This is a terse practical note without any formulae, similar to "Letter from the Boss." Traces of additional signs along the left edge (see original papyrus)suggest that this sheet was cut out of an already used roll, or that it is a copy of the message kept by the recipient. This would explain the placing of the sender's name at the end: it generally comes first in actual letters. This note dates to the reign of Amenemhat III. (Adapted from Parkinson, Voices from Ancient Egypt)
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The letter was originally published in
Ludwig Borchardt Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 37:89-103, "Der Zweite Papyrusfund von Kahun und die zeitliche Festlegung des mettleren Reiches der ägyptischen Geschichte."This version is based on the facsimile in
G. Möller, Hieratische Lesestücke für den akademischen Gebrauch I, p.18.
Translations of this letter can be found in
E. Wente, Letters From Ancient Egypt, p.79, and in
R. B. Parkinson, Voices from Ancient Egypt, p.90.
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