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{{Infobox person|name=Iiemhotep|native_name=𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪|nationality=Egyptian|known=Designing the Pyramid of Djeser|birth_date=27th century BCE|birth_place=[[Kingdom of Egypt (2686–2181 BCE)|Egypt]]|death_date=27th century BCE|death_place=Egypt|image_size= | {{Infobox person|name=Iiemhotep|native_name=𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪|nationality=Egyptian|known=Designing the Pyramid of Djeser|birth_date=27th century BCE|birth_place=[[Kingdom of Egypt (2686–2181 BCE)|Egypt]]|death_date=27th century BCE|death_place=Egypt|image_size=250|image=Imhotep.webp}} | ||
''' | '''Imhotep''' lived in the 27th century BCE and was a polymath who served as the vizier to Pharaoh [[Djeser|Djoser.]] He designed the 60-meter Pyramid of Djoser, which is located at Saqqara. Before Imhotep, the pharaohs were buried in mounds called mastabas; he designed the first pyramid in the world that we know of. He is also considered the true Father of Medicine, a title which is typically credited to [[Hippocrates]], despite Imhotep predating Hippocrates by 2,000 years. <ref>{{Library citation|link=Ancient Civilisations of East and West}}</ref> | ||
It is assumed that the Edwin Smith Papyrus, a medical text detailing rational, scientific observation and diagnosis and anatomical treatments, was authored by him. He is considered one of the first recorded [[Philosopher|philosophers]], though none of his original writings have survived the 4,700 years since his death.<ref name=":0">{{Web citation|newspaper=Encyclopedia Britannica|title=Imhotep|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Imhotep}}</ref> | |||
As a vizier, he ran the country's judiciary, treasury, and [[agriculture]]. He was also the High Priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
== Philosophy == | |||
Imhotep was a prolific philosopher, with later generations of Egyptians constantly writing about his missing works, such as in the famous New Kingdom poem "Eulogy of the Dead Writers." This was written in 1200 BCE, roughly 1,400 to 1,600 years after Imhotep's death, and is translated as follows:<ref name=":1">{{Citation|author=Molefi Kete Asante|title=The Egyptian Philosophers: Ancient African Voices from Imhotep to Akhenaten|title-url=https://dokumen.pub/the-egyptian-philosophers-ancient-african-voices-from-imhotep-to-akhenaten-0913543667-9780913543665.html}}</ref> | |||
''"Is there anyone here like Hordedef? Is there another like Imhotep? ... Death made their names forgotten, but books made them remembered!"''<ref name=":1" /> | |||
We know somewhat of his philosophy, as he established the genre of sebayt. From the little we know, his philosophy was based on the concept of Ma'at, which is the concept of balance, cosmic order, truth, and justice. This counters Isfet, viewed as the thing that corrupts our personal freedom and free will, leading us to take actions of a chaotic nature, e.g., violence or immoral actions.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
All of these are interpretations based on more recent proxies like The Maxims of [[Ptahhotep]] and the Instructions of Kagemni.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
The Song of the Harper is an ancient poem which was inscribed in the tomb of Pharaoh Intef around 2000 BCE, roughly 600 years after Imhotep's death, with the text reading:<ref name=":1" /> | |||
''"I have heard the words of Imhotep and Hordedef, with whose discourses men speak so much. What are their places now? Their walls are broken apart, and their places are no more as though they had never been!"'' <ref name=":1" /> | |||
Another instance of reverence for Imhotep's status as the grandfather of ancient Egyptian literature and philosophy: the ancient scribes would perform a ritual of pouring out a few drops of water before they began writing or copying a text as an offering of tribute to Imhotep.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
[[Category:Architects]] | [[Category:Architects]] | ||
<references /> | |||
[[Category:Ancient philosophers]] | |||
[[Category:Philosophers]] | |||
Latest revision as of 18:42, 5 March 2026
Iiemhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 27th century BCE Egypt |
| Died | 27th century BCE Egypt |
| Nationality | Egyptian |
| Known for | Designing the Pyramid of Djeser |
Imhotep lived in the 27th century BCE and was a polymath who served as the vizier to Pharaoh Djoser. He designed the 60-meter Pyramid of Djoser, which is located at Saqqara. Before Imhotep, the pharaohs were buried in mounds called mastabas; he designed the first pyramid in the world that we know of. He is also considered the true Father of Medicine, a title which is typically credited to Hippocrates, despite Imhotep predating Hippocrates by 2,000 years. [1]
It is assumed that the Edwin Smith Papyrus, a medical text detailing rational, scientific observation and diagnosis and anatomical treatments, was authored by him. He is considered one of the first recorded philosophers, though none of his original writings have survived the 4,700 years since his death.[2]
As a vizier, he ran the country's judiciary, treasury, and agriculture. He was also the High Priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis.[2]
Philosophy[edit | edit source]
Imhotep was a prolific philosopher, with later generations of Egyptians constantly writing about his missing works, such as in the famous New Kingdom poem "Eulogy of the Dead Writers." This was written in 1200 BCE, roughly 1,400 to 1,600 years after Imhotep's death, and is translated as follows:[3]
"Is there anyone here like Hordedef? Is there another like Imhotep? ... Death made their names forgotten, but books made them remembered!"[3]
We know somewhat of his philosophy, as he established the genre of sebayt. From the little we know, his philosophy was based on the concept of Ma'at, which is the concept of balance, cosmic order, truth, and justice. This counters Isfet, viewed as the thing that corrupts our personal freedom and free will, leading us to take actions of a chaotic nature, e.g., violence or immoral actions.[3]
All of these are interpretations based on more recent proxies like The Maxims of Ptahhotep and the Instructions of Kagemni.[3]
The Song of the Harper is an ancient poem which was inscribed in the tomb of Pharaoh Intef around 2000 BCE, roughly 600 years after Imhotep's death, with the text reading:[3]
"I have heard the words of Imhotep and Hordedef, with whose discourses men speak so much. What are their places now? Their walls are broken apart, and their places are no more as though they had never been!" [3]
Another instance of reverence for Imhotep's status as the grandfather of ancient Egyptian literature and philosophy: the ancient scribes would perform a ritual of pouring out a few drops of water before they began writing or copying a text as an offering of tribute to Imhotep.[3]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Grigory Bongard-Levin, Boris Piotrovsky (1988). Ancient Civilisations of East and West. https://archive.org/details/ancientciveastwest/mode/1up.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Imhotep". Encyclopedia Britannica.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Molefi Kete Asante. The Egyptian Philosophers: Ancient African Voices from Imhotep to Akhenaten.