Papyrus Anastasi I

Papyrus Anastasi I (officially designated papyrus British Museum 10247) is an ancient Egyptian papyrus containing a satirical text used for the training of scribes during the Ramesside Period (i.e. Nineteenth and Twentieth dynasties). One scribe, an army scribe, Hori, writes to his fellow scribe, Amenemope, in such a way as to ridicule the irresponsible and second-rate nature of Amenemope's work. The papyrus was originally purchased from Giovanni Anastasi in 1839.
Content and importance to modern scholarship
The letter gives examples of what a scribe was supposed to be able to do: calculating the number of rations which have to be doled out to a certain number of soldiers digging a lake, or the quantity of bricks needed to erect a ramp of given dimensions, assessing the number of men needed to move an obelisk or erect a statue, and organizing the supply of provisions for an army. In a long section Hori discusses the geography of the Mediterranean coast as far north as the Lebanon and the troubles which might beset a traveler there.
This papyrus is important to historians and Bible scholars above all for the information it supplies about towns in Syria and Canaan during the New Kingdom. There is a long list of towns which run along the northern border of the djadi or watershed of the Jordan in Canaan, which bound Lebanon along the Litani River and upper retnu and Syria along the Orontes. The border lands of Egypt's province of Caanan with Kadesh are defined on page XIX:
An example of the satire in the text
Hori goes on to show that Amenemope is not skilled in the role of a maher. The word maher is found frequently in this papyrus, but nowhere else. Gardiner suggests it must be the technical name of the Egyptian emissary in Syria.
Hori then relates an imagined anecdote where Amenemope experiences an adventure of a maher. It contains a lot of detail reflecting discreditably on his name and comparing him to Qedjerdi, the chief of Isser: "Thy name becomes like (that of) Qedjerdi, the chief of Isser, when the hyena found him in the balsam-tree."
The composition of the satirical interchange between the scribes comes across as quite well written especially where Hori describes Amenemope as incompetent toward the end, giving as an example his poor management of not just his chariot but his character.
Amenemope traverses a mountain pass. Hori makes clear that these involve routes that should be well known to the scribes operating as mahers or messengers and scouts. Illustrations from the Battle of Kadesh provide an excellent background for Hori's tale showing the form of the chariots, and the size of the Shashu.
Hori sets this up as an incident in which the incompetence, inexperience and fear of Amenemope results in damage to his chariot. Amenemope's lack of experience causes him not to be apprehensive when he should be and then panicking when he should remain calm.
Hori piles on the results of Amenemope's inexperience and lack of expertise to show his state of mind clearly, including the part where he releases his pain and fear by forcing his way to the maiden who keeps watch over the gardens when he reaches Joppa:
British Museum registration numbers
See also
List of ancient Egyptian papyri
Ancient Egyptian literature
References
Bibliography
External links
1839 archaeological discoveries
Extra-biblical references to Canaan
Satirical books
Papyri from ancient Egypt