The majority of the stelae, held at Kingston Lacy, originated at Deir el-Medina. The stelae represent the earliest objects from Deir el-Medina to arrive on the British soil. They were brought back to England by William John Bankes (1786-1855). Kingston Lacy, Dorset, England The Ancient Egyptian Collection, assembled by John William Bankes (1786-1855) during his travels to Egypt in 1815 and 1818-1819, is the only surviving intact collection of 19th-century Egyptian antiquities in an English country house. The house became the property of the National Trust, UK, in 1981 after the death of Ralph Bankes. Some 100 objects have been on display in the Billiards Room since 1992. These include a collection of stelae, fragments of Theban tomb paintings, amulets, shabtis, reliefs, scarabs, bronzes, fragments of furniture and small divine statuettes. There is an obelisk from Philae and a granite sarcophagus in the grounds of the house. A collection of papyri (see below), mostly late copies of the Book of the Dead and several letters, and a recently discovered collection (in an unmarked crate in the basement in 2007) of 212 Upper Egyptian ostraka, represent the written sources of this collection. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kingston-lacy Most of the stelae at Kingston Lacy are from Deir el-Medina. The stelae are the earliest objects from Deir el-Medina to reach British soil. It is thought that John William Bankes acquired the stelae during his second visit to Egypt in 1818 and that they were assembled by Henry Salt, the British Consul General, with whom Bankes was staying at the time. The year 1818 rather than 1819 is suggested because Giovanni d'Athanasi, Salt's agent and excavator, may have helped to collect them and he was working for Salt in 1818. 1818 is also the year in which Bankes is known to have collected a number of late Ramesside letters (see below) in Thebes. Jaroslav Černý published a description and translation of the stelae in 1958 in his "Egyptian Stelae in the Bankes Collection". In his preface to the publication he regretted the quality of the photographs of the stelae, which did not show the details of the hieroglyphs very clearly. Since then the stelae have been cleaned and conserved by the National Trust team. With the kind permission of the House and Collections Manager at Kingston, Lacy Robert Gray, I photographed the stelae in September 2011 and present them below, together with translations mainly by Jaroslav Černý, whose language has been modernised. Some names have been transliterated according to the usage in modern genealogical sources. All translated text is in italics. The collection has been numbered in what is believed to be the correct chronological order. The photographs were updated in April 2022 during our last visit to the collection. I would like to thank Rosalind Janssen, who specialises in Deir el-Medina, and Jan Kunst, a Dutch Egyptologist, for their constructive and interesting comments on the content of this site. I would also like to thank Ann Smith, from the UK, and Ingeborg Waanders, from Holland, for helping me to acquire valuable primary sources. All photographs were taken by Lenka Peacock and are © of The National Trust, UK. Bankes stela no. 1. Stela of draughtsman May From Deir el-Medina Late 18th, early 19th dynasty Limestone Height: 30 cm Width: 21 cm This is a round-topped stela with a double division. In the lunette - the spatial area in the upper part of the stela - the solar barque carries a solar disc over the sky, represented by the hieroglyphic sign pt (sky). On the right side of the barque a child is seated with his thumb in his mouth. The lower part of the stela consists of an image of a man standing at the bottom of the right side of the stela. He is looking to the right. His arms are raised in a pose of worship. Above and in front of the figure there are 10 columns with hieroglyphic inscriptions. The columns are written from top to bottom and read from left to right. The text consists of a hymn to the setting sun: "Praise to Re when he sets in the western horizon of the sky. You have appeared in the western half as Atum, who is in the evening, having come in your power, having no opponents, and having taken possession of the sky as Re. You appear and shine on the back of your mother, having appeared (as) the King of the Divine Ennead. I have done right in your presence, and I kiss the ground (for?) your crew, and I worship you as you travel through the heavens, your heart rejoicing. The Island of Flame has become peaceful, your enemies have fallen and are no more. The dwelling place of the evil dragon is doomed. Your body is Atum in the Boat of the Morning, the rightful one of the Two Lands. Beautiful is the boat of the evening when it has reached its end. (Said) by the draughtsman May, true of voice." This type of stela is called a Lucarne stela. A total of 13 Lucarne stelae from Deir el-Medina have been identified. This stela is an early example of its type because the owner is shown standing rather than kneeling in worship. Only 1 other stela - Turin 50043 - shares this feature, all other 11 stelae show the owner kneeling. The Lucarne stelae share the following characteristics - a sun barque shown in the lunette, usually placed above the pt sign - a solar disc or other representation of the sun god is depicted in the solar barque - The sun god is accompanied by other symbols related to him (worshipping baboons, wedjat eyes). - The owner either stands or kneels in worship before the barque. - Although the owner's relatives may be depicted, this is rarely the case. - The hymn, written in columns, praises the rising and/or setting sun. Lucarne stelae were made from the late 18th dynasty to the 20th dynasty. They measure between 30 and 55 cm (Goyon, 2007, 1953-1954). The owner of the stela was called May. He was a painter employed in the Theban necropolis and lived in Deir el-Medina in the 18th dynasty, around 1300 BC. His title was the "outline draughtsman of Amun" (Rice, 105-106). His tomb is located in the western necropolis of Deir el-Medina near the tomb of the architect Kha (TT8) and is numbered TT 338 . The wall paintings from May's tomb were removed from the walls and taken to Turin. They are on display in the Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy. The stela would have come from a niche in May's chapel, where it would have been placed on a stone pedestal. (according to Bernard Bruyère) When Deir el-Medina was excavated in the last century, these chapels were were partially or completely lost, as they were built above ground and made of mud bricks. Bankes stela no. 2. Stela depicting Huy From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty, beginning of the reign of Ramesses II, 1270s BC Limestone Height: 46 cm Width: 28 cm This round stele is divided into 2 registers. The upper register depicts two deities seated on their thrones This round-topped stela consists of 2 registers. In the upper register two gods seated on their thrones are described in hieroglyphic inscriptions together with their epithets. The first one is Amun-Re, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, residing in Waset, foremost of the Westerners, the great god. Behind Amun-Re sits his daughter Mut, Lady of Heaven, Mistress of the Two Lands. Behind the throne of Mut stands a goddess with the head of a lion. Jaroslav Černý translated the inscription which identifies her as the daughter of Re, the cobra. Jan Kunst, a Dutch Egyptologist, points out that to translate the name as "The Cobra" the feminine definite article tA should be used instead of the masculine pA . He suggests that the goddess might be Wadjet. Wadjet is sometimes referred to as the "Eye of Re" and can be depicted in leonine form or as a lion-headed woman, just like Bastet, with whom she was strongly associated. She was also strongly associated with Mut, which may explain her presence in this otherwise unusual combination. One of her epithets is "She of Pe", py.t , which may somehow (but not entirely) explain the pA . The cobra hieroglyph is probably the determinative for a goddess rather than an ideogram, as Jan Kunst explains in our private correspondence. A man is standing before the divine triad. His hands are raised in worship as he makes an offering, burning incense in a holder held in his left hand. The inscription reads: Made by the servant in the Place of Truth, Huy, true of voice. The lower register contains a procession of 2 men, 4 women and a small child. They are all facing the triad and are supposed to be following Huy. The columns of inscriptions around them give us their names, sometimes their titles and their relationship to Huy. The first man on the left - directly behind Huy in the procession - is Kaha, who was probably responsible for the erection of this stela. The inscription reads 'Made by the servant in the place of truth, Kaha, true of voice' . Behind Kaha is his brother Paherypedjet . Paherypedjet's hand touches the head of the child standing between Kaha and himself, his son Khuru . He is depicted as a small naked boy. This stela, representing three generations of the same family, is an example of the valuable source of information that helps Egyptologists to reconstruct the chronological framework of the labour force at Deir el-Medina. Behind Paherypedjet stands his mother Tanehsy , followed by his sister, the lady of the house, Tuy . The procession is completed by two women standing side by side, his son (sic.sister) Takhat and his sister Na'ay, true of voice . Huy served as an important official at Deir el-Medina in the early 19th dynasty. His title was "Chief Craftsman at the Place of Truth in West Thebes" (Davies, 1996, 15). Tanehsy, the first lady from the left, is the wife of Huy. She is the mother of Kaha who stands behind his father Huy in the procession - the first one on the left in the lower register of the stela. Kaha was a foreman for the "left side" of the crew at Deir el-Medina during the reign of Ramesses II (1279-1212 BC). According to a stela found in the courtyard of his tomb, TT 360, his title was "Chief Workman of Usermaatre-setepenre in the Place of Truth". Kaha's status was reflected in the fact that he occupied one of the largest houses in the 18th dynasty settlement (N.E.VIII) (Davies, 1996, 16). As Kaha's title on this stela does not indicate that he was a foreman, it could be dated to the very beginning of the reign of Ramesses II, as it is believed that Kaha was appointed to the foreman's post in the early years of the reign. The family relationships mentioned in the inscriptions refer to Kaha as the dedicator of the stela rather than Huy, the dedicatee. Kaha's wife Tuy is the woman standing behind Kaha's mother Tanehsy. It is believed that she and Kaha had a large family of at least 6 sons and 5 daughters (Davies, 1996, 16). One of the sons depicted here is Khuru, the little boy, standing next to his uncle - Kaha's brother - Paherypedjet. Takhat and Na'ay are both identified as Kaha's sisters, but I have found no evidence of a sister named Na'ay. We know that Na'ay was the name of Kaha's daughter, but a daughter would not have been an adult woman as depicted on the stela at this time in Kaha's life. In this particular case, the inscription definitely contains an error as the feminine ending for "snt" is missing and the word appears as the masculine form "sn" . The word is usually translated as "sister", but in ancient Egyptian relationships it does not only refer to a sister. Sometimes it also means a wife, a niece, an aunt, etc. The word "sn" , usually translated as "brother", is also used for male relationships between people of different generations who are related directly (an uncle, a nephew, etc.) or by marriage (a brother-in-law). Bankes stela no. 3. Stela of Ramose From Deir el-Medina Limestone 19th dynasty Height: 46 cm Width: 32 cm This round-topped stela consists of 2 registers. In the upper register a goddess is seated on a throne facing to the right. She wears a double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt and is described in the inscription as Mut, the Great, Lady of Isheru, Mistress of the House of Amun, Beautiful of Face in Hut-sekhem. Protection, life and dominion are around her every day, Mut's most popular epithet among the craftsmen. (Jauhiainen, 2009, 120). The same epithet also appears on Bankes stela no. 9. Hut-sekhem is located south-east of Abydos, it is the modern Hiw. In the Greco-Roman period it was known as Diospolis Mikra or Diospolis Parva. (Baines, 1996, 114). Mut is seated before an offering table piled high with ox meat and large bouquets of lotus flowers. Offering all good and very pure things to the lady of the Two Lands, the mistress of the House of Amun. In the lower register a man is depicted kneeling before the goddess with his hands raised in worship. Around and above him there are 9 columns with hieroglyphic inscriptions: Giving praise to Mut, lady of heaven, [mistress of] the House of Amun, with beautiful hand carrying the sistra, sweet of voice. Singers, be content with all she says, pleasing(?) to (your) hearts. May she give life, prosperity and health, intelligence, [favour] and love to the soul of the scribe in the Place of Truth, Ramose, true of voice with the great god. Ramose is one of the best-documented officials of Deir el-Medina. Although he was not born in the village, he became one of the richest men who ever lived there. He was the son of Lady Kakaia and a retainer of Amenemhab (someone who carried messages to officials in the Theban area). Ramose was born around 1314 BC (Booth, 2006, 185). He must have attended scribal schools before becoming a scribe at the temple of Tuthmosis IV. He then moved to Deir el-Medina where he married Mutemwia, "the lady of the house whom he loves". He was appointed "Scribe of the Tomb" by Vizier Paser in year 5 of Ramesses II (O.CGC 25671). He served in this position at least until year 38 of Ramesses II (O.CGC 25809) (Davies, 1996, 98). As Ramose and Mutemwia were continually unable to conceive a child, they prayed to various deities associated with childbirth and fertility. Stela 50066, now in Turin, is dedicated to Qudshu, the Asian goddess of love. There are many stelae and statues recording their pleas, but the couple remained childless. In the end they adopted Kenherkhepshef, like Ramose, probably a newcomer to the village, as an apprentice who would assume the role of the eldest son, take over Ramose's profession and perform funeral rites for them. Ramose's family occupied a house in the northern part of the village. He also owned some land outside Deir el-Medina and there are 3 decorated tombs attributed to him - TT7, TT212 and TT250. Ramose was a contemporary of the foreman Kaha of the Bankes stela no. 2. The next stela also belonged to Ramose. Bankes stela no. 4. Stela of Ramose From Deir el-Medina Limestone 19th dynasty Height: 43 cm Width: 32 cm This round topped stela is divided into 2 registers. The upper register contains the solar barque with images of a scarab beetle, representing the sun, at the stern, while the ibis-headed Thoth stands on the bow offering the Eye of Horus. The centre of the barque was once occupied by a spherical flint representing the solar disc, but it fell out and is lost. It was recorded as still in place by Sir John Gardner Wilkinson in the 1st half of the 19th century. A note was found in his manuscripts indicating that he must have seen at least this particular stele. On the bow of the stela the sun god is seated on a mat in the form of a child. A winged sun fills the curved top of the stela and hovers above the bargue. The lower part bears an image of Ramose kneeling in the lower left corner and 10 columns of hieroglyphic inscriptions which can be translated: "Adoration of Amun-Re, the bull residing in On, the chief of all gods, good god, beloved one, who gives life to all warm blooded-creatures and to all beautiful animals. Hail to you, Amun-Re, lord of the throne of the Two Lands, for most of Opet sut, bull of his mother, for most of his fields, wide of the gate, foremost of the southern land, lord of Madjoy, ruler of Pwene, most ancient in the heavens and eldest in the whole world, who dwells in all things. May you give life, prosperity and health, intelligence, favour and love and a mouthful of food of your giving until I reach the revered state in peace. To the soul of one who is excellent and beloved of his master, chief of the treasury of the house of Menkheperure, chief of the administration in the house of the chief seal-bearer, accountant scribe of the cattle of Amun-Re, assistant letter-writer of the hereditary prince, chief of the works on the west of Waset, chief of the treasury in the place of truth, Ramose, true of voice, from ....." The stela records a series of honours Ramose received before he was appointed to an administrative post in Deir el-Medina. In his commentary on the stelae, Černý thought that the "hereditary prince" mentioned in the text was the Prince Regent, future king Ramesses II. Later, Černý noticed that the first 4 columns of the text were identical with the beginning of the Hymn to Amun preserved on a papyrus now in the Cairo Museum and attributed this title to Amenhotep, son of Hapu, who had his own temple built by Amenhotep III near the temple of Tuthmosis IV where Ramose worked as a scribe (Černý, 1973, 318). Bankes stela no. 5. Aamek's stela From Deir el-Medina Limestone 19th dynasty Height: 51 cm Width: 33 cm This round-topped stela is divided into 2 registers. The lunette is occupied by an image of a sun barque carrying a seated Re-Harakhte, Lord of Heaven, the falcon-headed sun god, worshipped by a baboon. Above the barque are two wedjat-eyes, symbols of protection. The larger lower register depicts a kneeling man in a pose of worship. 9 columns of hieroglyphic inscription identify the owner as Aamek. This is the second example of a Lucarne stela in the Bankes collection. This time the owner is shown kneeling rather than standing, indicating a later date than stela no. The text praises the setting rather than the rising sun: "Hail to Re when he appears on the western horizon of the sky. Hail to you, Harakhte, Khepri who dwells in his boat, that is Re, Lord of Opet-sut, Amun who shines in a sky that has appeared in the western half of the sky. Your mother greets you who have come in your power, for there is no opponent to you. You have taken possession of the sky as Re, you are the god of the world, first in rank by your light, who sees mankind. The gods kneel before you in rejoicing, and all men kiss the earth, and the spirits as well. May I live to praise Your beautiful face, and may You make me rejoice in Your love, like all the righteous. For the soul of the servant in the place of truth, the choir leader in the place of eternity, Aamek, true of voice, son of .... of Barbaste Pakhuru." Re-Harakhte was a worshipped deity at Deir el-Medina. Many stelae were erected in his honour. Stelae no. 1, 5 and 13 of the Bankes Collection are dedicated to Re-Harakhte. The baboon in the solar barque of stela no. 5 represents the god Thoth. Thoth was also worshipped by the community in the form of an ibis-headed deity (stela 4) and a moon (Jauhiainen, 2009, 86). Aamek lived in Deir el-Medina during the early part of the reign of Ramesses II. He had the title "Servant in the Place of Truth". His second title - "3 n" - mentioned in the text was translated by Černý as "leader of the choir". Černý thought that he could have been the leader of the singers who accompanied the statues of the gods carried in processions during various festivals. Bernard Bruyère thought that the post was secular and translated it as "dans les ateliers des cimetières royaux" (Davies, 1996, 244), "in the workshops of the royal cemetery". Aamek was married to Wadjetronpet. Pakhuru, mentioned in the text and translated by Černý as "son", can be identified as either "son" or as "father" of Aamek. Pakhuru mentioned on the verso, line 6 of the BM Absence ostrakon EA 5634 could have been Aamek's son. Aamek probably occupied house S.E. VI at Deir el-Medina, as Bruyère found an inscription on the left jamb of the shrine of the house which reads " ... blessing on] my house, for the spirit of the Servant in the Place of Truth", 'Aamek, justified" (Kitchen, 2001, 486). His stone hut at the top of the cliffs was also identified by Bruyère during his 1934-1935 season. Aamek's tomb is TT 1164 of the western cemetery (Davies, 1996, 245). Bankes stela no. 6 Iyinofreti's stela From Deir el-Medina Limestone 19th dynasty Height: 49.5 cm Width: 32 cm The upper part of this circular stela with two divisions is occupied by a solar barque with a seated falcon-headed solar deity, here identified as Pa-Shu, the Great God, Lord of Heaven. Jan Kunst points out that the solar god is identified as pA Sw , which translates as 'the sun' or 'the light of the sun'. He could therefore be identical to the god worshipped by Akhnaten under the name of Aten. But his iconography is clearly borrowed from Re. The sms -sign, symbol of the followers, holds an image of the full moon and its crescent in front of Pa-Shu , named as Moon-Thoth, the great god. The lower register shows the kneeling dedicator of the stela, a woman called Iyinofreti. Behind her stands a man in a pose of worship. 9 columns of hieroglyphic inscription translate as: [Praising] to Moon-Thoth, great god, who listens to the prayers, kissing the ground for Pa-Shu, great god. Mercy! [You (two)] cause that I see darkness by day, upon the words of women. Be merciful to me, may I see your mercy." (So said) by the mistress of the house, Iyinofreti, the justified. Her son 'Anhotep. (Galan, 1999, 24) Iyinofreti was the wife of Sennedjem, a "servant in the place of truth", who lived in the village at the beginning of the 19th dynasty during the reigns of Seti I and Ramesses II. Their house is located in the south-west corner of the settlement and their tomb TT1 lies nearby on the slopes of the western cemetery. Iyinofreti's mummy, now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, is that of a woman aged about 75. This is a votive funerary stela dedicated by 'Anhotep, Iyinofreti's grandson (and not his son as the inscription states). He would have placed the stela in the rock shrine. The text is often interpreted in Egyptology circles as a plea for relief from permanent blindness. The inscription refers to "the words of women" as the reason for Iyinofreti seeing darkness. In his commentary, Černý interprets the passage "You cause that I see darkness by day, upon the words of women" as her prayer for relief from blindness caused by women's gossip or quarrels. Sweeney (Sweeney, 2006, 136) agrees with Adel Mahmoud's recent discussion of the physiological information from Iyinofreti's remains, which links her advanced age, plagued by extensive tooth decay, with her plea for relief from blindness, supplemented by textual evidence. On the other hand, Galan believes that the passage in question could refer to possible testimonies against Iyinofreti by her peers (Galan, 1999, 28) and suggests that physiological blindness is not always an adequate explanation. In his article "Seeing darkness", he gathers the corpus of stelae with the text revealing God's punishment of a sinner who confesses his wrongdoing, begs for mercy and promises the proclamation of God's power upon forgiveness. A shift in the perception of the divine is evident here: Egyptian deities are willing to forgive past sins, rather than simply rewarding good and punishing evil. TThe texts do not usually specify the exact nature of the transgressions, nor do they always specify the punishment given. Apart from 3 instances, there are two phrases used to describe the sinner's situation: "you cause that I see darkness by day" or "you cause that I see the darkness you create". Usually the phrase is translated as "becoming blind". Galan's interpretation of the phrase "seeing darkness" is as a metaphor used to refer to the situation in which the deceased find themselves after the Final Judgement and before they reach the Hereafter, where god is. They implore God's mercy in order to have any sins removed and to be able to make contact with the divine. (Galan, 1999, 29-30) A new interpretation of the phrase is discussed by David G. Smith in his two-part article on solar eclipses during the New Kingdom (see the link to the online version of the article in Sources No. 18). According to Smith, during the reign of Ramesses II, when the stela was made, there were eclipses of such magnitude that they would have been experienced as unusual and disturbing events and could have been described as "loss of sight". He argues that this text and others with similar spells were produced in response to actual observations of astronomical phenomena, albeit couched in religious terms. Bankes stela no. 7 Bukanefptah's stela From Deir el-Medina Limestone 19th dynasty Height: 53 cm Width: 30.5 cm This is a large round-topped stela with four divisions. In the lunette the seated goddess is identified as Nebethotep of I-n-tore, Lady of Heaven. She wears a solar disc and cow horns on her head, holding an ankh in her right hand and a papyrus sceptre in her left. In front of her is a pile of offerings. Beside her, in a pose of worship, facing the goddess, stands the donor of the stela. The inscription above her head reads 'Made by the Lady of the House Bukanenfptah, true of voice' . Behind Nebethotep there is a large sistrum with the head of Hathor, guarded on each side by a cat. The inscription above the instrument identifies her as Nebethotep, Mistress of the Two Lands. The second register contains 4 lines of hieroglyphic inscription: Praise your soul, Nebethotep, kissing the earth to the Lady of the Two Lands. I praise your beautiful face every day in order to propitiate your soul. Be merciful to me that I may tell of your power to all who do not know you and to all who know you. For all people come to you in crowds, men and women alike, and they say, "Be merciful to Pipi the beautiful, for she is merciful. The lady of the house, Bukanenfptah, true of voice, she says: Every follower (of her) is in joy. No evil shall befall them, child after child. The next two registers are filled with a procession of men, women, and a child who must be seen by the viewer as following Bukanenfptah and all facing the goddess Nebethotep. The goddess Nebethotep seems to be a form of Hathor, the Solar Eye (Jauhiainen, 2009, 106). The procession is in a festive mood, some are beating tambourines, some are rattling wooden clappers, others are clasping their hands or simply carrying offerings in the form of lotus flowers or food. It has been suggested that the family is participating in the festival of Hathor, the Eye of Re, as the playing of tambourines and clappers was an important part of appeasing the angry Hathor on her return from Nubia (Jauhiainen, 2009, 106). All participants are identified by hieroglyphic captions. The first row starts from the left with The servant in the Place of Truth, Kasa, true of voice. Kasa is followed by his sister, the lady of the house, Bukanenfptah. Her son Nebamentet, her sister Ya and her sister Isis all walk behind Sheritre in the procession. The lower register shows her sister Pipia, her brother the soldier Maia, her brother the soldier Ramose, her sister Bendepentes, her sister Tewosret, her sister Ipu, her brother Tjutju and her brother Piay, the naked boy who closes the procession. This stela is extremely informative about Bukanenfptah's family relationships. Although she is recorded on the stela as Kasa's sister, she was his wife. Kasa's title was "Servant of the Place of Truth". They were both contemporaries of the foreman Kaha on Bankes Stela No. 2, which places them in the first half of Ramesses II's reign. Kasa was a joint owner of TT 10 with the "guardian" Penbuy. There is no surviving textual evidence that their relationship to each other. Bankes stela no. 8 Pyiay's stela From Deir el-Medina Limestone 19th dynasty Height: 53 cm Width: 40.5 cm This round topped stela is carved in well executed raised relief. It is the largest stela in the Bankes collection. In the lower part of the stela, 2 men stand in a pose of worship in front of an offering table and large bouquets of flowers. They are addressing Khnosu-in-Thebes, Neferhotep, Horus of..., who is depicted as a falcon with a crescent and a full moon on his head. On his forehead is an uraeus and around his neck is a massive collar. Jan Kunst explains that what we see here is the bow of the barque of Khonsu, together with the front part of the carrying poles. Apparently, the aegis of Khonsu, which adorned the bow and stern of the barque, was regarded as an embodiment of the god himself. 10 columns of hieroglyphic inscription in the upper part of the stela read: Offering which the king gives to Khonsu-in-Thebes, Neferhotep, Thoth, lord of Upper Egyptian On, scribe of truth of the Divine Ennead, who gives an office to him whom he loves, and a lifetime in his home. Breath is in his grasp, and fate and fortune are from him. How happy is he who is in his favour, evil shall never overtake him. He gives life, prosperity, health, and happiness, a good old age and sound speech, no faulty act of his being brought up until (he) has reached the place of the righteous. To the soul of the chisel-bearer in the Place of Eternity, Piay, repeating life, and (to) the chisel-bearer of Amun, Piay. Černý believed that the first man on the left, worshipping Khonsu-in-Thebes, was the "Sculptor in the Place of Eternity" Piay, who lived in Deir el-Medina during the first half of Ramses II's reign. The name of the sculptor Piay appears on several objects and in several tombs. He married Nofretkhau and had several children with her: Neferronpet, Nakhtamun, Ipuy (also sculptor, TT 217), Sahte, and Henutmehyt (Davies, 1996, 213). The man standing behind him was probably his son of the same name, Paiy. His title "Sculptor of Amun" may explain the fact that his head is shaved as he may have been a priest in the temple of Amun. Bankes stela no. 9 Nekhemmut's stela From Deir el-Medina Limestone 19th dynasty Height: 52 cm Width: 35 cm This round top stela is divided into 2 registers. In the upper register a winged sun fills the curved top of the stela and hovers over 5 columns of hieroglyphic inscription. The 3 columns on the right identify a standing king as Lord of the Two Lands, Usermaatre-setepenre, Lord of Appearances, Ramesses-Meryamun, endowed with life like Re forever and ever. Ramses II seems to have been worshipped at Deir el-Medina during his lifetime. The cult continued at least until the end of the Ramesside period (Jauhiainen, 2009, 182). He offers jugs of wine to two goddesses seated on their thrones opposite each other. The one on the left is identified by the first column of the hieroglyphic inscription as Mut, the Great, Lady of Isheru. She wears on her head the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The same epithet appears on Bankes stela no. 3. The second goddess is Hathor, Lady of the West, Lady of the Sky. Hathor's headdress consists of the solar disc and cattle horns. Her name and epithets are written in the second column from the left. In the lower register 2 men and 2 women are depicted kneeling in the pose of adoration. The hieroglyphic inscription above their heads reads: Giving praise to your soul, Hathor, mistress of the West, kissing the earth before Mut, the great, L ady of Isheru, by the servant in the Place of Truth, Nekhemmut, his sister, Lady of the House, Webkhet, his son Khons, his daughter Tamek(et), true of voice, and his daughter Tasak(et), true of voice. Nekhemmut appears in the family tree of Sennedjem. In a scene in the tomb of Sennedjem's son Khabekhnet TT2, Nekhemmut is mentioned as a son of Khons(ii), who was a brother of Khabekhnet and a son of Sennedjem and his wife Iyinofreti, who is depicted on Bankes stela no. 6. Davies identifies Webkhet as the wife of Nekhemmut rather than his sister and suggests that she was a daughter of Khabekhnet and Sahte, which means that the couple were cousins (Davies, 1999, 55). The stela names 3 of their children: son Khnos and daughters Tameket and Tasaket, but only 2 of them are depicted. We know that the couple had another child named Amenkhau (Davies, 1996, genealogical table 7). The offspring are all depicted as adults, but it has been suggested that since the stela is dated to the reign of Ramesses II by his cartouche appearing in the upper register inscription, this may be an artistic device and they may have been only children of a younger age (Davies,1996,56). This would be consistent with the fact that the fourth child is not depicted, perhaps because the stela was executed before the child was born. Nekhemmut is believed to have been born around year 25 of the reign of Ramesses II. He probably lived into his 70s as there is textual evidence that he became foreman of the crew in years 11-15 of Ramesses III's reign (O.Geneva MAH 12550). Ostrakon Gardiner 57 tells us that he worked on the right side of the crew. Bankes stela no. 10 Penrennut's stela From Deir el-Medina Limestone 20th dynasty Height: 50 cm Width: 33.5 cm This round topped stela is divided into 2 registers. In the upper register the owner of the stela is depicted in a pose of worship in front of an offering table. He is the servant in the place of truth, Penrennut, true to voice. To his left are two deities. Lord of the Two Lands, Djeserkare, Lord of Appearances, Amenhotep, true of voice, the deified king Amenhotep I, and behind him his mother Ahmose-Nefertari. Khonsu-Thoth, the benevolent god, sits on a shrine or pylon behind the queen. He is depicted as a small naked boy with a side lock of youth and a thumb in his mouth. The hieroglyphic inscription above and around him also mentions Penrennut's (his) brother, the servant Seti, true of voice, his brother, the servant Hori, and his brother Sobekmose. They are not shown in the scene. In the lower register, 3 men and a boy stand worshipping the deities. Two of them are holding large lotus flowers. 11 columns of hieroglyphic inscription from left to right. 8 men are mentioned in the lines: the first man is identified as the true servant Amenemone, true of voice. His son Nebamun, true of voice. His son Qenamun. His son Amenkhau. The inscription near the second man reads: The servant Huy, true of voice. His son Mentpahapy . The third in the procession is his father Nakhtmin . The child is the son of his son Panakhtemheb . Penrennut was a workman at Deir el-Medina. His title was servant in the Place of Truth. He was married to a woman named Tadehnetemheb. His father was called Nakhtmin. Nakhtmin is the third man in the procession and he is followed by Panakhtemheb who is his grandson and therefore the son of Penrennut. The relationship of the first man in the procession, Amenemone, to Penrennut is not stated on the stela. Perhaps he is a workman from the reign of Ramesses IV, who is known to have been the father of the workmen Seti and Hori, both of whom are named in the upper register as Penrennut's brothers. In fact, they were both brothers-in-law of Penrennut (Davies, 1996, 251-252). Other sons of Amenemose are named in the lower register as Nebamun, Qenamun, and Amenkhau. A limestone offering table of Penrennut, "servant in the Place of Truth", is in the collection of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology at University College London, UC 14446 . Bankes stela no. 11 Pamedunakht's stela From Deir el-Medina Limestone The 1st part of the 20th dynasty Height: 37 cm Width: 26.5 cm This round-topped stela is divided into two sections. In the upper register the deified king Amenhotep I, Lord of the Two Lands, Djeserkare, stands on the right side in front of the Theban Triad, to whom he makes an offering. The father of the triad is identified by the inscription near his head and his headdress as Amun-Re, Lord of Happy Encounter. Behind him standshis consort Mut, who is not mentioned in the inscription. The hieroglyphs above the head of the third deity identify him as Khonsu, the god of the moon, Amun-Re and the child of Mut. In the lower register there are 2 men kneeling in worship. They are surrounded by 12 columns with hieroglyphic inscriptions. Two of the columns in the middle of the stela are damaged. The text was reconstructed by Černý and appears in brackets in the translation: Giving praise to your soul Amun-Re, lord of Happy Encounter, and kissing the earth before your name by the hand of the wab-priest of the Lord of the Two Lands in the Place of Truth, Pamedunutenakht, true of voice, son of the Servant in the Place of Truth [to the West of Waset] Hay, true of voice, and by the hand of his beloved son Amenhotep-neferenwaset, true of voice. Pamedunakht, son of Hay, is known to us from several sources. A rectangular stela in the British Museum EA 342 shows Pamedunakht, wab-priest, making offerings to the god Ptah. The stela was purchased by the museum from Henry Salt in 1821. Another small stela is in the Burrell Collection in Glasgow. It shows Pamedunakht worshipping Amun-Re as on the Bankes stela. The Glasgow inscription gives Pamedunakht's title as wab -priest of all gods, sculptor of statues in the House of Gold. Černý explains that the House of Gold is an expression for the sculptor's workshop (Černý, 1958, stela 11). Another source of our information about this workman is the rock graffito No. 839 (Davies, 1996, 89) from the Theban necropolis, dated to the first year of Ramesses IV (Černý, 1958, stela 11). Another appearance of this rare name comes from TT2 where Pamedunakht is mentioned - together with 5 other men - as one of the sons of the chief workman Nekhemmut (Bierbrier, 1980,103). 3 of them are known to have been his sons, but the other 3 - including Pamedunakht - are not. Bierbrier suggests that he may have been Nekhemmut's son-in-law (Bierbrier, 1980,104). Bankes stela no. 12 Stela of Tjay and Pentaweret From Deir el-Medina Limestone 20th dynasty Height: 34.5 cm Width: 25 cm According to Černý, the stela once had a round top, but this has been chipped away. The stela bears the image of two gods facing each other. The god standing on the left is identified by the hieroglyphic inscription near his head as Amun-Re, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands . The deified queen, mother of Amenhotep I, shakes the sistra in her hands and is identified by the inscription in a cartouche as the Lady of the Two Lands, Ahmose-Nefertari. A column of hieroglyphs is placed behind the queen's back and reads Made by the wab-priest of the Lady of the Two Lands, To, true of voice, son of the scribe Amennakht, true of voice. At the bottom of the stela, below the line indicating the ground on which the gods stand, there is a line of a hieroglyphic inscription. It reads from right to left: Made by the scribe of the House of Eternity, Pentaweret, true of voice. Scattered among the cliffs of the Theban Necropolis are several graffiti bearing the name Tjay. Tjay appears to be a "scribe" and to be a son as well as a father of Amennakht. The sons of the scribe Amennakht are recorded in various graffiti as Tjay, Amennakht, the Draftsman, Harshire, Amenhotep and the scribe Pentaweret (Davies, 1999, 131). Evidence from TT 23 of the royal secretary Tjay has shown that the name To was used as a diminutive form of the name Tjay. Thus, Davies concluded that To, son of the scribe Amennakht, and the scribe Tjay were one and the same person (Davies, 1999, 132). Textual evidence based on two graffiti and one papyrus place him firmly in the years 1153-1134 B.C.: year 29 of Ramesses III (graffito no. 3021), year 4 of Ramesses IV (graffito no. 2609) and year 7 of Ramesses VI (papyrus Turin 1885) (Davies,1999,133). To/Tjay's titles include "Scribe in the Place of Truth West of Thebes", "Royal Scribe in the Place of Truth West of Thebes, and "Scribe of the tomb" (Davies,1999,131). The second dedicator of the stela is named as the scribe Pentaweret, who is known from Theban graffiti No. 785 and No. 2864 as the son of the scribe Amennakht. He was the brother of To. The stela is dedicated to Amun-Re an Ahmose-Nefertari by two brothers, sons of the scribe Amennakht. Bankes stela no. 13 Stela of Harmose From Deir el-Medina Limestone 19th or 20th dynasty Height: 39 cm Width: 25.5 cm This is the smallest stela in the Bankes collection. It is an example of a stela that was appropriated at a later date. The original stela was a simple one with no carvings. It had its decoration and inscriptions painted in black. Only the traces of the winged sun disc at the top and the partially preserved inscription on the upper right part of the stela remain. Černý read and reconstructed it as By the servant in the Place [of Truth] on the West [of Thebes] ..., true of voice, (and) his beloved son ... The stela was later reused. An attempt was made to cut a smaller stela - measuring about 29 by 21 cm - out of the original stela. The piece broke in two and was repaired with plaster. The second stela is decorated in bas-relief. Traces of red and yellow pigments and, according to Černý, gold leaf can still be seen on the face of the god and on the solar disc on his head. The newer stela is dedicated to the falcon-headed Re-Harakhte, the same deity to whom Bankes stelae no. 1 and 5 are dedicated to. Re-Harakhte stands on the left facing an offering table piled with bread and vessels. He is identified by an inscription near his head as Re-Harakhte, the Great God, Lord of Heaven. Another hieroglyphic inscription appears at the bottom of the smaller stela: Made by Harmose and his son Khaemnun. Both names, Harmose and Khaemnun, appear on various objects and in several murals from Deir el- Medina, but it is not possible to identify with certainty a Khaemnun, son of Harmose. Bankes stela no. 14 Pesherenese's stela From Deir el-Medina Limestone 21st dynasty Height: 43.5 cm Width: 28 cm Černý believed that this round topped stela had also been reused. Although the names of the dedicators are dated to the end of the 21st dynasty, the style of the stela belongs to the 18th dynasty. The arrangement of the contents, together with the use of the pair of wedjat eyes and the depiction of a person smelling a lotus, all point to a pre-Amarna style. The stela was probably carved in the 18th dynasty and reused in the 21st dynasty. It has a short hieroglyphic inscription on the curved top. It reads Life to the good god Djeserkare-Amenhotep , the deified king Amenhotep I, who together with his mother Ahmose-Nefertari was credited with the founding of Deir el-Medina, where they enjoyed personal religious cults until the late Ramesside period. Below is a pair of wedjat eyes, a symbol of protection. The round object in the shape of a circle, painted red with a ring around it, sits on a small pedestal resembling the hieroglyphic sign for "m" . The meaning of the symbol is unknown. Below the wedjat -eyes there are 9 short columns of hieroglyphic inscriptions. The first part of the inscription is written in the first 6 columns from left and is read from right: For the soul of the servant in the Place of Truth, Nespautytowe, true of voice, and his son Haemtawer, true of voice. The remaining 3 columns are read from left to right and translated as: The son of his son, Pesherenese, true of voice. Below the inscription there is an offering scene carved in raised relief. Two men, identified as Nespautytowe and his son Haemtawer, are seated on a wide couch and the third man, the grandson Pesherenese, stands facing them on the right. Between them is a small table laden with ox meat and vegetables. Pesherenese adds to the pile by placing another offering on top. Nespautytowe, seated closer to the table, is smelling a lotus flower. His son Haemtawer rests his left arm on his father's shoulder. Below the offering scene there are 3 lines of hieroglyphic text: Offering which the king gives to Osiris, foremost of the Westeners, great god, lord of the necropolis, that he may give invocation-offerings and all good things whereon a god lives to the soul of the servant in the Place of Truth, Nespautytowe, true of voice. Černý tells us that the name of Nespautytowe appears in several rock graffiti and on an ostrakon, and he places the type of name towards the end of the 21st dynasty. The family, especially the grandson Pesherenese, must have lived during the turbulent times and probably witnessed the departure of the inhabitants of Deir el-Medina. They were once thought to have moved within the safer walls of the nearby temple of Medinet Habu, but recent research by Robert Demarée of Leiden University suggests that under Ramesses IX the community took refuge near the temple of Deir el-Bahri, where they built tombs for the priests of Amun, and under a new chief of a new dynasty at Thebes the ruling elite seem to have been ordered to empty the royal tombs and recycle the objects. The current display of the collection of stelae in the former servants' quarters. The Bankes Papyri Collection, British Museum, London A group of late Ramesside papyri collected in Thebes by William John Bankes (1786-1855) on his second trip to Upper Egypt in 1818 has an interesting modern history. I.E.S. Edwards, Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum from 1955 to 1974, learned of the existence of the papyri collection at Kingston Lacy from Prof. P.E. Newberry and wrote to H.J.R. Bankes to offer him access to them. The only problem was that the family did not know where to find them. During Edward's first visit, all the likely areas around the house were searched, but to no avail. On his second visit to Kingston Lacy, the collection was finally located, having been carefully placed between the pages of a large atlas kept in the library. Transliterations and translations of two complete papyri were published by Edwards in 1982 in his journal article The Bankes papyri I and II. The remaining documents in the collection were all fragmentary. In the 1950s and 1990s, all the Bankes papyri were transferred from the National Trust to the British Museum for specialist care, conservation and storage. Hieratic Papyrus Collected in 1818 by William J. Bankes Transferred from the National Trust 1996-2010 Reg. No. 10302, 75019, 75022 © The Trustees of the British Museum In all, there are 16 separate documents, some of which consist of several fragments. They are a particularly exceptional group of manuscripts because they include previously unknown letters by the most famous Ramesside correspondents - the necropolis scribes Dhutmose and Butehamun - and the missing half of a previously published letter, now known to have been written almost certainly by the famous general Payankh. The first half of the letter was published by Jac. Janssen in his Late Ramesside Letters and Communications (pp. 37-39, pl. 23-24). The fragment (now BM papyrus 10302) was later joined with another larger piece (BM papyrus 75019) and four adjacent smaller fragments (75020). In 2006, ten of the Bankes papyri were published by R.J. Demarée in his book The Bankes Late Ramesside Papyri. The papyri were conserved by Bridget Leach of the Museum's Conservation and Scientific Research Department. Sources: 1. Čern‎ý, J. Egyptian Stelae in the Bankes Collection. Oxford, 1958. 