About Sinuhe ============ Introduction ------------ I am often asked about my internet handle "Sinuhe," and what it means. This article attempts to answer that question. Who Was Sinuhe? --------------- What history knows of Sinuhe (meaning "son of the sycomore," sycomore referring to the goddess Hathor) comes from a document about the Royal Court of Egypt, called the Tale of Sinuhe. Dated to the Middle Kingdom, 12th dynasty (1938-1756 B.C.E.), we learn that Sinuhe was an official for the harem of Amenemhet I. Sinuhe fled from Egypt, to Syria, upon learning of the Pharaoh's assassination (1908 B.C.E.). Upon entering Syria, he married the daughter of a southern chieftain, who adopted him. He later rose to power. Sinuhe returned to Egypt by invitation of Sesostris I, and was forgiven his crimes (which allude to a possible involvement in Amenemhet's assassination), and a tomb was built in his honor. The tomb of Sinuhe has not been found. Sinuhe became a legend and his biographical sketch was passed down for centuries. Following is a website that talks of Sinuhe, and gives a translation of the text of the Tale of Sinuhe. * Description of Asiatic life from the Tale of Sinuhe Mika Waltari and the Literary Sinuhe ------------------------------------ A historical fictional novel by Mika Waltari, called Sinuhe Egyptiläinen, or Sinuhe the Egyptian, is a uniquely humanistic, legendary account of Sinuhe as an adopted royal who is raised as a physician between 1390 and 1335 B.C.E. I own the G.P. Putnam 1949 release, translated by Naomi Walford (ISBN: 0899668631). Copyright (c) 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 by D E Evans .