The Adventures of Wenamun, Egyptian priest of Amun of Thebes, in Phoenicia

The Adventures of Wenamun, ed. Megalommatis, a Book Review.

Published in Greek, in 1992 (Stohastis Publishing House, Athens - Greece), 160 p., the book consists in the first Egyptological publication in Greece, and in the first direct translation from Classical Egyptian (Hieroglyphic) to Modern Greek. The author attached a Preface with respect to the Egyptological material and background in Greece, including a list of related lectures and public conferences that were held in Athens in the late 80s and early 90s.

The Introduction focuses the modern Egyptological research on Wenamun. The author dedicated his book to Prof. Sarah Israelit Groll, with whom he had a seminar on Wenamun at the Mount Scopus Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1984, where the famous Israeli Egyptologist was teaching at that time. In several cases Megalommatis refers to her interpretations, especially in the long and extensive comments that accompany the Hieroglyphic text and the Modern Greek translation. Of particular interest in this regard are the specific comments that attempt to establish a correct chronological order of events mentioned and described in the text of Wenamun. Throughout the book itself and more particularly at the end, lists of Hieroglyphic signs (from Gardiner's Grammar), photographical material and diagrams give the reader an enlightening pictorial understanding of the Ancient Egyptian world.

Wenamun, the Egyptian priest of Amun of Thebes, traveled through Sais to Byblus of Phoenicia to get the precious cedar wood that was needed to have a holy boat of Amun sculpted in Thebes. It seems that Horihor, the local ruler of Thebes, was not internationally recognized as Pharaoh, and Wenamun "forgot" to ask Smendes, Pharaoh of Lower Egypt only (so, eventually a competitor to Horihor), a letter of recommendation for Tsekker Baal of Byblus, facing therefore great difficulty to convince the semi-barbaric ruler of the Phoenician city about his good intentions.

The image of a divided Egypt in decay comes in striking contrast with what was Egypt approximately 100 years before Wenamun, at the days of Ramses III, who fought successfully against the Sea Peoples, and ultimately dispersed them in the Mediterranean. The name of Tsekker Baal itself suggests his "Sea Peoples" origin, Tsekker being one of the attacking peoples.

An ideological differentiation between the two persons, Wenamun and Tsekker Baal, becomes evident thanks to details we find in the text. Yet, the most striking subject is the disdainful way Tsekker Baal addressed Wenamun, who was serving in a temple larger than the entire city Tsekker Baal was ruling!

The way back was not easy either; Wenamun had to escape to Alasia (Cyprus), and to ask the help of Queen Hatiba, first Cypriot personal name in History. This testifies to the Semitic origins of the Cypriots as well; it also gives a vivid image of the existing piracy in Eastern Mediterranean during the first half of the 11th century BCE. The author makes a considerable effort to make all his staff alive to us.