The Societal Culture of the Attar Profession in the Great Diwaniyah Market: An Anthropological Approach

Abstract

<> The research aims to know the mechanism of action of the perfumer, who treats various diseases with herbs and preparations that he works by himself or by relying on the experiences of others, in addition to knowing the contents of the perfumers' shops spread in the old Diwaniyah market, in which the Attarin market is still present. The research followed the anthropological approach using the interview, observation by participation, questionnaire, field visits to the perfumery stores, interviewing all those men and women who frequent these stores, and what they ask of him. The research was conducted in the city of Al-Diwaniyah, one of the Iraqi governorates, on a sample of (70) women and men. The results of the study concluded that societal culture has a clear impact in the research area on all social systems, including the health system, as it requires the model of a wise doctor who knows the beliefs of society and the medical and health professional aspect, so that the elements of trust can be consolidated between modern and traditional medicine in the health domain. The results also indicated the side effects of modern medical treatment and opened the way for traditional treatment to contribute to alleviating the severity of the disease. Finally, the research led to recommendations, including the preservation and development of traditional medicine by integrating it into the official academic medical college in the city and benefiting from the experiences of traditional doctors.