2. James, T.G.H. ‘Egyptian Antiquities at Kingston Lacy, Dorset (The Collection of William John Bankes)’. In : KMT 4(4), winter 1993-94, 20-32. 3. Goyon, Jean Claude and Cardin, Christine: Proceedings of the 9th International Congress of Egyptologists, Vol. 1 Peeters Publishers, 2007. 2031 p. 4. Davis, Benedict G.: Genealogies and personality characteristics of the workmen in the Deir el-Medina community during the Ramesside period. Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Liverpool : University of Liverpool, February 1996. 5. Picking up the Pieces by Jonathan Downs | Published in History Today Volume: 57 Issue: 9 2007 6. Baines, John and Jaromír Málek: Atlas of Ancient Egypt Oxford : Andromeda, 1996. 7. Rice, Michael: Who is who in Ancient Egypt London : Routledge, 2002. 8. Booth, Charlotte: People of Ancient Egypt Stroud : Tempus, 2006. 9. Černý, Jaroslav: A community of workmen at Thebes in the Ramesside period Cairo : Institut Francais d'archeologie Orientale du Caire, 1973. 10. Kitchen, K. A.: Ramesside inscriptions : translated and annotated notes and comments Vol. III Oxford : Blackwell, 2001. 11. Jauhiainen, Heidi: "Do not celebrate your feast without your neighbours" : a study of references to feasts and festivals in non-literary documents from Ramesside Period Deir el-Medina. Academic dissertation Helsinki : University of Helsinki, 2009. 416 p. 12. Galan, Jose M.: Seeing darkness. IN : Chronique d'Egypte, Vol. 74, Number 174/1999. p. 18-30. 13. Sweeney, Deborah: Women growing older in Deir el-Medina IN : AH 19, 2006, p. 135-153. 14. Bierbrier, M.L.: Terms of relationship at Deir el-Medina IN : The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 66, 1980. pp. 100-107. 15. Robins, Gay.: Women in Ancient Egypt. London : British Museum Press, 1993. Fig. 50 16.. Private correspondence with Jan Kunst, Amsterdam, Holland 17. http://www.diskdoctor.co.uk/texts/Solar%20Eclipses%20%28Dave%20Smith%29%20-%20Part%201.pdf 18. http://www.diskdoctor.co.uk/texts/Solar%20Eclipses%20%28Dave%20Smith%29%20-%20Part%202.pdf 19. Edwards, I.E.S. : The Bankes papyri I. and II. IN: Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 68, 1982. pp. 126-133. 20. Janssen, Jac. J.: Late Ramesside letters and communications London : British Museum Press, 1991. (Hieratic papyri in the British Museum VI, 1991). 21. Demarée, R.J. : The Bankes Late Ramesside Papyri London : British Museum, 2006. BM Research Publication 155 Further bibliography Back to top

Recent developments at Deir el-Medina and the latest news, articles, lectures, blogs, exhibitions, announcements, conferences all related to the site of Deir el-Medina Recent developments at Deir el-Medina and the latest news "Merit's wig: A 3,400-year-old Egyptian headpiece smoothed down with ancient homemade hair gel" In 1906, archaeologists discovered this wig of an Egyptian woman known as Merit when excavating her tomb, which she shared with her husband Kha, in Luxor (..) Archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli wrote that the wig, made from dark-brown human hair, was still shining from the perfumed oils that had been applied to it more than three millennia before it was found. Schiaparelli discovered the wig in a tall acacia wood box that was inscribed with Merit's name. Within the box, two wooden, linen-covered stands supported the wig. (..) https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/merits-wig-a-3-400-year-old-egyptian-headpiece-smoothed-down-with-ancient-homemade-hair-gel When wood speaks: new revelations from the door of Kha and Merit / a lecture by Federico Taverni and Cedric Gobeil 23 June 2026, 6.00 pm Egyptian Museum, Conference Room (entrance via Via Maria Vittoria 3M, Turin) Admission: free, booking required via Eventbrite Language: Italian This presentation outlines the latest findings from research conducted on a series of wooden artefacts from the intact tomb of Kha and Merit (TT8) at Deir el-Medina, now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Turin. As part of a wider project dedicated to the study, restoration and re-display of the funerary goods, the investigations focused on the wooden door that sealed the burial chamber and on the sarcophagi of Kha and Merit. Through the combined use of archival research, multispectral imaging, UV photography, X-rays, 3D scans and conservation analysis, the study revealed previously unknown construction techniques, assembly marks, traces of pigments and resins, as well as evidence of the reuse of wooden architectural elements. The research has also highlighted ritual and symbolic aspects associated with the creation of these artefacts, including the use of red pigments for protective or ‘binding’ purposes. At the same time, the restoration of the sarcophagi has revealed decorative and technical details never observed before, offering new insights into woodworking practices, funerary rituals and the organisation of craft workshops in New Kingdom Egypt. Taken together, these discoveries contribute to a profound renewal of our understanding of the materiality, craftsmanship and symbolic dimension of the wooden objects from the tomb of Kha and Merit. Federico Taverni specialises in the conservation and study of archaeological artefacts, with a particular focus on organic materials and investigative methodologies applied to cultural heritage. His research combines scientific analysis, technical documentation and restoration work aimed at understanding the production processes and material history of ancient objects. Cedric Gobeil is an Egyptologist and specialist in the Deir el-Medina necropolis. His research focuses on the society, material culture and funerary practices of ancient Egypt, with a particular focus on the artisan communities of the New Kingdom and the archaeological evidence found in their tombs. New gleanings from Deir el-Medina, from the IFAO Archive by Pierre Grandet Museo Egizio in Turin lecture Aprile 23 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IWI6uNM64w Woodworking Workshops and Artisans in Deir el-Medina: A Study from the Turin Collection by Anna Giulia De Marco Museo Egizio in Turin lecture April 9th 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmMZXSEkt7A Egyptology Scotland online lecture (Zoom): "Current work at Deir el-Medina," by Dr. Cédric Gobeil date: 23rd May 2026; 14:00 BST place: a hybrid event -- online (Zoom) or in-person at RSS Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4JP costs: £5 Members/£7 Non-Members + booking fee info: abstract and registration at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cedric-gobeil-current-work-at-deir-el-medinahybrid-lecture-tickets-1387927682059?aff=ebdsoporgprofile Demarée, Robert J. and Matthias Müller: “A Chief Draughtsman’s Private Business Accounts. P. Turin Provv. 6252” , Rivista del Museo Egizio 10 (2026). https://rivista.museoegizio.it/article/a-chief-draughtsmans-private-business-accounts-p-turin-provv-6252/ The papyrus published here was used as a notebook to register payments for various work carried out privately by (most probably) the chief draughtsman Amenhotep son of Amennakht. The beginning of the reign of Ramesses IX is suggested as the date of the papyrus. In addition to the documentary notes, remains of what seem to be an excerpt from a literary text are preserved on the papyrus as well. On an Egyptian papyrus, the demands of the first strike in history: ‘We are hungry, write to the Pharaoh.’ by Carla Piro Mander https://torino.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/25_agosto_05/su-un-papiro-egizio-le-rivendicazioni-del-primo-sciopero-della-storia-abbiamo-fame-scrivete-al-faraone-866d782c-cf8a-432f-9fa7-7d522d89cxlk.shtml Translation of the Italian article is available below: Papyri contain conspiracies, recommendations, and marriage proposals. Among the most interesting ‘letters’ is the ‘Papyrus of the Strike,’ preserved at the Egyptian Museum in Turin. Year 29, second month of the Flood season, day 10. Today, the team passed the checkpoint saying: We are hungry! It has already been 18 days this month since (the men) went to sit behind the funeral temple of Thutmose III. [...] We are here because we are hungry and thirsty. We are not used to not having ointments, fish and vegetables. Write to the Pharaoh, our perfect lord, take note of our words and write to the vizier, our superior, because we need our provisions." This is more or less how the first trade union claim in history sounded, or at least the first one we know of for certain. We are in Egypt, in the village of Deir el-Medina, in a valley on the edge of the desert, not far from the Valley of the Kings and Queens in Thebes. Ramses III reigns, and the protest described in the “strike papyrus”, preserved in Turin, is carried out by very special workers because they are the ones responsible for building and decorating the royal tombs. Months-long strike We know that the strike — caused by the suspension of food supplies to the workers — lasted several months, that the workers tried various forms of protest to achieve their goal, including sit-ins in temples, and that everything was finally resolved with an agreement. These are extraordinary testimonies, considering that the accounts come directly from the 13th century BC and, even more so, because they were collected directly by the tomb's scribe, Amunnakht. Among the very few who knew how to write, scribes belonged to a powerful and exclusive caste. They were involved in administration, forming an intellectual class that, by keeping the tools of their profession secret, passed on the knowledge and power that came with it. Butehamon is also a scribe. He is the son of Djehutymes — also a dignitary — and Baketamun and descends from a family of scholars whose ancestors may include Amunnakht, the author of the strike papyrus. Recommendations In an Egypt ravaged by political crises and looting of royal tombs, Djehutymes writes to his son, who is working in Deir el-Medina, urging him to maintain order among the craftsmen, to watch over the sacred burials and to respect the gods. He addresses Butehamun and the singer of Amun Shedemduat, informing them that he has left his superior in Elephantine and is travelling to Nubia, a fact that worries him and for which he asks them to pray. He wants to know if his son and Shedemduat are well and sends his greetings to Hemetsherit, her daughter, and the scribes Amunhotep, Takamen and Shedsumut, and urges them to obey his orders by making offerings and libations to the god Amun (Papyri Egyptian Museum). Concerns Djehutymes writes extensively and passionately. One of his most famous letters was written between 1106 and 1077 BC. 'What does it mean that you have let time pass until today without writing to me? Write to me about your circumstances, whether good or bad [...] your letter will bring great joy to my heart [...] Also, do not forget to bring water to Amun of the Throne of the Two Lands and invoke him to bring me back from the wilderness, the place where I am now, because I have not slept day or night since I have been worried about you' (Online Collection — Letter from the scribe Djehutymes to his son Butehamon on the front and back). Messages from a father These words are preserved in Turin, imprinted on the delicate plant fibre that makes up papyrus, and incredibly, some of these letters have survived to this day. Intimate, affectionate, sometimes reproachful, and so universal in the exchange between father and son that it is easy to forget that they were written over three thousand years ago. There are many recommendations. 'Please,' Djehutymes writes to his son, 'take personal care of the young children of Hemesheri and Shedemdua and supply them with oil. Do not leave them in need. And take care of this daughter of Khonsmose, do not neglect her. Do not worry about me. Tell Amenpanefer to write to me' (historical materialism: The correspondence of two Egyptian scribes from 1000 BC). The reproaches But there is also no shortage of reproaches regarding a delivery of spears that took place without Djehutymes being informed and with an unknown ship. Butehamon's response in a letter sent to Nubia is sharp: 'As for your saying, ‘I will not be silent to you about the matter of the spears,’ so you said, I wrote the letter and gave it to the guardian Karoy concerning the order for the spears while he was in Ne (Thebes). I said to him, "I will not forge for myself while I am here. I have drawn up the order for the spears. Find the boat and the man to whom you are to give this letter and write his name on it,“ I said to him. And he replied, 'It was in Payshuuben that I entrusted them to him,” he replied. Must I know what he did with them? (Online collection — Letter from the scribe Butehamun to his father Djehutymes on recto and verso). Marriages In short, not just administrative dispatches. Humanity, recommendations, prayers, conspiracies, marriage requests. The papyri contain everything. As demonstrated by the “Amarna Letters”, a collection of 380 documents written in cuneiform on clay tablets, found in 1887 in the excavation area around ancient Akhetaton (Tell-el-Amarna), founded in the second half of the 14th century BC by Akhenaten, the “heretic” pharaoh of the 18th dynasty who moved the capital there from Thebes. Exchanges of gifts, ceremonies, congratulations to newly enthroned kings, requests for taxes or aid, and marriage proposals are recurring themes. Some of the most curious letters are those sent by Tushratta, king of the Mitanni, whose empire stretched from the Zagros Mountains to the borders of Assyria. Tushratta, who desperately needed a military alliance with Egypt, was not afraid of the powerful and spoke his mind. For example, when he wrote to Queen Tye, wife of Amenhotep III, father of Akhenaten, complaining that the two statues sent to him as gifts were not solid gold but simply “wooden statues covered with gold”. Egyptian Museum of Turin: a new set-up for Kha and Merit From Tiziana Giuliani 4 December 2025 On Thursday, 4 December, the Egyptian Museum of Turin opened a new exhibition dedicated to the funerary equipment of Kha and Merit. This is a unique chance to see the artefacts belonging to the couple who lived in Egypt almost 3,500 years ago. You can now see their entire equipment, which has been largely restored and includes objects that have never been exhibited before, highlighted by new lighting and enriched by completely updated information labelling. This event celebrates the 120th anniversary of the discovery of the tomb of Kha and Merit. The exhibition features a number of new features. First of all, there is the presentation of the complete funerary equipment, consisting of over 460 pieces of furniture, tools, games, food, everyday items and more, which transport us back to the time of the funeral. This amazing contents was found intact in the intact, perfectly preserved tomb (TT8) in Deir el Medina. This burial was discovered on 15 February 1906 by Ernesto Schiaparelli, who found it did not belong to a pharaoh, but to a private citizen of great social importance, along with his wife. Kha lived around 1350 BC. He was an architect and the superviser of the workforce responsible for building the pharaohs' tombs in the Valley of the Kings. His family lived in Deir el-Medina, a village established around 1500 BC to accommodate the artisans and artists working on the royal tombs, along with their families. Despite their prestigious position, Kha and his wife Merit were not part of the royal family or noble class. Instead, they belonged to the wealthy class within the small community of workers, where they lived relatively well. This is evidenced by their decorated funeral chapel and excellent craftsmanship. Kha's burial structure consisted of two main parts: an undecorated, protected, inaccessible underground section containing the sarcophagus and burial equipment; and a superficial chapel with free access for the living to practise the cult of the deceased and deposit offerings. The discovery of an intact grave such as that of Kha and Merit is a rare occurrence. It is likely that their burial remained sealed due to a landslide, which hid and protected it from grave robbers. The funerary equipment of the architect and his wife reveals their lives, their transition to the afterlife, and their tastes as a wealthy couple. Above all, it tells the story of a daily ritual consisting of small gestures that we still repeat today. Thanks to the new technologies used and an interdisciplinary approach involving archaeology, philology, chemistry and physics, the story is enriched by the new display. The famous gold-leaf cubit, which Kha received from Pharaoh Amenhotep II in gratitude, certainly stands out among the objects found, but there are several other notable items on which it would be interesting to dwell. These include the sarcophagi, the delightful funeral mask of Merit, the furniture, and all the objects of daily use. In this new setup, particular attention is paid to fabrics, for which an entire showcase has been prepared to house all 110 textile items – including tunics and linen – of which 80 have so far been stored in the vaults. This will be a kind of open warehouse where the objects will narrate the quality of life and material culture of the time. It will be intimate and touching to discover how Kha's name was "embroidered" on his underwear. The study of the bandages used to wrap mummies is always interesting when considering the theme of textiles. Recent radiological investigations and CT scans carried out on the mummy of Merit have made it possible to reconstruct the mummification process and accurately identify the objects placed on the woman's body (she was so beloved by Kha that he offered her the sarcophagus prepared for himself). Surprisingly, there are no funeral amulets. Merit wore jewellery that she could show off at parties. This once again suggests that her equipment was not yet complete at the time of her death. One of the most significant and challenging innovations of this setup concerns the exhibition of the Book of the Dead of Kha, a 14-metre-long papyrus. Instead of being hung vertically, it is now exhibited in a 45° inclined showcase designed specifically for large papyri. This not only facilitates reading, but also makes future restoration work easier as it can be carried out without having to move the object. The inclination also reduces the traction of vegetable fibres, improving their preservation. The anoxia system, which removes oxygen from the case, has also been implemented to protect the papyrus from parasites and insects. It should be noted that the Book of the Dead of Kha 'was at the centre of an important conservation project: after undergoing dry cleaning, it was transferred to a new backing, secured with strips of Japanese paper.' Next to the showcase, a new infographic provides an in-depth analysis of the texts and their meanings, incorporating the results of scientific analyses conducted with the CNR-ISPC. Investigations revealed striking details such as differences in pigments, materials and ink, which testify to the artisanal process and the cultural significance of this work. The entire room has been fitted with a new lighting system which uses microspotlights to eliminate shadows and reflections, thereby improving visibility of the artefacts on display. Light is not only a technical improvement; it is also a narrative tool that guides visitors' gazes, highlighting the most fascinating details of the artefacts as though they were being observed for the first time. The inauguration promises a unique experience, combining the beauty and history of ancient Egypt with the most modern museum technologies. This is an opportunity not to be missed, offering a fascinating journey into the past. https://mediterraneoantico.it/articoli/news/museo-egizio-di-torino-un-nuovo-allestimento-per-kha-e-merit/ I'm planning to visit the museum in January 2026, so please keep an eye on the space for up-to-date photos. "Al Museo Egizio di Torino una colletta «illumina» la tomba di Kha e Merit " https://www.ilgiornaledellarte.com/Articolo/-Al-Museo-Egizio-di-Torino-una-colletta-illumina-la-tomba-di-Kha-e-Merit- "Grazie alla raccolta fondi lanciata mesi fa, è stata riallestita la sala con il ricco corredo della sepoltura scoperta da Ernesto Schiaparelli a Deir el-Medina nel 1906 (..)" Another press report: "Museo Egizio, la tomba di Kha e Merit sotto una nuova luce" https://www.torinoggi.it/2025/12/05/leggi-notizia/argomenti/cultura-4/articolo/museo-egizio-la-tomba-di-kha-e-merit.html Includes a slideshow. Work on the refurbishment of the room dedicated to the architect Kha and his wife Merit at the Egyptian Museum in Turin is continuing at full speed! The most significant interventions in this final phase are the installation of two new display cases: one for Kha's 14-metre-long Book of the Dead papyrus, found inside his sarcophagus; and one for the couple's textile collection. This will allow the public to admire fabrics that were previously stored in the museum's archives. Restoration work on artefacts is also ongoing in the museum's laboratory, with the latest 'patients' being the couple's textiles. Restorers Valentina Turina and Giulia Pallottini are working on the precious linen fabrics. These fine cloths were carefully folded inside the tomb and have survived in extraordinary condition, although they are extremely fragile. The fabrics are gently unfolded and cleaned of dust deposits, then reinforced at their weakest points to preserve their original structure. The restoration of over fifty fabrics will take three months. "The greatest thrill is knowing that these fabrics were made, worn and folded thousands of years ago. It's like coming into direct contact with the people who made them,” say the restorers. The refurbishment project is now nearing completion, with only a few days left to contribute to the restoration of Kha and Merit's artefacts. Translated e-mail from Museo Egizio on November 16th 2025 Southampton Ancient Egypt Society (SAES) http://www.southamptonancientegyptsociety.co.uk/ Online lecture (Zoom): "Life and Death at Deir el-Medina: Domestic Religion and Funerary Beliefs," by Katherine Slinger date: 20 September 2025; 1.30 pm BST, for a 2 pm start costs: Saturday Meeting fees - Adult Members £3.00, adult non members £6.00 info: abstract and registration at https://www.southamptonancientegyptsociety.co.uk/september.php A new book by Sofia Häggman " Faraos egna arbetare : Liv och död i Konungarnas dal" Published on October 3rd 2025 ISBN 9789127186965 The Valley of the Kings, the legendary burial place of the pharaohs, was not only a place of death. Life existed there, too. Adjacent to the valley lay the village of Deir el-Medina, home to the stonemasons, painters, scribes and other professionals needed to construct the magnificent tombs. Three thousand years later, we meet them and their families here, and the distance is easily forgotten thanks to the close-up view. The desert sand has not only preserved their houses, chapels and tombs, but also an astonishing quantity of their accounts, letters and private notes. Thanks to these documents, Sofia Häggman can recreate the villagers' lives during celebrations, in court, in the kitchen and deep down in the burial chambers, thereby providing a wealth of interesting information about life and death in ancient Egypt. https://www.nok.se/titlar/a7/gravbyggarna-ebok/635f5686-dbd4-4acf-a07d-df04cf4bcfea Video of a lecture organised by ARCE - NC Chapter: "Hold the Line: The Iconographic and Spatial Role of Gate Guardian Demons in Deir el-Medina Tombs," by Dr Jess Johnson 21 September 2025 1 h 3 mins. https://youtu.be/xCzSm0SchlI Video of a lectures event organised by IFAO: "The man who unlocked voices of ancient artists : 100th anniversary of Prof. Černý visit to Egypt," by Prof. Fayza Haykal, Dr. Hana Navrátilová, Dr. Daniela Rosenow, Prof. Kathrin Gabler 23 September 2025 1 h 57 mins. https://www.youtube.com/live/IgiV1fO-niI EES on-line weekend course Life and Death at New Kingdom Deir el-Medina Dr Claudia Näser will unravel the history of Deir el-Medina and explore the lives and deaths of its inhabitants, the workmen who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Start time - 14:00 (UK) / 16:00 (Egypt) 18, 25 October 2025 Online via Zoom 2pm – 5pm GMT + recordings In these lectures, we will explore the history of Deir el-Medina, the village of the workmen who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. We will examine the settlement from its foundation in the early 18th Dynasty (c. 1550–1292 BCE) to its abandonment in the late 20th Dynasty (c. 1470–1070 BCE). We will explore how daily life in the village was organised, and the role that preparing for the afterlife played for its inhabitants. The workmen were highly skilled from working in the royal tombs. They built their own richly decorated tombs in the cemeteries around the village and produced and traded their own funerary equipment. As this industry expanded, producers and buyers began recording their transactions on ostraca, or inscribed ceramic and limestone sherds. These records provide insight into the economic aspects of preparing a burial, such as the types of goods that the inhabitants of Deir el-Medina acquired when purchasing a coffin, and how producers adapted their skills and strategies to succeed in this field. Intact burials, such as the tombs of Kha and Merit and the family of Sennedjem, combined with this rich textual record, allow us to reconstruct the processes of assembling burial equipment and burials in detail. They also highlight a variety of other aspects, such as intracultural robbery, subsequent inspections and tidying up, and the reburial of material from disturbed tombs. Through this evidence, we will uncover the influence of various factors on mortuary provisions, including religious concepts of how to achieve and maintain the desired existence after death, access to knowledge and economic resources, individual and collective experiences and aspirations, and the circumstances of death. Overall, this course will expand your knowledge of Deir el-Medina and ancient Egyptian mortuary practices, offering a fresh and detailed perspective on these subjects. The course is open to everyone, from beginners to lifelong enthusiasts of ancient Egypt. Before the course begins, a printable summary chronology and visual material will be provided to enhance engagement by enabling participants to retrace and map the content discussed for themselves. EES Member: £60 Non-Member: £120 EES Student: £30 Tutor: Dr Claudia Näser, Associate Professor in Egyptian Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology at University College London https://www.ees.ac.uk/whats-on/events/life-and-death-at-new-kingdom-deir-el-medina.html Dr Claudia NäserAssociate Professor in Egyptian Museo Egizio in Turin: Work in progress - The restoration of Kha's sarcophagus We would like to update you on an important step forward in the project to refurbish the room dedicated to Kha and Merit here at the Egyptian Museum. Restoration work on the artefacts has begun, and one of the most significant interventions has concerned Kha's imposing outer sarcophagus. Giovanna Prestipino, a restorer specialising in wooden materials, has completed the restoration of this extraordinary artefact, which was temporarily removed from its glass case to be restored directly in the hall, under the attentive and curious gaze of visitors. Over the last two years, we have been monitoring and restoring the sarcophagi of Kha and Merit. The last review was in 2015, when the Egyptian Museum reopened. Since then, time has made further conservation work necessary. In 2023, I restored Kha's intermediate sarcophagus and the inner sarcophagi of Kha and Merit. Now I have worked on Kha's outer sarcophagus, an object of extraordinary complexity and delicacy. The restoration of these artefacts follows the principle of minimal intervention. In this phase, we removed the accumulated dust, consolidated the most fragile areas and checked the integrity of the wooden assemblies. The outer sarcophagus is covered with what Egyptologists call “black varnish”, a natural black resin that coats the sarcophagus both outside and inside, where we observed many detachments. Thanks to a UV fluorescent lamp (Wood's lamp), a non-invasive tool, we have identified numerous altered retouches on the outer surface of the sarcophagus, invisible to the naked eye. For now, they have not been removed, but we are conducting tests to determine the best method of intervention. We are limiting ourselves to conservative restoration: cleaning, consolidation and some minor filling in the most critical areas. Together with Nicola dell'Aquila, photographer at the Egyptian Museum, we will carry out a UV fluorescence photography campaign. In addition, we will take micro-samples to carry out stratigraphic and binder analyses in collaboration with the “La Venaria Reale” Conservation and Restoration Centre, in order to better understand the history of the retouching and the materials used, perhaps after the discovery and reassembly of the sarcophagus by Ernesto Schiaparelli. A fascinating detail that emerged during the restoration is the presence of incisions at the corners of the coffin, which we hypothesise were made by the Egyptian carpenter as references for assembly before the sarcophagus was transported inside the tomb to house Kha's mummy: a sort of guide to facilitate the construction of the sarcophagus. I will return in September to work on Merit's outer sarcophagus, but in the meantime, the restorers at the Egyptian Museum are working on Kha's alabaster vases, baskets and textile grave goods. There's never a dull moment here! Reinert Skumsnes, "A Case Study of the Turin Satirical-Erotic Papyrus. Historical Bodies, Mundane Resistance, and Alternative Body Worlds" , in: Unn Pedersen, Marianne Moen, and Ingrid Fuglestvedt (eds.), Gendering the Nordic Past: Dialogues Between Perspectives (Brepols, 2025), pp. 235-250. In Open Access. https://doi.org/10.1484/M.WOP-EB.5.144367 Video of a lecture presented by the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture: "The Daily Lives of Ancient Egyptian Artists," by Dr. Hana Navrátilová, Fellow, Royal Historical Society, UK; Supernumerary Fellow, University of Oxford, Harris Manchester College 23 April 2025, 54 mins. Jaroslav Černý (1898–1970) was a distinguished Egyptologist renowned for his pioneering research into the social and cultural history of ancient Egypt, with a particular focus on the community of artisans at Deir el-Medina, a village located near the Valley of the Kings. His research into ostraca and Theban 'graffiti' texts is key to understanding the daily lives, literacy, administration and religious practices of ancient Egyptian artisans. In this lecture, Hana Navratilová explores Černý’s lifelong research at Deir el-Medina, his pioneering studies of texts, artefacts and the Western Theban landscape, and his legacy in twentieth-century Egyptology. In January and February 2021, Kathrin Gabler (University of Basel/University of Copenhagen) led a pilot campaign in Tomb TT 217 , which is located on the upper terrace of the Western Necropolis of Deir el-Medina and belongs to the sculptor Ipouy. Watch Kathrin present the progress of her and her team's first full campaign in spring 2022 in the new project, 'The Tomb of the Sculptor Ipuy in Context'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJZyeztPRlU The (Re)Discovery of a Mummy Board from Deir el-Medina: Insights into Late Ramesside White-Type Mummy Boards by Jaume Vilaró-Fabregat "This paper explores the (re)discovery of a mummy board from Deir el-Medina in the modern on-site storerooms. Its white lower section, devoid of iconography, represents a rare type of late New Kingdom mummy board, which coexisted with the more traditional type featuring iconography across the entire surface. By comparing the mummy board with additional covers from Deir el-Medina and other Theban necropolises, which share similar characteristics, it sheds light on decorative practices of the time, addressing a previously overlooked type of object. Furthermore, the analysis of the titulary of individuals associated with these materials provides insights into socio-cultural dynamics and the potential influence of social status on funerary decorative solutions. This study contributes to expanding the understanding of Egyptian funerary practices during the late New Kingdom." https://www.ifao.egnet.net/publications/catalogue/?nif=BIFAO125_art_16.pdf&nv=0 De bosse et d’os. D’étranges figurines d’hommes « bossus » (re)découvertes à Deir el-Médina by Marie-Lys Arnette "This article presents a collection of twelve fragmentary terracotta figurines from Deir el-Medina. Ten of the figurines depict kyphotic men with hairy backs, while the remaining two depict very skinny men with arched backs. All of the figurines bear traces of, or partially retain, a disproportionately large phallus. The study analyzes these iconographic features, which are rarely found in Egyptian art, and which all contribute to the creation of "out of the norm" characters. The figurines may have been intentionally broken, perhaps as part of a ritual that is difficult to define precisely." https://www.ifao.egnet.net/publications/catalogue/?nif=BIFAO125_art_01.pdf&nv=0 "L’ombra nelle tombe di Deir el-Medina" by Gilberto Modonesi Illustrated article by Gilberto Modonesi about the black human silhouette depicted in tomb scenes and vignettes of funerary papyri relating to Deir el-Medina. The tombs in which these dark human figures are depicted belong to: - Khabekhnet (TT 2, 19th dynasty) - Nebenmaat (TT 219, 19th dynasty) - Neferrenpet (TT 236, 18th dynasty) - Irynefer (TT 290, 19th dynasty) As examples of funerary papyri bearing similar vignettes as illustrations of formulae 91 and 92 of the Book of the Dead, the author cites the papyri of: - Ankhsenenmut (Egyptian Museum, Cairo) - Neferubenef (Musée du Louvre) - Neferrenpet (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels) "Who, where and why: the rock graffiti of members of the Deir el-Medina community" by Slawomir Rzepka , Warsaw 2014 "The corpus of Theban rock graffiti from the 19th–21st Dynasty is special in many respects and the conclusions derived from their study can be treated as universal only to some extent and referred to rock inscriptions from other territories and periods. It is as special as the community that created it, that is, the workmen from Deir el-Medina. The aim of the present research is to explore not so much the question of why ancient Egyptians made graffiti, but what can the rock inscriptions tell us about the functioning of the Deir el-Medina community. Can they broaden our view of this community, formed on the basis of hundreds of ostraka and dozens of papyri left by members of this community? Compared to the ostraka and papyri, graffiti seem like a secondary and less important source; most of them contain only the name and title of the author, often also filiation, quite often names and titles of relatives and peers, and very little in terms of content. But they contain data that is usually lacking from ostraka and papyri. Ostraka and papyri are not necessarily found in their place of production, but in the case of rock graffiti the findspot and place of production are the same. The graffiti unquestionably record the presence of the author in a given place and it is this data that in the opinion of the present author have not been exploited satisfactorily until now. An examination of which parts of the Theban gebel were visited by the graffiti authors leads to interesting questions, such as: - Is there a simple relation between place of work of the gang and the localization of the workmen’s graffiti (that is, are graffiti from a given period concentrated clearly within range of the tombs being cut at the time or on the way to it)? - Did status in the community determine the needs/opportunities of individual members to visit different parts of the necropolis (for example, did scribes visit the same parts of the necropolis as foremen and foremen the same areas as ordinary workmen or sculptors)? - Was status in the community reflected in the localization of graffiti (for example, did foremen and scribes leave their inscriptions in the same places as ordinary workmen)? - Whom were the graffiti addressed to? Were they concentrated in attended areas and were made to be seen from afar or not? *** The monograph is divided into five parts. The first one presents the methodology underlying the compilation of the corpus of graffiti examined in this study. Issues connected with distinguishing single graffiti and identification of the authors are discussed, followed by a presentation of topographic and chronological divisions used as a framework for the analysis of the material collected in the corpus. The second part is concentrated on who were the authors of rock graffiti. Who of the known members of the Deir el-Medina community left their graffiti? What was their status in the workmen’s community and what duties did they fulfill? What conclusions can be drawn on the functioning of this community from the observation that certain members of the group carved rock inscriptions, while others seldom or not at all? This part also contained a chapter on "accompanying" persons in the graffiti. Who were the people whose names graffiti authors mentioned in their inscriptions? What were the ties between the authors and their "peers"? One of the subchapters deals with the issue of family traditions and whether they had an influence on whether someone left graffiti or not. Family trees of clans present in the Deir el-Medina community for generations show the men who left graffiti. A separate section in this chapter was devoted to a collocation analysis. Statistical analyses have made it possible to identify pairs of authors who left graffiti in the same places and so presumably walked in the Theban gebel together. It was also possible to recognize pairs of authors who "avoided" one another or at least never left their graffiti in the same places. In the third part, the issue of "where" was addressed. All the dated graffiti in the corpus were mapped, giving a good idea of which parts of the Theban gebel were visited more or less frequently in particular periods. Of particular interest is recognition of places where the presence of Deir el-Medina workmen was not obvious, that is, places not in the immediate vicinity of tombs made by them or paths that led to these tombs. Identification of places of this kind led to certain hypotheses on the organization of the logistically complex process of preparing tombs for kings and members of their families. The results of parts two and three serve as the basis for an exploration in part four of the question of why these rock graffiti were made in the first place. What was the purpose and meaning of the inscriptions left by members of the Deir el-Medina community in the Theban massif. Were they important to their authors or just made "by the way"? Were they oriented to the author or the audience, that is, was it the author who benefitted or the people reading the inscription, or both? Were they practical (in our modern understanding of the term)? Did they carry information useful for the author or audience in earthly life or were they oriented to the realities of the afterlife, that is, benefitting the author after death? The fifth part of the study is made up of the catalogue, which is the basis of all the analyses presented in parts from one to four. It is a dossier of all the graffiti in the Theban gebel that can be identified with concrete members of the Deir el-Medina community. The 177 authors that were identified left over 1800 graffiti, making for an extensive corpus, which for practical reasons was limited in hard copy to a dozen or so of the most active graffiti authors in particular periods. A complete catalogue in digital form can be found on an attached disc. The catalogue follows a chronological order. Items consist of all the graffiti of a given author, in topographical order, together with maps documenting the exact localization of all the graffiti." Download from Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/12154529/Who_where_and_why_the_rock_graffiti_of_members_of_the_Deir_el_Medina_community_Warsaw_2014?email_work_card=view-paper Tombs of Deir el Medina - Photo coverage , Bibliography of Egyptological databases and datasets, Zotero https://www.zotero.org/groups/4851156/bibliography_of_egyptological_databases_and_datasets/items/KT5PVGT8/item-details «Mio padre, Silvio Curto : in prigione alle Hawaii, gli scavi sul Nilo e il Museo Egizio dove entrò come operaio specializzato» "Guido Curto, oggi direttore della Reggia di Venaria, racconta papà Silvio, uno dei massimi egittologi italiani: «Per non essere "figlio di" studiai storia dell'arte anziché archeologia» (..)" Interview with Guido Curto about his father Silvio Curto, former director of the Museo Egizio (1964-1984). The following IFAO volumes have become available in Open Access: -- Bernard Bruyère, Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1929), FIFAO 7.2, 1930 -- Bernard Bruyère, Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1930), FIFAO 8.3, 1933 -- Bernard Bruyère, Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1931-1932), FIFAO 10.1, 1934 -- Bernard Bruyère, Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1933-1934). Première partie : La nécropole de l’Ouest, FIFAO 14, 1937 -- Bernard Bruyère, Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1934-1935). Deuxième partie : La nécropole de l’Est, FIFAO 15, 1937 -- Bernard Bruyère, Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el-Médineh (1935-1940). Les fouilles et les découvertes de constructions, FIFAO 20.1, 1948 -- Bernard Bruyère, Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el-Médineh (1935-1940). Trouvailles d'objets, FIFAO 20.2, 1952 -- Bernard Bruyère, Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el-Médineh (1935-1940). Notes à propos de quelques objets trouvés, FIFAO 20.3, 1952 -- Jaroslav Černý, Catalogue des ostraca hiératiques non littéraires de Deir el-Médineh. Tome II (Nos 114 à 189), DFIFAO 4, 1937 -- Georges Nagel, La céramique du Nouvel Empire à Deir el Médineh, Tome I, DFIFAO 10, 1938 Hanane Gaber, Les tombes d'Amennakht et de ses fils Nebenmaât et Khâemter à Deir el-Médina (TT 218, TT 219, TT 220). (MIFAO, 153). IFAO, 2024. 