they also used methods that modern people would classify as magic or religion rather than science. The Egyptians, however, would not have made the distinction between magic and religion on the one hand and science on the other. Physicians were most likely...