Ancient Egyptian literary composition by Vizier Ptahhotep
The Maxims of Ptahhotep
Papyrus Prisse, manuscript "Egyptien 187", lines 75-123 of The Maxims of Ptahhotep. Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Created
c. 2363 BC
Discovered
1847 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
Discovered by
Emile d'Avennes
The Maxims of Ptahhotep or Instruction of Ptahhotep is an ancient Egyptian literary composition by the Vizier Ptahhotep around 2375–2350 BC, during the rule of King Djedkare Isesi of the Fifth Dynasty.[1] The text was discovered in Thebes in 1847 by Egyptologist M. Prisse d'Avennes.[2] The Instructions of Ptahhotep are considered didactic wisdom literature belonging to the genre of sebayt.[3] There are four copies of the Instructions, and the only complete version, Papyrus Prisse, is located in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.[4] According to William Kelly Simpson, scholars tend to believe that the Instructions of Ptahhotep were originally composed during the Middle Kingdom, specifically the Twelfth Dynasty. The earliest extant copies of the text were altered to make them understandable for the Egyptians of the New Kingdom.[4] The text presents a very good picture of the general attitudes of that period.[4] The Instructions of Ptahhotep addresses various virtues that are necessary to live a good life and how to live accordingly to Maat, which was an important part of the Egyptian culture.
^Fontaine, Carole R. "A Modern Look at Ancient Wisdom: The Instruction of Ptahhotep Revisited." The Biblical Archaeologist 44, no. 3 (1981): 155-60. doi:10.2307/3209606.
^Simpson, W. K., ed. The Maxims of Ptahhotep. Las Vegas, Nevada: Evan Blythin, 1986.
^Lichtheim, Miriam 1996. Didactic literature. In Loprieno, Antonio (ed.), Ancient Egyptian Literature, 243-262. Leiden; New York; Köln: E. J. Brill.
^ abcSimpson, William Kelly. The Literature of Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, Stelae, Autobiographies, and Poetry. New Haven, US: Yale University Press, 2003. Accessed January 28, 2017. ProQuest ebrary.
and 26 Related for: The Maxims of Ptahhotep information
early 24th century BC Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. He is credited with authoring TheMaximsofPtahhotep, an early piece of Egyptian "wisdom literature" meant...
Instructions of Kagemni and The MaximsofPtahhotep. Only a few fragments from the beginning ofthe text have survived on a handful of New Kingdom ostraca and...
has survived; on the Prisse Papyrus, it is followed by the complete version ofTheMaximsofPtahhotep. It is unknown how much ofthe text from its beginning...
antecedents such as TheMaximsofPtahhotep (c. 2350 BCE) are among the earliest surviving works. Conduct books remained popular through the 18th century, although...
called TheMaximsofPtahhotep. The work, which is believed to have been compiled by his grandson Ptahhotep Tjefi, is a series of 37 letters or maxims addressed...
(2613–2589 BC?) Instruction of Hardjedef, by Hardjedef (between 25th century BC and 24th century BC) TheMaximsofPtahhotep, by Ptahhotep (around 2375–2350 BC)...
the year 1750. In the third millennium BCE, the Ancient Egyptian vizier Ptahhotep wrote TheMaximsofPtahhotep (2375–2350 BCE), a didactic book of precepts...
Notable works of this genre include the Instructions of Kagemni, TheMaximsofPtahhotep, the Instructions of Amenemhat, the Loyalist Teaching. Hymns such as...
millennium BC) Ptahhotep, TheMaximsofPtahhotep (2375-2350BC) Kheti III, Teaching for King Merykara (c. 2150BC) Kheti the Scribe, Instructions of Amenemhat...
audiences. Examples ofthe "teaching" genre include theMaximsofPtahhotep, Instructions of Kagemni, Teaching for King Merykare, Instructions of Amenemhat, Instruction...
non-royal Egyptians of this time, Ptahhotep, vizier to Djedkare Isesi, won fame for his wisdom; TheMaximsofPtahhotep was ascribed to him by its later...
Ptahhotep Tshefi Ramose (TT7) Roy (Egyptian Noble) Reni-seneb – owner ofthe Chair of Reniseneb Roy (Egyptian Noble) Setau The Seated Scribe List of scribes...
as the Pharaoh of Vizier Ptahhotep, the purported author ofTheMaximsofPtahhotep, one ofthe earliest pieces of philosophic wisdom literature. The reforms...
'that which is right'. One of the earliest works of political philosophy was TheMaximsofPtahhotep, which were taught to Egyptian schoolboys for centuries...
sayings of Confucius not included in the Analects Sacred text Virtue jurisprudence Disciples of Confucius Hadith Mahāvākyas TheMaximsofPtahhotep Van Norden...
Some ofthe earliest surviving works of literature include TheMaximsofPtahhotep and the Story of Wenamun from Ancient Egypt, Instructions of Shuruppak...
author is Ptahhotep, who is credited with authoring TheMaximsofPtahhotep, an instructional book for young men in Egyptian composed in the 23rd century...
particular note to the sequence of blessings and curses that bind the deal. TheMaximsofPtahhotep and Sharia Law, also include certifications for professionals...
internet sites. The proverb collection TheMaximsofPtahhotep has been describe as "the oldest book in the world". Published collections of proverbs are...
This list of papyri from ancient Egypt includes some ofthe better known individual papyri written in hieroglyphs, hieratic, demotic or in ancient Greek...
literature – TheMaximsofPtahhotep are among the oldest pieces of wisdom literature. It was compiled during the 24th century BC. Satire - One ofthe earliest...
manicurists to King Nyuserre, six pairs of boys wrestle in the nearby tomb of Akhethotep and Ptahhotep. Another early piece of evidence for wrestling in Egypt...
Global Information