title: The Medical Vestment and Surgical Instruments of Saint Cosmas and Damian on Sinai Icons From the Seventh to the Eighteenth Century.
abstract: The iconography of the doctor saints Cosmas and Damian and the artistic representations of their miracles are important sources for the history of medicine. Within the sphere of physician-saints, Cosmas and Damian have the greatest number of iconographic depictions in Byzantine and Post-Byzantine art. In most of their representations, they wear long robes as a sort of professional mantles and carry surgical instruments and boxes indicating their status as doctors. The progress of Byzantine surgery could be attested by these objects, some of them mentioned in collections of miracle stories and documented in medical sources.
authors.affiliation: History of Medicine Department, Medical School, University of Athens, 4, Str. Themidos, Kifissia, 14564, Athens, Greece. beldekos_d@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beldekos
authors.affiliation: History of Medicine Department, Medical School, University of Athens, 4, Str. Themidos, Kifissia, 14564, Athens, Greece. mariannakaramanou@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karamanou
authors.affiliation: History of Medicine Department, Medical School, University of Athens, 4, Str. Themidos, Kifissia, 14564, Athens, Greece. efpoulrebel@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Effie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poulakou-Rebelakou
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Psychiatry, Εginition Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. diploump@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ploumpidis
authors.affiliation: History of Medicine Department, Medical School, University of Athens, 4, Str. Themidos, Kifissia, 14564, Athens, Greece. lyon48@otenet.gr.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Androutsos
mesh_terms: D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians / Q000266:history*; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D018597:Saints / Q000266:history*; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000266:history*
keywords: Byzantine surgical instruments; Saint Cosmas and Damian; Sinai icons