The Papyrus from the Setne Khaemwaset Stories

The Papyrus from the Setne Khaemwaset stories is an object of antiquity which has added value to our understanding of ancient Egyptian culture. A cycle of stories possibly written during the 1st Century A.D., only two parts of the tales (Setne I and II) survive. Setne II
is a part of the collection of Egyptian antiquities at the British Museum. One of the more significant aspects of this artifact is what it tells us about the adaptability and syncretic nature of Egyptian culture and the Egyptian people in their ability to survive the political upheavals of the Late and Graeco-Roman periods through the preservation of cultural and literary values. This paper will examine the ways in which the papyrus offers insight in this cultural survivability and syncretism.

First, it is important to examine the papyrus' origins and description in order to understand the archaeological context in which Egyptologists place its significance. The tales can possibly be (Simpson 2003) dated to year 7 of Emperor Claudius (46 - 47 A.D.) because, like most papyri, the Khaemwaset tales were written on the verso of two reused Greek papyri which contain the accounts of land registers in the fields of Gebelein and Crocodopolis during the Roman period , thus possibly placing the origins of the tales in the Fayum region and time period (470). The papyrus itself is 50.5 cm in height and 159 cm. in length (British Museum Compass). Written in the Egyptian Demotic language, the tales narrate the exploits of Prince Khaemwaset, otherwise known as Setne, "a corruption of the priestly title" (Sec. 1, par. 2) he held. The fourth son of King Rameses II (1279 - 1213 BC), he was considered the first Egyptologist for his inscriptions of the Pyramid restorations during the Old Kingdom (c. 2613 - 2160 BC) in the cemeteries of Memphis. Revered as a magician in later periods, Khaemwaset became the focus of stories written about his exploits (Sec. 1, par. 1).