Ipuwer Papyrus

The Papyrus Leiden I 344 (also Ipuwer Papyrus, The Admonitions of Ipuwer or complaints of Ipuwer ) is an ancient Egyptian text on papyrus. The papyrus is on display in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden. A first edition brought Alan Gardiner, entitled " Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage " out.

Content

The Ipuwer text describes Egypt as natural disasters infested, broken-down communities. Formerly subordinates occupied high offices, while the former upper class lost its influence.

Dating and interpretation

The papyrus was of John Van Seters dated to the time of the Hyksos invasion during the later Middle Kingdom (about 1674 BC). Recent studies support a date in the late Middle Kingdom (after Sesostris III. , But before the Hyksos ).

The theme of the text is either previously understood as a general complaint about the chaos in the period or in previous research as a historical seal the case of the Old Kingdom portraying centuries, possibly even a combination of both.

In modern art

The text has been taken from Bertolt Brecht in The Caucasian Chalk Circle. While in the original text, the fact that poor people come to wealth and that is thus made ​​the world view upside down, there are complaints ( " Behold the man without possession is now the Lord of riches " ), acclaimed Brecht same facts: " Hurrah, the man without property is now the Lord of riches. "