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University of California Press

Ancient Egyptian Literature

by Miriam Lichtheim (Editor)
Paperback eBook
Price: $34.95 / £30.00
Publication Date: May 2019
Edition: 1st Edition
Title Details:
Rights: World
Pages: 872
ISBN: 9780520305847
Trim Size: 5 x 7.75
Series:
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About the Book

First published in 1973, this anthology has assumed classic status in the field of Egyptology and portrays the remarkable evolution of the literary forms of one of the world’s earliest civilizations. Beginning with the early and gradual evolution of Egyptian genres, it includes biographical and historical inscriptions carved on stone, the various classes of works written with pen on papyrus, and the mortuary literature that focuses on life after death. It then shows the culmination of these literary genres within the single period known as the New Kingdom (1550–1080 B.C.) and ends in the last millennium of Pharaonic civilization, from the tenth century B.C. to the beginning of the Christian era. An introduction written in three parts by Antonio Loprieno, Hans-W. Fischer-Elfert, and Joseph G. Manning completes this classic anthology.

About the Author

For thirty years Miriam Lichtheim (1914–2004) was Near East Bibliographer and Lecturer at University of California, Los Angeles. She retired in 1974 to devote herself to Egyptological research and later moved to Jerusalem where she taught at Hebrew University. 

Table of Contents

Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms    
Preface
Chronology
Abbreviations and Symbols
Foreword by Antonio Loprieno

Introduction
Literary Genres and Literary Styles

Part One. The Old Kingdom

1. Monumental Inscriptions from Private Tombs
Inscriptions of Princess Ni-sedjer-kai
Inscription of Hetep-her-akhet
Inscription of Nefer-seshem-re called Sheshi
Stela of Ni-hebsed-Pepi from Naqada
The Autobiography of Weni
The Autobiography of Harkhuf

2. A Royal Decree
Charter of King Pepi I for the Chapel of his mother

3. From the Pyramid Texts
Unas Pyramid Texts: Utterances
Teti Pyramid Texts: Utterances
Pepi I Pyramid Texts: Utterances

4. A Theological Treatise
“The Memphite Theology”

5. Didactic Literature
The Instruction of Prince Hardjedef
The Instruction Addressed to Kagemni
The Instruction of Ptahhotep

Part Two. The Transition to the Middle Kingdom

1. Monumental Inscriptions from Private Tombs
Stela of Count Indi of This
The First Part of the Autobiography of Ankhtifi
Stela of the Butler Merer of Edfu
Stela of the Treasurer Iti of Imyotru
Stela of the Steward Seneni of Coptus
Stela of the Soldier Qedes from Gebelein
Stela of the Treasurer Tjetji

2. The Prayers of a Theban King
A Stela of King Wahankh Intef II

3. The Testament of a Heracleopolitan King
The Instruction Addressed to King Merikare

Part Three: The Middle Kingdom

1. Monumental Inscriptions
Rock Stela of Mentuhotep I
Building Inscription of Sesostris I
Boundary Stela of Sesostris III
Stela of Intef Son of Sent
Stela of Ikhernofret
Stela of Sehetep-ib-re
Stela of Horemkhauf

2. A Spell from the Coffin Texts
CT 1130 and 1031

3. Didactic Literature
The Instruction of King Amenemhet I for His Son Sesostris I
The Prophecies of Neferti
The Complaints of Khakheperre-sonb
The Admonitions of Ipuwer
The Dispute between a Man and His Ba
The Eloquent Peasant
The Satire of the Trades

4. Songs and Hymns
Three Harpers’ Songs
A Cycle of Hymns to King Sesostris III
A Hymn to the Red Crown
A Hymn to Osiris and a Hymn to Min
The Hymn to Hapy

5. Prose Tales
The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor
Three Tales of Wonder
The Story of Sinuhe

Volume II: The New Kingdom    

Preface
Chronology
Abbreviations and Symbols
Foreword by Hans-W. Fischer-Elfert
Introduction
Continuity and Change

Part One: Monumental Inscriptions

1. Inscriptions from Private Tombs
The Autobiography of Ahmose Son of Abana
The Prayers of Paheri
The Installation of the Vizier Rekhmire

