Djadjaemankh

Djadjaemankh in hieroglyphs
Djadjaemankh Ḏ3ḏ3-m-ˁnḫ Head of life

Djadjaemankh is the name of a fictitious ancient Egyptian magician appearing in the third chapter of a story told in the legendary Westcar Papyrus. He is said to have worked wonders during the reign of king (pharaoh) Sneferu (4th dynasty).

Djadjaemankh appears only in the third story of the Westcar Papyrus - there is no archeological or historical evidence that he existed. Nevertheless he is object of great interest for Egyptologists, since his magical trick is connected to later cultural perceptions of the personality of king Sneferu. In the story Djadjaemankh is described as a high lector priest.

According to the Westcar Papyrus, king Sneferu is in a melancholic mood. He is bored and so he wanders through every room of his palace, to seek some distraction. When unsuccessful, he orders to his servants: "Go and bring the high lector priest and scribe of the books, Djadjaemankh, to me." The summoned is brought to Sneferu at once. Sneferu says to Djadjaemankh: "I have passed every chamber of my palace to find some distraction, but I couldn't find any." Djadjaemankh replies: "May thy majesty go to the lake of the palace, after a bark has been prepared with all the beauties from inside the palace. The heart of highness will be cheering up seeing them rowing to and fro. You will see the beautiful bird's marshes of the lake and their banks then and thine heart will become happy when recognizing their beautiful realms." Sneferu says: "Truly, I shall arrange such a rowing trip. Let me be brought 20 oars made of ebony, decorated with gold, their handles made of seqab-wood, covered with dja'am. Let me also be brought 20 virgin maidens with perfect bodies and well-developed bosoms, compassed with braided hairs. Let them be draped in nets after they have disrobed their clothes." All things Sneferu wished are done. And so they row to and fro and Sneferu's heart is gladdened when he sees the girls row. Then it happens that the stroke maiden goes through her braids with her fingers and a hair pendant in the shape of a fish, made of malachite, falls into the water of the lake. The stroke maiden becomes silent in shock and grief and stops specifying the clock. Her complete line of rowers becomes silent, too, and they all stop rowing. Sneferu asks: "Shouldn't you row...?" The rowers answer: "Our stroke became silent, without rowing." Sneferu consults the stroke maiden: "That you don't row any further, has which reason?" The woman answers: "This fish-pendant made of fresh beaten malachite is the reason. It fell into the water." Sneferu brings the stroke maiden back to her seat and offers: "Let me give you a duplicate of your pendant as a substitute." The woman says: "I prefer to receive my property back than having a duplicate.” The king orders now: "Go and bring the high lector priest Djadjaemankh to me." And Djadjaemankh is brought to Sneferu at once. The ruler says: “Djadjaemankh, my brother, I have done all things that you have advised and the heart of thy majesty was refreshed when seeing the maidens rowing. Then a fish pendant made of fresh beaten malachite, belonging to the stroke maiden, fell into the water. She became silent, without rowing. So it came that she distracted the whole rowing line. I asked her: 'Why don't you row?' and she said: 'That fish-pendant made of fresh beaten malachite is the reason. It fell into the water.' And I replied to her: 'Row! See, I'm someone who replaces it.' But the maiden said: 'I prefer my own property before some substitute.'" Djadjaemankh utters a secret spell which makes the waters of the lake move, so that one half side of the lake now rests on the other half. The water which had been 12 cubits in height becomes now 24 cubits at one side, whilst the other side is dry now. Djadjaemankh enters the lake's ground and picks up the lost fish-pendant, which was lying on a pot-shard. He brings the amulet back to the stroke maiden and then removes the waters magically back to their original positions. Sneferu spends the rest of the day celebrating together with his royal palace and Djadjaemankh is rewarded generously by the king.

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Wikipedia