Papyrus Harris I
The Great Harris Papyrus
A king's reign can be justified retrospectively as a record of unbroken piety, measured in the sheer volume of land, goods, and personnel donated to the temples of Egypt.
- the longest surviving Egyptian papyrus
- royal piety measured in exhaustive donation records
- a principal source for New Kingdom temple economics
- a posthumous first-person testament composed for the successor's benefit
The longest surviving Egyptian papyrus, compiled shortly after the death of Ramesses III and speaking in his voice, cataloguing in exhaustive detail his donations of land, gold, cattle, and personnel to the temples of Amun, Ra, and Ptah, followed by a summary review of his reign's achievements and a final address urging the nation's loyalty to his successor. Found near his mortuary temple at Medinet Habu, it is the principal administrative and economic source for the wealth and organization of New Kingdom temple estates.
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