Due to the development of archeology and the continuous advancement of dating technology, what is currently considered the oldest document in the world may not be the oldest because of newer and more advanced technology. However, these ancient books will always be among the oldest books known to mankind. The world's earliest literary works often originate from the Egyptians, Sumerians, or Akkadians, describing the daily lives of people who first recorded their histories, stories, and religious beliefs. To understand humanity's past is to deepen our understanding of today.
1. "The Proverbs of Surubak": Dating back to about 3000 BC, "The Proverbs of Surubac" tells the story of a mysterious Sumerian king and is the oldest known to date. One of the literary works. With the exception of the Proverbs of Surubak, other ancient texts describe him poorly, leading some scholars to doubt whether he was actually human. Although Subak was actually a flesh-and-blood man, his story is typical of the ancient floods we are familiar with. He and his family survived the devastating flood, and the digital "Proverbs" clay tablets record the king's moral code. These principles won him favor with God, allowing him to rule Mesopotamia after the floods receded. Anyone who is slightly familiar with the Old Testament can see that the core content of Sulubak's remarks is the predecessor of the Ten Commandments. Other minor aspects include basic advice on self-protection, such as staying up late and making assertions while under the influence of alcohol.
2. "The Epic of Itana": Itana, the legendary King of Kish, is a hero in an epic written around 2600 BC. However, the sad thing about the king is that
3. "Pyramid Text": Most historians, archaeologists and theologians believe that this is one of the oldest religious documents in the world. This is a compilation of burial inscriptions of ten members of the ancient Egyptian royal family. These texts accompanying kings and queens span nearly 250 years, with the oldest documents unearthed from the pyramid of Yunis, ruler of the Fifth Dynasty, dating back to 2400-2300 BC. Carvings on the walls and sides of the sarcophagus also detail the ancient Egyptians' understanding of the afterlife and their strict social hierarchy. Mysterious texts such as incantations and incantations not only pray to God to bless the pharaoh or queen and bless them with eternal life, but also outline what their souls can and cannot do after death. Especially in the infamous section of the Tomb of Unas, there is also an evil name "Cannibal Song", which implies that human sacrifice and cannibalism are ways to rule the people and a way to obtain the power of the gods. Like almost all ancient documents, the Pyramid Texts continue to develop and enrich as new fragments and even complete texts are unearthed, presenting new content about ancient stories and ancient civilizations.
4. "Urukakina Code": generally considered to be the first written political treatise. Among the top ten ancient books, the unique feature of the "Urukakina Code" is that it has not yet been unearthed. However, its existence is indisputable. This code is mentioned many times in the clay tablets unearthed when Ulukakina ruled Legash in 2380-2360 BC. Central to much of the king's rhetoric was the maintenance of peace, justice, and order in his realm, including easing the tax burden on widowed families and allowing the poor significant decision-making power in selling goods to the rich. Thanks to Ulukakina’s belief in equality, personal freedom, and social justice, women who commit adultery no longer fear being stoned to death.
5. "Palermo Stone": Its history can be traced back to the same period of the Fifth Dynasty in the 25th century BC. This haunting slab of basalt stone is one of the earliest surviving documents of ancient Egyptian history. The paper book was published in 1902 and was directly copied from the stone tablet. The book begins with a painstaking enumeration of the names of countless members of the royal family from the First Dynasty onwards. However, even with a good translation, the true meaning of the list remains unknown. In addition, the "Palermo Stone" also records the highest water level of the Nile River's annual floods and major events related to it. Even details such as dates are not spared. Before the stone sculptures were pieced together and restored, seven pieces were scattered across Egypt, and one of them was even used as a threshold for waste! From then to today, it has been the subject of at least 13 independent studies. Without it, it would be difficult for people to understand the ancient system and the immortal history of the ancients.
6. "Ptah - Sayings of Merit": The exact date of the writing of the papyrus scroll composed of "Ptah - Sayings of Merit" is still controversial, however, regardless of the exact At that time, it is generally believed that this book originated in ancient Egypt. Its author was Buta, who served the Pharaoh Jedkaressi, and summarized a series of exhortations covering a wide range of topics to teach people to have a noble character and a peaceful life. The duty of citizens to oppose selfishness and greed. It also puts forward the framework of the Egyptian hierarchy, discusses the way rulers obtain power through the will of gods, and the norms of master-servant interactions. There are several translations of this ancient masterpiece, but the most popular seems to be the 2006 translation by the famous French Egyptologist Christian Jacques, who chose the title consistent with this article.
7. "Quotes": Duhe EN - Anna is generally considered to be the first unambiguously signed author in recorded history, a Sumerian dedication to the moon god Nanna. During her tenure as high priest, she wrote an impressive 42 temple hymns, praising not only her gods but also the goddesses of love and war, Ishtar/Inanna, and their respective worship rituals.
Although Anna was not the first to praise God in song and poetry, she used her talent to popularize the practice, helping historians gain a deeper understanding of the concepts of individualization and popularization of religion. This priestess lived in 2285-2250 BC and has been considered a feminist icon by many contemporary feminist scholars. However, some historians believe that Anna's motivation for many of her poems En—and Du—was to gain greater prestige for her father, King Sargon, who first elevated her to the rank of high priest. Of course, whatever her motivations, as a religious and literary figure she had a huge impact on the course of human history, ideas and practices.
8. "Hymn of En-Hedu-Anna": Like other ancient books, historians and literary critics cannot determine the exact date when the "Epic of Gilgamesh" was written, but it is likely It was around 2000 BC. Its predecessor was a series of Sumerian legends. Most scholars are more familiar with and understand the Akkadian adaptation about 1,000 years later, so much so that it is considered the standard version by academics. This epic poem may have originally been an oral myth, but was later recorded on 12 clay tablets, depicting the mythical adventures of the famous king Forgotten and his best friend Enkidu as they battled monsters and... Confront the gods yourself. Most of these stories, especially
9. The Epic of Gilgamesh: Written in 2100-2050 BC, the Codex of Ur-Nam discusses the titular Sumerian King's legal principles. The main points involve the applicable penalties for specific crimes. For example, murder and robbery were punishable by death, and slaves had to use a quart of desalination brush to expand their mouths when they said inappropriate or contradictory words to their masters and masters. Other laws dealt with marital and contract issues, including divorce settlements, perjury, personal injury, adultery, the conduct of servants, agriculture, and many aspects of daily life. Most of the provisions in Ur-Nam appear to be more severe than those in the Code of Ur-Nam, reflecting the prevailing view of how kings gained power under the protection of God. Samuel Kramer translated the contents of the first two Ulukakina Codex unearthed at Nippur, and as the excavations progressed, more and more information was unearthed. Today, at least 40 of the 57 laws have been translated for study by historians and scholars.
10. "Code of Ur-Nam": Like the ancient Egyptian "Coffin Text", the "Pyramid Text" involves a series of incantations and incantations found on Egyptian sarcophagi, dating back to AD The Middle Kingdom of Egypt from 2200 to 1800 BC. Many are
Unless older texts appear, these documents remain the oldest in the world. They are an excellent window to observe ancient civilizations, allowing humans to study how ancient civilizations affect today's humans, explore the voices of the original authors, study their remarks, and analyze the similarities and differences between ancient life and today's customs. Outside academic circles, their significance cannot be ignored.