Ptahhotep
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Ptahhotep ( "Peace of Ptah"; (), sometimes known as Ptahhotep I or Ptahhotpe, was an
ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
ian
vizier A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...
during the late 25th century BC and early
24th century BC The 24th century BC was a century that lasted from the year 2400 BC to 2301 BC. Events *c. 29th century BC, 2900 BC–2334 BC: Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period continue. *c. 2400 BC–20th century BC, 2000 BC: large painted jar ...
Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. He is credited with authoring ''
The Maxims of Ptahhotep ''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. The text was discovered in The ...
'', an early piece of Egyptian "wisdom literature" or philosophy meant to instruct young men in appropriate behavior.


Life

Ptahhotep was the city administrator and vizier (first minister) during the reign of King
Djedkare Isesi Djedkare Isesi (known in Greek as Tancheres; died 2375 BC) was a king, the eighth and penultimate ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt in the late 25th century to mid-24th century BC, during the Old Kingdom. Djedkare succeeded Menkauhor Kaiu ...
in the Fifth Dynasty. He had a son named Akhethetep, who was also a vizier. He and his descendants were buried at
Saqqara Saqqara ( : saqqāra ), also spelled Sakkara or Saccara in English , is an Egyptian village in the markaz (county) of Badrashin in the Giza Governorate, that contains ancient burial grounds of Egyptian royalty, serving as the necropolis for ...
. Ptahhotep's tomb is located in a mastaba in North Saqqara (Mastaba D62). His grandson Ptahhotep Tjefi, who lived during the reign of
Unas Unas or Wenis, also spelled Unis (, Hellenization, hellenized form Oenas or Onnos; died 2345), was a pharaoh, king, the ninth and last ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Old Kingdom. Unas reigned for 15 to 3 ...
, was buried in the mastaba of his father (Mastaba 64). Their tomb is famous for its outstanding depictions. Next to the vizier's titles he held many other important positions, such as ''overseer of the treasury'', ''overseer of scribes of the king's document'', ''overseer of the double granary'' and ''overseer of all royal works''.


Mastaba

His mastaba is located at Saqqara. The entrance is on the South-east and decorated with two pillars. It follows a room with two further rooms on each side. The middle of the complex is occupied by a court with ten pillars. Going further north, several other rooms follow with one containing the false door of Ptahhotep and an offering table in front of it. Most walls of the mastaba are decorated with reliefs, but mostly only the lower parts of the scenes are preserved. They are mainly showing offerings bearers. The only family member preserved in the tomb decoration is the son Akhhotep. The name of the wife is not preserved.


''The Maxims of Ptahhotep''

For a long time it was believed by many scholars that Ptahhotep wrote the first book in history. His book was entitled ''
The Maxims of Ptahhotep ''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. The text was discovered in The ...
''. As the
Vizier A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...
, he wrote on a number of topics in his book that were derived from the central concept of Egyptian wisdom and literature which came from the goddess Maat. She was the daughter of the primordial and symbolized both cosmic order and social harmony. Ptahhotep’s instruction was written as advice to his people in the hopes of maintaining this said "
social order The term social order can be used in two senses: In the first sense, it refers to a particular system of social structures and institutions. Examples are the ancient, the feudal, and the capitalist social order. In the second sense, social orde ...
". He wrote perspicacious advice covering topics from table manners and proper conduct for success in court circles to handy hints to the husband for preserving his wife’s beauty. Ptahhotep also wrote more social instructions such as ways to avoid argumentative persons and cultivate self-control. Ptahhotep's grandson, Ptahhotep Tjefi, is traditionally credited with being the author of the collection of wise sayings known as ''The Maxims of Ptahhotep'', whose opening lines attribute authorship to the vizier Ptahhotep: ''Instruction of the Mayor of the city, the Vizier Ptahhotep, under the Majesty of King Isesi''. They take the form of advice and instructions from a father to his son and are said to have been assembled during the late Old Kingdom. However, their oldest surviving copies are written in Middle Egyptian dating to the late
First Intermediate Period The First Intermediate Period, described as a 'dark period' in ancient Egyptian history, spanned approximately 125 years, c. 2181–2055 BC, after the end of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Old Kingdom. It comprises the seventh Dynasty, Seventh (altho ...
of the Middle Kingdom. Some scholars have argued that this means that the book was likely composed in the Middle Kingdom and that the authorship is fictional. The 1906 translation by Battiscombe Gunn, published as part of the "Wisdom of the East" series, was made directly from the Prisse papyrus in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, rather than from copies, and is still in print.Battiscombe G. Gunn,
The Instruction of Ptah-Hotep and the Instruction of Ke'Gemni The Oldest Books in the World
, London, John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1906,
A manuscript copy, the Prisse Papyrus, is on display at the
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
.


References


Bibliography

*Nicolas Grimal, ''A History of Ancient Egypt'', Blackwell Publishing, 1992 * * *


External links

* * *
"Ptah-Hotep", ''AfricaWithin.com''
* * * ttps://web.archive.org/web/20060513064447/http://www.kenseamedia.com/encyclopedia/ppp/instructions_ptah_hotep.htm The Instruction of Ptah-Hotep - AAA Encyclopedia* {{Authority control Overseer of the treasury Viziers of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt Djedkare Isesi Ancient Egyptian overseers of royal works Ancient Egyptian overseers of the granaries 3rd-millennium BC births 3rd-millennium BC deaths