Djadjaemankh

4th Dynasty

A magician and Chief Lector Priest retained at the court of King Lector Priest retained at the court of King Sneferu, Djadjaemankh featured in a popular tale which had a long currency in Egypt. He was called in to lighten the king's mood when he was bored and depressed. He proposed that Sneferu should take a boating party to the lake, thus allowing him to watch the pretty, scantily clad girls who would make up the crew of the barge. During the outing one girl lost her turquoise pendant; Djadjaemankh separated the waters of the lake to recover it. The story is related in the Westcar papyrus. The possibility cannot be entirely dismissed that the whole story is an engaging invention.

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Last Updated: June 20th, 2011