2 vols., 549 pp., EUR 58. (eBook EUR 41). TOC at https://www.ifao.egnet.net/publications/catalogue/9782724710229/ The tombs of Amennakht and his sons Nebenmaât and Khâemeter (TT 218-220), three artisans who lived during the reigns of Sety I and Ramses II, form a unique family complex at Deir el-Medina and in the Theban necropolis. The edition of these tombs includes archaeological surveys, descriptions of the scenes, translations of the texts, commentaries and summaries. The Deir el-Medina Database has been updated: https://dmd.wepwawet.nl/ The October 2024 update includes approximately 170 new records and many corrections of existing ones (for which see the Guide to the database), as well as an updated bibliography. Rob Demarée and Ben Haring Leiden University Digitized book of the Institut français d’archéologieorientale (IFAO): - Bibliothèque d'étude (IFAO) [BiEtud] -- vol. 96: Dominique Valbelle, Les ouvriers de la tombe. Deir el-Médineh à l'époque ramesside , Le Caire, 1985. - XVIII, 414 pp., plans, tables, 10 pls. plus 4 pp. "Addenda et corrigenda" - pdf-file (82 MB) https://www.ifao.egnet.net/publications/catalogue/9782724700183/ Published in 1985, this synthesis of one of the most important sites of pharaonic Egypt, a concession of the Ifao since 1922, was conceived to complete the first two volumes by Jaroslav Černý - "A Community of Workers at Thebes in the Ramesside Period and The Valley of the Kings". This volume, which quickly went out of print, is still one of the most important studies of the administrative structure, archives and life of the institution that dominated work on the royal tombs from the reign of Thutmosis I to that of Siam (1500-978 BC). (...) Because of the wealth of documentation found at Deir el-Medina, numerous studies have been and are still being carried out on the different categories of sources distributed in museums all over the world. Consequently, an appendix provides useful bibliographical references to these works. Susanne Töpfer , the Curator of the ME Papyrus Collection announced that the Museo Egizio in Turin has a dedicated website for the Turin Papyrus Collection . Not only is the online database TPOP a database, there is also a section on the history of the on the history of the collection, including a description of some of the highlights. https://collezionepapiri.museoegizio.it/en-GB/section/Papyrus-Collection/History-and-content/History/ A large number of videos featuring interviews with researchers and restorers are uploaded to the relevant subpages, as well as infographics and videos from the exhibition rooms. These materials are freely available and suitable for use in academic teaching, as they focus on the latest research on the Papyri of Turin. Pierre Grandet, Catalogue des ostraca hiératiquesnon littéraires de Deîr el-Médînéh. Tome XIII - Nos 10406-10556. (DFIFAO 53). IFAO, 2023. 522 pp. ISBN 9782724709629. EUR 79. TOC at https://www.ifao.egnet.net/publications/catalogue/9782724709629/ This thirteenth volume in the series publishes 151 ostraca in photograph and facsimile with transcription and annotated translation. The Rivista del Museo Egizio is pleased to announce the publication of: Demarée, Robert J., "Two Papyrus Fragments with Historically Relevant Data" IN: Rivista del Museo Egizio 7 (2023). DOI: 10.29353/rime.2023.5078 https://rivista.museoegizio.it/article/two-papyrus-fragments-with-historically-relevant-data/ Abstract: This small article is a foretaste of the wealth of historical data to be found in the thousands of papyrus fragments contained in the archives of the ancient artisans' community of Deir el-Medina, which are now gradually being made available in the online database TPO. Online thesis: D. M. Soliman, Of Marks and Men: The Functional and Historical Context of the Workmen's Marks of the Royal Theban Necropolis. Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, 2016. - viii, 547 pp. - pdf-file (10.6 MB) https://scholarlypublications.universiteitleiden.nl/handle/1887/43078 "The dissertation examines the functional and historical context of the corpus of ostraca from the Theban necropolis - hitherto largely unpublished - that are inscribed with identity marks. The feature that sets the usage of marks in Deir el-Medina apart from other systems in ancient Egypt is their application in the creation of documentary records. Analysing the 18th Dynasty ostraca, the study provides insight into the organisation and administration of the royal necropolis workmen of that period. (...) The majority of ostraca with identity marks were created by workmen without formal scribal training, although some were evidently composed by scribes or draftsmen." Claudia Näser, Der Alltag des Todes: Funeräre Praktiken in Deir el-Medine im Neuen Reich. (GHP Egyptology 35). Golden House Publications, 2024. Hb, 708 pp. ISBN 978-1-906137809. £100. http://www.goldenhp.co.uk/index2.htm Combining archaeological and textual evidence, Claudia Näser outlines the evolution of mortuary practices in this close-knit community [of artisans at Deir el-Medina] over four hundred years. She reconstructs and systematises the processes of assembling the burial equipment and the mechanics of the burial itself. She also discusses a number of later 'intracultural' interventions, including grave-robbing and subsequent inspection, tidying up and reburial. (..)" N.B. The book is also available in Open Access. Seminários de Egiptologia LAOP - Dr. Kathrin Gabler "The Development of Text Types at Deir el-MedinaOr First Insights Why Different Qenhirkhopshefs Wrote Different Texts" Google Meet, 27 May · 10 till 11:30 a.m. Sao Paolo time Video of a lecture at the Museo Egizio, Torino: "News from the place of truth. Some further considerations and thoughts about Deir el-Medina," by Dr Cédric Gobeil 14 May 2024 [1 h 6 mins.] https://www.youtube.com/live/ct7eo6aaNKA Cédric Gobeil reports on work at Deir el-Medina, which continues to yield new discoveries. In particular, three topics are discussed that are currently being investigated by the Egyptian Museum. An update on the latest field mission in the tomb of Khawy the Khawy Keeper (TT 214), a re-evaluation of one of the votive chapels using new technologies, and a promising discovery from the museum's collection. New online article in Bulletin de la Société d'égyptologie, Genève [BSÉG], no. 34: Rob Demarée, "Fresh goose-fat to cure a nightmare?" (published on 17 April 2024) The draughtsman Nebre's health problems, which required the intervention of deities, are well known in Egyptological literature. The texts of two ostraca - one of which is hitherto unknown - provide further insight into the mental difficulties of this prominent member of the Deir el-Medina community and the remarkable medical prescription proposed. Online dissertation: Muhammad R.A Ragab, The Workmen's Graffiti in the Valley of the Kings: The Impact of Landscape and Social Networks on Graffiti-making, with a Focus on the Unpublished Graffiti Discovered by Howard Carter in 1915–1918. Doctoral thesis, University of Uppsala, 2024. 432 pp. PDF, 33 MB. https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-525118 or https://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:1846643 Graffiti has the power to transform a space within a given landscape into a meaningful place. This study undertakes an in-depth analysis of more than 4000 graffiti created by the artisans of Deir el-Medina in the Theban Mountains during the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1050 BC), with a particular focus on the Valley of the Kings. In addition, the research contributes to the existing documentation by publishing graffiti numbers 1406-1526, identified as 'Carter Graffiti' in the Valley of the Kings. Significantly, these graffiti have not been previously published and fill a significant gap in scholarly knowledge. (...) The main aim is to elucidate the evolution of graffiti making practices and the multiple roles of these informal inscriptions, particularly in the context of the Deir el-Medina community. (..) Book of the Dead of Kha: Analysis and Studies The Egyptian Museum in Turin has launched a major project to analyse and study the Book of the Dead of Kha https://www.museoegizio.it/esplora/notizie/libro-dei-morti-di-kha-analisi-e-studi/ This is a 14 metre long papyrus displayed in Room 7 of the Museum, on the first floor of the building dedicated to the tomb of the architect Kha and his wife Merit. The manuscript contains 33 magical formulae, many with illustrations, for the guidance, protection and resurrection of the deceased in the afterlife. The Kha Papyrus This artefact was found in the tomb of the royal architect Kha and can be dated between 1425 and 1353 BC, in the New Kingdom. It was discovered inside the tomb by Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1906, during the Italian archaeological mission, and was immediately found to be in an excellent state of preservation. The analyses From Monday 26 February, the artefact will be analysed for three weeks as part of a project carried out by the Egyptian Museum with the support of the MOLAB mobile laboratory of the E-RIHS (European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science) in collaboration with groups from the ISPC CNR of Catania, Florence, Milan, Rome, the SCITEC CNR of Perugia and the SMAArt centre of the University of Perugia. After the preliminary analyses, RAMAN spectrometry - a non-invasive technique - will be used to analyse the composition of the pigments used in the papyrus, to distinguish between the original materials and those added later, and to study past restorations and future conservation measures. This will be followed by further analysis using XRF mapping (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy): in this particular case, the aim is to study what is no longer visible, such as preliminary drawings, changes in the colouring of the vignettes, erasures and possible scribal errors. Other analyses will be carried out under the HIROX microscope in order to study in detail the texture of the painting, the painting technique used, the mixture of colours and the special glitter effect. The study The name of the owner benefiting from the formulae usually appears frequently after the title and at the end of the chapters. On the Kha papyrus, however, the space provided for the name is blank in some chapters; it seems that the Book of the Dead was prepared before it was intended for Kha, and the space for the name of its later owner was left blank. It was only when the manuscript was adapted for Kha that his name was inserted, although not in all places. The later insertion of the name can be seen in the second column of chapter 1: the titles and names of Kha and Merit are very widely spaced because the scribe had to fill the inner column. Furthermore, enlargement shows that the names are written over another erased text, from which some traces of ink can still be seen, suggesting that the manuscript was intended for another person. Even with the naked eye, a change of plan can be seen in the decoration: the initial scene shows the god Osiris in the form of a mummy from the chest down, but a decoration can be seen under the white neck; the god's body was originally covered with feathers or flowers. Ongoing analysis will be crucial in clarifying whether this is a change of taste related to the reuse of the papyrus for Kha. Reinstallation of Ro om 6, Deir el-Medina" at Museo Egizio in Turin, Italy https://www.museoegizio.it/en/explore/news/reinstallation-of-room-6-deir-el-medina An extensive and cross-functional working group within the museum has undertaken new research, both in terms of Egyptology and exhibition design, as well as in terms of interpretation and accessibility of the content within the space. For some time now, the Museo Egizio in Turin has been working on the reinstallation of Room 6, which contains artefacts from the village of Deir el-Medina. On Monday 4 March 2024 we will begin the reinstallation of the objects, which will last until 28 March. It will be done in public, and public access to Room 7 (which contains the tomb of Kha and Merit) as well as the passage to the room "In Search of Life" will be guaranteed. The new arrangement will be completed and op en to the public from 29 March 2024. Liverpool Egyptology Seminar: The Turin Papyrus Collection – Past, Present and Future research projects on DeM papyri Dr Susanne Töpfer (Museo Egizio di Torino) https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=MVElUymxEECG4UdL_X6AdvL_ZhnMGitLrQogJYuUCKpUMUpPSlE0U1FaTVNVNUpCMkMzT1FQMVVBRi4u#:~:text=4 Thursday 7 March, 17:00-18:30 In person or online. Rendall SR4 or zoom The Museo Egizio in Turin houses one of the most important papyrus collections in the world. The Papyrus Collection comprises nearly 700 complete or reassembled manuscripts and over 20,000 papyrus fragments, documenting over 3,000 years of written material culture in seven scripts and eight languages. The vast majority of the papyrus manuscripts in the Museo Egizio date from the Ramesside period and most likely originated in the settlement of Deir el-Medina, which housed the families of the workmen who built the royal tombs. The papyri probably belonged to members of the administration of the royal necropolis. "Turin Papyrus Online Platform (TPOP)" - A step away from closed archives towards open data: https://collezionepapiri.museoegizio.it/en-GB/ Life and Death in Deir el-Medina with Dr Claudia Naeser 4 lectures delivered over 2 afternoons. Sunday 14th & 21st April 2024, 2-5pm UK times More information https://kemetklub.co.uk/product/life-and-death-in-deir-el-medina/ This series of 4 lectures coincides with the publication of Claudia's The Everyday Life of Death. Mortuary practices in the New Kingdom at Deir el-Medina (in German) later this year. In her book, as in this course, Claudia uses archaeological, pictorial and textual data from Deir el-Medina, the village of the village of the artisans who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, to reconstruct the evolution of mortuary practices in this close-knit community over four hundred years. community over four hundred years. Claudia's book will be published by Golden House Publications (http://www.goldenhp.co.uk/egypt.htm ) Divine Mortals: Royal Ancestor Worship in Deir el-Medina Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East Jan 3, 2024 Speaker: Yasmin El Shazly , Deputy Director for Research and Programs, American Research Center in Egypt Yasmin El Shazly discusses the importance of ancestor worship at Deir el-Medina - particularly of Amenhotep I and his mother Ahmose-Nefertari. Featured prominently in houses, artworks and tombs, these two royal figures held important positions in the Egyptian 'hierarchy of being' and exerted great influence over the daily lives of the inhabitants of Deir el-Medina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmkqUD8ndtw Virtual Tour of the Museo Egizio A new virtual tour is now available on the Museo Egizio website! It allows the public to remotely visit the most iconic sections of the collection, those dedicated to the village of Deir el-Medina and the tomb of Kha. Based on a series of 360-degree panoramic photographs in high definition, the virtual tour reconstructs the rooms dedicated to the finds from the intact tomb of the architect Kha and his wife Meryt, and from the village of craftsmen and workers of Deir el-Medina. As well as being able to move around the rooms, the user has access to a number of tools that enhance the experience of the visit: a series of 3D models of the objects on display, offering the possibility of viewing the finds with unprecedented precision and detail. By positioning the cursor in the rooms, it is also possible to access 18 videos to discover more details and stories about the two sections, guided by the words and voices of the museum's curators. http://virtualtourragazzi.museoegizio.it/ New open access e-journal: Hieroglyphs : Studies in Ancient Hieroglyphic Writing http://cipl-cloud37.segi.ulg.ac.be/index.php/hieroglyphs/index International peer-reviewed e-journal with the aim of promoting the academic study of hieroglyphs in all their dimensions in Egyptology and with a comparative perspective to other hieroglyphic traditions and writing systems with a strong iconic component. http://cipl-cloud37.segi.ulg.ac.be/index.php/hieroglyphs/index V ol. 1 (2023) appeared in August 2023: http://cipl-cloud37.segi.ulg.ac.be/index.php/hieroglyphs/issue/view/1 Contains an article The Scribe’s Outfit 𓏟 in the Deir el-Medina Pseudo-script : Shapes and Uses by Ben Haring The sign for 'scribe', which appears among the identity marks on the Deir el-Medina ostraca and other artefacts of the Ramesside period (c. 1290-1070 BC), displays a remarkable graphic diversity. Its basic forms were inspired by hieroglyphic writing on the one hand, and cursive (hieratic) writing on the other, and both forms seem to have enjoyed equal popularity in similar contexts. In addition to the information it provides on the reception of hieroglyphic and hieratic writing among semi-literate administrators, the sign is evidence for the existence of a 'senior scribe' at Deir el-Medina. http://cipl-cloud37.segi.ulg.ac.be/index.php/hieroglyphs/article/view/6 Textiles from Theban Tomb 298 at Deir el-Medinah: First Survey and First Observations with Amandine Merat The period from 18 January to 26 January 2022 was devoted to the study of the textiles found in the Theban tomb of Baki (TT298, reign of Sethi 1st) at Deir el-Medinah. The objectives of this first season of study were to gain an overview and a better understanding of the material found in the tomb, its condition, quantity and nature, and to begin the analysis of some samples as part of the preparation for the overall study to be carried out in the following seasons. Despite the limited time spent on site, this first survey has already yielded important discoveries and observations, the results of which will be presented in this lecture. Date: Sunday 6 August 2023, 15.00 BST Location: Zoom https://www.essexegyptology.co.uk/?page_id=2514 T he First Recorded Strike in History by Jenny Cromwell , Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at Manchester Metropolitan University and member of the Manchester Ce ntre for Youth Studies https://papyrus-stories.com/2022/03/15/the-first-recorded-strike-in-history/ New e publication - Guilleme tte Andreu-Lanoë, Dominique Valbelle, Ian Shaw (transl.), Guide to Deir el-Medina. (GIFAO 3). IFAO, 2023. 180 pp. ISBN 9782724709568. EUR 19. TOC at "(..) Walking around th e site of Deir el-Medina and studying the paintings that adorn the walls of the rock tombs, the visitor will get to know the spirit of its occupants, their earthly ambitions, the religious and funerary universe of their conception of the afterlife and also the feasts of the multiple deities who composed the local pantheon. Coming upon the temple, built in the Ptolemaic period, comes as a perfect ending to this archaeological walk. Translated from French to English by Ian Shaw." Entry at the blog 'Papyrus Stories' of Dr Jenny Cromwell: "A Stingy Boss and a Lack of Beer" (December 23 2019) https://papyrus-stories.com/2019/12/23/a-stingy-boss-and-a-lack-of-beer/ July lecture of the Thames Valley A ncient Egypt Society www.tvaes.org.uk Doodles, dedications, or debris: figured ostraca from Deir el Med ina with Dr Joanne Backhouse Saturday July 8th 2023 at 2pm (via ZOOM) Cost : FREE for TVAES Members, £4 for Non-Members Booking: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/tvaes Joining: Use the zoom link emailed when booking from ticketsource, members are admitted from approx. 15 minutes before the lecture. The lecture is live only and will not be recorded. Over five thousand limestone and pottery sherds have been recovered from Deir el-Medina. Many were inscribed with hieratic text, relating to the administration of the site. A significant number were decorated with images, so called ‘figured ostraca’. This includes satirical scenes and depictions of animals and human figures. This lecture will examine the types of scenes represented and the functions of the ostraca as objects. Particular attention will be given to images of women with children shown in a domestic setting or a kiosk outdoors. In the repertoire of Egyptian art, these images are a rarity as the women are the main protagonists, they are not merely accompanying their husbands or fathers. Furthermore, these scenes are unique to the village so can be considered examples of regional art. Links to painted wall decoration will also be reviewed. Joanne Backhouse completed her PhD at the University of Liverpool in 2016, where she is a lecturer in the Continuing Education Department. Joanne also lectures at museums and galleries in the North West of England and since the pandemic on Zoom. Her research interests focus on representations of the female form in two and three dimensions. Joanne is also chair of Wirral Ancient Egypt Society. Deir el Medina community and the elite Theban Necropolis during the 18th dynasty by Dimitri Laboury , F.R.S. - FNRS - University of Liege A lecture organised by the Egypt Exploration Society on June the 6th 2023 h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X8V8zZnKCc Riddle of ancient Egypt's 'impossible' sculpture is finally solved - in Scotland For more than 150 years, a curious ancient Egyptian statue, carved out of limestone, has been in the collections of the National Museums of Scotland (NMS) in Edinburgh (ref A.1956 .139). The monument shows a kneeling man whose face has been destroyed. Seated on his lap, nestled in his outstretched arms, he holds a small, chubby figure of a child who unmistakably is a pharaoh, wearing a blue crown with an uraeus réf. A.1956.139. The statue clearly shows a crowned king, but an ordinary person would never be shown in three dimensions with a ruler. The statue has remained a mystery to generations of Egyptologists because it should be impossible; by the strict conventions ruling every aspect of Egyptian life, a commoner could not, at any time, touch a reigning king, let alone be in such intimate contact. According to Egyptological understanding of Egyptian statuary "a private person is never sculpted together with the king" (Freed 1997). This is where Margaret Maitland , the principal curator of the ancient Mediterranean at NMS, comes in. After meticulous investigations, she found other statues of the same type in various museums around the world. She also noticed that they had one more thing in common: they all came from excavations carried out (notably by the French) at the site of Deir el-Medina, the village of the workers and craftsmen in charge of preparing the pharaoh's tomb. Maitland explains: "For centuries, it was forbidden to portray such a grouping, even in two dimensions in tomb paintings". She finaly realised that the small figure depicted in the statue was not a living pharaoh, but a statue of a pharaoh. The iconography of the donor, kneeling as he is with outstretched arms, echoed other familiar depictions of an Egyptian figure presenting an offering. A few in the group show the royal statue within a shrine, so in less intimate contact with the donor than the Edinburgh example. Her conclusion is that the most senior workers at Deir el-Medina were uniquely permitted, at this specific time and place, to offer statues to chapels in their own temple of Hathor at Deir el-Medina, portraying themselves in the closest contact with these images of divine power and authority. The fact that this sculpture depicts the statue of the pharaoh, and not the pharaoh himself, makes its existence more acceptable. Anyway, this could not have happened without the knowledge of the royal court. These images were mutually beneficial, reinforcing both the supreme power of the rulers and the loyalty and status of the village officials so intimately connected with them. So, who is the faceless man and the statufied child pharaoh? The highest official at Deir el-Medina would have been the vizier, but the statue does not show the robe typically worn by such a senior figure, a model that looks like a bag with straps. Just under the Vizier was the senior scribe, who was responsible for the crucial inscriptions in the tombs. If Maitland's identification of the small king as Ramesses II is correct, we know who the donor is: his name is Ramose. The senior scribe Ramose, an extraordinary man! Some time ago Thierry Benderitter wrote a presentation entitled: The scribe Ramose and his three tombs: TT7, TT212 and TT250 . There he writes: "The scribe Ramose, who was in office during the first part of the reign of Ramesses II, was one of the most famous characters of the community of craftsmen residing in the village of Deir el-Medina. No one else left as many stelae or statues, as an offering in fulfilment of a vow or in gratitude, to nearly all divinities of the Theban pantheon, and beyond[...] A character of immense prestige and having considerable influence, he profoundly marked the history of the village where he remained famous as the richest man who ever lived there (Cerny)". Fierce arguments among Egyptologists are common and Margaret Maitland's work is no exception, though her conclusions seem to have been accepted by many. The main subject of controversy is the identity of the pharaoh of the statue. While Rameses II remains a good candidate, some have suggested it to be Amenhotep I, Patron of the village and the workers. Livescience / Theartnewspaper / eloquentpeasant.com Source: https://www.osirisnet.net/news/n_05_23.htm?en Weseretkau “Mighty of Kas”: Papers in Memory of CathleenA. Keller. Edited by Deanna Kiser-Go and Carol A. Redmount. Lockwood Press, 2023. 438 pp. Hb, ISBN 978-1-948488-85-3, $125.00. eBook (PDF), ISBN 978-1-948488-86-0, $100.00. TOC at https://www.lockwoodpressonline.com/index.php/ebooks/catalog/book/72 (individual chapters available.) https://www.isdistribution.com/BookDetail.aspx?aId=157853 "Weseretkau “Mighty of Kas” honors the life and career of Professor Cathleen “Candy” Keller, a truly extraordinary teacher, scholar, Egyptologist, and polymath. The contributors to this volume were Professor Keller’s students, friends, and colleagues. Though much of the research presented here centers around the honoree’s two primary passions—Egyptian art and the study of the village of Deir el-Medina— the range of topics reflects her broad Egyptological interests, including religious organization, artistic technique, museum collections, textual analyses, historical events, and archaeological studies at sites throughout Egypt." Benedict G. Davies (ed.), Dispatches from Deir el-Medina. Abercromby Press, 2023. Hb, 257 pp. ISBN 9781912246175. £54.95. https://www.abercrombypress.co.uk/books/dispatches-from-deir-el-medina/ This inaugural volume in a new series of Deir el-Medina research presents a collection of eleven essays by some of the leading experts on the royal workmen’s community. TOC/List of papers at -- Jaroslav Černý, Catalogue des ostraca hiératiques non littéraires de Deir el-Médineh. Tome VII. (Nos 340 à 456) -- Bernard Bruyère, Tombes thébaines de Deir el Médineh à décoration monochrome -- Bernard Bruyère, La tombe N° 1 de Sen-Nedjem à Deir el-Médineh -- Fahmy ʿAbd el-Wahab, La tombe N° 1 de Sen-Nedjem à Deir el-Médineh. Croquis de position -- Jaroslav Černý, Répertoire onomastique de Deir el-Médineh T. I -- Georges Posener, Catalogue des ostraca hiératiques littéraires de Deir el-Médineh. Tome II - n°s 1109 à 1167 -- Serge Sauneron, Catalogue des ostraca hiératiques non littéraires de Deir el-Médineh. [Tome VI]. (N° 550-623) -- Dominique Valbelle, Ouchebtis de Deir El-Médineh -- Dominique Valbelle, La Tombe de Hay à Deir El-Médineh (n° 267) -- Jaroslav Černý, Papyrus hiératiques de Deir el-Médineh T. I -- Henri Wild, La tombe de Néfer-Hotep (1) et Neb-Néfer à Deir el Médîna [no 6]. II. Planches IFAO has made five more books on Deir el-Medina available online: -- Alain-Pierre Zivie, The Tomb of Pached at Deir El-Medineh (No. 3), MIFAO 99, 1979. -- Bernard Bruyère, Mert Seger at Deir El-Médineh (2 files), MIFAO 58, 1929-1930. -- Jacques Vandier, Tombs of Deir el-Medineh: the tomb of Nefer-Abou, MIFAO 69, 1935. -- Charles Maystre, Tombs of Deir el-Médineh: the Tomb of Nebenmât (No. 219), MIFAO 71, 1936. -- Jeanne Vandier d’Abbadie, Geneviève Jourdain, Two tombs of Deir el-Médineh, MIFAO 73, 1939 Online thesis : Irene Morfini, Necropolis journal : Daily Records of events in an Ancient Egyptian Artisans’ Community. PhD thesis, Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, Leiden, 2019. - 266 pp. - pdf-file (9.2 MB) https://scholarlypublications.universiteitleiden.nl/handle/1887/68810 "In Egyptological literature, "Necropolis journals" are considered as records written on papyri and ostraca concerning the activities of the workmen or artisan community of Deir el-Medina in Thebes. (...). The question has arisen as to whether indeed this was a specific genre of document. Is it correct to define such notes as journals? Would they be considered journals from an ancient Egyptian point of view?" Note the additional four files for the "Appendix": "All the documents dated with certainty were then collected and investigated (together with photos, transcriptions and translations)." - 832 pp. - 4 pdf-files (110 MB) New entry at the blog 'Papyrus Stories' of Dr Jenny Cromwell: "Death by Nile: Punishing Policemen at Deir el-Medina" (Aug 23 2022) https://papyrus-stories.com/2022/08/23/death-by-nile/ DEIR EL-ME DINA Through the Kaleidoscope The Museo Egizio in Turin is pleased to announce the online publication of the conference proceedings: DEIR EL-MEDINA Through the Kaleidoscop e: Proc eedings of the international workshop held at the Museo Egizio from the 8th to the 10th October 2018 The download of the extensive volume is possible online for free: https://formazioneericerca.museoegizio.it/en/pubblicazioni/deir-el-medina-en This volume is the outcome of a workshop held at the Museo Egizio from the 8th to the 10th October 2018. The international workshop “Deir el-Medina Through the Kaleidoscope” highlighted ongoing research focusing on the history of the archaeological excavations and recent field activities as well the study of written and non-written material culture. Museum collections, archives, material culture, philological and archaeological data are put in multidisciplinary dialogue with one another in an attempt to reconstruct the socio-economic history of Deir el-Medina. PDF bo ok Format: File PDF ISBN: 9788857018300 File size: 66,27 MB Pages: 848 Photography Lenka Peacock 2024 What is ostrakon O.Turin 57431 telling us about schooling at Deir el-Medina? Lenka Peacock In January this year I spent two weeks in beautiful Turin, in northern Italy, visiting its rich collections, including those of the Egyptian Museum (Museo Egizio, more ME). Among the thousands of objects on display is an inconspicuous piece of limestone measuring just 16.5 x 7 cm and bearing rather faint hieratic signs. It is displayed in case no. 4 in the middle of Room 6, dedicated to the finds from Deir el-Medina. It was found during Ernesto Schiaparelli's excavations at the site between 1903 and 1906. It can be found under the numbers O.Turin 57431 = CGT 57431 or ME Inv. no. S9589. Photography by Lenka Peacock 2023 © of Museo Egizio di Torino However ordinary this piece of stone might appear to a passing visitor, it caught my full attention - the ostrakon contains a passage from the Instruction of Amenemhat I, one of the Middle Egyptian literary texts that were popular student exercises, but importantly it is the text that we have been translating in our latest GlyphStudy translation group (2022-2023). A large proportion of the ostraka texts from Deir el-Medina consist of similar student exercises. Most of these were products of advanced schooling, and although there is a complete lack of written evidence of elementary schooling, the large corpus of this type of advanced schooling is a major source of information for our understanding of the methodology of teaching at the site. We know from circumstantial evidence that places associated with scribal activities, such as the House of Life (pr-anx) or the House of the Book (pr-mDAt ), were associated with temples. At the Ramesseum, several small mud-brick chambers with an attached forecourt were identified by the excavators as a school (a.t-sbA ) because many ostraca, including literary ostraca, were found there (Jurjens, 2002). The existence of a building dedicated solely to schooling has not been attested at Deir el-Medina, although a building (K2) just outside the perimeter of the main settlement has been suggested as a possible site of a schoolroom on the basis of the discovery of numerous ostraka with pupils' exercises (Davies,2018,97). It has also been suggested that boys from the settlement may have attended classes at the Ramesseum, but it is more likely that teaching took place in the settlement and at other work sites (KV, QV, groups of stone huts at the top of the cliffs, etc.) in small groups by older workers, fathers, uncles and neighbours who were literate. Literacy in the settlement was much higher than in the general population. The children of the necropolis workers were enrolled in their classes according to their abilities and physical maturity, probably between the ages of five and ten (Janssen,2007,60). The lack of elementary school exercises in the excavated material could mean that at this stage of schooling writing began on wooden tablets covered on both sides with gesso, on which the text could be easily erased. Once the schoolchildren had passed the beginner's stage, ostraka were used as writing material. It is believed that writing training began with hieratic, the writing of whole words or sentences. Short passages of composition were learnt during lessons by singing them until they were memorised. It is thought that the passages were then copied from the teacher's models, to be written later from memory. Dictation is rejected as a method because the exercises do not seem to contain errors that would result from mishearing (Janssen,2007,66). O.Turin 57431 is dated to the 19th dynasty, approximately 1279-1213 B.C., the reign of Ramses II. Benedict Davies tentatively dated it to year 60 of Ramses II, based on the fact that the name of a Khaemwaset appears in the text of the ostrakon (Davies,1996,34). In addition to the lines with hieratic inscriptions containing a passage from the Instruction of Amenemhat I, the ostrakon also contains a colophon. Colophons consist of one or more signatures of students and/or tutors at the end of the exercise. In the colophon of O.Turin 57431 the name of a woman named Henutnefret is mentioned, and some Egyptologists believe that the student copy was actually written by her (Donker van Heel,2016,22). Below is a transcription of the hieratic text in the colophon by Kenneth Kitchen from his Ramesside Inscriptions: historical and biographical. Vol. 7: Transcription from the hieroglyphic text by Lenka Peacock: in sS-qd m st-mAat nbra Hnwt-nfrt iry[t n] Translation of the text by Lenka Peacock: b y professional draughtsman (lit. figure scribe) in the Place of Truth Nebre Henutnefret made [by] Nebre (i) was the "draftsman of Amun" who lived in Deir el-Medina during the 19th dynasty. He was one of the three sons of Pay, who was the patriarch of the most successful family dynasty of draughtsmen in the village during the first half of the Ramesside period (Davies,2018,233). Do we know who Henutnefret was? The name Henutnefer/Henutnefret is mentioned on a stela M.13829, dated to the reign of Ramses III and now in the Liverpool City Museum. The stela belongs to the "Servant of the Place of Truth" Khaemwaset, son of Wennefer (ii) and Mutemopet (i), who is mentioned with his wife Taweretherti. Also named are the 3 children of Khaemwaset and Taweretherti - his son Penamun (iv) and his daughters Henutnefret (i) and Mutemopet (i) (Davies,1996,34). It is accepted that Khaemwaset was active during the reign of Ramses II and thus the later dating of the stela must have been intended as a posthumous celebration of Khaemwaset (i) by his son Penamun (iv), in which case Henutnefret could be the women from the colophon of the ostrakon dated to the reign of Ramses II. Henutnofret and Nebre would be the contemporaries. The colophon would show that Nebre (i) had been entrusted with her education. Does this suggest that girls were also taught to read and write in Deir el-Medina? We have circumstantial evidence that some women in the village were indeed literate. Some ostraca from there contain letters addressed to or sent by women, and several letters were even sent from one woman to another without the need for a scribe (Janssen,2007,71). Given the high level of literacy in the Deir el-Medina community, it seems likely that some women were educated and that girls may have been educated. So was this "ordinary" looking object really ordinary? Absolutely not! Behind every object, even the most humble looking, there is a fascinating story that can open up a whole new world! Bibliography: 1. Davies, Benedict G..: Life within the Five Walls : A Handbook to Deir el-Medina. Wallasey : Abercromby Press, 2018. 2. Davies, Benedict G.: Who's who at Deir el-Medina : a prosopographic study of the royal workmen's community Leiden : Nederlands Instituut voor Her Nabije Oosten, 1999 3. Davis, Benedict G.: Genealogies and personality characteristics of the workmen in the Deir el-Medina community during the Ramesside period. Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Liverpool : University of Liverpool, February 1996. 4. Donker van Heel, K.: Mrs. Naunakhte & Family : The Women of Ramesside Deir el-Medina. Cairo : The American University of Cairo Press, 2016. 5. Janssen, J. and Janssen, R.M.: Growing up and Getting old in Ancient Egypt. London : Golden House Publications, 2007. 6. Kitchen, Kenneth A.: Ramesside Inscriptions: historical and biographical. Vol. 7, Oxford 1989, p. 201 7. Mc.Dowell, A.G.: Village Life in Ancient Egypt : Laundry Lists and Love Songs. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 8. Hieroglyphs unlocking Ancient Egypt / edited by Ilona Regulski. London : The British Museum, 2022. 