Internet History Sourcebooks Project: Ancient History

Tales of Ancient Egypt

The Shipwrecked Sailor, c. 2200 BCE

• Story about a wise servant and his lord returning from a voyage.
• The sailors reached land safely after a long journey to Wawat (Nubia) and Senmut (Kush).
• The wise servant recounts a tale of his own journey.

Journey and Shipwreck

• Embarked on a ship 150 cubits long, 40 cubits wide with 150 skilled Egyptian sailors.
• Set out for the mines of Pharaoh.
• Encountered a violent storm; waves rose 8 cubits high.
• The narrator survived by clinging to a piece of wood; rest of the crew perished.

Survival on the Island

• Landed on an island alone; survived by gathering fruits, grains, fish, and birds.
• Offered a burnt offering to the gods.

Encounter with the Serpent

• A large serpent, 30 cubits long, approached, questioning the sailor's presence.
• Serpent's body was gold-like, with a beard over 2 cubits, and its color as lapis lazuli.
• The serpent took the sailor to its resting place unharmed.

Revelations by the Serpent

• The serpent reassured the sailor, attributing his survival to divine intervention.
• The island was described as blessed and plentiful.
• The sailor was told he would stay for four months, after which a ship would rescue him.
• The serpent shared about his family: 75 serpents living on the island.

Promises and Departure

• The sailor promised to tell Pharaoh of the serpent's greatness and bring offerings.
• The serpent, amused, indicated the sailor's incense offerings were common.
• The serpent predicted that the island would disappear into waves after departure.

Return

• As foretold, a ship arrived for the sailor.
• The serpent gave the sailor riches and blessings for his journey home.
• The sailor prayed and thanked the serpent and embarked on the ship.
• Upon arrival, he intended to present the gifts to Pharaoh.

Source Information

• Text from Eva March Tappan's collection, translated by W. K. Flinders Petrie.
• Part of the Internet Ancient History Sourcebook collection.
• Electronic form copyrighted for educational and personal use.
• Hosted by Fordham University, New York; project independent of the university.

Note: The site and the project are designed and maintained by Paul Halsall, with contributions from Fordham University departments.