Around 1800 BC an Egyptian priest left everything to his wife and named a guardian for his son, in one of the oldest wills known

Two papyrus leaves from the workmen's town at Lahun record a family's property in hieratic script. First, in a year 44, Ankhreni, a legal officer, transferred everything he owned in town and country to his brother Wah, a priest of the god Sopdu. Then, in a year 2 of the next reign, Wah made his own will. His wife, Sheftu, also called Teti, was to inherit all his possessions, including the rooms his brother had built for him. She could pass them to whichever of her children she chose. No one was to turn her out of the house. Wah was to be buried in his tomb with his wife, and no one was to disturb it. Four servants could go to any of her children. Deputy Gebu was named guardian of Wah's son. Three witnesses signed: Kemnu, a scribe, and two temple doorkeepers, Ipu and Seneb. A 1911 law journal said the document was older than any other known written will by nearly 2,000 years, though it misdated it to 2550 BC. Amenemhat IV's reign is dated by different scholars from 1822-1812 BC to 1772-1764 BC. The papyrus is UC32058 in the Petrie Museum, University College London.