The Teachings of Ptahhotep (also known as the Instruction of Ptahhotep or Maxims of Ptahhotep) is a collection of ancient Egyptian wisdom and advice written by the elderly Vizier Ptahhotep around 2350 BCE. Nominally intended as an aid to his son and heir Ptahhotep's writings offer a fascinating glimpse into the concerns of the period from manners customs and lofty concerns like virtue to the everyday and mundane concerns of navigating relationships.