The Adventures of Sinuhe

The Adventures of Sinuhe is one of the most important works of Ancient Egyptian literature, certainly the best-known. It dates back to the Middle Kingdom period. This work became a classic in ancient Egypt, as it was introduced into schools as a literary study material shortly after its writing. This explains the countless ostraca, or potsherds and stones on which stories were engraved for educational purposes, that have been found. Its enormous success is also attested by the numerous manuscripts discovered over the centuries. Experts believe that the hypothesis of a fanciful and fictional autobiography prevails over that of a real autobiography, as far as Sinuhe's story is concerned, while the historical setting is certain and dates back to the death of Pharaoh Sehetepibtawy (Ammenemat I), who was the first ruler of the 12th dynasty of Egypt and was also killed by a palace conspiracy at a time when his son Senusret I was engaged in a military campaign against the Libyan populations, a sign of a probable strong internal opposition.Read more