9.https://collezioni.museoegizio.it/it-IT/material/S_9589/?description=&inventoryNumber=&title=&cgt=57431&yearFrom=&yearTo=&materials=&provenance=&acquisition=&epoch=&dynasty=&pharaoh= 10. Jurjens, Judith: An Unpublished Manuscript of the Teaching of Khety (P. Turin CGT 54019) In : Rivista del Museo Egizio 5(2021) https://rivista.museoegizio.it/article/an-unpublished-manuscript-of-the-teaching-of-khety-p-turin-cgt-54019/ Museo Egizio, Via Accademia delle Scienze 6, 10123, Torino “Nel laboratorio dello studioso” [In the Researcher’s Workshop] 26 April 2021 – 31 December 2023 Current theme in the exhibition cycle is "Sedersi allegramente davanti al dio: le cappelle votive di Deir el-Medina" [Sitting merrily in front of the god: the votive chapels of Deir el-Medina], 13 January 2023 - 19 March 2023. Information: (Italian and English) https://museoegizio.it/esplora/notizie/sedersi-allegramente-davanti-al-dio-le-cappelle-votive-di-deir-el-medina/ https://museoegizio.it/en/explore/news/sitting-merrily-in-front-of-the-god-the-votive-chapels-of-deir-el-medina/ "The focus of the exhibition are votive seats with inscriptions dated between 1292-1070 BCE, their presence has only been documented in Egypt in the chapels of Deir el-Medina and Amarna. It is precisely the inscriptions that have enabled scholars to trace the rituals practised in votive chapels, presum ably by families or small guilds." Italian press report at https://www.torinoggi.it/2023/01/13/leggi-notizia/argomenti/cultura-4/articolo/museo-egizio-nel-laboratorio-dello-studioso-alla-scoperta-delle-cappelle-votive-di-deir-el-medin.html Photography Lenka Peacock 2023© of Museo Egizio di Torino “Literacy in Deir el-Medina: Signs, Marks and Tallies” Daniel Soliman Other People's Tales on Write ups of Egypt related talks and trips by Margaret , December 16, 2022 In December 2022 Dr Daniel Soliman spoke to the Essex Egyptology Group via Zoom about his work on literacy at Deir el-Medina, a topic which he told them was very dear to him. He has mostly been using ostraca to investigate the topic – there are many that are marked with signs and tally marks rather than the hieroglyphs and other scripts that people are more familiar with. https://writeups.talesfromthetwolands.org/2022/12/16/literacy-in-deir-el-medina-signs-marks-and-tallies-daniel-soliman/ "I creatori dell’Egitto eterno" [The creators of eternal Egypt], Basilica Palladiana Piazza Dei Signori, 36100 Vicenza 22 December 2022 - 7 May 2023 The event has been described by a number of art critics as one of the most important shows on ancient Egypt ever organized at an international level. A total of 180 original pieces will be on display, including 160 from the permanent collection of Turin's Egyptian Museum and 20 from the Louvre in Paris, including statues, sarcophagi, papyri, bas reliefs, painted and sculpted stelae , amphorae, amulets and musical instruments that provide an insight into the daily lives of Deir el-Medina residents. Many objects, including baskets and spatulas were used every day. Interesting artifacts on display include numerous ostraka, fragments of pottery or stone used by Egyptians to write and draw on. The texts available include administrative and financial documents, religious and literary writings, love poems and private letters. More intimate drawings are also on display, including an ostrakon representing a mother breastfeeding her baby and two women putting on jewellery inside a room. https://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/nations/italy/2022/12/22/vicenza-exhibit-to-showcase-the-creators-of-eternal-egypt_cb5914f1-0e87-4fcf-b3e7-7f6e10996fa7.html Sic parvis magna: reconstructing papyri from Deir el-Medina kept in the Museo Egizio - guest speaker Renaud Pietri Around 12 000 fragments of papyri, likely discovered in the village of Deir el-Medina, near the ancient city of Thebes, and dating back to the Ramesside Period (ca. 1295-1069 BC), are kept in the Museo Egizio. Those fragments belong to larger documents, that are often partially lost and therefore can be described as “lacunary puzzles”, for which a long and patient work of reconstruction is needed. In the framework of the international project “Crossing Boundaries: Understanding Complex Scribal Practices in Ancient Egypt”, it has been possible to find new joins among those fragments, and hence to improve the reconstruction of several already known documents, or to identify new ones. This conference presents some results of this reconstruction work through several case studie. Lecture November 10, 2022 now available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsnHEiBArC4 Of Ink and Clay: Tattooed Mummified Human Remains and Female Figurines from Deir el-Medina by Anne Austin and Marie-Lys Arnette This article offers the first publication of the mummified remains of two tattooed women in conjunction with three unpublished figurines with tattoo motifs from Deir el-Medina. Several recurrent motifs are shared between these women and the f igurines, including the use of Bes-images, Nilotic elements, and points at the neck. These themes also appear in previously published tattooed figurines, so-called cosmetic spoons, and paintings. In some cases, the figurines and the women even share the same location of the tattoos on their body, suggesting that the combined location and tattoo motifs are integral to their function and/or meaning. Through linking tattooing on human remains with figurines, our work evaluates when we can interpret markings on figurines as tattooing while also exploring potential explanations for the tattoo motifs. To do so, we connect these new examples with texts and material culture that would have been accessible to the people of Deir el-Medina. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Volume 108, Issue 1-2, Research article, free access First published online October 7, 2022 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03075133221130089 Textiles from Deir el-Medina: First Survey and First Observations by Amandine Merat The Manchester Ancient Egypt Society January Zoom lecture Zoom meeting with Amandin e Merat exploring the rare textiles found in Tomb 298 in the worker's village of Deir el-Medina. During the period 18th - 26th January 2022, the textiles found in the Theban Tomb of Baki (TT298, reign of Sety I) at Deir el-Medinah were studied. The objectives of this first study season were to get an overview and a better understanding of the material discovered in the tomb, its condition, amount and nature, and to make a start with the analyses of a few samples, as part of the preparation of the overall study to take place in the following seasons. Despite a limited time on-site, great discoveries and observations were already made during this first survey, the results of which will be presented here. Amandine Merat is an Archaeologist and Researcher in Egyptology, with a specialisation in ancient and archaeological textiles. She worked as a curator at the Louvre Museum, the Bode Museum (Berlin) and the British Museum. Now an independent scholar, she works as a textile specialist on varied projects and archaeological sites in Egypt. In January 2022, she joined the IFAO Deir el-Medina team to undertake the study of the textiles found in TT298 (Tomb of Baki). Mon, 9 January 2023, 19:30 – 21:30 GMT https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/maes-january-amandine-merat-textiles-from-deir-el-medina-tickets-470945178707 A Deir el-Medina scribe/painter and his hieroglyphs," by Dr. Elizabeth Bettles (Leiden University) Egyptology Scotland, an Online (Zoom) Ian Mathieson Memorial Lecture. During this talk the speaker will be introducing a scribe/painter who lived in the workmen’s village of Deir el-Medina. By studying the individual hieroglyphs in the superbly decorated underground chambers of the Chief Workman Anhurkhawy (TT 359), it is possible to see how variable the shapes of Nebnefer’s signs could be according to where in the tomb he was painting and what texts he was writing; how some of his hieroglyphs show unusual creativity; what spelling mistakes he could make and how he corrected them; and how his hieroglyphs show that he possessed a knowledge of the hieratic as well as the hieroglyphic script. Interestingly he may also have manipulated the format of the texts for his own purposes as a means of self-presentation within this funerary monument of the Chief Workman. By studying in detail his handwriting style, it is possible to contemplate behaviour patterns and conscious thought-processes made by a painter of hieroglyphs who lived in pharaonic Egypt over 3000 years ago. Dr Elizabeth Bettles followed a degree in Egyptology and Coptic at Liverpool University. In 1989 she joined the Oxford Expedition to Egypt team as their epigrapher drawing facsimiles of reliefs in Old Kingdommastabas at Saqqara in the tomb of the vizier Kagemni. Since that year she has hardly missed a season working archaeologically in Egypt. In 1994, while doing an MA at University College London, she joined Ian Mathieson’s team as site supervisor for his ground-penetrating survey work at Saqqara, which continued for several seasons around the Gisr el-Mudir and remains of Late Period temples. She has been a member of the British Museum team in the Dongola region of the Sudan working as a surveyor. She has studied ceramics for several teams, working with the EES team at Saqqara, the German Institute at Buto, and Berkeley University at Tell Muqdam in the Delta and Tell el-Hiba in Middle Egypt. After her PhD at UCL, she returned to her epigraphic work recording wall-paintings in a Roman-period mammisi in the Dakhleh oasis, with a Dutch team from Leiden University. From 2018 she has been a Visiting Research Fellow at Leiden University with a project which characterises and identifies different hieroglyphic handwriting styles in texts painted in the royal workmen’s tombs at Deir el-Medina at Luxor. Saturday, 10th December 2022; 14:00 GMT costs: £5 members; £7 non-members chairegyptscot@gmail.com info: abstract and tickets at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ian-mathieson-memorial-lecture-a-deir-el-medina-scribepainter-tickets-417316343417?aff=ebdsoporgprofile “Literacy in Deir el-Medina: signs, marks and tallies” Dr Daniel Soliman, 4th December 2022 The New Kingdom community of royal necropolis workmen housed at Deir el-Medina are well-known for the numerous texts they produced and kept. These texts vary in nature from literary to documentary with everything in between. Studies have shown that there were several trained and professional scribes at Deir el-Medina, indicating that literacy rate was high for a pre-modern community. But how do we define literacy? There is ample evidence from Deir el-Medina and the Theban royal necropolis for a local spectrum of male literacy. Some workmen were proficient hieratic scribes, while others may have been able to only write their own name. Besides textual evidence, there is a modest body of documents composed with identity marks, self-invented signs, drawings and tally marks. They suggest that local scribes inspired untrained hands to venture into the domain of non-textual notation systems, simultaneously borrowing from scribal practices and creating new ones. Dr Daniel Soliman is the Curator of the Egyptian Collections at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden, Netherlands. This talk will be given at the December 2022 meeting of the Essex Egyptology Group which will be held on 4th December online via Zoom – attendance is free for members and £4 for non-members. Tickets for non-members are available to book from 14th November to 2rd December via the contact form on this page. https://www.essexegyptology.co.uk/?page_id=1803 Dr Deborah Sweeney: "Gender and Religious Practice at the royal tomb-builders’ village of Deir el-Medîna If you had lived in the royal tomb-builders’ village of Deir el-Medina, sometime between 1500 and 1070 BCE, how would your gender (and other factors, such as your social standing, age and family connections) have affected your religious practices? This lecture will discuss the religious activities of the tomb-builders and their families from birth to death, offering some answers to these questions. It will trace the influence of divine prototypes and existing social structures on gendered religious practice, but also outline areas where religious practices may have been more open-ended and not necessarily gendered. Egyptology Seminars LAOP - 2022 Rescheduled for Monday December the 12th, at 10 am (Brasil time), 1 pm UK time Registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMx7x5JWycN4bv7RcctBclqXPH-81Zs2gEU7q_Gh6X6n60xA/viewform Biography: Deborah Sweeney is Senior Lecturer in Egyptology, Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures, Tel Aviv University, Israel. Magazine menagerie: the latest research on animals in Deir el-Medina HEKA-lecture by Audrey Crabbé From the start of the habitation at the end of the 16th century BC until today animals have always been present alongside human activities at the archaeological site of Deir el-Medina. Most information on animals in the New Kingdom workmen’s village has derived from the extensive records and iconographic representations of animals in the beautifully decorated tombs and figurative ostraca. During the inventory mission of the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology (IFAO) in 2020 and 2022, two magazines at the site storing objects from the excavations of Bernard Bruyère (1922-1951) were accessed for the first time since their closure in 1955. Inside of these magazines, approximately a thousand clay animal figurines and a small amount of animal bones were re-discovered and partially recorded. Additionally, during the 2022 mission, 140 stone animal figurines and statues from Deir el-Medina, stored in the Carter Magazine near the site, were inventoried. During this HEKA lecture, I will present the current state of research on the archaeozoological material as well as the clay and stone animal figurines and statues to offer more insights on the role that animals played in the community of Deir el-Medina. Time: October 10, 2022 05:00 PM in Amsterdam Meeting registration: https://universiteitleiden.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5Uud-6vrTsvGdRioT6EKYcBsWAVV9XszxQS Latest news from Deir el-Medina Several tombs are being cleaned, conserved and documented at Deir el-Medina, under the overall direction of C. Larcher. These include the Tomb of Ipy (TT217) and the Tomb of Inherkau (TT359). The work at TT217 is under the direction of K. Gabler and is in its initial stages of tomb clearance. The initial work has revealed pottery, human remains, fragments of coffins and other funerary equipment. These are all being studied by specialists. E. Bettles, directing the work in TT359 , is close to completing her epigraphic study of the tomb. She is focusing on identifying the hands of different artists who decorated this and other tombs at Deir el-Medina and in the Theban necropolis. Source: KMT : A Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt, Vol. 33, Number 2, Summer 2022, p. 8. Ancient smells reveal secrets of Egyptian tomb "More than 3,400 years after two ancient Egyptians were laid to rest [in the tomb of Kha and Merit in Deir el-Medina], the jars of food left to nourish their eternal souls still smell sweet. A team of analytical chemists and archaeologists has analysed these scents to help identify the jars’ contents. (..) Degano and her colleagues placed various artefacts — including sealed jars and open cups laden with the rotten remains of ancient food — inside plastic bags for several days to collect some of the volatile molecules they still release. Then the team used a mass spectrometer to identify the components of the aromas from each sample. They found aldehydes and long-chain hydrocarbons, indicative of beeswax; trimethylamine, associated with dried fish; and other aldehydes common in fruits. “Two-thirds of the objects gave some results,” Degano says. (..) The findings will feed into a larger project to re-analyse the tomb’s contents and produce a more comprehensive picture of burial customs for non-royals that existed when Kha and Merit died." https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00903-z The original research article [only the abstract is for free]: Jacopo La Nasa et al., "Archaeology of the invisible: The scent of Kha and Merit", IN: Journal of Archaeological Science, vol. 141 (May 2022) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305440322000358?via%3Dihub See also: Barbara Huber et al., "How to use modern science to reconstruct ancient scents", IN: Nature Human Behaviour (2022), published online 28 March 2022 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-022-01325-7 "Olfaction has profoundly shaped human experience and behaviour from the deep past through to the present day. Advanced biomolecular and ‘omics’ sciences enable more direct insights into past scents, offering new options to explore critical aspects of ancient society and lifeways as well as the historical meanings of smell." English version: "Smells like Ancient Society: Scientists Find Ways to Study and Reconstruct Past Scents" https://www.shh.mpg.de/2146681/ancient-smells Press release of the University of Pisa: "Rivelato il contenuto di vasi e anfore della tomba di Kha e Merit al Museo Egizio di Torino" https://www.unipi.it/index.php/news/item/23328-rivelato-il-contenuto-di-vasi-e-anfore-della-tomba-di-kha-e-merit-al-museo-egizio-di-torino Italian press reports: https://www.meteoweb.eu/2022/03/svelato-il-contenuto-di-vasi-e-anfore-della-tomba-di-kha-e-merit/1780288/ https://mediterraneoantico.it/articoli/egitto-vicino-oriente/egittologia-antico-egitto/pisa-metodo-olfattivo-per-scoprire-il-contenuto-di-vasi-egizi-di-3500-anni-fa/ The Book of the Dead of Baki and the funerary tradition at Deir el-Medina A manuscript shattered into thousands of pieces, reconstructed thanks to the synergy between Egyptologists and restorers, reveals new aspects of the funerary tradition at Deir el-Medina at the dawn of the Ramesside age. This Book of the Dead, created for the scribe Baki, overseer of the construction works of the tomb of Seti I in the Valley of the Kings, anticipates textual and iconographic elements that inspired the work of local artists and reached their maximum expression in the decoration of the queen Nefertari's tomb. Dr Sara Maria Demichelis and Dr Elisa Fiore Marochetti will guide us to discover this important papyrus and the funerary tradition of Deir el-Medina on Wednesday 25 May 2022 at 6.00 pm at the Conference Room of the Egyptian Museum, Turin. The conference was streamed on YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWnRCCHzcI8 A new publication on Deir el-Medina released Guillemette Andreu-Lanoë, Dominique Valbelle : Guide de Deir el-Médina. (GIFAO, 1). IFAO, 2022. 184 pp. ISBN 9782724708066. EUR 19. In French. TOC at https://www.ifao.egnet.net/publications/catalogue/9782724708066/ "(..) Walking around the site of Deir el-Medina and studying the paintings that adorn the walls of the rock tombs, the visitor will get to know the spirit of its occupants, their earthly ambitions, the religious and funerary universe of their conception of the afterlife and also the feasts of the multiple deities who composed the local pantheon. Coming upon the temple, built in the Ptolemaic period, comes as a perfect ending to this archaeological walk." Manchester Ancient Egypt Society Online Study Day (Zoom): "The Deir el-Medina Community – New Evidence from Human Remains", with Rosalie David and Roger Forshaw Saturday 26 March 2022; 9:30 am – 4:30 pm BST (10:30 – 17:30 CET) costs: £30 for MAES members, £40 for guests info: abstract and booking at https://maesweb.org.uk/study-days/ https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/maes-march-study-day-rosalie-david-et-al-the-deir-el-medina-community-tickets-260148781007?aff=ebdsoporgprofile The Museo Egizio Photographic Archive The Museo Egizio of Turin is pleased to announce that the website Archivio Fotografico Museo Egizio is now online. The website contains more than 1500 photographs taken during the Museo Egizio's archaeological excavations in Egypt between 1903 and 1937. The photographs have been organised according to the provenance of the subjects represented, offering an overview of the excavations carried out by the Italian Archaeological Mission, and also showing sites, and tombs, photographed for study or pleasure. The access to the website does not require registration, and the images can be downloaded and used without payment, following to the CC0 attribution. The photographic archive of Deir el-Medina images is available at https://archiviofotografico.museoegizio.it/en/archive/theban-region/deir-el-medina/ From the Basement to the Archaeological Fieldwork : Rediscovering Deir el-Medina Woodcraft from a Comprehensive Study Speaker: Dr. Gersande Eschenbrenner Diemer The French Institute of O riental Archeology in Cairo (IFAO) houses an important collection of objects in its basement, the majority of which are the result of excavations from the early 20th century. The study of this exceptional collection is now being resumed by various specialists whose quest is to create an inventory, document and publish this unique collection. Initially carried out as part of the PERCEA Bois collaboration project between 2017 and 2018, the complete study of this group of objects is now being carried out as part of the EBENES project, which brings together several international research institutes, archaeological missions and wood materials specialists. During her lecture, Dr. Gersande Eschenbrenner Diemer will accompany us to the Deir el-Medina site, where the wooden materials rediscovered in the IFAO store rooms and in the field are analyzed thanks to the work of a team of six Egyptologists (in close collaboration with the IFAO and the Egyptian Museum Turin) who are trying to bring more light into the research of a little-understood topic: that of wood in the New Kingdom. EVENT IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM - Tuesday 30 November at 18.00 Free admission subject to availability. Live streaming on the Museum's Facebook page and YouTube channel. IN ENGLISH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0Y9Go0kdpA&t=374s Creating a 3D model of the temple of Hathor at Deir el-Medina - Bettles, E.A. (Elizabeth) November 2021 This is a clarion-call for all those who value: a) Comprehensive visual documentation of ancient Egyptian temples. b) The use of 3D digitisation techniques to record features of monumental architecture and painted reliefs. A project is underway to create a 3D virtual tour of the Ptolemaic temple of Hathor at Deir el-Medina on the West Bank of Luxor. This temple is small (relatively speaking when compared to later temples such as Edfu and Dendera) and has exceptionally well-preserved architecture. Its stunning painted reliefs include scenes unusual for a cultic monument. Virtual tours of pharaonic tombs, for instance as noted in the tomb of Seti I, have the benefit of letting people feel they are visiting the tomb while they are actually in their own home. But for Egyptology, 3D virtual documentation is much more than that. Such a model for the temple of Hathor would play a crucial role in producing a detailed record of the appearance of the monument as it looks today. It is an essential means of preserving for posterity the features of its rooms and ceilings, its floors and its twisting stairway leading onto the roof. It would record the superb carving and painting of its decorative schema, its numerous graffiti in the initial court, written over a period of thousands of years, and the unusual marks on doorjambs where priests smeared oil as part of their temple rituals. This description is of how this cultic monument looks at the moment. All monuments in Deir el-Medina are under threat. They sit in a valley which geological analysis has shown is prone to flash-flooding, where the surrounding rock is highly friable and where minor earthquakes occur. Funding is needed to conduct this vital documentation of an Egyptian cultic monument to take place. If you value such a project, then please help it to take place through our crowd-funding effort. Go to With thanks Elizabeth Bettles, on behalf of the international members of the Deir el-Medina mission. The Museo Egizio’s current research at Deir El-Medina – Cédric Gobeil On Thursday June 17th 2021 at 6pm the Museo Egizio will host the online conference "The Museo Egizio’s current research at Deir El-Medina", held by the museum's curator Cédric Gobeil. Cédric Gobeil is a Canadian and French Egyptologist born in Quebec City (Canada), specializing in archaeology of daily life and New Kingdom material culture, with a primary focus on Deir el-Medina, topics for which he is carrying annual fieldwork in Egypt and Sudan. After having obtained his PhD in France (Université Paris IV-Sorbonne), he worked in Egypt for the Institut français d’archéologie orientale du Caire and in the United Kingdom for the Egypt Exploration Society, before being appointed curator at the Museo Egizio in Turin in 2019. In addition to his curatorial duties, he is also adjunct professor in the History Department at the Université du Québec à Montréal and research associate at the HiSoMA Research Unit in Lyon (CNRS). The event will be held in English and it will be broadcast via streaming on the Museum's Facebook page and Youtube channel. The lecture is now available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BlGdac5NA8 Glenn Godenho - organiser of Liverpool Egyptology Seminars - presents: "In the footsteps of Ernesto Schiaparelli : The Museo Egizio’s current research at Deir El-Medina" by Cédric Gobeil (Museo Egizio, Turin) An on-line event on Thursday, 20th of May 2021, 17:00 BST Within the framework of the French Archaeological mission at Deir el-Medina carried by the IFAO, the Museo Egizio of Turin is conducting research on a few Ramesside tombs located in the Western necropolis. These tombs have been chosen based on many artifacts that belonged to the owners of these tombs and are now kept in the museum. In addition to giving the opportunity to perform a study on these fragile structures using new technologies, this fieldwork is a unique chance to recontextualize many objects of the museum’s collection by shedding a new and fresh light on them. This talk will be the opportunity to get a first glimpse at this work in progress. Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/liverpool-egyptology-seminars-presents-cedric-gobeil-museo-egizio-turin-tickets-152507234243?keep_tld=1 An Italian online article by Alessandro Rolle entitled "Il villaggio operaio di Deir el-Medina" published at Mediterraneo Antico on March 23rd 2021 is now available in my English translation below. The original text can be read at https://mediterraneoantico.it/articoli/il-villaggio-operaio-di-deir-el-medina/ The workers' village of Deir el-Medina : The organization of work: the scribes of the tomb In the previous study, the tomb guards and the doorkeepers were outlined, using the large amount of documents relating to these categories of workers. We will now try to analyse the functions and work of one of the most important figures in the working community: the tomb scribe. In ancient Egypt, the rate of schooling was very low: in the community of Deir el-Medina, where there were figures with a high degree of specialisation, it reached about 7% in the Ramesside period. Obviously, there was a real school where students studied and learned to read and write: there is a famous Egyptian proverb that puts the student's ear on his back! However, the community of the village was an exception for the Egyptian society of the time and, apart from Pa Demi , the literacy rate in the New Kingdom can be attested at 3-4% and then regressed in the Late Period. Because of his ability to read and write, the scribe played a very important role in the management of the tomb and the administration in general: he was in close contact with the highest authorities and was directly controlled by the vizier himself. The Egyptians themselves generally attributed a prominent role to this profession, so much so that there are statuary and parietal attestations of persons depicted as scribes, although not actually exercising the profession, in the act of reading or writing a document. Emblematic in this sense is what we read in the literary text "The Satire of the Trades", in which the figure of the scribe is particularly praised.One of the tasks of the tomb scribe was to make sure that all the workers were present, by noting their absences and the reasons for them on ostraca and papyrus sheets.A copy of these notes was then sent to the Vizier's office. The Egyptian Museum in Turin has some of these papyri, known as the "Journal of the Necropolis". The number of scribes present in the team according to Černý is two, one for the right side and one for the left side, with the presence of four scribes of the tomb in the eighth year of the reign of Ramses XI, there was also one for each side of the servants attached to the team (Bibl.1). The Egyptologist Valbelle disagrees with Černý and believes that there was only one scribe for both sides until the reign of Ramses XI, when there were two. To create this different vision is a matter of nomenclature, with the presence of other scribes with different functions, but still called sS . It is now generally accepted by most scholars that there was only one scribe for most of the history of Deir el-Medina: in this sense, for example, the ostrakon Berlin P 12654, in which we read pA sS in the singular. Thanks to the numerous documents found, we know the names of a considerable number of scribes, but only a few of them have the title:"Scribe of the Tomb" in hieratic or "Scribe of the Seat of Truth" in hieroglyphic inscriptions. Those who are not mentioned with the appropriate title are most likely to have come from other administrations and only had sporadic contact with the team. In some documents the scribe is referred to by the simple title sS , in others it is sS-qdwt . As with the foremen, whom we will see later in this study, the inheritance of the office was also tacitly accepted for the scribes, although this custom was not followed to the letter. In fact, if the study of the documents revealed the existence of a family with six generations of scribes (Amennakhe, Harshire, Khaemhedje, Dhutmose, Butehamun and Ankkefenamun), we also know of at least three cases of scribes whose father was not a scribe, two of whom did not belong to the village. In addition to recording the absences of the workmen and foremen and the reasons for these absences, it was their job to record everything that happened on the tomb site. For example, during the strikes of Ramses III in year 29, the scribes not only described the episodes in detail, but also tried to solve the problem in some way, just as our modern trade unionists do. Together with the foremen, who, although hierarchically superior to them, can be regarded as their equals, they supervised the daily distribution to the workers of the tools of the trade, the storage of which in the warehouses located to the north of the village was considered the primary responsibility of the scribes, so much so that they often gave themselves the pompous title of "keeper of the treasury at the Seat of Truth". They also monitored the correct distribution of wages, which were paid in kind in the form of rations of bread and barley for the production of beer. In moments of crisis, which led to the series of strikes that we will analyse in a forthcoming issue, they finally took care of the provision of wages, as can be seen, for example, in the Turin Papyrus, cat. 1895. They were part of the court of the artisans' guild, and in the simplest cases, such as the division of an estate between heirs, they were able to resolve the issue immediately. Because they were highly educated, they probably wrote letters or documents of various kinds (disputes, inheritances or inscriptions on funerary objects) for the inhabitants of the village for a fee. In addition, as high officials, they attended the village court, were witnesses of oaths and interpreted the oracles of Amenhotep I during the village processions by writing down the questions asked at the foot of the statue of the divine ruler. Although there are many documents bearing the names of scribes, with a few dozen names currently known, the information about them is sparse for almost all of them. Below is a list of the known scribes with some brief biographical notes. iw f n Imn - Iuefimen His name is found in the Turin Papyrus, catalogue 2018 A: he was the scribe of the left side of the tomb servants in the years 8 and 9 of Ramses XI. From Papiro Torino cat. 2075 we know that in year 19, probably of Ramses IX, he received fish from three fishermen from the left side of the tomb. He is also mentioned in a letter dating from the reign of Ramses XI, in which he is ordered to go with a gatekeeper to try to persuade a reluctant fisherman to bring wheat for the workers. iw f n xnsw - Iuefenkhons (?) 2. Only mentioned in the Turin papyrus cat. 2021, together with the scribe Dhutmose, as a witness to a marriage in the late 20th dynasty. We have no further news about him. Imn m ipt - Amenemope Active scribe in the years 35 and 37 of Ramesses II. We also find him with the title "Scribe in the Seat of Truth" and he is the owner of the tomb TT215 at Deir el-Medina, where he is also mentioned with the title "Team Leader in the Place of Eternity". Several other monuments belong to him: an architrave (Turin 1516), three door jambs (Turin Suppl. 9508, Turin 1517 and one from the Bruyere excavations), an offering table from the same excavations, a group of statues (Berlin 6910), a relief (Cairo J. 43591), a graffiti from the Valley of the Kings, now in the Metropolitan of New York, and perhaps the stele Torino 6137, where he is described as "Royal Scribe in the Great Seat". This is one of the scribes whose genealogy we know thanks to the discovery of the tomb: Amenemope was the son of Nakht, depicted in the statuary group of Berlin and in the jamb of Turin of 1517, and of Nofretite, also present in Berlin. He married Hathor, known as Hol, depicted in tomb TT215 and also in the Berlin group and the 1517 doorjamb. The couple had two sons: Minmose, depicted in the doorway of 1517, and Amenemope. Also from the Berlin group, a source of much information, we know that his father was "Priest of Amun, Lord of the Thrones of the two Lands of Kush". In the statuary group we also read that Amenemope used the title "Priest and Scribe of Amon, Lord of the Thrones of the two Lands of Kush". Given that this is a temple in Nubia, it is plausible that Amenemope was not born in the community of the workers. Imn m ipt - Amenemope In the Ostraca Cairo 280, IFAO 1319, Berlin 12641 and DM 45 he is referred to as “Scribe of the Tomb”. Active in years 1 and 2 of Ramesses IV, he is also mentioned simply as a scribe. He was probably the son of the scribe Minmose, the owner of the tomb TT335. Imn nxt sA ipwy - Amennakhte son of Ipuy . Tomb scribe of the sixteenth year of Ramesses III: founder of a family of six generations of scribes. Imn nxt sA pntAwr - Amennakhte son of Pentaur . Scribe. We know of him only from a document dated in the twentieth year of Ramesses III, where he is mentioned together with Amennakhte, son of Ipuy. Imn nxt - Amennakhte Scribe. His name appears on the Abbott Papyrus in the sixteenth year of Ramesses IX. Of uncertain identification he could be Amennakhte son of Amenhotep, a scribe active in the seventeenth year of Ramesses IX, a character we find in the Necropolis journal. pwnS - Amennakhte called Punsh . Son of Hay. We find him referred to mainly as a scribe and once as a royal scribe. There is also another Amennakhte, apparently a very common name. However, this figure is not a scribe, but a simple labourer during the reign of Ramesses IV, as we read in Ostrakon DM 41. Probably during a break in his work he copied a passage from the "Dream Book", which is present in the Chester Beatty III papyrus, and at the end of the copying he added his title and his name: Amennakhte, son of Khaemnun. The interesting thing about this character is that although he was not a scribe, he was able to read and write. ImnHtp - Amenhotep We find him attested with the title of "Scribe of the Tomb", active during the reign of Ramesses IV and his successors. In addition, there are some papyri and ostraka, unfortunately of uncertain dating, in which he appears: from the Ostrakon Cairo 247 we know that he received lapis lazuli for painting. ImnHtp - Amenhotep Scribe. Active at the end of the XX dynasty: apart from his name, no other details are known. Imnxa - Amenkha From Ostrakon DM 38 we know that he was employed as the scribe of the tomb in the thirty-second year of the reign of Ramesses III, a few days before the death of the same king. Inpw m HAb - Inpuemhab He is always referred to with the simple title of Scribe. However, given that he served from the sixty-sixth year of Ramesses II until at least the eighth year of Merenptah, it is almost certain that he also held the title of Scribe of the Tomb. As he was the only scribe to bear this name, he can almost certainly be identified with the owner of the tomb TT 206, which was unfortunately badly damaged, and in which a wooden shabty was found, now in Oxford, bearing the name of the owner. anxa - Ankha Scribe in the Seat of Truth. Known thanks to the tomb TT335 of his father, the "Stonemason of the Lord of the Two Lands in the Seat of Truth" Nakhtamun. We find him in the first half of the reign of Ramesses II. We have a letter from him asking his son Nubemshas to send bread for the "boys". Unfortunately, we don't know who these boys are. anx f - Ankhef This character represents the title written in three different ways: Scribe, Scribe of the Tomb and Scribe in the Seat of Truth. His father, Butehamon, was also a scribe. axpt - Akhpe (t) . Tomb scribe and scribe. Active in the years 17 and 18 of Ramesses III. We find him again in the year 21 of the same king. wnnfr - Unnefer Always referred to only as a scribe. From Ostrakon DM 339 we know that his house was within the village. He was an active member of the workers' court and interpreted oracles when the statue of Amenhotep I was carried in procession. His name appears among the absentees from work in the Valley of the Queens. He worked between the eleventh and twenty-fourth year of Ramesses III. wnnfr sa anxt (w) - Unnefer son of Ankhet Scribe of the right side of the tomb in the years eight and nine of Ramesses III. bAy - Bay Royal Scribe of the Seat of Truth. His name is found in some graffiti, which unfortunately cannot be dated. Two ostraca refer to a scribe with the same name: it is probably the same person, but with two different titles. From the study of these two documents, it is possible to assume that Bay was active during the reign of Sethi II or Merenptah-Siptah. bknmwt - Bekinmut Scribe of the Seat of Truth. We find his name in a graffiti in the Royal Cachette, the tomb of the priest of Amon Pinudjem II, dated to the tenth year of Siamun's reign. He is currently the last known scribe of the tomb. bwthimn - Butehamon Son of Dhutmose, we find him with the titles of "Scribe of the Tomb" and "Scribe of the Seat of Truth". pAy - Pay Scribe of the Seat of Truth. His name, present only on a palette now in the Louvre, does not allow us to date this figure either to the nineteenth or to the twentieth dynasty. pry - Peroy This is an obscure figure: his name, with the title of Scribe of the Seat of Truth, is found on a stele from the University of Cambridge. The strangeness comes from the style of this stele, which is not entirely compatible with the monuments from Deir el-Medina. pwr sA dHwty m HAb - Puer son of Dhutemhab Scribe of the right side of the team in the eight and nine years of Ramesses XI, he was also active in the reign of his successor. pnfrmdjed - Peneferemdjed His name is found in numerous graffiti and he is referred to by various titles: scribe of the tomb, scribe, royal scribe and even scribe of the treasury. Thanks to the discovery of two stelae (Bibl.3) we know that he was the son of Amennakhte, son of Ipuy. He practised the profession of scribe in a third year, without being able to link him to a particular ruler. pxrw - Pekheru Scribe of the Seat of Truth. The ruler under whom he served is unknown: given the prevalence of the name in the 20th dynasty, it is plausible that he lived in that period. pAxy - Pakhy Known as Scribe of the Tomb, Scribe of the Seat of Truth, and simply Scribe. The only information about him is that he was the son of the scribe Butehamon. pAsr - Paser In documents he is always referred to by the simple title of Scribe. He was a very important figure: he was present at the distribution of the grain rations, which he measured. He was also a member of the village court. From Ostrakon Berlin 12654 we know that he won a lawsuit against the designer Nebnuf. He had a very long life: the first document attesting to Paser dates from the reign of Sethi II and the last from the second year of the reign of Ramesses IV, some 52 years later. By this time, Paser was already an octogenarian. pASdw - Pashedu In addition to the titles of Scribe, Scribe of the Tomb and Scribe of the Seat of Truth, we also find him as "Scribe and Priestly Reader". He began his career in the sixth year of Sethi II, when the vizier Praemhab ordered him to return to the team. He was still active during the first year of Ramesses-Siptah. We have another Pashedu among the scribes. In this case, the spelling of his name is incomplete: it ends in a hieroglyph. He is simply referred to as a scribe and probably worked during the reign of Ramesses II. His actual profession as a scribe is not certain: it is possible that he was a draughtsman. The Berlin Papyrus 8523, dated to the 21st dynasty, bears the name of another scribe of the tomb: Painebdjed. Apart from the name, which only appears in this papyrus, we have no further information. Pnprai - Penprai He is found as Scribe of the Tomb, Scribe of the Seat of Truth, Scribe but also Scribe of the Horizon of Eternity, active between the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st dynasty. His father was the wab priest Pehirenthanakhte. There is another Penprai known as a scribe in the Seat of Truth. He is supposed to be the son of the previous one, but this could be a misinterpretation of the inscriptions. Indeed, when reading his son Penprai, it is not certain whether the word son refers to Penprai or to Pehirenthanakhte: in this case Penprai would be the same scribe mentioned above. pntAwr - Pentaur Tomb scribe and scribe. The period of activity of this scribe extends from the sixth year of Sethi II to the twenty-ninth year of Ramesses III. He was a member of the court and, among other monuments, a statue representing him was carved. In the only case known so far, we know the date of his death thanks to the papyrus of the strike of the year 29, in which we read at the beginning of the document: "Year 29, fourth month of the summer season, day 34, death of the scribe Pentaur, son of Amennakhte". pntAHwt - Pentahut Known by the title of Scribe and, in his last year of work, as "Scribe of the Army", at the service of the temple of Medinet Habu. We are not sure when he lived: the only certain dates