Turns out Scribes book shop in Dunedin is a great place for all your obscure reading needs.

I don't actually know much about ancient Egypt, despite its fame. This book gave me a window into the ancient civilisation, although for every small grain of knowledge we have it seems there is so much more we don't know.

It's fascinating to see what the Egyptians wrote (those few who could write of course). Most of the pieces are pretty short, I suppose due to the limits of what can reasonably carved into stone. My favourite was the adoption of Nitiqret, an interesting look into the politics of the day. Although I do wonder what she did with all that bread! ( )

Thorough edition that gives a good picture of the texts that have been found, written in Ancient Egypt. This concerns texts on monuments, sculptures and sarcophagi, as well as on wall paintings and papyri. Wilkinson has made a very wide choice, with both official texts (particularly on funerary monuments) and less formal ones (letters, songs, teachings), and texts ranging from the Old Kingdom (of which there are only a few) to the Hellenistic era (from 330 bce onwards). The translations are all his own, and I must admit that they read very smoothly; Wilkinson points out that he has opted for a free, understandable translation rather than the literal text.
It is striking that, in contrast to the Mesopotamian culture, Egyptian culture has hardly passed on longer stories. And also striking is the lack of humour and satire. In that respect, this publication does confirm the image that Ancient Egypt had a very formalistic culture, which mainly adhered to standard formulations, and was therefore inherently conservative. I can’t really judge this, but I have slight doubts about this.
A few negatives. It is a pity that Wilkinson scarcely drew on the diplomatic texts that have survived (particularly from the New Kingdom), for, as I read in the wonderful publication of A.H. PODANY (the Brotherhood of Kings), they give a very nice picture of the time, and they also are very entertaining.
Finally, it may seem strange, but what struck me most was how often pharaohs and officials referred to their nose, making it seem as if that nose represents their entire person (pars pro toto). Wilkinson doesn't clarify this (unless it's hidden in a little footnote somewhere). But it does intrigue me.
Other notable things I learned from these texts I discuss in my review in my History account on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2076570939 ( )

There are not enough modern accessible translations of Egyptian literature. However, the translations here are perhaps not the greatest translations in the world. ( )

The essential writings of ancient Egypt, from
songs to stories, newly translated
'Man perishes; his corpse turns to dust; all his relatives pass
away. But writings make him remembered.'
The fascination Ancient Egypt holds in our minds has many
sources, but at the heart of it lie hieroglyphics. This
extraordinary writing system was for many years seen as the
ultimate challenge and puzzle before finally being cracked in
the 1820s. Preserved carved in stone or inked on papyri,
hieroglyphic writings give a unique insight into an aweinspiring but also deeply mysterious culture.
Toby Wilkinson has translated a rich selection of pieces,
ranging from accounts of battles to hymns to stories to royal
proclamations. This book is both very enjoyable and an
essential resource for anyone wanting to study one of
humankind's great civilizations.
Toby Wilkinson is a Fellow of Clare College, University of
Cambridge. He has written a number of major books on
Ancient Egypt, most recently The Rise and Fall of Ancient
Egypt (Bloomsbury, UK; Random House, US)which won the
Hessell-Tiltman prize. He has excavated at the Egyptian sites
of Buto and Memphis.

August 2016
9780141395951
£10.99
B Format : Paperback
384 pages