Write like an Egyptian
September 10, 2010 8:05 AM   Subscribe

An online collection of texts from ancient Egypt. Most are available only as translations, but some include a transcription or an image of the original hieroglyphics. There are some very famous documents, like the treaty of Ramses II with the Hittites (the earliest known peace treaty), and a wide range of topics - gynaecology, court proceedings, contemplations of suicide, and apparently they beat Kipling to the just-so stories by a good few thousand years.
posted by Dim Siawns (7 comments total) 31 users marked this as a favorite
 
Dim Siawns, you consistently make excellent FPPs. Thank you, this is great!
posted by iamkimiam at 9:24 AM on September 10, 2010 [2 favorites]


WOW
posted by clavdivs at 10:24 AM on September 10, 2010


I want my cats to mix wine and bake cakes. That is all.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 10:31 AM on September 10, 2010


This reader consists mostly of older translations which have been largely superseded by, as we hope, scientifically more correct versions. Some of the texts have been retranslated by me from French, German or Spanish versions, which adds another layer of possible misinterpretations. All this should however not diminish the pleasure that can be derived from reading them.

No, it doesn't. Nor does the fact that this site is a time capsule from 9 years past. It would be interesting to see comparisons of more modern translations, but the side-bar notes are fantastic, as are the cross-links to related material on the site. Thanks for this!
posted by filthy light thief at 10:47 AM on September 10, 2010


I think that the Peace Treaty Between Ramses II and Hattusili II should be the new Treaty of Westphalia. In both translations. The mods will love it!

This is awesome.
posted by sonika at 11:29 AM on September 10, 2010


Excellent, thank you!
posted by jokeefe at 11:38 AM on September 10, 2010


I propose a new peace treaty to be posted in the FAQ

If a poster abuses the country of The Blue, exalted among internets, or two posters, or three posters, and especially if they come to The Metatalks, the Great Bean Counters, the consternators of the country of Metafilter, their sibling, then The Mod Team, the Great Kings, the kings of the country of Metafilter, has to take hold of them and to order them to cease posting [deletion reason], and do so in view of their siblings, since they are siblings, if it is edifying and not unduly harmful. As for their crime, it should not be imputed; their tongue and their eyes are not to be pulled out; their ears and their feet are not to be cut off; their houses with their wives and their children are not to be destroyed.
posted by Blasdelb at 2:30 PM on September 11, 2010


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