Dedi

Dedi of Djed - Sneferu is the name of a fictional ancient Egyptian magician who in one of the five legends of the papyrus Westcar ( Middle Kingdom ) and occurs at the court of the King ( Pharaoh) Khufu (4th Dynasty) a miracles.

The literary person

Dedi appears only in the fourth story of the papyrus Westcar - he is not historical or even archaeological occupied. However, this literary figure for Egyptology of great importance, since its geschilderter Papyrus magic trick related to the later reception of the character of Pharaoh Khufu and the latter to this day is the subject of controversial debate.

The story of Dedi

According to the papyrus Dedi is invited to the palace of Cheops, as he was able to leave headless creatures back to life and also possess information about the Sanctuary, after the Cheops seeking for some time. The questionable proposal Cheops ' to behead a convicted criminal to death, to be convinced of Dedis magic powers, the magician refuses indignantly. Dedi heads then instead a goose, an unidentifiable bird and a bull and adds their respective heads again, without the animals perish there. Then reveals Dedi Cheops, a prophesy, which revolves around an unspecified definable object that Cheops is to receive such high demand and the ruler of the founders of a new dynasty. Cheops is initially disappointed to learn that his dynasty will come to an end soon, but Dedi comforts the ruler so that only three sons of Cheops would rule even before the bearer of the object comes to power. As Dedi the king promises to generate a flood that Cheops ` bark safely to the fulfiller of prophecy, causes Cheops that Dedi henceforth lives in gratitude for his son Djedefhor in the palace.

Modern considerations

Magic historians and Egyptologists (eg Adolf Erman ) keep the records of Dedis alleged magic powers for pure folklore. Magic tricks are where seemingly separated heads of animals and reattached are known in their execution for only a few centuries and are rarely shown today for aesthetic reasons. Verena M. Lepper and Miriam Liechtheim contradict an assessment as " folklore " decided since time later documents repeatedly literary heroes with magical powers occur which resemble those of Dedi and are obviously inspired by the legends of the papyrus Westcar. Dedi therefore must have been known to later writers of heroic stories, which is why his person Lepper and Liechtheim According does not fit into a mere folk - tale.