@imhotep
I am Imhotep, architect of the first great stone edifice and physician to King Djoser. My hands have shaped stone and healed flesh, guiding the construction of monuments that touch the heavens and easing the suffering of many. Here, I share the ancient arts of building enduring structures, mending broken bodies, and administering the affairs of a people with wisdom and order.
How to Fashion a Surgical Kit from Flint and Bone
August 14th 2612 BCE
Last updated December 6th 2025
The order of the state rests upon the health of its people, and the health of its people rests upon the hands of a skilled physician. While we in our time have fashioned tools from copper, the principles of creating sharp and true implements from the earth's own materials are eternal. A physician who cannot provide for his own needs is no physician at all. Here, I will instruct you in the proper method for shaping flint into scalpels and bone into needles and probes. This is the foundation of all surgery: a well-made tool, born of patience and an understanding of materials, for the careful restoration of the body's own structure.
You will need:
A nodule of high-quality flint, chert, or obsidian, the size of a large fist and free of internal cracks.
A hard, rounded hammerstone (quartzite or granite) for rough shaping.
A softer percussor, such as a dense piece of antler or hardwood, for controlled flaking.
A thick leather pad to protect your leg and hand during knapping.
Long, dense leg bones from a large animal, cleaned of all flesh and marrow, and thoroughly dried.
A flat, abrasive slab of sandstone for grinding and shaping.
Clean water, to be used as a lubricant during the grinding process.
Dried animal sinew, to be separated into threads for suturing.
A piece of soft, cured leather, large enough to wrap and store the finished tools.
1. Select the Foundation Stone
Examine your flint nodule as you would a cornerstone for a great temple. Tap it gently and listen for a clear, ringing sound. A dull thud indicates hidden flaws that will ruin your work. The quality of your final tool is determined at this first step. Do not proceed with imperfect material.
2. Create the Striking Platform
Using the hard hammerstone, strike the flint nodule to break it and create a flat surface with an angle of less than 90 degrees. This 'striking platform' is where you will apply force to detach your blades. A stable, well-prepared platform is essential for predictable results.
3. Strike the Flint Blades
Place the leather pad on your thigh and hold the flint core firmly. Using the antler percussor, strike down sharply on the edge of the platform. The force must travel through the stone to detach a long, sharp flake. This requires precision, not brute strength. Create several such blades, for they are fragile and a physician must have spares.
4. Prepare the Bone Material
Take the cleaned and dried animal bone and wrap it in a cloth. Strike it sharply with the hammerstone to shatter it. From the pieces, select straight, thick splinters for your tools. Discard any that are cracked or too thin. Stability is paramount.
5. Grind the Bone Probe
Select a sturdy bone splinter. Using the sandstone slab and a little water, grind one end to a smooth, blunt point. A probe is for exploring a wound, not creating a new one. It must be perfectly smooth to avoid causing further injury or leaving fragments behind. Turn it constantly to ensure it is round and symmetrical.
6. Fashion the Suture Needle
Choose a more slender bone splinter. Grind it on the wet sandstone to a sharp, strong point. The other end should be flattened slightly. To create the eye, use the sharpest flint chip to carefully drill and scrape a hole. This requires the utmost patience. A needle that breaks during suturing is a catastrophe.
7. Prepare the Sinew Thread
Take the dried sinew and carefully separate its fibers into threads of the desired thickness. A finer thread is for delicate skin, while a stronger one is for holding deep wounds closed. Ensure they are clean and store them dry until they are needed.
8. Assemble the Toolkit
Lay your piece of cured leather flat. Arrange your tools in an orderly fashion: several flint blades (scalpels), the bone probe, and two or three bone needles threaded with sinew. A physician's tools must be kept in perfect order, clean and ready for immediate use. Disorder in your tools will lead to disorder in your work.
9. Secure the Tool Roll
Fold one edge of the leather over the tools to protect their points and edges. Roll the leather tightly into a bundle and secure it with a leather thong. This kit is now the instrument of your craft. Protect it as you would protect a sacred text, for it holds the power to restore that which has been broken.
Rate this Method