![]() ![]() Nevertheless, the Egyptian ‘Dream Book’ is a fascinating piece of work which shows one of the beliefs (be it serious or not) held by the ancient Egyptians. Obviously, how serious a reader takes these ‘predictions’ would be a whole different matter that could be explored as well. After all, if archaeologists of the future were to discover newspaper clippings of the ‘daily horoscope’ (without the knowledge of the social context of our age), they would probably be equally unsure as to whether these ‘predictions’ were meant to be taken seriously or not. It is interesting to consider whether the ‘Dream Book’ was regarded by the ancient Egyptians as a piece of ‘serious’ or a ‘popular’ piece of writing. As the ‘Dream Book’ has demonstrated, this was an heirloom that was handed down from one generation to the next. In addition to this papyrus, there were a variety of papyri which dealt with literary, magical, and documentary works. Also, the names of this scribe’s wife’s second husband, Khaemamen, and his son, Amennakht, can be found on the papyrus, indicating that the papyrus belonged to them.Īnother interesting thing about the ‘Dream Book’ is that it was once part of an archive. For instance, we know that the scribe Qeniherkhepshef once owned this papyrus, since he copied a poem about the Battle of Kadesh which took place during Ramesses II’s reign. Although it is unclear who its original owner was, some of its owners can be traced through their names on the papyrus. The papyrus probably had several owners before being finally being deposited in Deir el-Medina. ![]() The second largest category deals with eating and drinking, and a few more deal with receiving and copulating. Most of these activities deal with some form of sight or seeing. These activities may be said to be things commonly undertaken by the average person. The good dreams are listed first, followed by the bad ones (written in red, as it is the colour of bad omens).Īround 108 dreams, which describe 78 activities and emotions, are recorded in the ‘Dream Book’. Thus, as an example: ‘If a man sees himself in a dream looking out of a window, good it means the hearing of his cry’. In each horizontal line that follows, a dream is described, and the diagnosis ‘good’ or ‘bad’, as well as the interpretation is provided. ![]() ![]() Each page of the papyrus begins with a vertical column of hieratic signs which translates as ‘If a man sees himself in a dream’. This papyrus has been dated to the early reign of Ramesses II (1279-1213 B.C.). This papyrus was found in the ancient Egyptian workers’ village of Deir el-Medina, near the Valley of the Kings. The Egyptian ‘Dream Book’ is preserved in the form of a papyrus with a hieratic script. The Egyptians had a ‘Dream Book’ which set on the meaning of many different types of dreams. The Bible is not the only ancient literary source that records the interpretation of dreams. This enabled Egypt to avoid this disaster and contributed to Joseph’s meteoric rise in the Egyptian hierarchy. According to the Bible, this ability allowed Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, which foretold a 7-year famine. For instance, in the Book of Genesis, Joseph, the son of the Jewish Patriarch, Jacob, had the ability to divine the future based on dreams. The divination of dreams, or oneiromancy as it is also called, has its roots in the ancient world. Do you believe that dreams can foretell the future? If you do, then you are not alone. ![]()
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