are the 17th year of Ramesses IX and the 3rd year of Ramesses X. His father was Sobeknakhte, probably a scribe himself. minms - Minmose Scribe, scribe in the Seat of Truth and, in the stele Louvre cat. 218, Royal scribe of the Secrets in the Seat of Truths. He was the son of the scribe Amenenmope and the father of another scribe of the same name who was his grandfather. He worked between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th dynasty. However, his name does not appear in any administrative document. minfr - Minefer All we know of him is that he was the son of the scribe Butehamon. He is found with the title of Scribe in the Seat of Truths. mrims - Merimose Known only as a scribe from graffiti 318 and 332. It is currently impossible to determine the period in which he worked. mrira - Merira Scribe, he was the son of the worker Amonmose. His name was found on two ostraka, together with the scribe Amenemope, in a year 35 which certainly refers to Ramesses II. mHtSt - Mehaft He is attested as the scribe of the tomb of Graffito 1300. The period in which he lived is uncertain, perhaps the 21st dynasty. nbnfr - Nebnefer Royal scribe and scribe in the Seat of Truth. He was the son of Hor, a stonemason and, almost certainly, Nebnefer was also a stonemason and not a scribe. We find him on two ostraka (Cairo 763 and 765) cited together with Ankhof and Minefer. He worked between the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st dynasty. nbnTr (w) - Nebnecher Scribe in the Seat of Truth or simply scribe. From the reading of Ostrakon DM 317 it is clear that Nebnecher was a contemporary of Ramose and Pay and therefore active in the middle of the reign of Ramesses II. In this document Nebnecher names Pay as his father, but we are not sure of the relationship: it could be a term used as a sign of affection. nbxp - Nebkhep His name appears in the Book of the Dead now in Turin, cat. 1768. He was the Scribe of the Tomb and the son of Butehamon. nfrHtp - Neferhotep He is found with the addition "boy" to distinguish him from his father of the same name. He is a Scribe at the Seat of Truth or simply a Scribe. He lived at the end of the reign of Ramesses III. In one of his letters, addressed to the vizier Ta, he emphasises that he is working assiduously on the tomb of the sovereign's children. nxmmwt - Nekhemmut Scribe in the Seat of Truth. Active under Ramesses III. From some anonymous letters addressed to him the figure of a not very pleasant character emerges. In one we read, as a note of contempt: "You are not a human being"; in another we read: "You are very, very rich, but you give nothing to anyone... .... you are a bad boy". Let's just say she didn't get much support! The village of Deir el-Medina is an inexhaustible source of this type of message: some of them will be analysed in the continuation of the study. nAxtsbk - Nakhtsobek Tomb Scribe. He lived in an unspecified period under one of Ramesses III's successors. nsimnpt - Nesimenopet Tomb scribe. At work during the reign of Ramesses IX. He took part in an interrogation concerning the famous thefts in the n ecropolis, in the nineteenth year of the last Ramesside king. We have two letters of this character: one written by the scribe himself and addressed to the singer of Amun Mutenhopet concerning problems in some areas; the other is a letter sent to him by the Singer of Amon Henuttaui: from the reading of this letter it is clear that this second singer was most likely the wife of the scribe himself. nspnfrHr - Nespenefer Nothing is known about him except the title of Scribe of the Tomb. Epigraphic studies place him between the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st dynasty. nspHrntA - Nespherenta From the sarcophagus we know that he was Royal Scribe, Scribe of the Youth of the Lord of the Two Lands in the Seat of Truth, Superintendent of the Treasury of the Horizon of Eternity and Superintendent of the Works in the House of Eternity. Beyond these titles, however, we know nothing: he was probably active in the 21st dynasty. rams - Ramose Scribe at the Seat of Truth in the first half of the reign of Ramesses II. He was the son of Imenemhab and Kakaia. His father was not a scribe but an attendant. The magnificent Pyramidion (Turin 1603) is in the Turin Museum. © Museo Egizio di Torino Photography Lenka Peacock 2020 HAy - Hay Royal scribe or Scribe at the Seat of Truth. He was the son of Amennkhte and the brother of his father's namesake. Hwy - Huy Scribe or, from the reading of a graffiti: "Year 37, fourth month of the flood season, day 14, the Scribe in the Seat of Truth Huy, son of Dhutimaktef". He lived during the reign of Ramesses II and was a contemporary of the scribe Ramose. In Ostrakon Cairo 513 his name appears, together with another scribe, among the absentees. We have three letters addressed to him and one written by him. His name is found in four tombs: TT215, TT219, TT250 and TT336. In the last two we also find the name of his wife: Nefertkha. Hri - Hori Tomb Scribe. We are dealing with the most mentioned scribe. The first testimony, which is doubtful because of the handwriting, dates from the year 23 of Ramesses III. With certainty, however, we find him mentioned in the Strike Papyrus, dated to the year 29 by the same monarch. The last certain date is the seventeenth year of the reign of one of his successors, Ramesses IX. There are numerous documents referring to Hori: from letters written by him to several papyri. It is also possible that he was the author of a Teaching, according to Gardiner's reading of the Ostrakon Gardiner 2. However, there are other scribes and workers with this name: Scribe Hori, active in the fifth year of the reign of Sethi II; Scribe Hori, who lived at the end of the 20th dynasty; a scribe of the vizier Hori, dated to year 13 of Ramesses IX; a scribe of Mat (reading uncertain) Hori, a contemporary of the more famous Hori and a stonemason of the same name. Hriwr - Horiur Tomb scribe. His grandfather was Ipuy and his father Amennakhte. Among the scribes there is another Horiur. He was the son of Harmose. His title was that of a simple scribe: his name is known only thanks to a plea from the workers addressed to him in the Turin 111 Papyrus, dated to the year 8 by a Ramesside ruler, perhaps the ninth. xamHD - Khaemhedj Tomb scribe. Son of Horiur. xns (w) ms - Khonsumes We find him mentioned three times in the documents found so far: in the sixth year of an unspecified ruler, in the eighth year perhaps of Ramesses IX, and in the third year of Ramesses X when his name appears in a short note in the Necropolis Journal. However, it is not certain that this person was a scribe. Sobeknakhte His name appears only in the Graffito 1627 with the title of Scribe of the Tomb. He probably lived in the second half of the 20th dynasty. sbksnb - Sobekseneb In the Turin Papyrus 76 we read that he was the Scribe of the Tomb. He worked in the year 16 of Ramesses IX. stHmss - Sethmess He appears only once, on British Museum stela EA217, in the company of the stonemasons Sety and Nebra, with the title of Scribe. However, it is possible that he was also a stonemason and not a scribe. qnHrxpSf - Kenherkhepeshef Scribe, Tomb Scribe and Scribe at the Seat of Truth during the reigns of Ramesses II and Merenptah. His tomb, mentioned in the Turin papyrus, was very large and was located in the southern part of the cemetery of Deir el-Medina: unfortunately it is now completely lost. We also find this scribe in Papyrus Salt 124, where he is accused of having accepted a "bribe" from a certain Paneb and saved him from an accusation. From the study of the texts relating to this scribe, the figure of a character emerges who did not make honesty his own banner. kAnxt - Kanakhte His title was "Chief of Works in the Horizon of Eternity". He lived in the second half of the 20th dynasty. kAnr - Kaner Royal scribe in the Seat of Truth. We find his name on Ostrakon Cairo 504, dated to the seventh year of Merenptah. tA - Ta Tomb Scribe and Royal Scribe at the Seat of Truth, or simply Scribe. He was a member of the family of the scribe Amennakhte. TAy - Tjay Tomb scribe and royal scribe in the Seat of Truth or simply scribe. He was also part of the family of the scribe Amennakhe. He was active during the reigns of Ramesses II and possibly Sethi I. TAry - Tjaroy He is the scribe of the Tomb Dhutmose, who was so nicknamed. He is a descendant of Amennakhte and the son of Ipuy. DAy - Dyay Tomb Scribe. We read in Ostracon Cairo 261 that he was the son of the worker Nekhemmut. He worked under Ramesses IX. However, the name Dyay is otherwise unknown in the New Kingdom. The correct spelling could be Any. Sources: 1 Papiro Torino, Cat. 2018 (anno 8 di Ramesse XI). 2 The reading of the hieroglyphic signs, as these are in a bad state of conservation, is uncertain: it could also be called Iuefenmont. 3 Davies stele and Berlin stele 20989. 4 The day, however, is of uncertain reading. The site of Deir el-Medina has produced a large number of documents, many of which are ostraca, thanks mainly to the excavations carried out in the 1950s in the Great Pit in the north-western area, which was artificially dug by the working community to search, unfortunately in vain, for water. These documents reveal an extremely lively society, certainly a very modern one. Here are just a few examples. In the ostracon DM328, dated to the reign of Ramesses II, we read the complaints that Pabaki sent to his father, the painter Maaninakhtef, about the bad work of a labourer: "I did what you told me: let Ib work with you. You see, it took him all day to fill the jars with water and he did nothing else during the day ... ... the sun is setting and he is still absent". In another Ostrakon, Leipzig 2.3, we read of some problems with the weight of the food rations distributed, with the accusation, addressed to the scribe Paser, that he had used a badly calibrated weight. As the record is not completely preserved, we do not know whether Paser was a fraud or whether there were indeed problems with the weight. Ostrakon DM546 contains a curious promise of payment by the washerman Bakenuerel in which we read that if this washerman should not pay within the third month of winter, day ten four pieces of cloth to the worker Pashed, it would authorize him to be given 100 blows with a stick and to pay the worker double the value of the goods. Ostracon Berlin 12630, dating from the 20th dynasty, perhaps during the reign of Ramesses III, has a different tenor. Mesu, a labourer, explains to a woman whose name is not given that her husband, the scribe Amennakht, has not yet paid the agreed price of a calf in exchange for a sarcophagus. Mesu discussed this with Paakhet, who promised to bring him the calf in exchange for a bed. Apparently the calf was not brought and Mesu concluded by asking for the return of the bed and sarcophagus. Ostrakon DM 133 reports three appeals to the oracle of King Amenhotep I for the policeman Amenkha to guarantee the payment of 9 deben for the use of a donkey belonging to the painter Harmin. We read in the ostraka of many disputes about donkeys, obviously a very important animal for the community: on the other hand, Egyptians are still very often seen riding on donkeys! Little has changed! Ostrakon Prague 1826, dated to the 19th dynasty, shows a scene of a family quarrel. In this document a certain Takhentyshepset writes to her sister Iy complaining about her husband. "I had a quarrel with Merymaat, my husband. I'm going to divorce you, he keeps telling me, because my mother doesn't give us the amount of barley we need to make bread. ...... Your mother does nothing for you, and neither do your brothers and sisters... ...In short, you have to go back: take note! ". We do not know how the story ended. In many other ostraka there is news of the progress of the work. An ostrakon, Cairo 25644, reports Neferhotep's curious complaint about a woman who works with him: "What kind of girl is she? Does she always need food? These are just a few examples: surely many were written by scribes seeking additional remuneration. A more in-depth analysis of these messages will be the subject of one of Alessandro Rolle's forthcoming publications. We look forward to reading them ! The Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society hosted an online Zoom lecture on 6 March 2021 entitled "Revealing the Practice of Tattooing in Ancient Egypt" with speaker Dr Anne Austin, Assistant Professor of Anthropology & Archaeology at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Her research combines the fields of osteology and Egyptology to better understand daily life in ancient Egypt. In particular, she uses data from ancient Egyptian human remains and daily life texts to reconstruct ancient Egyptian health care networks and identify the diseases and illnesses that people experienced in the past. The practice of tattooing in ancient Egypt is rarely documented. Egyptologists have identified tattoos on very few mummies from the more than 3,000 year history of pharaonic Egypt. Textual evidence is virtually silent on the practice, and art historical evidence is often obscure. In 2014, the mission of the Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale (IFAO) made an incredible find - an extensively tattooed mummy from the necropolis of Deir el-Medina. With over 30 tattoos, this woman completely redefined what was known about tattooing in ancient Egypt. Her tattoos have been identified on her arms, shoulders, back and neck. They were all figurative, sometimes hieroglyphic in nature. It has been suggested that the tattoos had a divine function, as they would have been visible to the local population. A study of her tattoos provides new insights into this practice - on the top of her left and right shoulders, and also on her neck (above the throat), she had wadjet eye and nefer symbols, similar to a formula often associated with the goddess Hathor in New Kingdom graffiti. Other tattoos on her body were difficult to interpret, but many related to the goddess Hathor - there were two cows facing each other wearing menat necklaces. On her back was a clump of bent papyrus stalks with a water symbol underneath. This matched the same symbol found on the floor of the Temple of Hathor at Deir el-Medina. The extensive use of Hathor imagery in these tattoos shows the incredible amount of religious authority women could hold at a time when the title "Priestess of Hathor" was not even documented. Dr Austin argued that tattoos in ancient Egypt had a more complex function than previously thought, when scholars have suggested that for Nubian women tattoos served as a marker of their ethnic identity. Even in the New Kingdom, tattoos could identify a woman as a dancer or Hathor, as well as being associated with Nubia, or because Hathor was associated with Nubia. Early excavations at Deir el-Medina predate the study of human archaeology, so we do not have an accurate record of the human remains at the site, as many were moved and some were not mentioned by Bruyère in his reports. The team's aim is to identify the location of all human remains at Deir el-Medina. Since 2014, the team has used infrared imaging - when skin is photographed in infrared and tattoos invisible to the naked eye become instantly clear and visible - to identify dozens of new tattoos among the many unpublished human remains at the site. This talk presented the latest findings from the bioarchaeological team of the 2019 and 2020 IFAO mission to Deir el-Medina, led by Dr Austin. These additional tattoos indicate that many more individuals were likely tattooed at Deir el-Medina. The designs and placement of the tattoos varied widely. The team is finding a large number of tattoos on the mummies' hips, thighs, inner forearms and on their lower backs, which is the most common location for tattoos. The symbolism and motifs of the tattoos are also examined, as well as how typical they are. For example, Bes is very common in ancient Egyptian art, but until now there has been no evidence of Bes in tattoos, although it has been identified on a woman's front thigh. Most of the imagery is naturalistic - animal deities and floral motifs dominate the tattoo arena. No hieroglyphic texts have been found. The team focuses not only on human remains, but also on how they relate to artistic representations of tattooing and how they correspond to physical evidence, such as the Bes example mentioned above. It is becoming clear that the tattoo motifs that appear on ostraka, in paintings on tomb walls, on figurines and even on cosmetic spoons may reflect similarities observed in everyday life in ancient Egypt. Dr Austin concludes that tattooing is probably more common than we think. More research will lead to a better understanding, as many tattoos are currently overlooked because they are not searched for. She considers whether women in Deir el-Medina may have had a parallel artistic tradition focused on everyday life - with symbolic motifs inscribed on the body. If tattooing in Deir el-Medina was done on women, but also by women, we should reconsider whether other art in the village could have been produced by them. Combining physical and art historical evidence, this lecture provided some of the most comprehensive evidence we have to date for the practice of tattooing in ancient Egypt. Dr Austin's next research project will focus on the practice of tattooing in ancient Egypt and its potential links to gender, religion and medicine. In addition to her interests in Egyptology and Osteology, she is working to improve archaeological data management practices through her participation in an international collaborative ethnographic research study of archaeological field schools. Temporary exhibition “Archeologia Invisibile” (Invisibile Archaeology) at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy The aim of the temporary exhibition is to illustrate the principles, tools, examples and results of the painstaking work of reorganising information, data and knowledge, which is now possible thanks to the application of science and technology from other disciplines to the study of the archaeological finds in the Turin collection. The virtual tour is a powerful immersive tool developed by two students of the Cinema and Media Technology course at the Politecnico of Turin, in collaboration with the creative studio Robin, who have used 360° cameras to create a faithful 3D reproduction of the exhibition. Thanks to the virtual tour, it is possible to explore the exhibition rooms, to "browse" all the elements, to watch the videos and to study the various finds. https://cdn-cache.museoegizio.it/static/virtual/ArcheologiaInvisibileITA/index.html Enrico Ferraris graduated in Egyptology from the University of Turin and then in Pisa with a thesis entitled: "Celestial objects and star cults in Egyptian pictorial and in Egyptian pictorial and textual documentation". He worked for the excavation of the University of Turin in Alexandria in Egypt (2001-2007) and for the Italian Ministry of Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo as part of the "GEM - Grand Egyptian Museum project (2004). Since 2013 he is curator at the Egyptian Museum in Turin and is responsible for the archaeometric analysis of the remains of the programme of the remains of the intact tomb of Kha and Merit, called the TT8 Project (2018-2023). He curated the temporary exhibition Invisible Archeology (currently in progress). The sarcophagus of Butehamon and its videomapping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgR1fG9ag4Y Tattoos at Deir el-Medina "Egyptian Mummy's Symbolic Tattoos Are 1st of Their Kind" "More than 3,000 years ago, an ancient Egyptian woman tattooed her body with dozens of symbols - including lotus flowers, cows and divine eyes - that may have been related to her religious status or ritual practice, writes Mindy Weisberger, Livescience Senior Writer. Preserved in amazing detail on her mummified torso, the surviving images are the only known examples of tattoos found on Egyptian mummies that show recognisable images rather than abstract designs. The mummy was found in Deir el-Medina. Stanford University bioarchaeologist Anne Austin was examining human remains at Deir el-Medina for the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology when she first noticed unusual markings on a mummy's neck. At first, Austin thought the markings on the neck had been painted. It was common practice in Egypt at the time to place amulets around the neck before burial. Austin suggested that amulets could also have been painted on the skin for burial, which may have been the case with this torso. However, further examination of the mummy revealed that these ancient illustrations - and others on the body - were unusual, suggesting that they may have been a more permanent skin decoration rather than a painted design. Working with archaeologist Cédric Gobeil, director of the French Archaeological Mission at Deir el- Medina, Austin catalogued dozens of tattoos, many of which have yet to be identified. But a number of them were recognisable and had religious significance. "Several are associated with the goddess Hathor, such as cows with special necklaces," Austin said. "Others - such as snakes placed on the upper arms - are also associated with female deities in ancient Egypt." The mummy's neck, back and shoulders were decorated with images of Wadjet eyes — divine eyes associated with protection. (..)" With photo of the throat tattoo: http://www.livescience.com/54687-egyptian-mummy-tattoos.html Intricate animal and flower tattoos found on Egyptian mummy "(..) “Any angle that you look at this woman, you see a pair of divine eyes looking back at you,” says bioarchaeologist Anne Austin of Stanford University in California, who presented the findings last month at the 85th annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists in a paper called "Embodying the Goddess: Tattooing and Identity Formation in Bioarchaeology" (..)" http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/intricate-animal-and-flower-tattoos-found-on-egyptian- mummy/ "(...) Austin knew of tattoos discovered on other mummies using infrared imaging, which peers more deeply into the skin than visible-light imaging, Traci Watson from Nature magazine writes. With help from infrared lighting and an infrared sensor, Austin determined that the Deir el-Medina mummy boasts more than 30 tattoos, including some on skin so darkened by the resins used in mummification that they were invisible to the eye. Austin and Cédric Gobeil, director of the French mission at Deir el-Medina, digitally stretched the images to counter distortion from the mummy’s shrunken skin". A slideshow of photos of several tattoos (baboons and Wadjet eyes, Hathor cows): http://www.nature.com/news/intricate-animal-and-flower-tattoos-found-on-egyptian-mummy-1.19864 Ornately-tattooed 3,000-year-old mummy discovered by archaeolgists http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/tattooed-mummy-egypt-discovered-stanford-a7022421.html Abstract of the lecture at "The 85th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists" (2016): "(...) existing scholarship on tattoos remains mostly descriptive, making it necessary to develop a conceptual framework to better understand how tattooing can advance bioarchaeological research on identity. In this paper, I present such a framework using ancient Egypt as a case study. I propose indicators for seven rationales for tattooing that can be assessed through combining bioarchaeological data with the systematic analysis of the placement, orientation, order, and symbolism of tattoos." http://meeting.physanth.org/program/2016/session04/austin-2016-embodying-the-goddess-tattooing- and-identity-formation-in-bioarchaeology.html An excellent illustrated presentation by Anne Austin about these finds [3 min. 49 sec]: http://histoires-courtes.fr/v.html?subject=Austin The great surprise In Leiden, the research team is working on a database that collects textual evidence based on data from papyri, ostraca and graffiti. The database is called The Deir el-Medina Database. It is intended to be a presentation of the ongoing research project "Survey of the New Kingdom Non-literary Texts from Deir el-Medina of Leiden University". The current version of the Deir el-Medina database is available at https://dmd.wepwawet.nl/ and allows users to search and retrieve the documents relevant to their research activities. The project is supported by the Netherlands Foundation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Leiden and is carried out by Prof. J.F. Borghouts (supervisor), Dr R.J. Demarée, Dr K. Donker van Heel, Dr A. Egberts, Dr B. Haring and Dr J. Toivari-Viitala. Dr. Robert J. Demarée from Leiden University recently (2011) gave a talk at the Dutch Institute in Cairo, during which he informed the audience, of his meticulous research. It had resulted in what he called "a great surprise" : He said that ..."it appeared that the workers, or should we say workmen and artisans, the people who built the rock-cut tombs of the Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings from about 1500 BC onwards, may have later been employed on a project aimed at "emptying" and "recycling" their contents."... ..."The material revealed that, under Ramses IX, it was no longer safe in the village and the community took refuge near the Temple of Deir el-Bahri where they created tombs for the Priests of Amun, and, under a new boss of a new dynasty in Thebes, the ruling elite appears to have been given orders to empty the royal tombs and recycle the objects," Demarée said. In late 2017 Dr. Demarée told NILE Magazine (https://www.nilemagazine.com.au/ ) that from a study of about 100 ostraca and dozens of graffiti, it appears that rather than being housed in Medinet Habou - an oft-repeated narrative about the last years of Deir el-Medina - teams of craftsmen led by the scribe Butehamun (and later his sons and grandsons) had a workshop in front of the Deir el-Bahri temple. Exactly where they lived is unknown. No houses from this period are known with certainty. The house of Butehamun at Medinet Habou was an office rather than a residence. However, it is clear that the tomb of Ramesses IX was left unfinished. The villagers left their settlement at Deir el-Medina and moved to Thebes. They returned only to visit their dead relatives and friends and to inter new burials there. French mission's campaign at Deir el-Medina in 2012 by Cédric Gobeil (Institut français d’archéologie orientale - IFAO / The Université du Québec à Montréal - UQAM) The 2012 campaign of the French mission at Deir el-Medina took place from the 1st of March to the 12th of April 2012 under the direction of Cédric Gobeil (IFAO/UQAM). Also participating in the work were Hassan al-Amir (conservationist, IFAO), Olivier Onézime (topographer, IFAO), Anne-Claire Salmas (Egyptologist), Delphine Driaux (Egyptologist), Anne Elise Austin (anthropologist, University of California, Los Angeles - UCLA), Abla al-Bahrawy (masters student, German University in Cairo). The Supreme Council of Antiquities - CSA was represented by Gamal Ramadan, Al-Azab and Ragab Hassan Gomaa (inspectors). Restoration (Hassan al-Amir, IFAO) Restoration of the ceiling of the Opet Chapel From the 14th of March to the 7th of April, Hassan al-Amir and his team of workers spent part of their time restoring the chapel called Opet. The chapel is located on the northern side of the village wall. Its remains were discovered and described by Bernard Bruyère in 1934. This structure is one of the "Chapelles des Confréries" (Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1934- 1935) 3me partie, Le village, les décharges publiques, la station de repos du col de la Vallée des Rois, FIFAO 16, 1939, pp. 36-39.) Apart from the fact that this is clearly a Ramesside building and that the resident god is represented as a mummy (Fig. 48 in the online report - The northern half of the east wall of the chapel showing the representation of a god in the form of a mummy on a pedestal), the current state of the decoration does not allow a precise date to be assigned to it or to determine to which god this chapel was specifically dedicated. The importance of the restoration of the chapel lies in the fact that it is the only building in the village that still has its original painted decoration, with the exception of the painted fragment of the little dancer in the SE VIII house. The painted decoration on the wall of the chapel (approximately 6 square metres of which have been preserved) could have been lost if no measures had been taken to save it. In addition, twenty fragments of decoration were found among the debris scattered on the floor. They will all be restored to the wall in 2013. In order to provide a safe and healthy environment for the painting, the roof of the chapel was replaced this year. The roof, designed by Bruyère, was in danger of collapsing at any moment: several beams had broken (see also Fig. 49 in the online report - link at the bottom of this page - The first roof of the chapel, called Opet, during dismantling) and could have fallen directly on the two walls separating the main room of the pronaos. These walls show the most beautiful scene of the chapel, namely two fat oxen being brought as an offering (Fig. 50-The two walls separating the main room of the pronaos in the chapel of Opet showing two fat oxen as an offering, Fig. 51-The chapel called Opet before the installation of the new roof). A new, stronger wooden roof was built over the chapel. It was covered with the same materials as those used in the restoration of the village, so as to blend in better with the existing surroundings (Fig. 52 - The new roof installed on the Opet chapel was covered with the same materials as those found throughout the site). A metal door was also installed (Fig. 53-A new secure metal door at the entrance to the chapel of Opet) to facilitate access to the chapel, whose entrance had previously been bricked up and sealed. Following the completion of the preliminary restoration work carried out this season, the interior walls of the chapel will be fully restored next year. It will also be open to the public once electricity and lighting have been installed. A publication of the restored chapel and the newly described fragments is being considered. Reconstruction of the chapel of Ramose's tomb 212 From the 26th of March to the 7th of April, Hassan al-Amir and his team worked on the reconstruction of the chapel dedicated to the scribe Ramose (first half of the reign of Ramses II). The chapel is located on the upper terrace of the northern part of the western necropolis. The remains of the chapel consist of a vaulted room carved into the hillside (western half) and the three mud walls (western and southern) which form the southern half of the antechamber. The decoration has essentially survived on the rear wall of the chapel (west) and on the ceiling (see also Fig. 54 - The chapel of tomb TT 212 before restoration), with traces of red, yellow, blue, white and black pigments on the plaster. Before the intervention, the remains of the decoration of the chapel were completely exposed to the weather and therefore in danger of disappearing. Copy of HOME 2 Copy of HOME 2 Copy of HOME 2 Photography© Andy Peacock 2005 Preserved scene from the vaulted ceiling showing Ramose standing with raised arms in gesture of worship before the seated god Re-Harakhte. These 2 pictures were taken by Andy Peacock during our visit to Deir el-Medina in 2005. The first one shows the unprotected west wall of the niche of TT212 with a kneeling Ramose worshipping the rising sun. It was necessary to reconstruct the superstructure of the chapel in order to cover all the ancient elements that needed to be conserved. The first step in this work was to clean the floor of the chapel. During this work a large number of strips of mummy bandages were uncovered, together with a decorated and inscribed fragment of linen (DM 2012 to 0001) (Fig. 55 in the online report), a moulded terracotta amulet (DM 2012-0002 ), a fragment of a faience falcon amulet and 13 faience beads (DM 2012 to 0003) (Fig. 56) and a terracotta oil lamp (DM 2012 to 0004 ) (Fig. 57). A publication of the linen fragments is in preparation. Once the floor had been cleared, the four walls of the superstructure were reconstructed according to the original layout of the chapel. The eastern half of the vaulted nave was also rebuilt to complete and consolidate the whole site. A wooden roof, similar to that of the Opet chapel, was also provided; a metal door was installed to secure access to the chapel (Fig. 58 in the online report). Other restoration work In addition to the restoration work described above, Hassan al-Amir and his team were also involved in work around various parts of the western necropolis. Entrances to several shaft tombs with dangerous access were closed - tombs P329 (Mose and Ipy, Ramesside) and P1206 (anonymous) were closed (Fig. 59 in the online report). In addition, the ceiling of the chapel of TT290 (Irynefer, Ramesside) was consolidated as it showed signs of wear. The previous wooden roof was reinforced with new wooden beams. These 2 pictures were taken by Elvira Kronlob in 2012. They show the strengthening of the weakened ceiling. Photography© Elvira Kronlob 2012 Since 2010, the floors of the forecourts of tombs TT 217 (Ipuy, reign of Ramesses II), TT 266 (Amennakht, 19th dynasty) and TT 267 (Hay, 20th dynasty), located on the upper terrace of the western necropolis, have been covered with debris from recent erosion. Hassan and his team removed this debris and cleared the sector to prepare the three tombs for their future restoration. Surveying (Olivier Onézime and Abla al-Bahrawy ) Topographic survey of the village From 11 to 23 March 2012, Olivier Onézime began a new topographic survey of the village of Deir el-Medina in order to map the current state of its walls. The results of this work will clarify the intervention strategy for the future restoration of the village. The entire perimeter wall and the northern third of the village itself were documented. Two excavations were carried out. The ground plan of the Opet chapel was delineated and two excavations (EW and SW) were completed. During the next season, the survey of the village will be continued and the cellars will be investigated. Topographic survey of the western necropolis In addition to his work in the village, Olivier Onézime began this year's topographic survey of the western necropolis. The aim of this task was to get a better idea of the complexity of the tombs at Deir el-Medina and to help the team plan for future restoration and study. During the survey, TT290 (Irynefer) was the first tomb to be examined. In addition to the traditional surveys - the plan and two sections (east-west and north-south) were mapped - Olivier Onézime carried out a photogrammetric survey (non-contact imaging) of the vaults to create a 3D image of the tomb's interior. This technique, which gives remarkable results, can then be applied to other structures at Deir el-Medina to allow virtual tours of parts of the site not accessible to the public. The tomb chapels TT6 and TT 250 have also undergone the same process - conventional surveying and 3D imaging of these two tombs have been completed. Topographical and architectural survey of the dig house at Deir el-Medina From the 26th to the 31st of March 2012, Abla al-Bahrawy (Master student, German University in Cairo) temporarily joined the mission to make a topographical and architectural survey of the dig house, that IFAO occupies at Deir al-Medina. During this short time, she measured all the rooms of the house (inside and outside) and drew the general plan. She also took several photographs to document her work, which will undoubtedly provide valuable documentation of this important site. The excavation house was originally built for Ernesto Schiaparelli and is now occupied by Cédric Gobeil's team. Studies (Anne -Claire Salmas, Delphine Driaux, Anne-Elise Austin and Cédric Gobeil) TT 2 From 1 March to 12 April 2012, Anne-Claire Salmas worked in tomb TT 2 (Khabekhenet, reign of Ramesses II), which had previously been assigned to Agnes Cabrol. Once the dust covering the tomb had been removed, the beautiful floor of the original limestone chapel was revealed. Several fragments of decorated walls lying on the floor were packed in crates to protect them before being restored and repositioned on the walls. After this first step, the current condition of the east and north walls of the chapel was recorded on transparent film (Fig. 60). In the course of this year, three stelae from the forecourt, two entrance walls, the east and north walls and the base of the two statues leaning against the west wall were finally recorded. An analysis of these mostly unpublished records will be carried out by the IFAO in the near future. These investigations will also produce a definitive text of these walls, the first version of which was published by Jaroslav Černý in his Répertoire onomastique de Deir el-Médineh, DFIFAO 12, Cairo 1949, in collaboration with B. Heather and J.J. Clere, before being reviewed by K.A. Kitchen in KRI III, 799-817. TT 6 From 30 March to 9 April 2012, Delphine Driaux worked in the tomb TT 6 (Nebnefer, late 18th to early 19th dynasty). She was responsible for the publication of the manuscript written by Henry Wild on the tomb and already published by IFAO (La tombe de Neferhotep (I) et Nebnefer a Deir el Medina (no. 6) et autres documents les concernant. [Le Caire] : Institut francais d'archeologie orientale, <1979-,v.. <2 >). Some iconographic and textual audits were carried out in the chapel and in the tomb. The progress made on the manuscript gives reason to hope that it will soon be published. TT 250 From 1 March to 12 April 2012, Cédric Gobeil continued his work in TT 250 (occupied by female relatives of the household of the scribe Ramose, reign of Ramesses II) where he had started in 2009. Gobeil continued his systematic survey of the walls of the central chapel: the central register of the northern wall was completely drawn and coloured using Adobe Illustrator (fig. 61 in the online report - detailed view of the drawing of the central register of the northern wall of the central chapel of the TT 250). Human Remains from the Western Necropolis From 24 March to 7 April 2012, Anne Elise Austin undertook a study of the human remains still present at Deir el-Medina. The main aim of the analysis was to see if some physical markers could be detected between individuals who lived in Deir el-Medina at different times, and to obtain new data that could answer the question of whether physical links can be found between individuals who lived in Deir el-Medina at different times. The results will lead to a better understanding of the development of the of the population over the long term. Undoubtedly, this study will provide researchers with new knowledge not only about the health, behaviour and activities of this ancient population, but also about their ecological and socio-cultural environment. During this season, Anne-Elise Austin laid the groundwork for her future work on the site. She also carried out an inventory (database and photographs) of the human remains present in all the tombs that had been requested to be opened (Fig. 62 - Human skull being examined in TT 217), as well as those stored in the storeroom of TT 323 at Deir el-Medina. In addition to the twenty mummies counted in the Store Carter, it was found that there were nearly sixty dismembered bodies in TT 290-291 and hundreds of mummies in the rooms adjacent to TT 6. Permission was sought from the Department of Antiquities for the next season to continue the study of these human remains. Work was carried out in TT 217, which contains a dozen mummies, although it has been established that they all came from several other tombs. Their study remains of interest - their good state of preservation allows a very fine anthropological analysis. Visitors to the site On 8 April 2012, the IFAO Mission was pleased to receive a visit from Professors Dominique Valbelle (University of Paris IV-Sorbonne) and Charles Bonnet (University of Geneva). Both were accompanied by the Director of Antiquities of the West Bank, Dr Mohammad Al-Aziz Abb. After visiting the site and inspecting the restoration work carried out during the season, it was decided to set up a study committee in Deir al-Medina in mid-September 2012 so that all the partners could meet and discuss all future restorations. The purpose of this meeting will be to prepare a coordinated response strategy that will specify the methods to be used and the means by which they will be implemented. Translated from the IFAO Report 2011-2012 with the help of Google translator and additional input from my brother Jaroslav Bican from Prague, Czech Republic. The French text and the illustration referred to in the text above can be found at http://www.ifao.egnet.net/uploads/rapports/Rapport_IFAO_2011-2012.pdf (last time accessed on 29 February 2024) This page is published with the kind permission of the Director of the IFAO Mission, Dr Cédric Gobeil, and with the kind permission of the IFAO Publications Department (granted by Florence Albert). http://www.ifao.egnet.net/archeologie/deir-el-medina/#en Back to top

Deir el-Medina is one of the best preserved ancient settlements in the whole of Egypt. It is situated in a small secluded valley in the shadow of the Theban hills, on the west bank of the Nile, across from modern-day Luxor in Upper Egypt. Deir el-Medina is one of the best preserved ancient settlements in all of Egypt. It lies in a small secluded valley in the shadow of the Theban hills on the west bank of the Nile, opposite modern-day Luxor in Upper Egypt. The site is unique for the unparalleled wealth of archaeological, artistic and textual evidence that has survived and from which we can reconstruct many aspects of the daily lives of its ancient inhabitants. This website serves as a comprehensive resource, offering a glimpse into the past and present of this fascinating archaeological site. Our collection of photographs, taken during our visits to Egypt and various museums housing artefacts from Deir el-Medina, provides a visual narrative to complement the historical accounts. Through these images we aim to transport you to this ancient settlement and immerse you in its rich history. Updates September 2026: Merit's wig Mgr. Lenka Peacock Somerset, UK Contact: lenkapeacock@gmail.com Copyright © 2005-2026 Lenka & Andy Peacock unless otherwise stated. All content, design and images on this website are copyright and may not be reproduced for any purpose without the written permission of the copyright holder. Any material forming part of this website may not be used for publication on any other website without permission. Thank you for visiting!

