Village Life in Ancient Egypt Laundry Lists and Love Songs

by McDowell, A. G.

• ISBN13: 9780198149989
• ISBN10: 0198149980
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780191588266
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-12-30
• Publisher: Clarendon Press

Summary

Deir el-Medina, the village of the workmen who built the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, is a uniquely rich source of information about life in Egypt between 1539 and 1075 BC. The abundant archaeological remains are complemented by tens of thousands of texts documenting the thoughts and activities of the villagers. This book combines translations of over 200 of these texts spanning the entire range of preserved genres with stunning illustrations.

Author Biography

A. G. McDowell is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	xii
Abbreviations	xiv
Introduction	1	(238)
The Setting	1	(3)
The Community of Workmen	4	(4)
General Description of the Site	8	(10)
The History of Occupation	18	(5)
The Excavations	23	(5)
Family And Friends	28	(25)
Letters between Friends and Family	28	(4)
Love and Marriage	32	(4)
Children and Parents	36	(4)
Support of Women	40	(6)
Adultery	46	(5)
Composition of Households	51	(2)
Daily Life	53	(38)
Health Care	53	(6)
Laundry	59	(2)
Water	61	(3)
The Weather	64	(1)
The House	65	(2)
The Tomb	67	(6)
Economics	73	(1)
Economic Exchange	74	(5)
Production for Trade	79	(6)
The Donkey Business	85	(6)
Religion	91	(36)
Introduction	91	(1)
The Official Cults	92	(6)
Personal Piety	98	(4)
Minor Gods: Bes and Ta-Weret	102	(2)
The Dead	104	(3)
Oracles	107	(8)
Magic	115	(5)
The Afterlife	120	(7)
Education, Learning, and Literature	127	(38)
Introduction	127	(1)
Education	128	(5)
Literature	133	(3)
Instruction Texts	136	(7)
Satirical Letters	143	(4)
Stories	147	(10)
Praise of Cities	157	(1)
Hymns	158	(4)
History	162	(3)
Law	165	(36)
The Sources	165	(1)
Principles of Judgment	166	(2)
The Authorities and the Court	168	(2)
Enforcement of the Verdict	170	(2)
The Oracle	172	(3)
Property	175	(6)
Contracts	181	(1)
Torts	181	(4)
Crimes	185	(9)
The Great Tomb Robberies	194	(7)
Work on The Royal Tomb	201	(38)
Introduction	201	(4)
Accession of a New King and the Choice of a Tomb Site	205	(2)
The Work in Progress	207	(2)
Chisels for the Stonecutters	209	(2)
Gypsum for Plastering the Walls	211	(1)
Painting the Tomb	212	(4)
Monitoring Progress	216	(4)
Final Preparations for the Burial	220	(5)
The Burial	225	(1)
Civil War and Foreign Invaders Interrupt the Work	226	(2)
The Workmen	228	(3)
Supplies and Rations	231	(4)
Demonstrations	235	(4)
EPILOGUE	239	(5)
The Royal Tombs Stand Open	241	(3)
Notes	244	(23)
Glossary	267	(2)
Index of Texts	269	(3)
Index of Names	272	(4)
General Index	276