Writings From Ancient Egypt
  • Published: 17 October 2016
  • ISBN: 9780141395951
  • Imprint: Penguin Classics
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $24.99

Writings From Ancient Egypt

Formats & editions
Paperback
17 Oct 2016
EBook
25 Aug 2016
Buy from…
Booktopia Amazon Dymocks QBD Readings Angus & Robertson Abbeys Boomerang Collins Fishpond Harry Hartog Kinokuniya Robinsons The Nile Find local retailers Find local retailers

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 awe-inspiring 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.
  • Published: 17 October 2016
  • ISBN: 9780141395951
  • Imprint: Penguin Classics
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $24.99
Share…

Praise for Writings From Ancient Egypt

Until now few people beyond specialists have been able to read the texts, many of them inaccessible within tombs ... hieroglyphs were pictures but they conveyed concepts in as sophisticated a manner as Greek or Latin script, [Toby Wilkinson] said. Filled with metaphor and symbolism, they reveal life through the eyes of the ancient Egyptians. Tales of shipwreck and wonder, first-hand descriptions of battles and natural disasters, songs and satires make up the anthology.

Dalya Alberge, The Guardian

This book offers a taste of the vast body of ancient Egyptian literature. In addition to glamorous accounts of war and royalty, it's packed with extraordinarily personal tales of life and the social anxieties of the time.

Caitlin Hu, Quartz