2014 Summer
Background Browsing
Digital Egypt for Universities (University College of London)
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/Welcome.html
Timeline of Dynasties (Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ancient_Egyptian_dynasties
Selected Wisdom Texts
This list follows Diop’s suggestion that the Old Kingdom was brought down by social unrest, giving way to a less authoritarian tone as Egyptian history develops
Pyramid Texts
Old Kingdom cosmology of salvation
Pyramid Texts Online
http://www.pyramidtextsonline.com/
Prayers and rituals for the salvation of Pharaoh Unas
Teachings of Ptah-hotep
Old Kingdom advice to young scribes
Fordham
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/ptahhotep.asp
A straightforward translation
Sofiatopia
http://www.maat.sofiatopia.org/ptahhotep.htm
This translation is accompanied by a great deal of commentary
Papyrus Prisse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisse_Papyrus
Some background on the original source
Gallica
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8304609v
What the text looks like. It’s a fine example of ancient Egyptian homework.
Eloquent Peasant
Middle Kingdom (following the Osirian Revolution) declaration of rights
Fordham
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/1800egypt-peasant.asp
This is a very incomplete version
British Museum
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aes/p/papyrus_with_part_of_the_tale.aspx
You can see why there are holes in some accounts
As Compiled and Translated by the Ancient Egyptian Language list
http://www.rostau.org.uk/ep/
A close reading
A Helpful Summary with Direct Quotes from the Parkinson translation (1997)
http://www.harris-greenwell.com/HGS/TheTaleOfTheEloquentPeasant
Declarations of Innocence
New Kingdom excerpt from scroll of salvation
Ganino (Book of the Dead, see especially Ch. IX: Negative Confessions)
http://www.ganino.com/the_egyption_book_of_the_dead
This is a long page and may take a full minute or two to load up. But it is a nice compilation of texts from the “Book of the Dead” or what Karenga prefers to call “The Book of Coming Forth by Day” — a book dedicated to eternal life
Maat (Wikipedia: Negative Confessions)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maat
Good background reading on the concept of Maat. Obviously not a primary source text
Teachings of Amenemope
New Kingdom advice to young scribes
Sofiatopia
http://www.maat.sofiatopia.org/amen_em_apt.htm
A translation accompanied by lots of commentary
Proverbs 22:17 – 24:22
http://biblehub.com/niv/proverbs/22.htm
See the 30 Sayings of the Wise?
Karenga’s Maat
http://www.amazon.com/Maat-Moral-Ideal-Ancient-Egypt-ebook/dp/B00ABLJ5M2
The inventor of Kwanzaa has spent decades studying this topic
Database suggestion:
Jeffers, Chike. “Embodying Justice In Ancient Egypt: ‘The Tale Of The Eloquent Peasant’ As A Classic Of Political Philosophy.” British Journal For The History Of Philosophy 21.3 (2013): 421-442. Philosopher’s Index. Web. 6 Jan. 2014.
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