Such a long way from papyrus writings

What the report says

The Observer’s article looks at how some of the oldest surviving stories and texts from the ancient world continue to shape modern reading and film culture. It opens by linking interest in Homer’s "The Odyssey" to a broader fascination with early fiction and with the kinds of heroes and myths ancient audiences valued.

The piece highlights several examples from different periods and regions, including the Mesopotamian "Epic of Gilgamesh," the Egyptian "Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor," and the "Book of the Dead." It also mentions ancient cave art in Sulawesi and references scholarly ideas about how early stories may have been preserved in oral traditions, carvings, and other forms long before surviving written records.

A key point in the article is that some of these works survive on papyrus or clay tablets and offer rare insight into ancient storytelling, beliefs, and everyday life. The author notes that the "Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor" includes what is described as the oldest surviving signature on papyrus, while the "Book of the Dead" endured because it was commissioned in customized versions rather than as a single fixed text.

Overall, the article argues that these ancient narratives still matter because they helped establish familiar story patterns and continue to influence fantasy, horror, and popular interest in the past. More generally, the piece suggests that reading early literature can open a window into how older civilizations imagined heroism, survival, and the afterlife.