Ancient Egypt had been one of the most advanced civilisations within the Ancient World so it is not exactly surprising that Ancient Egyptian literature would be amongst the best developed. Ancient Egypt already had a rich and vibrant culture in the Pre-Dynastic Period and indeed during the Old Kingdom. The Ancient Egyptian literature continued to be produced, including detailed pieces of theology and mythology right up until the end of the Late Period.

Ancient Egyptian literature was primarily developed from the religious theology and mythology of the Pre-Dynastic Period as well as the early part of the Old Kingdom. Therefore the earliest forms of Ancient Egyptian literature were based upon religious and mythological tales or legends that had been passed on from one generation to the next via word of mouth. Centuries of well-developed word of mouth traditions laid strong foundations for the literature of ancient Egypt.

Ancient Egyptian literature was used as a means of glorifying the things that mattered most to the Ancient Egyptians. Ancient Egyptian literature therefore was used to glorify the numerous gods and goddesses, to honour the achievements of all the Pharaohs past and present, as well as celebrating the military victories and conquests of those Pharaohs.

This literature was designed to record mythology, theology, or detailed biographies of the Pharaohs, not to mention remarkable events such as military conquests for the whole of posterity. Ancient Egyptian literature was recorded on scrolls in later centuries as well as on the walls of the pyramids, royal tombs, temples, and other monuments.

Bibliography

Geddes and Grosset (2004) Ancient Egypt Myth & History, The Gresham Publishing Company, New Lanark

Grimal, N (1992) A History of Ancient Egypt, translated by I Shaw, Blackwell, Oxford

Shaw, I (2000) The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford University, Oxford

Tyldesley, J (2003) Pyramids – the real story behind Egypt’s most ancient monuments, Viking, London

Verner, M (2002) The Pyramids – Their Archaeology and History, translated by S Rendall, Atlantic Books, London