On May 5th 2015 an ancient Egyptian painted funerary linen was displayed in Paris. The rare textile has been presented by the auction house PIASA (www.piasa.fr) and will be auctioned on Thursday, June 18th, 2015 at 3pm as part of a sale of Old Master Paintings, furniture & artifacts. Egypt Centre, Swansea University, Wales The Egypt Centre is not a widely known museum and we were delighted to see that the collection is large and varied, with interesting and beautiful objects ranging from the painted coffin of a female musician from Thebes, beautiful beaded necklaces from the time of Tutankhamun, statues of gods and goddesses, to everyday objects used by the ancient Egyptians such as tools, pottery and weapons. There are around 6000 objects in the collection. Most were collected by the pharmacist Sir Henry Wellcome. Others come from the British Museum, Aberystwyth University, the Royal Edinburgh Museum, the National Museums and Galleries of Wales Cardiff, the Royal Albert Museum and Art Gallery, Woking College and private donors. Sir Henry Wellcome collected objects from excavations. The Egypt Centre's collection includes objects from Armant, Amarna, Deir el-Medina, Esna, Mostagedda, Qau etc. He also collected objects from private individuals. These include Robert De Rustafjaell, Gayer-Anderson, Berens, Cesnola, the Rev. William Frankland Hood and the Rev. William MacGregor https://www.egypt.swan.ac.uk/ Painted plaster from the tomb of the craftsman Khabekhnet and his wife Saht (both right). They are worshipping the gods Isis, Ptah Sokar wearing the headdress and Ptah depicted in green (from left to right). From Deir el-Medina Limestone, plaster, pigment New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, reign of Ramesses II Accession Number W927 Height: 44.5 cm Width: 69.5 cm Currently on display on the ground floor - House of Death Davies, Benedict G. 1999. Who's who at Deir el-Medina: a prosopographic study of the royal workmen's community. Egyptologische Uitgaven 13. Leiden: Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten. [pp. 44–47] From the EC website unchanged: Painted limestone relief depicting Khabekhnet and his wife Sahte (to the right) presenting offerings to the gods Ptah (painted green), Ptah-Sokar (wearing a headdress consisting of ram horns and double plumes), and Isis (holding a menat-collar and ankh). Both Ptah and Ptah-Sokar hold long papyrus stems. Several enthroned deities are also depicted in the scene above, although only their feet are preserved. Khabekhnet is identified in the hieroglyphs as the “Servant of the Lord of the Two Lands”. The exact provenance of this relief is unknown, although it is likely from a tomb chapel at Deir el-Medina where Khabekhnet was buried (TT 2). Khabekhnet was the eldest son of Sennedjem, whose well-known tomb (TT 1) at Deir el-Medina was discovered undisturbed in 1886. While Ptah was the main deity at Memphis, he was also the patron god to the villagers of Deir el-Medina. The relief was purchased by Sir Henry Wellcome in 1906 from the collection of Robert de Rustafjaell (lot 404). The object is composed of three fragments, which were restored and conserved by Susan Rees at Cardiff Conservation Department. Offering stand of Paneb From Deir el-Medina Limestone New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, reign of Ramesses II or Siptah Acc. Number W957 Height: 43.0 cm Width: 26.9 cm Depth: 26.5 cm Currently on display on the 1st floor - House of Life https://egyptcentre.abasetcollections.com/Objects/Details/3106?SavedSelections=$Page-1$Pn-P_63-e From the EC copied: Limestone base of an offering table belonging to Paneb, Chief Workman at Deir el-Medina, the village occupied by workmen who built the royal tombs in the Valleys of the Kings and Queens. The stand was probably set up in one of the small private chapels adjoining the village. The vertical text on the front is a dedication of offerings to Amun. The horizontal text records the name of his father Neferseret and son Aapahte. On the rear is a dedication to Khnum, Satet, and Anuket, gods of the First Cataract region, who were held in particular honoured by the workmen at Deir el-Medina. According to Papyrus Salt 124, which is housed in the British Museum, Paneb lived a wild and disreputable life. He was given to fighting and drunkenness, seducing married women, stealing from the royal tombs, and threatening to murder. The object was purchased by Sir Henry Wellcome from the 1907 sale of the Robert de Rustafjaell collection. On loan to the Egypt Centre since 1971 as part of the distribution of the Wellcome collection. For similar offering table bases from Deir el-Medina, see Bruyère 1948 (p. 103); 1952 (pl. 21); 1952b (p. 42, fig. 2). The chief workman Paneb, son of Nefersenut, is well known from several sources (c. 1150–1193 BC). He is first attested as a workman in year 66 of Ramesses II. He began to prepare Tomb 211 when still a workman. He became chief workman between years 1 and 5 of Seti II and is last attested in office in year 2, probably of Siptah. He was most likely disgraced and removed from office at the end of the Nineteenth Dynasty, although the exact date is uncertain (Sweeney 2023). Bruyère, Bernard 1948. Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1935–1940). Quatrième partie. Fascicule I. Fouilles de l'Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale 20 (1). Le Caire: L'Institut français d'archéologie orientale. Bruyère, Bernard 1952a. Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1935–1940). Quatrième partie. Fascicule II: trouvailles d'objets. Fouilles de l'Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale 20 (2). Le Caire: L'Institut français d'archéologie orientale. Bruyère, Bernard 1952b. Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh (1935–1940). Quatrième partie. Fascicule III: notes à propos de quelques objets trouvés en 1939 et 1940. Fouilles de l'Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale 20 (3). Le Caire: L'Institut français d'archéologie orientale. Sweeney, Deborah 2023. Builders behaving badly: the rise and fall of the chief workman Paneb (i) at Deir el-Medîna. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 109 (1–2), 117–129. Ostrakon with a representation of Hathor in the form of a cow New Kingdom 1550-1069 BC The goddess of love, music and drunkenness, Hathor is depicted in the form of a cow on this piece of pottery. New Kingdom 1550-1069 BC Ostrakon written by Nakhtamun to his brothers Khay and Baki concerning their ill father Nebre (circa 1279-1069 BC) From Deir el-Medina Limestone New Kingdom 1550-1069 BC Rob Demarée, "Fresh goose-fat to cure a nightmare?" (17 April 2024) https://oap.unige.ch/journals/bseg/article/view/1547/1456 Further bibliography Back to top Stelophorous statue of Hay (c. 1292-1069 BC) Limestone New Kingdom 1550-1069 BC Stela depicting Thoth in the shape of a baboon New Kingdom 1550-1069 BC

The collections of the British Museum contain many objects from Deir el-Medina, comprising mainly of inscribed objects. Top of Page Anchor 1 Anchor 2 Anchor 3 Top of Page Anchor 1 Anchor 2 Anchor 3 Top of Page Anchor 1 Anchor 2 Anchor 3 The British Museum, London, UK The British Museum opened its doors to the public in January 1759. The Museum's origins lie in the will of Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753), a physician, naturalist and collector, who wished that his collection of over 71,000 objects, library and herbarium should be preserved intact after his death. An Act of Parliament establishing the British Museum received royal assent in June 1753. The founding collections consisted mainly of books, manuscripts and natural history, with some antiquities and ethnography. King George II donated the "Old Royal Library" of the monarchs of England (now housed in the British Library in London) in 1757. www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk The Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan contains objects from every stage of the region's long history, from around 4500 BC to the late 14th century AD. The collection is one of the most comprehensive and magnificent in the world, surpassed only by the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Most of the objects in the collection have been acquired. The earliest and most important is the first collection of the British Consul General, Henry Salt, acquired in 1823. The earlier collection representing Egypt consisted of objects acquired by the British nation after the defeat of the French fleet at Abukir in 1802. A substantial part of the collection is the result of scientific excavations which began in Egypt shortly after 1881. Many objects come from a variety of gifts. The collections of the British Museum contain many objects from Deir el-Medina, mainly inscribed objects. The photographs are published with the kind permission of Dr Richard Parkinson of the British Museum's Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan and the British Museum's Photographic Officer. Objects previously or currently on display in the public galleries of the British Museum from the site of Deir el-Medina: Stela dedicated to "the Osiris, the able spirit of Ra" 19th dynasty, c. 1295-1186 BC British Museum EA 359 From Deir el-Medina Painted limestone The seated figures - Pennub and Khamuy - who are described as "able spirits of Ra" are seated on their chairs facing each other, holding lotus flowers in their hands. One of the forms used to commemorate deceased ancestors were small stelae. These were usually round or pointed. Some of them bore the figures of deceased individuals who were identified as revered ancestors by the epithet Akh-iker-en-Re , "the able spirit of Ra". The akh -spirits were the blessed dead, those who had attained a place in the sun-bark of the god Ra. Their magical powers protected them from the dangers of the afterlife. They could also use them for or against the dead and the living. To become an akh (plural akhu ), one had to know the magic spells, perform funeral rites and get the gods, especially Ra, to intervene on one's behalf. Over 50 stelae from Deir el-Medina attest to the existence of household cults dedicated to deceased relatives who had become akhu (Lesko, 1994, 112). The spirits could be dangerous if offended, and offerings to the akhu were both propitiatory and reverential. Stela depicting a deceased person British Museum EA 372 19th dynasty, about 1295-1186 BC From Deir el-Medina Painted limestone Pennub and Khamuy, who are described as "able spirits of Ra" . Stela of Penbuy From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone British Museum EA 1466 This round-topped stela consists of two registers with representations in shallow relief accompanied by inscribed hieroglyphic texts. In the upper register Ptah, the god associated with craftsmen, is seated on his throne in a shrine on the left. To his right is an altar piled high with food offerings. Behind the shrine are four ears and above them three more ears. In the lower register, the guardian of the tomb, Penbuy, kneels on the right with his arms raised in an attitude of worship. To the left is a large ka-sign. A text, often in columns of varying length, contains a prayer to the Ka of Ptah by Penbuy. This stela is very well preserved, apart from some damage to the lower left edge, and most of the paint is intact. The background is yellow and the border shows traces of blue. The hieroglyphs are painted black and the lines between the columns are red. Ptah's hands and face are green, his cap is blue and his body is white. His beard and the outline of his eye are black, and his collars are yellow with a red border. The shrine is yellow with a red border and blue dots. The ears are black, blue and red. The food offerings are painted in a variety of colours. The human figure and ka-sign are red, and Penbuy's wig and features are black. His collars are blue and green and his skirt is white with red pleats. Height: 38.5 cm Width: 27 cm Stela of Wenenkhu British Museum EA 1248 Limestone Probably from Deir el-Medina The stela shows Wenenkhu and Penpakhenty worshipping the sun god. The sun god is depicted as a a falcon-headed mummiform figure seated in the sun barque. Height: 35.3 cm Width: 23.5 cm Amennakht, son of Ipuy, was the "scribe of the royal tomb" for thirty years from 1168 BC. He was the copyist of legal and administrative texts from Deir el-Medina, including the will of Naunakhte, the widow of Khenherkhepshef. He appears to be the author of five extant poems, including a lyrical poem about the neighbouring city of Thebes. Hieratic ostrakon British Museum EA 41541 From Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty, c. 1160 BC This poem is a rare example of a literary work by a known individual. It was probably circulated among the village literati and used as a copying exercise for Amennakht's apprentices. Red dots mark the ends of lines of verse. "Beginning of the educational instruction, saying for the path of life, made by the scribe Amen-nakhte (for) his assistance Hor-Min. He says: You are a man who listens to words so as to separate good from bad; Pay attention and hear my words, do not disregard what I say!" (Translation from McDowell,1999,139) Height: 20.5 cm Length: 16 cm Acquired in 1905. Amennakhte's votive stela British Museum EA 374 20th dynasty, c. 1160 BC From Deir el-Medina Limestone The stela records Amennakhte's prayer to the local goddess, Meretseger, to remove an affliction "Praises for your spirit, Meretseger, Mistress of the West, by the scribe of the Place of Truth (st-maat), Amennakhte true-of-voice; he says: 'Be praised in peace, O Lady of the West, Mistress who turns herself to grace! You made me see darkness in the day I shall declare Your power to other people. Be gracious to me in your grace!'" (Translation from the museum label) Height: 20.6 cm Width: 14.3 cm Ostrakon bearing an attendance record of workmen British Museum EA 5634 From Deir el-Medina 19th Dynasty, year 40 of Ramesses II, about 1239 BC Limestone Black and red ink This large ostrakon has hieratic writing on both sides. At the top of the first page the date is given as "year 40". As the writing has been identified as Ramesside, this must refer to the fortieth year of the reign of Ramses II, around 1239 BC. From the contents it is clear that the list is a summary of the absences of the workmen from their duties. 280 days of this year are recorded. Only about 70 of these days appear to have been full working days. Leaving aside holidays and other non-working periods, the royal tomb would have been largely completed by year 40 of Ramses' reign, and it is possible that the men were moved to other projects, such as the tombs of the queens in the Valley of the Queens. A list of forty names is arranged in columns of hieratic writing on the right-hand side of each page. On the left are dates written in black in a horizontal line. Reasons for absence are written in red ink above the dates. They are varied and give us a fascinating insight into some aspects of life in ancient Egypt. Illness figures prominently, with a couple of examples of eye disease being mentioned. There is another example of a man being absent after being stung by a scorpion. A labourer acted as a doctor and was often away treating others. Absences due to the death of relatives are recorded, as are references to purification rituals associated with childbirth. A workman was absent to bind (less likely to mummify) his colleague Hormose. Often a day's absence is due to a man 'being with his boss'; other sources show that labourers often worked for their superiors. Occasionally a man is away 'building his house' or at 'his festival', and there are examples of drinking, especially 'drinking with Khonsu'. There is mention of a Khenherkhepshef, who is also referred to in several places as 'the scribe'. Many of the people mentioned here are known from other documents of the period. It is thought that the tomb scribes would have written daily notes on small stone flakes and then compiled more formal accounts for the administrative records, the result of which would have been this large ostrakon (Strudwick,2006,206). Height: 38.5 cm Width: 33 cm The complete translation of the ostrakon can be found here Shabti of Kenherkhepshef British Museum EA 33940 From Deir el-Medina Shabti figures of the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1070 BC) were often carved in stone, with paint used to give the servants a lifelike appearance. This shabti is a particularly fine example. The heavy wig, with gold bands at the ends, rests on an elaborate and colourful collar. The reddish-brown colour of the face indicates that the figure is male. Ancient Egyptian women were usually depicted with paler skin, suggesting that they did not have to work in the harsh sunlight. The white paint on the shabti's arms and lower body indicates that the figure is mummified, identifying it with the god Osiris, who is also depicted with his arms crossed over his chest. While the god holds the crook and flail, symbolising kingship, this shabti holds two hoes, symbolising agricultural labour. Shabti figures were supposed to work for the deceased in the afterlife. A spell was used to activate them. Here, the Shabti spell is skilfully painted in horizontal lines of black hieroglyphs around the figure. The hieroglyphic text begins with Kenherkhepshef's name and title, 'scribe in the place of truth' (the royal necropolis). Height: 29.3 cm Width: 8.7 cm Depth: 5.3 cm Kenherkhepshef lived in the village of Deir el-Medina and was the official scribe of the tomb from at least regnal year 40 of Ramesses II until regnal year 1 of Siptah (c. 1239-1193 BC). It is now generally accepted that he was an adopted son of the scribe Ramose and his wife Mutemwia, who adopted him as an orphan or pupil to succeed Ramose in his job (Davies, 1996, 103). Kenherkhepshef's job was to keep a record of the workers who were employed in the construction of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. His comfortable seat, by the workers' resting huts on the pass between the village and the valley, can still be seen. It is inscribed with his name to prevent anyone else from using it. Surviving documents show that Kenherkhepshef used labourers to do private work for him during official hours. He tried to use his office to get the workers to do the work without paying them. He was also accused of bribery on two occasions. Kenherkhepshef lived in the largest and most central hut in the settlement at the top of the cliffs. Unlike the other huts, it had three rooms. Each room was paved with limestone slabs. It could have been used as Kenherkhepshef's office, where he kept records of the work on the royal tomb and wrote his letters to the officials of the administration. There is still considerable doubt about the location of his tomb. Tomb No. 1126 is located at the southern end of the cemetery at Deir el-Medina. A double-seated statue of Kenherkhepshef and his wife was discovered in the chapel flanking the doorway leading to the inner chamber. Headrest of Kenherkhepshef British Museum EA 63783 From Deir el-Medina 19th Dynasty, circa 1225 BC Limestone This limestone tomb headrest is decorated with figures of Bes. The god's fearsome appearance and the snakes and spear he wields were intended to scare away the demons of the night. Height: 18.8 cm Width: 23 cm Depth: 9.7 cm Behind the headrest in the photo on the left is the front of the papyrus described below. Papyrus with a list of dreams and their interpretations British Museum EA 10683, Papyrus Chester Beatty 3 From Deir el-Medina 19th Dynasty, c. 1275 BC The meaning of dreams is a subject that fascinated the ancient Egyptians. This hieratic papyrus probably dates from the early reign of Ramesses II (1279-1213 BC). On each page of the papyrus a vertical column of hieratic signs begins with a line: 'if a man sees himself in a dream'; each horizontal line describes a dream, followed by the diagnosis 'good' or 'bad' , then followed by the interpretation of the dream. For example, 'if a man sees himself in a dream looking out of a window, good; it means the hearing of his cry' . Or, 'if a man sees himself in a dream with his bed catching fire, bad; it means driving away his wife' . The text first lists good dreams, and then bad ones. The word 'bad' is always written in red, which was considered the colour of ill omen. The papyrus had several owners before it was deposited in the necropolis of Deir el-Medina. It cannot be established who the original owner was, but it passed into the hands of the scribe Kenherkhepshef. On the other side of the papyrus, the scribe copied a poem about the Battle of Kadesh, which took place during the reign of Ramesses II (c. 1285 BC). The Dream Book passed to Khaemamen, the second husband of Kenherkhepshef's wife, and then to his son Amennakht (both added their names to the papyrus). The Dream Book was part of an archive containing a wide variety of literary, magical and documentary material that had been passed down through the family for more than a century. It was discovered sometime in the early 20th century, most likely in the Western Cemetery, but the exact location of the find, or the location of Kenherkhepshef's tomb, has since been lost. Height: 34.50 cm Gift of Mrs. Chester Beatty Hieratic Papyrus British Museum EA 10731 19th dynasty, circa 1200 BC From Deir el-Medina An amulet written in the distinctive cursive hand of Khenherkhepshef. The scroll was folded and worn around the neck. The text is a spell against a demon called Sehaqeq whose eyes are in his head, whose tongue is in his buttocks . Fragments of papyrus British Museum EA 10016.2. Ramesside Period, 1295-1069 BC. Probably from Deir el-Medina. Height: 8.3 cm Width: 52.8 cm Fragments of a painted satirical papyrus show comic representations of a range of animals mirroring behaviour of common people. The usual roles of humans in their everyday life are turned upside down. This particular portion of the papyrus pictured above is not very well preserved and it is not known whether the fragments are mounted in their original order (Houlihan,2001,66). From the right a hippopotamus assisted by another animal is brewing beer in a large pottery vat. Next to them a lady mouse is being tended to by a pair of servants - a mouse and a cat. She sits on a chair holding a big flower. In front of her a table full of offerings is positioned. Behind the mouse servant there is a lion seated on a chair either sieving flour of brewing beer (Houlihan,2001,67). Next to him a cat and another animal are carrying a large basket hanging from a pole they carry on their shoulders. On the left side of the papyrus, a missing animal was holding a crook or a sickle, perhaps performing agricultural activities together with the beast in front of it. Comic erotic scene British Museum EA 50714. Ramesside Period, 1295-1069 BC. Possibly from Deir el-Medina Limestone Black ink This ostrakon is difficult to interpret as it is in a fragmentary state. The figure on the right is male and is having intercourse with the figure on the left, who is probably a woman but could also be a man. The man penetrates her/him from behind, she bends over and turns her head towards him. The inscription in front of them records her speech, but is also incomplete: "Calm is the desire of my skin!" This type of drawing, depicting ancient Egyptian erotic activity, appears only in unofficial sources - on papyri, figural ostraca and graffiti. Rather than trying to interpret them as insights into sexual behaviour and everyday practices, Patrick Houlihan explains that they are clearly satirical in intent (Houlihan,2001,124,130-131). Hieratic ostrakon British Museum EA 5633 20th dynasty, c. 1100 BC From Deir el-Medina Limestone Black ink with some red lines Fragment of a limestone ostrakon with the text on both recto (18 lines) and verso (16 lines) containing a record of goods purchased by a Lady Webkhet. The recto text is written within red lines. Copy of Kemyt by an apprentice scribe Ramesside period, 1295-1069 BC Possibly from Deir el-Medina British Museum EA 5640 The work called Kemyt (The Compendium), an Egyptian word meaning 'that which is completed' or 'that which is completed', is mentioned in the 12th dynasty's The Satire of Trades (c. 1950 BC), so it must be older than that, suggesting that Kemyt was a standard text in the 12th dynasty. The greetings in Kemyt, found at the beginning of a letter it contains, are characteristic of formal letters dated to the 11th dynasty (c. 2000 B.C.), from which its origin can be deduced. The surviving copies are written in vertical columns divided by space lines, in red colour, rather than in horizontal lines written from right to left, which was the norm during the New Kingdom (James, 2003, 147-148). The appearance of the characters used is old-fashioned, characteristic of the early Middle Kingdom period. Why have more ostraca with parts of Kemyt survived than those with parts of other literary texts? There may be several reasons for this: the text of Kemyt is not particularly interesting (it is a model letter), so perhaps its simplicity and lack of difficulty for the young scribe meant that it could have been used by novice scribes. It could have been used as the first reader from which the student learnt to read and write the hieratic script. Thanks to its standard formulae and expressions, the exercise was easy to learn and hard to forget, making it ideal for teaching purposes. The characters on this limestone ostrakon are rather awkwardly written. The opening greeting, known to thousands of ancient schoolboys, reads: Your state is like living a million times! May Montu lord of Thebes act for you, Even as this servant desires! May Ptah South of his Wall sweeten your heart with (life), very (much)! (translation from the museum label) Anthropoid busts 77 examples of anthropoid or ancestral busts have been revealed during excavations at Deir el-Medina, further 11 busts are attributed to the site by their owners or dealers or can be connected to Deir el-Medina on stylistic grounds, and 3 more busts that were in the Luxor and Cairo antiquities markets in 1934-1935 (probably originating from Bernard Bruyère's excavations) that are now lost (Keith,2011,8-9).The busts generally do not bear inscriptions, only 5 bear signs. Typically small, they measure from 10 to 25 cm in height and are made of limestone or sandstone. We can assume that most were originally painted as remains of pigment on some are evident. The gender of the most of the busts is open to question (Janssen,2007,187). The figures are called 'ancestor busts'. They are thought to have been placed in the small shrine areas that seem to have been part of private houses , and to have played a part in the private worship of the family. Five busts were found in houses at Deir el-Medina, where they would have been placed in wall niches in the first and second rooms. The niches are of comparable size, so this seems likely. Rather than representing anyone in particular, the anonymous nature of the busts suggests that they represent all the ancestors that the family might wish to commemorate. Another theory is that they represent the 'able spirit' of those who had been authoritative in life, presumably the older members of the community. When times were hard, people turned to them for help, i.e. to a parent who was still remembered, rather than to an ancestor of long ago. Some of these would have been older women. Similar objects have been found at fourteen other sites from the central delta to the Third Cataract. They were found in or near houses as well as in tombs and temples. Whether the context was domestic or religious we cannot be sure, but it is assumed that the ancestor busts evoked memories of a deceased relative for the worshipper. Anthropoid bust British Museum EA 61083 Supposedly from Thebes, Egypt 19th or 20th Dynasty, 1300-1150 BC Painted limestone Features are carefully modelled, face, wig and wsh collar (a "broad" collar, a kind of necklace) are painted. Height: 24.5 cm Width: 15.5 cm Thickness: 9 cm Anthropoid bust British Museum EA 73988 19th dynasty, 1295-1186 BC Limestone Provenance unknown Stela with inset anthropoid bust British Museum EA 270 19th dynasty, about 1295-1186 BC Probably from Deir el-Medina Limestone This unique and unfortunately badly damaged stela incorporates two miniature ancestral busts above a scene showing the donor worshipping another bust. The busts shown in the upper part of the monument were once covered with a layer of plaster, most of which is now lost. Some colour remains to show that the face of the left bust was painted red, while the face of the right bust was painted yellow. Blue and black can also be seen around the busts. The background was painted yellow (Keith,2011,324). The lower register was left unfinished. Vertical lines and preliminary sketches are visible, but the surface was not fully worked. The figures are not painted, but were probably intended to be. 5 or 6 columns of text are mostly illegible. Nicola Harrington suggests that part of the inscription may read "...the revered one...of the Mistress of the House, Mut... ...justified" and concludes that the purpose of the stela may have been for a woman to address all her ancestors rather than a specific individual (Keith, 2011, 325). The cult of Amenhotep I From the 18th dynasty onwards, the main focus of religious worship in Deir el-Medina was the cult of Amenhotep I, especially in the form of the "Lord of the Village", together with his mother Ahmose-Nefertari. Jaroslav Černý pointed out that there were several forms of this cult in Deir el-Medina, corresponding to the statues, each of which had a particular name and was housed in the various sanctuaries established there (Černý,1927,182). Amenhotep I Djeserkare (1525-1504 BC) was the second pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. He was probably very young when he ascended the throne, so it is likely that his mother, Queen Ahmose-Nefertari (c. 1570-1505 BC), acted as regent for the first part of his reign. They are jointly credited with the founding of Deir el-Medina, where they subsequently enjoyed personal religious cults until the late Ramesside period. In addition to the modest temple that was primarily dedicated to the couple, they were also the secondary honoured guests in the chapels of the other gods. The deified king had many festivals throughout the year, during which his statue was carried in procession by the Wab priests. These activities were acts of devotion to the deified mother and son and were consistently and exclusively performed by the workers of the village (Ventura 1986, p. 63). The feasts were fairly regular events and were usually part of religious festivals associated with the cult. One festival involved the carrying of the statue of Amenhotep I into the Valley of the Kings, another may have been associated with the anniversary of his death. The deified king was invoked to settle disputes, especially those concerning property. In these oracles the image of the god, Amenhotep I, answered positively or negatively to the questions put to him. Since the priests of this particular cult were drawn from the ranks of the workers themselves, the answer would be a kind of consensus among the priests who carried the divine image. The god's oracular pronouncements, however they were made, carried great weight, and his processions were a high point in the life of Deir el-Medina. The textual and representational evidence associated with her cult at Deir el-Medina can be seen in cult statues, votive stelae, libation basins, paintings and inscriptions in tombs and on ostraca. More than fifty of the Theban tombs of private individuals contain inscriptions mentioning the name of Ahmose Nefertari. Below are examples of depictions of the deified couple. They come from Deir el-Medina and are now part of the British Museum collection. Fragments of wall paintings from the tomb of Kynebu: The deified ruler Amenhotep I (left) British Museum EA 37993 20th dynasty, c. 1129-1126 BC Painted plaster Height: 44 cm The deified queen Ahmose Nefertari (right) British Museum EA 37994 20th dynasty, c. 1129-1126 BC Painted plaster Neferabu was a worker from Deir el-Medina who worked in the necropolis sometime during the first half of the 19th dynasty. His activity can definitely be dated to the years 36 and 40 of Ramses II. Neferabu's title was "The Servant of the Place of Truth". The stela below may have come from his tomb TT5 or perhaps from one of the shrines at Deir el-Medina. The relief shows the deceased's sons and relatives, as well as the scribe Pabaki, the draftsman Pashedu and the scribe Ipu, carrying various funerary objects to be placed in his tomb. These include various boxes and stools. The tomb of Neferabu (TT5) provides an excellent platform from which we can attempt to construct his family tree. Neferabu was apparently the son of "The Servant of the Place of Truth" Nefferonpet and Mahi. Despite the fact that Amenmose is called "father" of Neferabu in TT5, it can be shown that he was actually the father of Neferabu's wife Ta-Isis (or Isis). There are a number of other stelae and objects from this tomb in the British Museum. The stela below is in good but incomplete condition. In the literature it is always quoted together with stela 150 (as BM 150+1754). Published by Kitchen in Rammesside Inscriptions, vol. 3, p. 774, part of 154. Also published in The BM hieroglyphic texts from Egyptian stelae etc., edited by T. G. H. James, Part 9: Plate XXX. Registration Number: 1931,0613.11 Fragment of a stela of Neferabu 19th dynasty Limestone From Deir el-Medina British Museum EA 1754 Acquired in Luxor Height: 17.5 centimetres Length: 52 centimetres Location: Gallery 63/11 Tjaroy , the great-grandson of Amennakhte, was "Scribe of the Royal Tomb" from 1091 BC. During his lifetime the villagers moved to the temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu. Tjaroy is known from his letters and had a reputation for jokes. He undertook many state missions, including one to the south to accompany army supplies. Many letters mention his concern for his family, including his son Butehamun, whose house survives. Letter from Tjaroy British Museum EA 10326 20th dynasty, 1071 BC From Thebes Tjaroy writes to his son Butehamun from Nubia - "the wilds where I am abandoned in this far-off land" - about various family matters. He assures him that he is getting on well "with my boss and he does not neglect me". He also answers his son's question about some documents that had been lost in a storm. Letter from Tjaroy's son British Museum EA 10284 20th dynasty, 1071 BC From Thebes In this letter Tjaroy's son Butehamun expresses his concern for his father to the Priest of Hathor and Troop-Commander Shedsuhor, who was with him on an expedition to Nubia. "Indeed you are good, and my father belongs to you. Be a pilot for the Scribe of the (Royal) Tomb Tjaroy! You know he is a man who has no courage(?) of his own at all, since he has never before made such journeys as now. Help him in the boat. Look after (him) with vigilance at evening as well, while he is in your hands, since you are journeying [...]. Now a man is wretched(?) when he has become troubled, when he has never before seen the face of fear (i.e. of a crocodile). Now your people are alive; no harm has come to them. I am writing to let you know." (Translation from http://www.britishmuseum.org/research accessed on 23.9.2012) The remains of Butehamun's house inside the temple enclosure of Medinet Habu Sarcophabus of Ankhnesneferibre British Museum EA 32 26th dynasty, about 530 BC From Thebes. Found by the French expedition in 1832 in the rock tomb above Deir el-Medina. Ankhnesneferibre was the last "God's Wife of Amun" or "divine adoratrice of Amun" before the Persian conquest in 525 B.C. She was a daughter of Psamtek II (595-589 B.C). Although the sarcophagus was found in the so-called "tombs of the Saite princesses" at Deir el-Medina, Ankhnesneferibre and several other women with the same title had tomb chapels at Medinet Habu, in front of the temple of Ramesses III. The sarcophagus was reused in Roman times by Amenhotep Pamontu, a late Ptolemaic or early Roman priest whose brother Montuzaf was buried elsewhere in the necropolis. Amenhotep Pamontu added the inscription around the upper edge of the sarcophagus base. He also added his own name to the cartouches of the princess and changed the pronouns in the text. The lid shows the princess clutching the royal staff and flail, symbolising her powerful position in Thebes. The office of divine adoratrice became a centre of power and influence in the late period. The inscriptions represent a variety of religious texts. They include portions of the Pyramid Texts, the Book of the Dead, several mythological texts, funerary recitations, magical texts, a hymn to the sun, hourly rituals for keeping watch over the deceased, and sacrificial formulae. The combination is unique. Length : 259 cm The text on this page was written by Lenka Peacock using the sources listed below. Photography by Lenka Peacock. All photographs © The Trustees of the British Museum. Sources: 1. Strudwick, Nigel: The British Museum masterpieces of ancient Egypt. London : The British Museum Press, 2006. 2. Taylor, John H.: Death and afterlife in ancient Egypt London : British Museum Press, 2001. 3. Pharaoh's workers : the villagers of Deir el-Medina / edited by Leonard H. Lesko Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1994. 4. Shaw, Ian, Nicholson, Paul: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt London: British Museum Press, 1995. 5. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 6. Janssen, Rosalind: Growing old disgracefully at Deir el-Medina In Ancient Egypt, December 2004/January 2005, pp. 39-44. 7. Janssen, Rosalind: The old women of Deir el-Medina: Paper delivered at the Institute, 8 December 2006. In Buried history: The journal of the Australian Institute of Archaeology, 2006, Vol. 42, p. 3-10. 8. Janssen, Rosalind and Janssen, Jac. J.: Growing up and getting old in ancient Egypt London : Golden House Publications, 2007. 9. James, T.G.H.: Pharaoh's people : scenes from life in Imperial Egypt New York : Tauris Parke, 2003. 10. Bierbrier, Morris : The tomb-builders of the pharaohs Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 1982. 11. Davies, Benedict G.: Who's who at Deir el-Medina : a prosopographic study of the royal workmen's community Leiden : Nederlands Instituut voor Her Nabije Oosten, 1999 12. Davis, Benedict G.: Genealogies and personality characteristics of the workmen in the Deir el-Medina community during the Ramesside period. Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Liverpool : University of Liverpool, February 1996. 13. Strudwick, Nigel and Helen: Thebes in Egypt : a guide to the tombs and temples of ancient Luxor London : British Museum Press, 1999. 14. Weeks, Kent R.: The treasures of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings Cercelli : White Star Publishers, 2005 15. Houlihan, Patrick F.: Wit & humour in ancient Egypt London : The Rubicon Press, 2001. 16. Keith, Jean Lewis: Anthropoid Busts of Deir el Medineh and Other Sites and Collections : Analyses, Catalogue, Appendices / with contributions by Sylvie Donnat, Anna K. Stevens, Nicola Harrington Le Caire : Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale, 2011 17. Museum's website at www.thebritishmusuem.ac.uk 18. The British Museum's gallery labels 19. The British Museum's web site http://www.britishmuseum.org The depositories, store rooms and papyrus rooms of the British Museum On 19 November 2005, the class of Birkbeck College's 'Real Life in Deir el-Medineh' course visited the British Museum with Rosalind and Jac Janssen. Eleven objects from Deir el-Medina awaited us in the Ancient Egyptian Department. Study area/library of the department. All photographs on this page are © by Steve Bayley, a colleague on the course, and were taken by kind permission of the Trustees. by kind permission of the Trustees of the British Museum. The accompanying text was written by Lenka Peacock. Stela of Paneb EA272 19th dynasty, circa 1195 BC Limestone Rectangular shape Height: 19.3 cm Width: 17 cm In the upper register : Paneb, a foreman of the tomb workers, is depicted kneeling and worshipping the goddess Meretseger in the form of a snake. The coiled cobra is undoubtedly Meretseger, the goddess of the Theban necropolis. The lower register : there are three kneeling male figures, the descendants of Paneb. On the right is Aapakhte, Paneb's son, together with his two sons, Paneb and Nebmehyt. Aapakhte was accused of crimes as an accomplice of his father. Stela of Paneb EA273 19th dynasty, circa 1195 BC Limestone Round-topped Height: 20 cm Width: 13 cm Upper part: kneeling Paneb worshipping Meretseger in the form of a cobra-headed goddess in shallow relief. Meretseger is seated on a throne. Lower part: Paneb's sons Aapakhte and Hadnakht are shown kneeling and worshipping. Both registers are accompanied by simple incised text. The upper and lower corners of the left side of the stela are chipped, but otherwise the stela is well preserved. There are no traces of paint. Stela of Aapakhte EA35630 19th dynasty, circa 1200 BC Limestone Round-topped Height: 21.2 cm Width: 14 cm Depth: 2.5 cm Aapakhte was the son of Paneb and a royal craftsman and deputy of the crew at the Place of Truth. He is shown worshipping the god Seth. Both figures are carved in sunken relief and are accompanied by incised text. The writing of the text is irregular, as can be seen in the word ỉdnw and the reversal of the pḥty -sign in the name of the owner. The name of the craftsman is a play on the phrase aa-pehty , meaning 'great of strength', one of the epithets of Seth. During the Ramesside period, Seth became a patron of Egypt along with Amun, Ra and Ptah. Jac Janssen suggested that the stela probably came from the rock shrine of Ptah and Meretseger, judging from the limestone and the sawed-off lower edge. Stela of Khamaul EA344 19th dynasty Limestone Round-topped The stela depicts the deceased Khamaul seated. His left hand is extended towards an offering table piled with food. In his right hand he holds an object, possibly an ankh -sign. Khamaul is identified here as 3h ikr n R' , the term by which these stelae are known today. It can be translated as "the able spirit of Re" or "the one who is continually effective to/for/on behalf of Re". Khamaul represents the deified private ancestor to whom the living could make petitions. Most of the stelae were originally painted. We could see some remains of red pigment on the stela. Height: 19 cm Width: 13 cm Stela of Pabaki EA797 19th dynasty Limestone Round-topped Height: 38 cm (case) Width: 29 cm (case) This large 3h ikr nR' stela of Pabaki shows the deceased seated in front of an offering table. He is holding a lotus in his left hand. The lunette at the top depicts a deity seated in a sacred barque. Stela of Nefersenut EA316 19th dynasty Limestone Round-topped Nefersenut was the biological father of Paneb. He is depicted in the top register kneeling with a brazier containing an offering before the goddess Hathor, who sits on the throne. The lower register shows three kneeling figures. On the left there is Nefersenut's eldest son Paneb, who was to rise to the post of foreman of the workmen, next to him his son Aapakhte, and on the right there is the son of Paneb's daughter, Paneb's grandson. Four generations of Paneb's family are depicted here. A letter from Kenna to the god Amenhotep Hieratic ostrakon O.BM5625 Clearly dated ostrakon, well-written in horizontal lines Contains a letter, where Kenna complains that Merysakhme wanted to share the chapel that Kenna has rebuilt. Year 4 (of Ramesses IV), IV 3ht (inundation) 30. This day, the workman Kenna, the son of Siwadjit, reported to King Amenhotep, the Lord of the Village, saying: “Come to me, my good Lord. It was I who rebuilt the chapel of the workman Pakharu when it was collapsed. And look, the workman Merysakhme, the son of Menna, does not let me sit in it, saying: ‘It is the god who told me to share it with you’. So he said, although he had not built it together with me”. [At the bottom of the recto and at the top of the verso (actually the same side of the sherd] something is lost] verso “…… give the chapel back to Kenna, its owner. It is his, by order of Pharaoh, and nobody shall share it with him”. So said the god, in the presence of: [the 2 foremen, the scribe, the bearers of the god, and the entire gang], at the entrance of the tomb of Kaha. [Merysakhme had to swear that he accepted the verdict] A receipt for an ox Hieratic ostrakon O. BM 5649 Limestone Recto: Listo of goods delivered in return for an ox, showing value in deben with clearly marked numbers. An ox represented a substantial investment. Verso: Summary of various values "w makes y deben". Jac Janssen pointed out that texts without dates can sometimes be assigned approximate dates by studying the style of the writing and the language uses. The names of any known workmen mentioned in text can be used as clues. Given in exchange for the ox, which Amenmose brought: 5 smooth ghalabiyehs, makes 25 deben copper 1 smooth sheet, makes 10 deben 1 bed with matting, makes 25 deben 1 bed, makes 12 deben 1 hin (=½ litre) honey, makes 4 deben 15 hin oil, makes 10 deben 5 deben of scrap copper 1 wooden coffin, makes 20 deben 1½ khar of grain, makes 8 deben Given to him by Amenkha‘u: 5 deben Given to him: 1 pair of sandals Given to his daughter: 1 mat and 10 loaves (this is for the 5 deben) Given to him: 1 pot of beans Vs. Total 119 deben of copper (correct!) Translation from Janssen, Jac: Commodity prices from the Ramessid period : an economic study of the village of necropolis workmen at Thebes Ostrakon of Khnummose EA8510 Painted limestone Black and red ink Height: 16.5 cm Width: 20.2 cm Figured ostrakon showing the workman Khnummose worshipping the serpent form of the goddess Meretseger. Jac Janssen suggested that this ostrakon had been used as a stela and that the work was not finished. verso The verso shows several different inventory references, indicating the object has been in several different collections. Papyrus Salt 124 (verso) EA 10055 Late 19th dynasty, c. 1200 BC From Deir el-Medina The papyrus contains the petition of the workman Amennakhte denouncing the crimes of the foreman Paneb. Amennakhte felt that he himself should have been chief workman and that Paneb had taken the job from under him by bribing the vizier. His aim was to have Paneb dismissed on the grounds that he was unworthy and incompetent. The charges he lists here vary from criminal offences to evidence of bad character. The list of charges starts with claiming that he bribed the vizier with 5 servants to gain his appointment. a) He was charged with stealing ‘the cover of a chariot’ from the tomb of Seti II. b) Charges relating to goings-on with married women or women who were living with other men. Hel was one of the women mentioned. Herysunnebef, husband of Hel, was the other adopted son of Neferhotep, and he later divorced Hel, as we know from another source . c) Stealing stones from the tomb of Seti II for use in his own tomb and using the workmen to work in it (but maybe this wasn’t so bad as other people also used the workmen). d) The row with Neferhotep, which resulted in Paneb being punished by the vizier. Paneb appealed to pharaoh himself and had the vizier sacked. Paneb evidently was in favour with the right people! e) He stole the bed from the tomb of a colleague on which the dead workman was lying. f) He stole a large spike and hid it behind a big stone when a search was made for it. Other charges include sitting on the king’s sarcophagus when the king was in it, drinking and urinating. He also stole a model of a gilded goose from the tomb of Henutmire who was a wife of Ramesses II and daughter of Seti I. The goose was found in his house, and it may have been with this crime that Paneb went too far. How far are all these charges reliable? Some of them are not uncommon, but Paneb may have overdone things with the number and variety of his misdeeds. The alleged bribery of the vizier may in fact have been a gift, which Paneb gave in thanks after the event. Hieratic papyrus EA10416 (verso) Ramesside Period Former Salt collection Height: 23.5 cm Width: 22 cm 11 lines on the recto and 13 lines on the verso Jac Janssen suggested the grey colour of the sheet indicated a palimpsest ( a manuscript page from a scroll or book from which the text has been scraped or washed off and which was used again). In the commentary to his translation, Janssen summarises the text: A married man, very probably Nesamenope, had an adulterous relationship for 8 full months with an unnamed woman, incensing the friends and relations of his legal wife. They blamed the woman and threatened to beat her up as well as her people, but were restrained by a steward. In a message the steward sent to the woman he expresses his doubts as to the reasons for her behaviour and urges the man to go to court with his own wife, evidently in order to get a "legal" divorce - whatever that meant in those days - then he might live on with his lover if he chose. If, however, he neglects this advice, the steward washes his hands of him and will not again try to restrain the people when they seek out the woman (Janssen,1991,32). The text of this chapter on the page was composed by Lenka Peacock. Photography © The Trustees of the British Museum. The photographs were taken by Steve Bayley 2005. Sources: 1. Shaw, Ian, Nicholson, Paul: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt London: British Museum Press, 1995. 