That’s What One Might Call Longevity

The Story of Sinuhe, a fictional piece written sometime between the 19th and 20th century B.C, continues to fascinate generations of scholars.

The hero of one of the earliest short stories in human history, Sinuhe appears to have been a well-to-do administrator. He was an official of the harem of Pharaoh Amenemhet I (1991-1976 BC), whose rule witnessed the expansion of the Egyptian sphere of influence in the Sinai and the area of Syria-Palestine, and heralded a time of great building activity, as well as a literary and artistic revival.

Then it turns into a classic murder-mystery: The king is murdered and Sinuhe, fearing he might be accused of being part of the plot, flees across the Sinai towards Syria. Archeologist Miroslav Barta has used the fictional story as a cornerstone of his book about the mores of Ancient Egypt, Sinuhe, the Bible, and the Patriarchs.