Through the Eras

Philosophythough such stories are similar to ancient Egyptian lore.The Book of the Dead in one tradition was discoveredunder a statue of Thoth. Thus it is possible that theArabic tradition preserves some knowledge of Egyptianpractice.EGYPT’S HEIRS. Thus ancient Egypt’s heirs, bothGreek and Arabic speaking, practiced alchemy. Theyattempted to connect this practice to Pharaonic knowledgewith varying degrees of success. It is possible thatboth traditions preserve some aspects of Egyptianthought though it is not clear that alchemy truly was anEgyptian area of knowledge or philosophy.SOURCESF. Daumas, “L’Alchimie a-t-elle une origine égyptienne?” inDas römisch-byzantinische Ägypten (Mainz, Germany:Twayne, 1983): 109–118.P. Derchain, “L’Atelier des Orfèvres á Dendera et les originsde l’Alchemie,” in Chronique d’Egypte 65 (1990):219–242.Erik Hornung, The Secret Lore of Egypt: Its Impact on theWest (Ithica, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2001).SEE ALSO Religion: Magic in Egyptian ReligionANKHSHESHONQIfl. Ptolemaic Period (332–30 B.C.E.)Writer of aphorismsSIGNIFICANTPEOPLEin PhilosophyLESSONS TO HIS SON. Ankhsheshonqi was a priestof the sun god Re at the god’s temple in Heliopolis who,according to ancient Egyptian history, was implicatedin a plot to assassinate the pharaoh. Although not a directparticipant, he was thrown into prison for his failureto report the plot, which involved his childhoodfriend, Harsiese, who was also the pharaoh’s chief physician.While in prison he wrote a teaching for his son.Ankhsheshonqi’s teaching differs from earlier teachingsbecause it consists of individual aphorisms. Though severalof these sayings might deal with the same subject,they do not follow one another in any understandablesequence as was true in the earlier periods. Some scholarshave tried to connect this work to the biblical bookof Proverbs.SOURCESS. R. K. Glanville, The Instructions of Onchsheshonqy (London:British Museum Press, 1955).Miriam Lichtheim, Late Egyptian Wisdom Literature in theInternational Context (Freiburg, Switzerland: Orbis Biblicuset Orientalis, 1983).ANYUnknown, before 1539 B.C.E.–Unknown, after 1514B.C.E.Scribe of the Palace of Queen Ahmes-NefertariWROTE TEACHING TO SON. Nothing is known ofAny’s early life. He was a commoner who had an opportunityto gain an education and became a scribe. Hemust have married and had at least one son who grewto adulthood, whose name was Khonshotep. Any’s highesttitle was “Scribe of the Palace of Ahmes-Nefertari.”Thus he was an official who reached the lower end of theroyal bureaucracy. This office was a significant enoughaccomplishment to allow him to write a teaching for hisson. Any’s teaching combines traditional material withtwo innovations. Previous to Any’s time, only teachingsof the highest officials survive. As a minor official, Anyoffers advice to his son that will help him in the loweroffices that he can expect to attain. There is no aristocraticpretension in Any’s advice. Second, Any’s son answershim at the end of the teaching. Khonshotep is skepticalabout whether he can follow his father’s advice. He suggestsit is too difficult for him. This section of the textleads to the possibility that the teaching will fail in spiteof Any’s best efforts. Such a proposition was never previouslydiscussed in Egyptian philosophical literature.SOURCESMiriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume II:The New Kingdom (Berkeley: University of CaliforniaPress, 1976): 135–146.Axel Volten, Studien zum Weisheitsbuch des Anii (Copenhagen,Denmark: Danske videnskabernes selskab, 1937–1938).HORDJEDEFfl. Fourth Dynasty (2625–2500 B.C.E.)PrinceAuthorA PRINCE AND A TEACHER. Hordjedef was a sonof King Khufu who reigned 2585–2560 B.C.E. Hismastaba tomb was never finished, but was located nearhis father’s tomb, the Great Pyramid. Hordjedef had atArts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.) 201