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The Egyptian culture is very rich. The ancient Egyptians were far advanced in terms of science that has taken the rest of the world several centuries to understand. Till date many Egyptian mysteries remain hidden. Literature in Egypt from ancient times to contemporary times has been the guiding light in the literary world. Written documentation in Egypt dates back a long time.
Literature to us is what is written in books. In ancient times most cultures had a system of imparting knowledge through hearing. Egypt was one of the first to introduce text written on papyrus. There were works that had been documented on the walls of tombs and shrines. Monuments, obelisks and portraits all carry evidence of ancient Egyptian literature. Literature in Egypt during ancient times depicted the daily lifestyle of people back then.
Literature to Egyptians was knowledge, many of the works featured the pure satisfaction that scholars had when penning their thoughts. Ancient Egyptian literature featured poetries, novels, short stories, proverbs, moral texts, medical documentation and religious works. Musical documentation has also been discovered in ancient texts of Egypt. Nature featured in many of the literary works in ancient times. Nile was a constant source of inspiration for Egyptian writers. This was a clear departure from the instructional nature of literature in Egypt. “Wisdom Literature” as it was called was a meant for knowledge rather than pleasure.
Poems were very popular in ancient times in Egypt. Nature influenced a lot of these poetical ventures. However romantic poetry and drama were also written. Many of the poets were of Greek and Roman descents, who came to utilize the resources of the Library of Alexandria. Apart from foreign poets and writers there were many prominent Egyptian writers as well. Apollonius of Rhodes was a respected Egyptian poet.
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