Wit & Humour in Ancient Egypt

The ancient Egyptians: they had pyramids, they had temples, they had tombs, they also had a sense of humour! Just like humans the world over, people in ancient Egypt delighted in a good laugh. This lighter side of pharaonic life has, in the past, been frequently overlooked. It is not widely known among the educated public, for example, that Egyptian artisans occasionally introduced touches of comic relief into tomb chapel decoration of the elite, in both picture and word. A glimpse into their humorous side is also readily apparent from drawings on numerous limestone ostraca and several papyri, many featuring the amusing antics of various birds and beasts, who were often engaged in human activities. In surveying the subject of wit and humour, this work examines what was considered funny in ancient Egypt.