Harper's Songs
Encyclopedia
"Harper's Songs" are Ancient Egyptian texts that originated in tomb inscriptions of the Middle Kingdom
(but found on papyrus texts until the Papyrus Harris 500
of the New Kingdom
) which in the main praise life after death and were often used in funerary contexts. These songs display varying degrees of hope in an afterlife that range from the skeptical through to the more traditional expressions of confidence. These texts are accompanied by drawings of blind harpists and are therefore thought to have been sung. Thematically they have been compared with The Immortality of Writers
in their expression of rational skepticism.
A song from the tomb of King Intef
suggests a person should enjoy the good things in life, avoid contemplation of death and expresses doubt about the reality of an afterlife.
In the case of the priest Neferhotep the three Harper's songs found in his tomb display a full range of viewpoints. In one the sceptical position is blended with the more conventional expressions of hope, the second rejects skepticism, whilst the third is a ritualistic affirmation in life after death.
Middle Kingdom of Egypt
The Middle Kingdom of Egypt is the period in the history of ancient Egypt stretching from the establishment of the Eleventh Dynasty to the end of the Fourteenth Dynasty, between 2055 BC and 1650 BC, although some writers include the Thirteenth and Fourteenth dynasties in the Second Intermediate...
(but found on papyrus texts until the Papyrus Harris 500
Papyrus Harris 500
The Papyrus Harris 500, alt. pHarris 500 or P. British Museum 10060, contains copies of the ancient Egyptian tales of The Doomed Prince and The Taking of Joppa, of love poems and of the Harper's Song from the tomb of King Intef...
of the New Kingdom
New Kingdom
The New Kingdom of Egypt, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt....
) which in the main praise life after death and were often used in funerary contexts. These songs display varying degrees of hope in an afterlife that range from the skeptical through to the more traditional expressions of confidence. These texts are accompanied by drawings of blind harpists and are therefore thought to have been sung. Thematically they have been compared with The Immortality of Writers
The Immortality of Writers
The Immortality of Writers is an Ancient Egyptian wisdom text likely to have been used as an instructional work in schools. It is recorded on the verso side of the Chester Beatty IV papyrus held in the British Museum. It is notable for its rationalist sceptical outlook, even more emphatic than in...
in their expression of rational skepticism.
A song from the tomb of King Intef
Intef
Intef was a common ancient Egyptian name, normally transliterated: jnj-jt, translated: he, who brings father with him, common vocalizations: Intef, Antef, Inyotef, Anyotef.-11th dynasty:* Intef, Theban Nomarch.* Intef I, Se-her-taui....
suggests a person should enjoy the good things in life, avoid contemplation of death and expresses doubt about the reality of an afterlife.
Make holiday, don't weary of it ! Look there is no one allowed to take their things with them, and there is no one who goes away comes back again.
In the case of the priest Neferhotep the three Harper's songs found in his tomb display a full range of viewpoints. In one the sceptical position is blended with the more conventional expressions of hope, the second rejects skepticism, whilst the third is a ritualistic affirmation in life after death.
I have heard those songs that are in the ancient tombs,
And what they tell
Extolling life on earth and belittling the region of the dead.
Wherefore do they thus, concerning the land of eternity,
The just and the fair,
Which has no terrors?
Wrangling is its abhorrence; no man there girds himself against his fellow.
It is a land against which none can rebel.
All our kinsfolk rest within it, since the ealiest day of time;
The offspring of millions are come hither, every one.
For none may tarry in the land of Egypt,
None there is who has not passed yonder.
The span of earthly things is as a dream;
But a fair welcome is given him who has reached the West.