2. Janssen, Rosalind and Janssen, Jac. J.: Growing up and getting old in ancient Egypt London : Golden House Publications, 2007. 3. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 4. Pharaoh's workers : the villagers of Deir el-Medina / edited by Leonard H. Lesko Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1994. 5. Les artistes de Pharaon : Deir el-Médineh et la Vallée des Rois : Paris, musée du Louvre, 15 avril - 5 aout 2002 Paris : Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 2002. 6. Bierbrier, Morris : The tomb-builders of the pharaohs Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 1982. 7. Janssen, Jac. J.: Late Ramesside letters and communications London : British Museum Press, 1991. (Hieratic papyri in the British Museum VI, 1991). Visit to the Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum On the 3rd of March 2010 I joined the class of the Birkbeck College course "Real life at Deir el-Medineh" (taught by Rosalind Janssen). We visited the library of the Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum with Rosalind and Jac Janssen. Rosalind's module is all about the details of daily life in a New Kingdom settlement. It aims to increase our understanding of the social life of ancient Egyptians as revealed by archaeology and texts, and to foster an awareness that real life was similar to - and yet different from - our own. Marriage, adultery and divorce, the roles of the village doctor, the wise woman and the scorpion charmer, the punishment of crime, the worship of the ancestors, making a living, going to parties, doing the laundry - these are the topics of the lessons. On Wednesday, ten objects from Deir el-Medina awaited us in the study area/library of the Ancient Egyptian Department. All photographs on this page have been taken by Lenka Peacock by kind permission of the Trustees of the British Museum. Ancestor bust of Muteminet EA 1198 Possibly from tomb 373 at Thebes 19th dynasty Limestone Height: 51 cm Width: 26 cm Thickness: 29 cm Date of acquisition: 1897 This finely carved bust is inscribed with three columns of hieroglyphic text. The main text bears a dedication to the sistrum player of Amun, Mut and Khonsu, called Muteminet (Mwt-m-int). The back of the bust is roughly finished. The bust is badly damaged at the base and at the back with much loss of the stone surface. There are some gouges on the body and face. Traces of black ink remain in the hieroglyph in the central column of the text. A parallel bust of Pendjerti, husband of Muteminet, was found in the tomb of her son Amenmose, no. 373 at Thebes. There is little doubt that this bust was one of a pair from this tomb. The royal scribe Amenmose is attested on several monuments and flourished in the reign of Ramesses II (L. Habachi in 'Studies in Honor of George R. Hughes' (Chicago, 1976), 83-103. Ostrakon EA5644 From Deir el-Medina Ramesside (late 19th dynasty) Pottery Height: 12.5 cm Width: 15 cm Thickness: 4.5 cm on one side (convex) only, seven lines of an incomplete text concerning payment made by Amenemope to the carpenter Meryre for a bed. Text: J. Černy and A.H. Gardiner, ‘Hieratic Ostraca’ (Oxford 1957), pl. 5644.3 Stela of Nefersenut EA316 From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Round-topped Nefersenut was the biological father of Paneb. Top register: the goddess Hathor is seated on a throne holding a sceptre in her left hand. She wears a crown of uraei consisting of 24 cobras. Nefersenut is depicted in the upper register kneeling before the seated Hathor with a brazier containing an offering. The lower register shows three kneeling figures. On the left is Nefersenut's eldest son Paneb, who was to rise to the position of foreman of the workmen, beside him his son Aapakhte, and on the right the son of Paneb's daughter, Paneb's grandson. Four generations of Paneb's family are represented here. After discussing all the objects that had been prepared for us in the library, we went to see some of the objects on display in the public galleries of the British Museum. First we went to the Nebamun Gallery to see the objects used by the craftsmen of Deir el-Medina: Top: Rectangular smoother with integrated handle EA 5986 Carved from one piece of wood. Such tools were used for smoothing plaster, for example in painted funerary chapels or on the surface of mud-brick house walls. Height: 5.8 cm Width: 4.3 cm Length: 17.2 cm Centre: EA 6045 Bronze chisel with a wooden handle and copper alloy blade. The blade is tapered at the cutting edge. Length: 25.4 cm Bottom: EA 15740 Bronze chisel, square at one end and tapering to a point. Length: 12.7 cm Palm Fibre Brushes EA 5555.1-3 Brushes are twisted and cut at both ends. Length: 13 cm ; Diameter: 1.9 cm Originally bought by Henry Salt Paint Brush EA 36893 Brush made of sticks tied together and frayed at one end; stained with red paint. Length: 28.2 cm Paint Brush EA 36889 Paint brush made of fine palm fibres tied together with twisted fibres. The fibres have been cut at one end to form a brush tip. Traces of red pigment remain on the end of the brush. Length: 24.7 cm Diameter: 2.8 cm EA 36892 Fibre brush held together with bitumen at one end and tied with cord. Length: 21.5 cm Scribal Palette EA 36825 Wood Rectangular 18th dynasty Length: 29.8 cm The upper surface is carved with a row of 9 oval inkwells to the right of the palette. There are two longer and narrower ink wells in the left corner. These wells show traces of the red, yellow and black pigments used by the owner. A column of inscription set in a recess begins with the title 'outline draughtsman (sesh-qed)' , but the name of the individual has been erased (except for the masculine determinative). Below the pen slit, a horizontal inscription reads 'the outline draughtsman, Min-nakht, true of voice'. Beneath this, three characters are roughly drawn in thick ink strokes: a falcon's head with a sun disk and uraeus, and two examples of a disk and a crescent. In the upper left corner there is an incised inscription on the thickness of the palette, wrapped around the corner: 'Amun-Ra' and 'Ptah lord of Maat'. Pigment Samples EA 5563, EA 5568-9 Small pieces of Egyptian pigment. Egyptian blue was the main pigment used to produce the blue colour in Egyptian paintings and sculptures. Ostrakon of a goose on her nest EA 56706 Limestone Ink drawing on one side 19th or 20th dynasty The drawing depicts a goose on its nest, with four eggs shown below the bird. There are two very faint drawings of goslings in red in the upper left corner. Possibly painted in black over a red design. Width: 8.2 cm Height: 6.5 cm Sources: 1. Shaw, Ian, Nicholson, Paul: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt London: British Museum Press, 1995. 2. Janssen, Rosalind and Janssen, Jac. J.: Growing up and getting old in ancient Egypt London : Golden House Publications, 2007. 3. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 4. Pharaoh's workers : the villagers of Deir el-Medina / edited by Leonard H. Lesko Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1994. 5. Les artistes de Pharaon : Deir el-Médineh et la Vallée des Rois : Paris, musée du Louvre, 15 avril - 5 aout 2002 Paris : Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 2002. 6. Bierbrier, Morris : The tomb-builders of the pharaohs Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 1982. 7. The British Museum hieroglyphic texts from Egyptian stelae etc. Pt. 12 / edited by M. L. Bierbrier. London : British Museum Press, 1993. 8. www.britishmuseum.org/research Further bibliography Back to top Anchor 1 Anchor 2 Anchor 3

Sennedjem's tomb no 1 at Deir el-Medina lies within the Western cemetery. It was discovered intact in 1886. The opening and clearing of this intact burial place was overseen by Gaston Maspero, the head of the Antiquities Service at the time. Sennedjem's tomb no 1 at Deir el-Medina The tomb lies within the Western cemetery. It was discovered intact in 1886. The opening and clearing of this intact burial place was supervised by Gaston Maspero, the head of the Antiquities Service at the time. Twenty mummies, nine in coffins and eleven wrapped only in linen, were found in the vaulted burial chamber, which measures 5.12 m by 2.61 m and 2.40 m high. The owner of the tomb was Sennedjem, a "servant of the place of truth" who lived in the village at the beginning of the 19th dynasty and then shared this "house of eternity" with his wife Iyinofreti, their son Khons and daughter-in-law Tamakhet, and the lady Isis, wife of their second son Khabekhnet, together with their grandchildren. Both Sennedjem and his wife lived to a ripe old age. Iyinofreti's mummy, now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, is that of a woman aged around 75. Sennedjem's house is in the south-west corner of the settlement. It is next to the house of his son Khabekhnet. Shabti of Sennedjem Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge E.9.1887. Limestone with pigment Height 21.5 cm. From Deir el-Medina, Tomb 1 of Sennedjem New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, reign of Seti I, 1294-1279 BC The shabti holds a broad-bladed hoe against his right shoulder and a pointed hoe against his left shoulder. A basket for seeds is depicted on his back, suspended from a rope over his right shoulder. The text calls upon the shabti as a servant, literally "hearer of the call", to act on behalf of Sennedjem when needed in any of the work being done at the necropolis. Shabti of Sennedjem Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna , Egyptian - Oriental Collection, Inv AE_INV_6614 New Kingdom 19th dynasty, around 1300 BC From Deir el-Medina, Tomb 1 of Sennedjem Limestone, painted Height: 28.3 cm Width: 9.95 cm Depth: 8.8 cm For the translation of the hieroglyphic inscription click here . Photo by Lenka Peacock,2004 © The Fitzwilliam Museum Photo by Lenka Peacock,2010 © Kunsthistorisches Museum For detailed description of the tomb, follow the link to osirisnet.net: https://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/artisans/sennedjem1/e_sennedjem1_01.htm To view and browse the digitised version of The Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs and Paintings, (also known as Porter & Moss or TopBib) for this tomb, go to http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/topbib/pdf/pm1-1.pdf#page=19 Material for the Bibliography is gathered from an ever-expanding range of multi-lingual sources, encompassing both specialist and semi-popular Egyptological and Near Eastern publications, periodicals, museum guides, exhibition and auction catalogues, together with the growing wealth of web resources. The Bibliography also analyses a range of unpublished manuscripts, including those housed in the Griffith Institute Archive. Published in May 2014 by the Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, the volumes are constantly revised and augmented. 22 September 2019, Nevine El-Aref for ahram-online "The anthropoid coffin of Sennedjem, who was the overseer of workers at Deir Al-Medina necropolis in Luxor, arrived to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) where it was unpacked. Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany witnessed the unpacking process. The mummy of Sennedjem was removed from the coffin after the unpacking to enter the fumigation tent. El-Enany described the fumigation process like medical surgery, to restore and preserve the mummy under the direction of skilled restorers. Ahmed El-Sherbini, supervisor general of the NMEC, said that the coffins of Sennedjem and one of his wives are in a very good state of conservation and were previously exhibited at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, amongst the funerary collection of Sennedjem found inside his tomb discovered in 1886 by French Egyptologist Maspero. Both coffins are painted anthropoid coffins with mummies of the deceased inside" http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/351273.aspx Sources: 1. Farid, Hany and Farid, Samir: Unfolding Sennedjem's tomb In: KMT: A modern Journal of Ancient Egypt, Spring 2001. Pp. 1-8. 2, Hobson, Christine: Exploring the world of the pharaohs London : Thames and Hudson, 1990. 3. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/351273.aspx Further bibliography Back to top

The Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum belongs among the most important collections of Egyptian antiquities in the world. The collection houses more than 12,000 objects. Deir el-Medina is represented in a wide variety of items. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria Construction of the Kunsthistorisches Museum by Gottfried Semper and Carl von Hasenauer, commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph I, began in 1871 and was completed in 1891. The museum was to become one of the most important monumental museum buildings of the 19th century in Europe. It was designed to bring together and house the art and treasures collected by the Habsburg family over several centuries. http://www.khm.at/en/visit/collections/ egyptian-and-near-eastern-col lection/ The exhibition area is divided into four major themes: funerary cult, cultural history, sculpture and relief, and the development of writing. The halls display stone columns from the 18th dynasty, large statues and many unique and impressive objects. Highlights of the museum's exhibition include the Kaninisut Offering Chapel from the Old Kingdom, numerous sarcophagi and coffins, burial objects such as shabtis, sarcophagi and coffins, votive stelae, examples of the Book of the Dead, divine figures, pottery, objects of daily life such as clothing and cosmetics, and masterpieces of sculpture such as the Reserve Head from Giza. I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Dr Helmut Satzinger, Professor of Egyptology, University of Vienna, former Keeper of the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, who so kindly gave his time and effort during my visit to the museum. All photographs were taken by Lenka Peacock in 2010 and are © Kunsthistorisches Museum. I would also like to thank Jan Kunst from Holland for his constructive comments, corrections and additions to the following text, and to Ingeborg Waanders, also from Holland, for her expertise, support and encouragement. Stele to Meretseger From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 19th-20th dynasty Limestone, painted Height: 20.7 cm Width: 14.2 cm Thickness: 3.3 cm Meretseger was the goddess associated with the pyramidal top of al-Qurn. She presided over the entire Theban necropolis. Her name means "she who loves silence". Meretseger was mainly worshipped by the craftsmen of the royal necropolis. The upper register: remains of a male figure standing on the right making an offering in front of a table. Meretseger, depicted as a goddess with a female body and a cobra's head, is seated on her throne on the left side of the table, holding an ankh in her right hand and a sceptre in her left. The inscription reads: "Merest[sic]eger, Mistress of the West. Made by the apprentice Sha[...?]" The lower register: The ten snakes represent the cobra goddess Meretseger. Only seven snakes are visible because the stela is in a fragmentary state - the lower left part is broken off. Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_122 Provenance: 1824 [1821] gift of Carlo Antonio Fontana Stele of Khonsu New Kingdom 20th dynasty, reign of Ramesses III., 1198-1166 BC From Deir el-Medina (probably) Limestone, light, fine Height: 14.2 cm Width: 9.4 cm Thickness: 3 cm This round topped stele is divided into two registers. The upper part is in raised relief and depicts a ram in the form of a criosphinx facing to the left. His head is adorned with a composite crown. In front of the ram there is a lotus-shaped table with loaves of bread. The ram almost certainly represents the god Amun-Re. The lower register is executed in sunk relief and depicts three striding men. The arms of the first man on the right are raised in worship, while the other two men hold palettes and a lotus flower in their left hands. The lower left corner of the stele is missing. Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_8212 Provenance: 1821 purchase by E. A. Burghart in Egypt Stele of Pamerihu New Kingdom 19th dynasty, about 1304-1201 BC From Deir el-Medina (probably) Limestone Height: 18.95 cm Width: 12.4 cm Thickness: 4.6 cm The round-topped stele is a votive relief by the sculptor Pamerihu, who probably lived in Deir el-Medina and worked for the royal wife Ahmose-Nefertari (c. 1570-1505 BC). She was the wife of the founder of the 18th Dynasty, Ahmose I (1570-1546 BC) and the mother of King Amenhotep I (1525-1504 BC), the first king to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. Ahmose Nefertari and Amenhotep I are often depicted together on monuments in Deir el-Medina. Both were worshipped in the settlement. Ahmose Nefertari is seated on a throne facing right in front of a table with a libation pot. She is dressed in a flowing, pleated gown, more typical of representations of elite women of the Ramesside period (c. 1295-1069 BC) than of the period in which the queen lived. On her head she wears the vulture headdress of the goddess Mut, consort of the god Amun of Thebes, surmounted by a solar disc and ostrich feathers. The cobra on her crown and the flail in her hand indicate her royal status. The lotus flower was often held by deceased women as a symbol of rebirth. There is a cartouche of Ahmose Nefertari within the hieroglyphic inscription consisting of 2 vertical columns in the right upper part of the stela. Another inscription is written in black ink at the bottom of the stele. It consists of 2 horizontal lines of hieroglyphs and contains an offering formula. The inscription is partially faded. Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_158 Provenance: 1821 gift of C. A. Fontana Figured ostrakon of the goddess Meretseger New Kingdom 19th-20th dynasty, about 1315-1081 BC From Deir el-Medina (probably) Painted limestone Height: 11.3 cm Length: 16.6 cm Thickness: 2.9 cm This piece of limestone depicts the goddess Meretseger in the form of a coiled snake in front of an offering table, flanked on either side by a jug with an entwined lotus on a stand. Her headdress consists of two high feathers and a sun disc. Three tall papyrus stems lean over the back of the snake. Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_8304 Provenance: 1948 Purchase Shabti of Sennedjem New Kingdom 19th dynasty, around 1300 BC From Deir el-Medina, Tomb 1 of Sennedjem Limestone, painted Height: 28.3 cm Width: 9.95 cm Depth: 8.8 cm Sennedjem lived in Deir el-Medina during the reigns of Seti I (1291-1278) and Ramesses II (1279-1213 BC). He was buried with his wife, Iyinofreti, and their family in a tomb in the western necropolis of the village, which was found intact and contained mummies of three generations of Sennedjem's family along with burial objects and the furniture from his home that had been used during his lifetime. One of Sennedjem's titles was "Servant in the Place of Truth". Shabtis functioned as representatives of the dead, their masters, and were expected to take their owner's place in performing manual labour in the afterlife. This finely painted limestone shabti from Sennedjem depicts a mummiform figure holding agricultural tools. The inscription is skilfully painted in eight horizontal lines of black pigment on a white background around the mummiform body and legs. The hieroglyphs include the name of the owner and parts of Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead (Shabti spell) in Middle Egyptian. Translation: "Illuminated is the Osiris, the one who hears the voice in the Place of Truth, Sennedjem true of voice. He says: Oh Shabti, when one commands and apportions the Osiris, the one who hears the voice in the Place of Truth, Sennedjem true of voice, for any work which is to be done in the realm of the dead, then distinguish yourself as a man of duty there, in tilling the fields, watering the banks, and moving sand from east to west. When one commands and apportions you to do this, every day, then you shall say every time: I am here, behold me, every time. The Osiris, the one who hears the voice in the Place of Truth, Sennedjem true of voice" (Hieroglyphic inscription, transliteration and translation from CD Egyptian Treasures in Europe - 1000 Highlights Multilingual Version v 1.0. 1999 ed.) Although the shabti serves as a representation of the person, the features of the figure are standardised, so we cannot consider this to be a portrait of Sennedjem. Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_6614 Provenance: 1901 Purchase Another shabti of Sennedjem is in the collection of Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge see photo and description here Papyrus Ambras New Kingdom 20th dynasty, Year 6 of whm-msw.t Ramesses IX Location: in substance from Thebes Height: 20.9 cm Length: 41.2 cm List of documents written in hieratic script Rectangular papyrus sheet in horizontal format with two columns in horizontal lines: the right column consists of nine lines, the left column of twelve lines. Towards the end of the 20th dynasty, dwindling state resources led to shortages in the distribution of rations, perhaps not only to the community of workmen at Deir el-Medina. The resulting poverty of the Theban population, combined with diminishing fear of the authorities, had a predictable result: by 1064 BC all the major royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings had been looted. The workmen of Deir el-Medina were among the convicted tomb robbers. There are 4 key texts from which we derive information about the tomb robberies: Papyrus Abbott (=Papyrus BM 10221), Papyrus Leopold II and Amherst, Papyrus BM 10053 and Papyrus BM 10052. The second column of the Papyrus Ambras lists several documents - statements and acts of investigation - relating to tomb robbery and the involvement of the workmen in it. Among them are a receipt for the gold, silver, and copper identified as stolen by the workers of the necropolis, a statement regarding the copper object sold by the robbers from the Valley of the Queens, an interrogation act of the coppersmith Wares who broke into the tomb of a nobleman, and also an interrogation act of the tomb robbers Pay and Qaha Sethemhab. Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_3876 (Papyrus Nr. 30) Provenance: over 1875 Ambras Acquisition: the name of the papyrus comes from the name of the Habsburg Ambras collection, which contained other art and ethnographical objects. The collection derived its name from the place where it was kept until 1806 - in the castle Ambras in Innsbruck. Wooden writing board New Kingdom 19th dynasty, about 13th century BC Probably from Deir el-Medina Wood coated with fine stucco, polished Height: 14.8 cm Length: 18.5 cm Thickness: 0.75 cm Wooden tablets like this one were used for writing and drawing exercises. They are called palimpsests. Successive texts were written on them, each one erased to make way for the next. This rectangular wooden tablet is covered on both sides with a layer of white stucco. There is a small hole near the edge for hanging the tablet when not in use. There are two different texts on both sides. The partially damaged texts are written in black ink in hieratic, a cursive script based on hieroglyphs for everyday use (for quickly writing letters and accounts). On one side (called verso here) there are ten horizontal lines, with lines 2-4 and 7-9 arranged in columns. Some text is missing, particularly line 5, because there is a crack in the gesso, which is visible on both sides. On this side of the panel are images of two baboons, the animal of Thoth, the god of writing. They may have been intended as a caricature of the teacher. Below the baboons there are traces of a drawing of a horse's head. The other side (here called the recto) has seven horizontal lines of text. Translation: Verso (1) The chief gardener Menkheper has been appointed to collect the tpy-fish (?) which are outside from the poor people that are with the watchman Amenemhat: (4) Bauef-re (5) ... (6) Mut (?) (7) Sepes-tut 2nd column: Regarding that which was found in the house: the representative Ahmose says to the represented (and) the speaker of the king Semnakht...... 3rd column: what the Court meeting said: Menkheper is right. The guardian Ahmose is wrong. Recto (1) What the official Amenhotep said: (2) the royal scribe Minmose said to the scribe Pai the following: "you were brought this message saying I have been informed by you what you have sent about this, namely: (I) have taken the people that were taking shelter/were hiding/were seeking protection with the overseer of personnel Nakht away. Why did you take this action? Did I not assign those people to you after you told (me) "I will not do anything bad?" (both translated by Ingeborg Waanders from Holland and Lenka Peacock using the German text of El-Kholi and his transcriptions into hieroglyphs, p. 60-62) Dating: The inscription on the tablet can be dated to the early 19th dynasty. Paleographic features such as the characters for p (in pn), mn (in Imn), m (hr-m) and the plural strokes can help us to date the document. Lexical features that aid dating are the negation bn and the preposition m-dj . Several Middle Egyptian grammatical features appear in the text, such as the form sdm.n=f and the negation nn (rather than the Late Egyptian bn ). Personal names such as Amenemhat, Menkhepere and Ahmose were common from the 18th dynasty onwards. (El-Kholi, 62) Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_3924 Provenance: 1877/78 purchase by E. Bergmann Egypt Sources: 1. Kessler, D.: Die kultische Bindung der Ba-Konzeption. 2. Teil: Die Ba-Zitate auf den Kultstelen und Ostraka des Neues Reiches IN: Studien zur altagyptischen Kultur 29, 2001 153, Anm. 34 2. Huttner, M.: Die Votivstele des Vorarbeiters Chons IN: Gottingen Miszellen 178 (2000), 59-63 3. Wessetzky, Vilmos: Une stele dediee a Meresger. Bulletin du Musee Hongrois de.s Beaux-Arts 78, 1993, 15-19 4. Adel Mahmoud: Msw-hr = The sons of the Toms (IN: M. Eldamaty: Egyptian Museum Collections around the world. Studies for the Centennial of the Egyptian Museum Cairo, 2002) 774. PM I 2,2 737 5. Papyri und Ostraka aus der Ramessidenzeit mit Ubersetzung und Kommentar von Mohamed Salah El-Kholi. Siracusa : Museo del Papiro, 2006. 6. Parkinson, Richard: Cracking codes : the Rosetta Stone and decipherement London : British Museum Press, 1999. 7. Taylor, John H.: Death and afterlife in ancient Egypt London : British Museum Press, 2001. 8. The Cairo Museum masterpieces of Egyptian art / edited by Francesco Tiradritti London : Thames & Hudson, 1998. 9. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 10. CD Egyptian Treasures in Europe - 1000 Highlights Multilingual Version v 1.0. 1999 ed. 11. http://www.globalegyptianmuseum.org/record.aspx?id=5591 12. http://www.khm.at/en/visit/collections/egyptian-and-near-eastern-collection/ Further bibliography Back to top

The Ancient Egyptian gallery at the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery features over 600 objects. It covers "Belief", "Life", "Death" and "Afterlife". The mummy and the coffin of Horemkenesi, who lived at Deir el-Medina, arrived from Luxor in 1905. Ägyptischen Museums der Universität Leipzig, Germany The Ancient Egyptian gallery features over 600 objects. It covers "Belief", the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, including their views of creation, their gods and their rituals. "Life" - the social structure in ancient Egypt, childhood and a variety of different jobs from Pharaoh to farm labourer. "Death" - funerary belief, preparation of the body for mummification, coffin symbolism and tombs. And "Afterlife" - the ancient Egyptians' beliefs about what happened after death, and the need for grave goods, servants, food offerings, and possessions. https://www.gko.uni-leipzig.de/aegyptisches-museum/ The collections search page: http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/ During the 1890s archaeologists from the Egypt Exploration Fund (nowadays Egypt Exploration Society) were excavating the area at Deir el-Bahri, a complex located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the modern city of Luxor. At the time, archaeological finds not reserved for the national collection in Cairo, could be shared among the donors of funding for the excavations (namely museums and universities). The Bristol Museum sponsored the EEF and as a result received regular donations of finds. In 1905 the mummy of Horemkenesi in his coffin arrived from Luxor (KS2 resource,2003). The coffin was found in the pit-tomb of Mentuhotep II's queen Sadeh (Booth,2003,247), who lived nearly 1,000 years before Horemkenesi who became a secondary burial in her tomb within Mentuhotep's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri. The tomb had laid undisturbed for 3 millennia. Horemkenesi lived during the turbulent times of the 20th and the 21st dynasties, around 1070 BC, in the period now called the Third Intermediate Period (Booth,2006,243). He either lived at Deir el-Medina or within the enclosure of Medinet Habu. His main job was that of an overseer of workmen at the Valley of the Kings. He also worked as a scribe at Deir el-Medina as he held a title "Scribe of the task in the Horizon of Eternity" (Booth,2006,243). Horemkenesi acted as a part time wab priest at the temples of Karnak and Medinet Habu. A rock inscription informs us that his father Huysheri also held the title of wab priest at Medinet Habu, suggesting the title might have been hereditary (Booth,2006,244). During Horemkenesi's early years the boy must have attended classes and was trained as a scribe. The lessons were held either at Deir el-Medina, where the school for the children of necropolis workmen was run, or at the nearby Ramesseum. Once the settlement of Deir el-Medina was abandoned, he would have been educated at the Temple of Medinet Habu (Janssen,2007,64). His career started during the reign of Ramesses XI (1098-1070 BC) and continued until at least year 20 of high priest Pinedjem I (1070-1032 BC) (Booth,2003,244). His main duties were inspecting tombs for damage, repairing the robbed ones and organising non-royal burials. His name can be found in several rock graffiti around the Valley of the Kings. His signature indicated which tombs he inspected. His name can be seen for example near the Seti II tomb. It was noticed in 1981 that Horemkenesi's mummy started to deteriorate and the decision was taken to unwrap the mummy to find information about Horemkenesi's physical characteristics and his health and also about the way the body was mummified (KS2 resource,2003). The mummy of Horemkenesi revealed a short, plump man, who was between 55 and 60 years of age at the time of his death. He suffered from arthritis in his shoulders and in his back, which must have caused him painful stiffness. The brain, which is normally removed, was left within the skull cavity intact. On the other hand his heart, which used to be left in the corpse, is missing in Horemkenesi's body. His ear lobes had large holes and several of his teeth were worn away down to the gum because the food contained sand (KS2 resource,2003). The mummy was buried in a 3-piece coffin, which was in fashion at the time. It is made of wood and is covered by a thin layer of painted plaster. Images of gods are depicted inside and out and prayers are written to protect the dead person and to help him on his journey to the Afterlife. The design of the coffin is a standard one, it was not made especially for Horemkenesi, but his name and titles were written into the spaces left empty within the text. The panoramas below were created by Robert Gibson from Sydney, Australia. 14 photographs I took in the gallery were rendered by him to produce these 3 wonderful images. Horemkenesi's mummy was covered by a colourful painted mummy board. On the floor of the bottom case is a figure of Osiris in the form of a djed pillar. Horemkenesi's mummy was covered by a colourful painted mummy board. The burial consisted only of the mummy within the coffin, over which garlands of plaited rush leaves were draped, but no grave goods belonging to Horemkenesi was found in the tomb. No amulets were found inside the linen wrappings, but feathers and small pieces of plant material were found inside his bandages. The canopic jars were also missing. A pair of leather sandals that were too small for his feet was found in the tomb (KS2,2003). To view the museum's records of the coffin, follow the links below: http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/details.php?irn=79677 http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/details.php?irn=79579 http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/details.php?irn=79678 To view the museum's records for the mummy group and the coffins, follow the link to the Search the Museum Collection at http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/list.php?keyword=horemkenesi&start=1 There are 585 individually numbered objects in the catalogue as all the items found within the coffins were kept and given a unique catalogue number. The elaborate list helps us to understand the wide scale of ingredients that were involved in the embalming process. All the coffins and remains of skin tissue from within the mummy wrappings are listed together with materials used during Horemkenesi's mummification process - natron used to dry the body, saw dust, straw and plant fibres to pack the body cavities to provide support, resins, minerals, charcoal and even beetles and larvae. As the methods of the artificial preservation of bodies in ancient Egypt changed and evolved over a long period of time, this list together with the medical report from 1981 provide better understanding of the process Horemkenesi's body was involved in. I would like to express my thanks to Sue Giles, the Senior Collections Officer-World Cultures, Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives, who granted me permission to use the photographs on this page and to Amber Druce, Curator-World Cultures, Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives, for her helpful comments. Photography © Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives Photographs by Lenka Peacock Text was compiled using the resources below Sources: 1. Wilkinson, R. H. : The complete gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt. London : Thames & Hudson, 2003. 2. Clayton, Peter A.: Chronicles of the Pharaohs : the reign-by-reign record of the rulers and dynasties of ancient Egypt London : Thames & Hudson, 1994. https://www.gko.uni-leipzig.de/aegyptisches-museum/ Further bibliography Back to top

