Through the Eras

ture that contrasts earthly reality withEgyptian ideals.2008–1630 Middle Egyptian, the classical stage of theancient Egyptian language used to composepoetry and prose for nearly 1,500years, is also the spoken language.IMPORTANT EVENTSin LiteratureAll dates in this chronology are approximations (c.) andoccur before the common era (B.C.E.).3300–3000 The earliest hieroglyphic writing emergesin the town of Abydos in Middle Egypt.This pre-dates the earliest Sumerian writingin Mesopotamia by about 300 years.2625–2170 Old Egyptian, the oldest known stage ofthe ancient Egyptian language, is writtenin hieroglyphs and hieratic, a cursive writingsystem based on hieroglyphs.The first Egyptian literature includes thePyramid Texts, the funeral service for theking carved on the interior walls of thepyramids of kings and autobiographies ofnoblemen carved on the walls of theirtombs.2625–2532 The earliest autobiographical inscriptionssuggest that a man achieves self-worth byfulfilling responsibilities to his father.2532–2425 Autobiographies of the late Fourth andthe Fifth Dynasties portray a man’s selfworthas being based on his relationshipwith the king.2500–2350 Autobiographies of the Fifth Dynasty revealthat the Egyptians believed goodnesswas innate.2065–1957 Egyptian noblemen revive the ideal ofroyal service as the theme of autobiography,an idea that had disappeared at theend of the Old Kingdom.2008 The literary theme of the overcoming ofpolitical chaos by a strong king appears inthe new literature of pessimism, a litera-1938–1759 New literary genres appear including narrative,teachings, and discourses.1919–1875 The Story of Sinuhe, Egypt’s great nationalepic poem is probably composed duringthis time.1543–1539 The Kamose Stela, the oldest known historicalaccount, is composed; the genrewill grow in importance during the NewKingdom.1539–1075 Late Egyptian, the language of a numberof sophisticated prose stories, is also thespoken language.Autobiography grows less important as aform than it was in the earlier period andis published on statues rather than ontomb walls.Hymns emerge as an important literaryform.1479–1425 The Annals of Thutmose III, carved on thewall of the Temple of Amun at Karnak,directs readers to a leather roll in the libraryfor the full version of the text, indicatingthat fuller versions of some textsexisted in other media.A poem praising the city of Thebes is theonly known Eighteenth-dynasty verse,contrasting with numerous poems of earlierand later periods.1478–1458 Queen Hatshepsut publishes an historicalaccount of her expedition to the land ofPunt in Ethiopia, a very early descriptionof a foreign country.1390–1352 King Amenhotep III uses large faiencescarabs to publish and distribute decreesand information, one way of producingmultiple copies of a text with molds.112 Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.)