Pharaoh's People Scenes from Life in Imperial Egypt

by James, T. G. H.

• ISBN13: 9781860648328
• ISBN10: 1860648320
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-01-18
• Publisher: Atlas Books

Summary

Popular interest in ancient Egypt has too often tended to focus on the deeds of rulers, great nobles, and priests. In Pharaoh's People , T.G.H. James by contrast examines the daily working lives of Egyptians lower down the social scale: bureaucrats, scribes, craftsmen, and workers of the land. James has drawn on the evidence of paintings and inscriptions from tombs and temples, from official archives, private correspondence, accounts, and dispatches. Most of the texts have been newly translated for this book and, in examining them, the author brings to life the fascinating intricacies of daily life under the Pharaohs.

Author Biography

T. G. H. James is the Keeper in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum, and a fellow of the British Academy. He is the author of Howard Carter.

Table of Contents

Preface	13	(4)
Introduction	17	(8)
The Written Record and its Validity	25	(26)
The Vizir and his Role	51	(22)
Justice for Everybody	73	(27)
The Bucolic Mode	100	(32)
Literacy and Status	132	(22)
The Scribe in Action	154	(27)
Craftsmen in Metal and Wood	181	(30)
A Desirable Residence	211	(29)
Domestic Economy	240	(31)
A Brief Chronology	271	(2)
Select Bibliography	273	(2)
Index	275