2. Inscriptions from Royal Monuments
Obelisk Inscriptions of Queen Hatshepsut
From the Annals of Thutmose III
The Poetical Stela of Thutmose III
The Great Sphinx Stela of Amenhotep II at Giza
Stela of Amenhotep III
The Later Boundary Stelae of Amenhotep IV Akhenaten
Dedication Inscriptions of Seti I
The Kadesh Battle Inscriptions of Ramses II
The Poetical Stela of Merneptah (Israel Stela)

Part Two: Hymns, Prayers, and a Harper’s Song

The Great Hymn to Osiris

Two Hymns to the Sun-God

Hymns and Prayers from El-Amarna
The Short Hymn to the Aten
Two Hymns and a Prayer in the Tomb of Ay
The Great Hymn to the Aten

A Prayer and a Hymn of General Haremhab

Three Penitential Hymns from Deir el-Medina
Votive Stela of Nebre with Hymn to Amen-Re
Votive Stela of Neferabu with Hymn to Mertseger
Votive Stela of Neferabu with Hymn to Ptah

Prayers Used as School Texts
Praise of Amen-Re
Prayer to Amun
Prayer to Amun
Prayer to Thoth
Prayer to Thoth

A Harper’s Song from the Tomb of Neferhotep

Part Three: From the Book of the Dead

Part Four: Instructions
The Instruction of Any
The Instruction of Amenemope

Part Five: Be a Scribe
Papyrus Lansing: A Schoolbook
The Immortality of Writers

Part Six: Love Poems
From Papyrus Chester Beatty I
From Papyrus Harris
From the Cairo Vase 1266 + 25218

Part Seven: Tales
The Destruction of Mankind
The Doomed Prince
The Two Brothers
Truth and Falsehood
Horus and Seth
The Report of Wenamun

Volume III: The Late Period    

Preface
Chronology
Abbreviations and Symbols
Foreword by Joseph G. Manning
Introduction
The Uses of the Past

Part One: Texts in the Classical Language

1. Biographical Inscriptions
Statue Inscription of Djedkhonsefankh
Statue Inscription of Nebneteru
Statue Inscription of Harwa
Two Statue Inscriptions of Montemhet
Cairo Museum 42237
Berlin Museum 17271
Statue Inscription of Peftuaneith
Statue Inscription of Udjahorresne
Stela of Somtutefnakht
Four Inscriptions in the Tomb of Petosiris
The Long Biographical Inscription of Petosiris
Two Speeches of Sishu Father of Petosiris
Speech of Thothrekh Son of Petosiris
Sarcophagus-lid Inscription of Wennofer
Stela of Isenkhebe
Stela of Taimhotep

2. Royal Inscriptions
The Victory Stela of King Piye
A Victory Stela of King Psamtik II
The Naucratis Stela of King Nectanebo I

3. Two Pseudepigrapha
The Bentresh Stela
The Famine Stela

4. Hymns and Lamentations
A Hymn to Imhotep at Karnak
Hymns to Hathor in the Temple of Dendera
Two Hymns to Khnum in the Temple of Esna
A Morning Hymn to Khnum
The Great Hymn to Khnum
The Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys

Part Two: Demotic Literature
The Stories of Setne Khamwas
Setne Khamwas and Naneferkaptah (Setne I)
Setne Khamwas and Si-Osire (Setne II)
Prince Pedikhons and Queen Serpot
The Lion in Search of Man
The Instruction of Ankhsheshonq
The Instruction of Papyrus Insinger

Index
I. Divinities
II. Kings and Queens
III. Personal Names
IV. Geographical and Ethnical Terms
V. Egyptian Words
VI. Some Major Concepts

Reviews

“Miriam Lichtheim’s three-volume set is the most complete compilation; it is accessible to the general reader and simultaneously useful to the scholar; its critical apparatus is excellent.”—World Literature Today
 
“This is an admirable and valuable book. For the scholar it presents thoroughly reliable translations, with commentary and documentation. For the amateur of literature it presents a comprehensive selection of prose and poetry, felicitously put into English.”—Cambridge Review of Middle East Studies
 
“The new collection of ancient Egyptian literary masterpieces in English translation from the pen of Miriam Lichtheim is both representative and up to date. It is a literary masterpiece in itself, a landmark in the translation of ancient texts, and a scholarly achievement of outstanding excellence.”—Journal of Near Eastern Studies