In the Liverpool galleries I photographed 6 objects that originally came from Deir el-Medina and that were on display at the time. The Museum currently holds 4 additional objects whose provenance is now researched as Deir el-Medina - they are added to the list below. World Museum, Liverpool Liverpool's World Museum has one of the largest collections of ancient Egyptian and Nubian antiquities in the UK, with over 16,000 objects dating from around 5,000 BC to 642 AD. The original core of the Egyptian collection was given in 1867 by Joseph Mayer, an English goldsmith, collector and antiquarian (1803-1886), and was later expanded by supporting fieldwork projects of the Egypt Exploration Society, Flinders Petrie's British School of Archaeology in Egypt and especially John Garstang's excavations at Liverpool University. During the Blitz in May 1941, more than 3,000 Egyptian objects were destroyed by the Luftwaffe, with an incendiary bomb causing structural and fire damage to the building. http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/ The expanded and redesigned Ancient Egypt gallery at Liverpool's World Museum, refurbished at a cost of £1.8m and reopened at the end of April 2017 after a year and a half of closure, is now the largest exhibition of its kind in the UK outside of the British Museum in London. The gallery space has tripled in size to around 1000m². The expansion allowed for the display of objects that had never been shown before, or that had been in storage for decades, and although the plan promised to triple the number of objects on display, it remained at around 1300. The gallery space, themed "Ancient Egypt: A Journey through Time", is divided into 7 chronological and thematic sections: "5,000 Years" outlines the time scale and introduces the key themes. The focus of the "River Nile" zone is a late predynastic female tomb excavated by John Garstang at Kostamneh in Nubia, now submerged under Lake Nasser. The People of Egypt section focuses on daily life, religion and art. the "African Kingdoms" section outlines the dominance of various powers over time and includes Nubian, Meroitic and Greek and Roman material. The highlight of the 'Afterlife' section is a 4 metre long Ptolemaic Book of the Dead papyrus of Djedhor, son of Tapes, preserved on 5 leaves in both hieroglyphic and hieratic scripts, displayed for the first time alongside 150 shabtis, a 127 centimetre high wooden statue of Osiris, animal mummies and decorated coffins. Liverpool Discovery, a circular area, illustrates Liverpool's importance as a conduit for Egyptian artefacts to England. The 'Mummy Room', flanked by a pair of Sekhmet statues, contains 9 mummies, some of which are suspended above the coffin basins on multi-level supports, with each level illuminated by LED tubes. I visited the galleries in the summer of 2015 during a trip with P.A.D.E.S. - Plymouth and District Egyptology Society - with 5 other members of the Egyptian Society Taunton , on whose committee I serve as webmaster. In the Liverpool galleries I photographed 6 objects originally from Deir el-Medina which were on display at the time. The museum currently holds a further 4 objects whose provenance is now known to be Deir el-Medina - these are added to the list below. In order to make this list complete, I have also added 2 additional objects which were unfortunately destroyed during the 1941 bombing and are therefore no longer part of the museum's collection. It is interesting to note that the majority of the objects listed below - 8 out of 12 - are from Deir el-Medina and were part of Joseph Mayer's original collection with which he opened his Egyptian Museum in 1852. This was a very early date for objects from the settlement, as no scientific excavation of the site had yet been undertaken. The objects must have been either illicitly excavated by the locals in the early 19th century and/or collected by Bernardino Drovetti, the French Consul General, or Henry Salt, the British Consul General, in the 1810s, or by John Gardner Wilkinson, the pioneering English Egyptologist, who recorded information on several tombs at Deir el-Medina in the 1820s. Mayer had acquired the collection in 1839 from Joseph Sams, a Darlington bookseller, who himself had acquired it between 1830 and 1838 as part of the Egyptian collection of Charles Bogaert, a Bruges businessman (see Sams, Joseph: 'Ancient Egypt: Objects of Antiquity forming part of the Extensive and Rich Collections from Ancient Egypt, brought to England by, and now in the possession of, J Sams", London, 1839, pl.22,2). It has also been suggested that Bogaert received his collection as repayment of a debt from Jean-Baptiste de Lescluze, a Belgian shipowner and merchant who had collected the material in Egypt between 1824 and 1825 (NML,2018). The remaining 4 objects were part of a large donation of some 200 objects from the Trustees of the Wellcome Institute in 1973. I would like to thank the Liverpool World Museum and its staff, in particular Dr Ashley Cooke, Head of Antiquities & Curator of Egyptology, for kindly allowing me to include the museum's finds from Deir el-Medina on my website and for providing me with high quality images of the objects, and Maureen Smith, PA to the Director of the World Museum, for her assistance. All images © National Museums Liverpool Photography by Lenka Peacock and National Museums Liverpool Fragment of an offering stela From Deir el-Medina Ramesside, possibly 19th dynasty Limestone Dimensions: 15x17x4 cms Inv. no.: 1973.2.340 Gift of the Trustees of the Wellcome Collection, 1971 Currently not on display This fragment is the lower left part of a larger stela carved in fine sunken relief. The right side shows a man kneeling with his arms raised in worship, looking to the left. On the basis of similar votive stelae from Deir el-Medina, it can be assumed that the upper register, which is now missing, bore the image of a deity, royal person or high official (vizier) whom the man is worshipping. He is clean-shaven or bald and wears an ankle-length kilt. Traces of brownish pigment remain on his head and arms. On the left, the kneeling man faces 3 vertical columns with hieroglyphic inscriptions. Translation: Line 1: the Ka of the Servant of the Place of Truth Line 2: Pa-hy-Hat, the justified, Line 3: and his son, the Servant... Transliteration: Line 1: kA n sDm- m st-mAat Line 2: pA-xy-HAt mAa-Xrw tr Line 3: i sA.f sDm- The name is not easy to read and the identity of the person mentioned is not yet certain. The available corpus of Deir el-Medina texts does not mention a Pahyhat with the title "sDm m st mAat" - the "Servant in the Place of Truth". of the Truth". We do know of a Pahyhat with the title of "Water Carrier" - "pA-xy-HA.t in-mw" - in lines 4-5 of the hieratic text of an ostrakon now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford O.Ashmolean 56, who is known from this particular text dated to year 3 of Ramesses IV (c. 1152 BC) - 20th Dynasty - where Pahyhat delivers grain and vegetables with his well-known contemporary, Pentaweret. Richard Mandeville lists him in his master's thesis on the water carriers of Deir el-Medina written at the University of Liverpool (Mandeville, 16). Pahyhat in the text on this stela gives his title as "Servant of the Place of Truth" and not as "Water-carrier", so although this gives us evidence that individuals with this name existed at Deir el-Medina, this must be a different Pahyhat, one about whom we have not yet found any additional information. Some Egyptologists suggest that his identity is that of PAy, the Servant of the Place of Truth, who was active at Deir el-Medina from the reign of Horemheb until early in the reign of Ramesses II (c. 1319-1280 BC). The date of the stela, as suggested on stylistic grounds, coincides with the 19th dynasty (c. 1290-1270 BC). Gina Criscenzo-Laycock points out the way the man's raised arms are depicted. Unlike most contemporary votive stelae from Deir el-Medina, where the arms of the worshipper are raised with a gap between them, this stele shows them almost overlapping. In her article (Criscenzo-Laycock,2011,123) the author lists 2 other stelae with the same feature, both in the British Museum (BM EA278 and BM EA374 ). The author mentions the lack of space as a possible reason for the missing gap between the raised arms, or it is possible that the listed stelae are all the work of the same craftsman. The author dates this stela on stylistic grounds to the reign of Ramesses II, comparing it with 5 stelae from the Turin collection (50030, 50034, 50036, 50037, 50066), where she finds certain specific stylistic elements common to all 6 stelae. The stele was bought by Henry Wellcome at an auction at the turn of the 20th century. A small piece of the auction label remains on the back of the object. No details of its exact provenance or date of discovery are known today (Criscenzo-Laycock,2011,123). Walking stick 19th dynasty (around 1295-1186 BC) Inscribed and polished wood Remains of blue pigment Length: 46.5 cms Diameter: 2.1 cms Inv. no: M13821 Gift of Joseph Mayer, 1867 Currently on display in Ancient Egypt Gallery, Level 3 A distinction should be made between the owner of TT217, the well-known sculptor Ipuy(i), who lived at Deir el-Medina during the reign of Ramesses II (c. 1279-1213 B.C.) in the 19th dynasty, and the family of the sculptor Piay(ii), who served under Horemheb, Ramesses I and Seti I (c.1319-1279) and a workman Ipuy(vii) who is attested between year 1 of Amenmesses (c.1203-1200 B.C.) and at least year 1 of Siptah (c.1194-1188 B.C.) (Davies, 1996, 214) and to whom this object may have belonged. However, the name, even when accompanied by the title, is too general to allow for precise identification. Although the lower part of the object is lost, the complete inscription survives in the form of a carefully carved single vertical column of hieroglyphs, read from top to bottom. Much of the original blue pigment used to fill in the characters remains on the wood. The wood was originally polished and is now split where the staff was broken in half. In ancient Egypt, sticks and staffs were always regarded as insignia of status, authority and rank. This fact is supported by tomb paintings of the elite as well as by archaeological finds. (Wiese,2004,326) There is another example of a New Kingdom walking stick in the Liverpool Museum, but it is not inscribed -59.32.189 Translation of the inscription: The one greatly favoured by his god, Amun-Re, [who is] in Ipet-sut (= the temples of Karnak), the august god within the Ennead (?) Ipuy Transliteration of the inscription: Hsy aA n nTr.f Jmn-Ra m Jpt-swt nTr Sps m-Xnw psDt jn TAty tp m st J-pw-y Spss More information: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/walking-stick-5 Hieratic ostrakon From Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty Limestone Dimensions: 20 x 19 cm Inv. no.: M13624 Gift of Joseph Mayer, 1867 Item is not currently on display The ostrakon is inscribed on both sides. The recto consists of 9 horizontal lines of hieratic inscription in black ink and contains the opening lines of the Prophecy of Neferty from Papyrus Petersburg 1116B recto. The verse consists of 9 lines of hieratic inscription written in black ink and contains a list of the household, giving the name of the householder with his title, followed by the name of his wife and their children, but without affiliations. It is impossible to tell from its format whether this household list is a draft declaration or notes for a local, domestic purpose. The list illustrated the relationship of the individual to the demands of authority (Eyre,2013,217-218). Hieratic ostrakon From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty, reign of Merenptah (around 1213–1203 BC) Limestone Dimensions: 16.5 x 11.5 cm Inv. no.: M13625 Gift of Joseph Mayer, 1867 Currently on display in Ancient Egypt Gallery, Level 3 This limestone ostrakon is inscribed on both sides. There are 10 horizontal lines of hieratic inscription on the obverse and 9 horizontal lines of hieratic inscription on the reverse. Both black and red ink is used. Professor Jaroslav Černý suggested that both sides were inscribed by the same hand (Černý, Gardiner, "Hieratic Ostraca" (1957), plates 63 and 63a). It has been noted that the contents are various accounts of supplies and work done, i.e. in connection with a coffin and several feasts. Professor Mark Collier of the University of Liverpool gave a brief account of the inscription in 2013: “The recto opens with four lines specifying items given to an unnamed individual at a series of festivals (festivals of Taweret, Hathor and Meretseger). Lines 5 onwards are repeated instances of giving (but without specified occasion), all probably as recompense for some activity. The verso starts with a section (verso lines 1–5) of memorandum of items connected to work of 'my three lads', possibly people within a workshop. Verso line 6 end is a memorandum concerning a bed which ends up with Anupemheb, who saws off some wood for use in a coffin”. Hieratic ostrakon From Deir el-Medina 19th-20th dynasty (about 1295-1069 BC) Limestone Black ink 14.5 x 10 cms Inv. no: M13626 Gift of Joseph Mayer, 1867 Currently on display in Ancient Egypt Gallery, Level 3 This limestone ostrakon is inscribed on both sides: the obverse (pictured) contains 9 horizontal lines of hieratic script in black ink, the reverse contains a further 7 lines of the script, mostly in black ink, except for the beginning of line 4, which is written in red. The account contains a list of wooden items produced by a carpenter for a customer. The receipt shows the value of the items in copper deben. Most of the items are of a funerary nature - 2 outer anthropoid coffins, 1 inner anthropoid coffin, 1 shabti box, blue pigment and another coffin. The total value of the goods is 112 deben. Wooden cubit rod From Deir el-Medina Late 18th dynasty Length: 52 cms Width: 3.5 cms Inv. no: M13825 Gift of Joseph Mayer, 1867 Currently on display in Ancient Egypt Gallery, Level 3 The royal cubit was the main unit of measurement used in ancient Egypt to determine the length of objects or short distances. It measures 52.4 cm, which is approximately the length of an adult man's forearm from the elbow to the fingertips. It was made up of 7 palm widths of 4 thumb widths each (28 digits to the cubit) (Shaw,1995,174). On this particular rod the divisions of the cubit are marked on average at 1.9, 3.8 and 7.6 cm. One edge of the rod has a sloping surface. One side of the object is carved with a hieroglyphic inscription, written from right to left, containing a funerary offering formula to Amun-Re, Ptah and Thoth on behalf of Nakhy, a tomb builder from Deir el-Medina. Translation: An offering which the King gives to Amun-Re and to Ptah, Lord of the Two Lands, and to Thoth, Lord of Divine Words, great god who dwells in Hermopolis, so that they may give life, prosperity and health, and a good lifespan, following their Ka's, for the Ka of the Servant in the Place of Thruth, Any. This workman Nakhy should not be confused with the workman Nakhy, son of Bukentef, who lived at the end of the 19th dynasty or with the latter's grandfather, the chief craftsman Nakhy, who came from another family. The workman Nakhy and his wife are known from following objects now in other European museums: - stela no. 50010 in the Turin Museum (M .Tosi and A. Roccati, "Stele e altre epigrafi di Deir el Medina. (n. 50001-50262) : Pubblicate con il contributo del Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche" (Turin, 1972), 43-4) - a limestone tomb-relief in the British Museum no. 281 (Bierbrier, M L, "Hieroglyphic Texts from Egyptian Stelae etc.", Part 10, London, BMP, 1982) - funerary cones discovered in pit 1138 at Deir el-Medina (B. Bruyère, "Rapport sur les fouilles de Deir el Médineh; (1928)" (Cairo, 1929), 12-16). More information: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/inscribed-cubit-rod Shabti of Pay From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom (Ramesside Period, around 1295-1186 BC) Wood Length: 20.5 cms Inv. no: M13603 Gift of Joseph Mayer, 1867 Currently on display in Ancient Egypt Gallery, Level 3 This is a painted wooden shabti of Pay. The arms of the shabti crossed over the chest and the bandaged lower body indicate that the figure is mummified, identifying it with the god Osiris, who is also depicted in this manner. The heavy, tripartite wig is plain, painted black with gold bands at the ends. The wig rests on an elaborate and colourful wesekh collar with four rows of black and red ornaments. The protruding hands are painted red, indicating that the figure is male. In its present state there is no trace of tools. A pair of square woven baskets are carried behind each shoulder. The shabti's beautifully carved face is painted red with large eyes outlined in black. The body is painted yellow over a white ground, with eight horizontal lines of hieroglyphic inscription written in black ink within a red frame around the figure's body. Pay's name and title are given within the text, which is the usual Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. Translation: "The illuminated one, the Osiris, the Draughtsman, Pay, the justified, he speaks: O, these shabtis, if one counts, if one reckons the Osiris, the Draughtsman, Pay, the justified, to do all works that are to be done there in the underworld – now indeed obstacles are implanted therewith – as a man at his duties, to cultivate the marsh, to irrigate the riverbank fields, to ferry by boat sand of the east to the west, ?, if one counts, if one reckons ... ‘here I am’ … Pay". Transliteration: sHD Wsir sS qd PAy mAa-xrw Dd.f i.Swbty ipn ir ip.tw ir Hsb.tw Wsir sS qd PAy mAa-xrw m kAt nbt irrt im Xrt-nTr ist Hw sdbw im [m] s r Xrt.f srwd sxt r smHt wdbw r Xnt Sa [r] iAbt r imnt iry ip.tw iry Hsb.tw ... m.k ... PAy There are 2 men with the name Pay and the title "draftsman" known from Deir el-Medina. Pay(i), son of Ipuy(v), and his grandson, also a draughtsman, Pay(ii), son of Prehotep (Davies,1996,180). This shabti figure could belong to either of them. Mummy mask From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 1550-1069 BC Cartonnage Dimensions: 20 cmx28 cm Inv. no: 1973.2.423 Gift of the Trustees of the Wellcome Collection, 1971 Currently on display in Ancient Egypt Gallery, Level 3 This striking cartonnage mask, which was used to cover the head of a mummy, is very similar in style to the New Kingdom masks found in the tombs of Deir el-Medina. The mask was glued to the mount when it was part of the Wellcome Collection. After becoming part of the Liverpool Museums collection, the object was conserved in 1993-1994, when the flaking paint was consolidated, but it is currently impossible to remove the mount without damaging the mask. Cartonnage appeared during the Old Kingdom. It consisted of layers of linen or papyrus glued together with resin and then covered with plaster. It was moulded to the shape of the body to make mummy cases or masks. When the material was dry, it was painted. In September 2020, I saw one of the oldest known examples of this practice at the Kings of the Sun exhibition at the National Museum in Prague, Czech Republic. The object came from the 5th dynasty mastaba of the Central Abusir of Mernefu. It was found in its burial chamber, placed over the face of the deceased's mummy. It is kept in the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures in Prague, Inv. no. P 5704. The materials used to make cartonnage changed over time. In the Middle Kingdom it was common to use plastered linen, in the Third Intermediate Period linen and stucco, in the Ptolemaic period old papyrus scrolls and in the Roman period thicker fibrous materials. For further information: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/mummy-mask-1 Fragments of a pottery bowl From Deir el-Medina 18th dynasty, 1550-1295 BC Pottery Black and red pigment Dimensions: 5.2 cm x 7.7 cm x 1 cm Inv. no.: 1973.1.698a - top image Inv. no.: 1973.1.698b - bottom image Gift of the Trustees of the Wellcome Collection, 1971 Ex Wellcome collection inv. W34/22(3) Currently on display in Ancient Egypt Gallery, Level 3 The fragment shown above forms the rim and part of the base of a of a shallow bowl of polished terracotta. Black and red borders run horizontally across the top and bottom of the fragment. A jumping horse, held by a fragmentary arm on a rope, is painted in red and black pigments. The lower object consists of 4 fragments glued together and depicts a similar scene with a horse without an arm. To the right of the horse is a partial depiction of an ankh . There are 3 very similar fragments in the Louvre collection that appear to be from the same vessel. Two of these are on display in gallery 5, in display case 1, alongside other figured ostraca from Deir el-Medina. E12968A and E12968B+ C - excavated by Bernard Bruyère during his first season at Deir el-Medina from an undecorated tomb of 1095 in the 18th dynasty cemetery. All the fragments seem to show Greek influence. Could the vessel be of Minoan or Mycenaean origin? Could it have come to Thebes and later to Deir el-Medina as part of an import? Or was it Minoan influence, as now suggested by a modern comprehensive comparative study of murals at several New Kingdom sites that reflect Egyptian artistic production? Perhaps chemical analysis of the fragments will answer some of these intriguing questions. More information: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/bowl-sherd http://egyptomusee.over-blog.com/article-salle-5-vitrine-1-les-ostraca-figures-avec-bovides-37046325.html Stele dedicated to Meretseger From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Height: 20.9 cms Width: 16 cms Inv. no: M13830 Gift of Joseph Mayer, 1867 In the upper half of this round stele there are six serpents, all facing to the right and painted in yellow and black. The lower half of the stela is divided into 2 registers: in the right register there is the figure of a kneeling woman, facing left, with her arms raised in worship. She was named Henut by Newberry and Peet. She wears a long, finely pleated white linen dress and a perfumed cone on top of her long, elaborately curled black wig. In the left register of the lower half of the stela there are four vertical lines of hieroglyphic text written in dark colour and read from left to right, top to bottom. Translation of the text: Giving adoration to the Ka of Meretseger, Lady of the Western Desert, Mistress of Heaven, Lady of all the gods, that she might give life, health and prosperity to the Ka of the servant ... The rest of the text is very unclear. According to Peet the stele was "almost perfectly preserved", was well-executed and finely coloured. Meretseger, the "One who loves silence", was worshipped as the protective goddess of the Theban necropolis, often depicted in the form of a snake or as the Theban peak itself. This stele was on display in the 1930's and was almost certainly destroyed in 1941. Peet examined it while preparing his guide to the Gallery and his notes of the inscription are used here (Newberry-Peet,1932,53,11). Stele dedicated to Meretseger From Deir el-Medina 19th-20th dynasty Limestone Height: 12 cms Width: 14.5 cms Inv. no: M13832 Gift of Joseph Mayer, 1867 This limestone votive stele was also dedicated to the goddess Meretseger. The single scene is framed by a line border that follows the curve of this short, wide stela (possibly only the upper half). Meretseger is depicted with a female body and a serpent's head, seated on a throne facing right in front of a table piled with offerings. In her right hand she holds the Ankh-sign and in her left hand the Was-sceptre. She wears a high double-feathered crown. Around the scene there are 5 columns of vertical hieroglyphic inscriptions giving Meretseger's epithets. Translation of the text: Meretseger, the Peak of the West, Lady of the Sky, Mistress of all the gods. The technique of the stele execution was described as good - the lines were clearly carved and the scene was well proportioned (Newbery-Peet,1932,53,9). Sources: 1. Bienkowski, Piotr : Gifts of the Nile : Ancient Egyptian arts and crafts in Liverpool Museum London : HMSO, 1995 2. Criscenzo-Laycock, G.: A New Ramesside Stela from Deir el-Medina, IN: Ramesside Studies in Honour of K.A. Kitchen / edited by M. Collier and S. Snape, Bolton, 2011, pp. 123-126. 3. Mandeville, Richard: The water-carriers of Deir el-Medina Study written for his M.A. thesis at the Liverpool University, the text supplied through private e-mail correspondence 4. Eyre, Christopher: The use of documents in Pharaonic Egypt Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2013. 5. Newberry-Peet: Handbook and Guide to the Egyptian Collection on Exhibition in the Public Museums, Liverpool, 1932 6. Oakey, Michael : Liverpool World Museum’s Ancient Egypt Gallery reopens after major expansion IN: KMT a Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt, Vol. 28, Nu. 4, Winter 2017-18, pp. 43-57 7. Shaw, Ian, Nicholson, Paul: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt London: British Museum Press, 1995. 8. Tutankhamun - The Golden Beyond : Tomb Treasures from the Valley of the Kings / edited by André Wiese and Andreas Brodbeck Basel : Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig, 2004. 9. Davis, Benedict G.: Genealogies and personality characteristics of the workmen in the Deir el-Medina community during the Ramesside period. Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Liverpool : University of Liverpool, February 1996. On-line resources: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/world-museum/exhibition/ancient-egypt http://www.globalegyptianmuseum.org http://egyptomusee.over-blog.com/article-salle-5-vitrine-1-les-ostraca-figures-avec-bovides-37046325. html Further bibliography Back to top

Meretseger was a local goddess of the Theban necropolis. The evidence of her cult is prominent especially during the New Kingdom. She was depicted as a cobra, a cobra with a female head or even a female with a cobra’s head. Occasionally she was depicted as a scorpion with a female head. The goddess Meretseger Meretseger was a local goddess of the Theban necropolis. Evidence of her cult is particularly strong during the New Kingdom. She was depicted as a cobra, a cobra with a woman's head, or even a woman with a cobra's head. Occasionally she was depicted as a scorpion with a female head. Ostrakon dedicated to Meretseger Egyptian Museum, Turin From Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty Limestone Meretseger in the form of a coiled serpent in front of an offering table. Cat. 1522 Museo Egizio Information and photos Statue of the goddess Meretseger Egyptian Museum, Turin From Deir el-Medina 19th - 20th dynasty Limestone Meretseger is depicted as a cobra with a face of a woman. Old Fund (1824-1888) Cat. 957 Museo Egizio Information and photos Both images © Museo Egizio, Turin Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2019-2020 The name Meretseger written in hieroglyphs literally means “She who loves silence” . She was thought to dwell on the 450-metre high pyramid shaped mountain that dominates the valley. Through this topographic connection she was sometimes also known as “The peak of the West” or “The Lady of the Peak” . (Shaw 1995, 184) Meretseger was worshipped throughout the Theban necropolis, but especially by the artisans of the village, which lay in a barren pocket in the western hills south-east of the Valley of the Kings (Reeves 1996, 22). The village is now called Deir el-Medina. The community of artisans carved and decorated the tombs of the New Kingdom kings. They worshipped a wide range of deities from national gods such as Osiris, Ptah and Hathor to deified kings and queens such as Amenhotep I and Queen Ahmose-Nefertari. They also worshipped Asian gods that became popular in Egypt after the kings' conquests in Asia - the war god Reshep and the fertility goddesses Kudshu, Anat and Astarte, who was also a goddess of love (Tvůrci hrobů 1992, 17). But the ever-present danger of being bitten by the cobra, which was and still is plentiful in the Theban desert, made the worship of a snake a very important matter indeed. As in most cultures, the Egyptians regarded the snake as a source of evil and danger. Meretseger, the snake goddess, was worshipped in order to avert the danger posed by her physical manifestation. Prayers and offerings were made to her to prevent or cure snakebites (Shaw 1995, 262). The villagers had numerous small temples, chapels and shrines. Each individual chapel would have provided a local residence for the goddess and a place for offerings to her (Pharaoh's workers 1994, 90). The stelae dedicated to Meretseger did not come from the tombs of the villagers but from these small temples where they offered their devotions to her. One of the well-known votive stelae dedicated to Meretseger is that of Neferabu with a hymn to Meretseger. Neferabu was a moderately wealthy artist from Deir el-Medina who raised a large family and built a fine tomb for himself. The stela is part of a collection in the Turin Museum . Its number is 102. On the right side of the rectangular stela the goddess Meretseger is depicted as a snake with one human head and two snake heads standing in front of an offering. On the left side of the stela the hymn is written in 17 columns. It contains Neferabu's warning against Meretseger's powers. At the top of the hymn is Neferabu's thanks to Meretseger. Neferabu admits that he was ignorant and unwise, and that he could not distinguish between good and evil. He sinned against the Peak. He drew the punishment of the goddess. She had power over him. He promised to tell the workers to beware of the peak, for the lion dwells there. Now he understood that whoever sins against Meretseger will be persecuted. When he prayed to her, Meretseger came to Neferabu in the form of a sweet wind and forgave him. Again, he calls upon all ears to listen to his warning (Lexa,1920,280-281). "The Peak, she strikes with the strike of a fierce lion when she is after the one who transgresses against her. I called out to my mistress and found her coming to me as a sweet wind, and she was merciful to me, after she let me see her hand. She turned to me in peace, and she made me forget the sickness that was in my heart. So the Peak of the West is merciful when one calls to her." (Lichtheim,1976,107-108). Images © Museo Egizio, Turin Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2020 Stela of Hay Egyptian Museum, Turin From Hay's tomb no. 267 at Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Another votive stela from the Turin Museum collection is the one dedicated to the goddess Meretseger by a deputy named Hay. Hay lived in Deir el-Medina during the reign of the 20th dynasty king Ramesses III (Tosi,1972,289). This round-topped stela bears a representation of Meretseger as a goddess with a female body and a cobra's head. The goddess Taweret standing beside her is depicted as a hippopotamus. Both goddesses have cow horns and sun discs on their heads. This shows a connection with the goddess Hathor, with whom Meretseger is often associated. The connection is related to the fact that in earlier times the pyramid mountain was sacred to Hathor (Reeves 1996, 17). Cat. 1606 Museo Egizio Information and photos Stele of Nebnefer Egyptian Museum, Turin From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone The stela is divided into 3 registers. In the upper section there are 2 wedjat eyes with a shen sign above 3 zigzag lines representing water. The second, largest register is divided into 12 horizontal stripes. Each is occupied by a coloured snake facing to the right. In the lower register, 3 columns of hieroglyphic text worship the goddess Meretseger: "life, strength and health to the ka and the lady of the house Wab, the justified." To the right of the text the deceased kneels with her hands raised in worship. She is wearing a white robe. A lotus flower is placed on her wig. Behind her head are 4 hieroglyphs forming the phrase "in peace". To the right of the scene is an offering table with a vessel flanked by a bouquet of lotus flowers. Below the table there are 2 vessels on pedestals. The stela is framed by a narrow blue band in bas-relief. On the right side of the stela, starting halfway up, there is an inscription in black, flanked by two red vertical lines on each side, commemorating the "Servant of the Lord of the Two Lands in the Place (Seat) of Truth". Nebnefer and his son Pauebekhnu. On the left side of the stela there is an inscription in black, also flanked by two red vertical lines, commemorating Nebnefer and his daughter Henutshenu. Height: 27 cm Width: 17 cm Former Drovetti's collection Cat. 1533 = CGT 50060 Museo Egizio Information and photos Images © Museo Egizio, Turin Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2020 Ostrakon dedicated to Meretseger Egyptian Museum, Turin From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Meretseger in the form of a coiled serpent in front of an offering table Height: 12 cm Length: 17 cm Drovetti's collection (1824) Cat. 1659 Museo Egizio Information and photos Images © Museo Egizio, Turin Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2019 Statue of Meretseger Egyptian Museum, Turin From Deir el-Medina 19th - 20th dynasty (1292-1076 BC) Limestone Meretseger is depicted as a cobra with the face of a woman or a triple head (woman, snake and vulture). Old Fund (1824-1888) Cat. 956 Museo Egizio Information and photos Images © Museo Egizio, Turin Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2020 Stela of Parahotep dedicated to Amun-Re of Ipet, Meretseger and Amenhotep I Egyptian Museum, Turin From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Painted limestone Round-topped Meretseger was the goddess of the pyramidal peak that overlooks the Theban necropolis. Her usual name was "she who loves silence". She was primarily worshipped by the workmen of Deir el-Medina. Drovetti collection (1824) Cat. 1451/bis Museo Egizio Information and photos Images © Museo Egizio, Turin Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2019 Stela dedicated to the goddess Meretseger by the draftsman Nebra Egyptian Museum, Turin From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty (1292-1190 BC) Painted limestone Drovetti collection (1824) Cat. 1590 Museo Egizio Information and photos Stela dedicated to the goddess Meretseger by Pendua Egyptian Museum, Turin From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty (1292-1190 BC) Limestone Old Fund (1824-1888) Cat. 1564 Museo Egizio Information and photos Images © Museo Egizio, Turin Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2019 Images © Museo Egizio, Turin Photograhy by Lenka Peacock, 2020 Amennakht's votive stela British Museum EA 374 20th dynasty, about 1160 BC From Deir el-Medina Limestone The stela records Amennakht's prayer to the local goddess to remove an affliction "Praises for your spirit, Meretseger, Mistress of the West, by the scribe of the Place of Truth (st-maat), Amennakht true-of-voice; he says: 'Be praised in peace, O Lady of the West, Mistress who turns herself to grace! You made me see darkness in the day I shall declare Your power to other people. Be gracious to me in your grace!'" (Translation from the Museum label) © The Trustees of the British Museum Photograhy by Lenka Peacock Stela of Paneb British Museum EA272 19th dynasty, circa 1195 BC Limestone Rectangular shape Height: 19.3 cm Width: 17 cm In the upper register : Paneb, a foreman of the tomb workers, is depicted kneeling, worshipping the goddess Meretseger, who is in the form of a snake. The coiled cobra is undoubtedly Meretseger, the goddess of the Theban necropolis. The lower register : there are three kneeling male figures, Paneb's descendants. On the right there is Aapakhte, Paneb's son, together with his two sons - Paneb and Nebmehyt. Aapakhte was accused of crimes as an accomplice of his father. 3 images © The Trustees of the British Museum Photograhy by Steve Bayley 2005 Ostrakon of Khnummose British Museum EA8510 Painted limestone Black and red ink Height: 16.5 cm Figured ostrakon showing the workman Khnummose worshipping the serpent form of the goddess Meretseger. Jac Janssen suggested that this ostrakon had been used as a stela and that the work was not finished. Stela of Paneb British Museum EA273 19th dynasty, circa 1195 BC Limestone Round-topped Height: 20 cm Width: 13 cm Top register : kneeling Paneb depicted worshipping Meretseger in the form of a cobra headed goddess. Meretseger is seated on the throne. Lower register: Paneb's sons Aapakhte and Hadnakht are shown kneeling and worshiping. Stela dedicated to Meretseger UC14439 Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL Found at Thebes, probably from Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty, 1295-1186 BC) Limestone Width: 14 cm Height: 7.5 cm Upper part of a votive stela showing a coiled cobra with two feathers on its head. The name of the worshipper is illegible in the hieroglyphic inscription, the rest reads 'beloved of the goddess Meretseger'. 2 images © Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL Photography Lenka Peacock Ostrakon of Meretseger UC33812 Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL New Kingdom, 1550-1350 BC Possibly from Deir el-Medina Limestone Black ink Drawing of a serpent - a rearing cobra - in front of an offering table/vase/metal stand. The hood of the cobra is dilated and patterned. The base line is indicated. The stand resembles metal stands for vases found in Theban tombs. This form of stand appears on coffins, generally under the offering table depiction. Height: 7.3 cm Width: 9.4 cm Stela to Meretseger Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna , Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_122 From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 19th-20th dynasty Limestone, painted Height: 20.7 cm Width: 14.2 cm Thickness: 3.3 cm Meretseger was the goddess associated with the pyramidal top of al-Qurn. She presided over the entire Theban necropolis. Her name means "she who loves silence". Meretseger was mainly worshipped by the craftsmen of the royal necropolis. The upper register: remains of a male figure standing on the right in front of an offering table. Meretseger, who is depicted as a goddess with a female body and the head of a cobra, is seated on her on her throne on the left side of the table, holding an ankh in her right hand and a in her right hand and a sceptre in her left hand. The inscription reads "Merest[sic]eger, Mistress of the West. Made by the apprentice Sha[...?]" The lower register: the ten snakes represent the cobra goddess Meretseger. Only seven snakes are visible, because the stela is in a fragments - the lower left part is broken off. Provenance: 1824 [1821] gift of Carlo Antonio Fontana 2 images © Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna Photography Lenka Peacock Figured ostrakon of the goddess Meretseger Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv AE_INV_8304 New Kingdom 19th-20th dynasty, about 1315-1081 BC From Deir el-Medina (probably) Painted limestone Height: 11.3 cm Length: 16.6 cm Thickness: 2.9 cm This piece of limestone depicts the goddess Meretseger in the form of a coiled snake in front of an offering table, flanked on either side by a jug with an entwined lotus on a stand. Her headdress consists of two tall feathers and a sun disc. Three tall papyrus stems lean over the back of the snake. Provenance: 1948 Purchase The votive stelae from Deir el-Medina came from several small temples where the villagers had offered their devotions. The themes of the hymns and prayers are crime and punishment, repentance and forgiveness. These stelae are unusual because their texts do not show the pride of texts from other parts of Egypt. Their central concerns are humility and repentance. In the example of the stela of Neferabu, Meretseger is praised and worshipped in the traditional manner of the hymn and also prayed to in specific and personal terms. These personal prayers are an expression of the self-awareness of the individual person that comes to fruition in the New Kingdom. The personal piety of the Deir el-Medina prayers is not an isolated phenomenon of the developed individualism of the New Kingdom. Another example of conscious individualism can be found in the love poems preserved on Ramesside papyri (Lichtheim 1976, 104). In the workers' village of Deir el-Medina many shrines were erected to Meretseger. From all the archaeological evidence it seems that for the ancient people living in the Theban necropolis the local goddess Meretseger was at least as important as the great god of the dead, Osiris (Pharaoh's Workers 1994, 90). The cobra inspired awe through fear of its potential to cause great harm. It is difficult to distinguish between Meretseger as a local goddess for the necropolis and as a personal goddess for the people who lived and worked among the rocks where cobras might hide (Watterson 1984, 35). Sources: 1. Shaw, Ian, Nicholson, Paul: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt London: British Museum Press, 1995. 2. Reeves, Nicholas: The complete Valley of the Kings : tombs and treasure of Egypt's greatest pharaohs. London : Thames and Hudson, 1996. 3. Tvůrci hrobů egyptských králů : Jaroslav Černý a Dér el-Medina Praha : Náprstkovo museum, 1992. 4. Pharaoh's workers : the villagers of Deir el-Medina / edited by Leonard H. Lesko Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1994. 5. Lichtheim, M.: Ancient Egyptian literature. Vol. II: The New Kingdom Berkeley : University of California Press, 1976. 6. Lexa, Fr.: Náboženská literatura staroegyptská. Dil I a II Kladno : Nákladem J. Snajdra, 1920. 7. Museo Egizio, English Turin : Fondazione Museo delle Antichità Egizie di Torino, 2019. Further bibliography Back to top

Nowadays all major and some small museums around the world have objects from Deir el-Medina present in their collections. Some objects are on permanent display, some are displayed during occasional exhibitions. Museum & private collections of objects from Deir el-Medina Museum & private collections Today, all major and some minor museums around the world have objects from Deir el-Medina in their collections. Some objects are on permanent display, while others are shown in temporary exhibitions. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, UK British Museum, London, UK Egyptian Museum, Turin, Italy Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK Hrdlička Museum, Prague, CZ Kingston Lacy, Dorset, UK Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria Nicholson Museum, Sydney, Australia Petrie Museum of Egyptian archaeology, University College London, UK PIASA auction house, France Shabtis in European private collections The World Museum, Liverpool, UK The land of Egypt, with its architectural wonders and pleasant climate, has attracted travellers for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians themselves were the first tourists in their own country, visiting the chapels and tombs of their gods and ancestors and leaving their names on many walls. A thousand years later, Greek and Roman travellers also left their names on the statues and walls of temples and tombs. After the Arab conquest of Egypt, travel to the country was restricted for Europeans, resulting in a decline in the quest for knowledge about Egypt and its ancient monuments south of Cairo. From the early 18th century, a few adventurous travellers ventured further up the Nile Valley. Richard Pococke visited Thebes in January 1738. In his "A description of the East : and some other countries", published in London between 1743-1745, Pococke included a plan of the Ptolemaic temple at Deir el-Medina and described it, proving that he had visited the valley: After visiting Memnon statues.... "We went in between the hills to the north east, and came to the temple in the 35th plate,which had been a convent: There are nohieroglyphics on the outside; the cornices over the doors are fluted, and adorned with the winged globe; the capitals of the pillars are much of the same sort as those of Assouan, in the plate of capitals. After I had viewed all these things, I returned to the river." Another early travel book by Charles Perry entitled "A view of the Levant, particularly Constantinople, Syria, Egypt, and Greece: In which their antiquities, government, politics, maxims, manners, and customs (with many other circumstances and contingencies) are attempted to be described and treated", was published in London in 1743. Perry visited Thebes (Karnak and Luxor temples and also the West bank) and this is the passage (p. 350) which I think describes his visit to Deir el-Medina: "Setting out again the next Morning early, we first bent our Course directly to the Mountain; and passing over the Skirts of one Mountain, that stands apart from, and before the great Mountain, we descended into a Vale, behind it, where we found another beautiful Temple, though small. This likewise contains several sumptuous Pillars, and is embellise'd with Hieroglyphics, and fine Figures in Basso Relievo. But as this exhibits nothing more than what we have already mentioned the Like, or at least the Equal of, so we will spend no more Time in speaking of it, than we did in viewing of it. From hence we passed over the other Skirt of the Mountain, and so came into the Plain again ; and after we had marched about 20 Minutes towards the River, we came to another Temple, which is inexpressibly grand and magnificent. This Temple is situate at about a Mile Distance from the Two Colossal Statues, to the North of them. Its grand Portal is to the Eastward. This Fabric (at least what remains of it) is not above 50 Paces broad, and about 200 long....." Champollion's deciphering of the hieroglyphs in 1822 opened the way for many individual travellers, scholars, artists, adventurers and scientific expeditions. Increasing numbers of visitors with a growing interest in antiquities created a demand for portable antiquities. Ancient cemeteries began to be excavated in the hope of finding buried treasures to supply this new market. Nineteenth-century collectors acquired objects by buying from dealers and at local markets. The sand-filled village of Deir el-Medina began to reveal its secrets as early as the 1840s, when locals discovered a cache of papyri - a rich mixture of documents, including all the letters written by the scribe Dhutmose to his son Butehamun, the correspondence of the general Piankh sent from Nubia, and also records of the great tomb robberies of the late 20th dynasty. These papyri and various other finds were sold by the 19th-century collector and dealer Drovetti to various European collectors, and most of them eventually found their way into numerous museums (Romer, 1984, 203). The second spectacular find made by the locals in the second half of the 19th century was the discovery of Sennedjem's tomb. Maspero supervised the excavation of the tomb. Its contents were distributed to museums as far afield as New York, Berlin and Cairo. Many objects that came to light during this period were completely unrecorded and, taken out of context, lost their provenance. Other objects were recorded by scholars such as Wilkinson, Lepsius or Champollion, who were passing through Deir el-Medina at the time. Some of their drawings are the only record we have today of some objects that have now disappeared (McDowell, 1999, 24). Since Schiaparelli's first real archaeological excavation in 1905, objects from the area have been systematically recorded and excavation reports produced. Each campaign was followed by lists of the finds made. The most detailed reports were, and still are, published by the French Institute after almost 30 years of work by Bruyere. Thousands of objects found in the Deir el-Medina area are now scattered around the world. While most have found their way into museum collections, many are in private hands. The richest Deir el-Medina collections are in the museums of Cairo, Paris, London, Turin, Florence, Berlin, Brooklyn, Prague and Brussels. Some of the artefacts are on display, some are in storage, but some objects have not yet been studied by curators or scholars due to time or financial constraints. Even in Deir el-Medina itself, there are around 20 magazines full of objects found at the site that are still awaiting detailed scholarly study. Sources: 1. Roehrig, Catharine H.: Explorers and artists in the Valley of the Kings Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 2001. 2. Pococke, Richard, 1704-1765 : A description of the East : and some other countries. London : Printed for the author, 1743-1745. 3. Perry, Charles,1698-1780 : A view of the Levant, particularly of Constantinople, Syria, Egypt, and Greece : In which their antiquities, government, politics, maxims, manners, and customs (with many other circumstances and contingencies) are attempted to be described and treated on : in four parts London : Printed for T. Woodward, between the Temple Gates in Fleet-Street, and C. Davis, near Middle-Row, in Holborn, printers to the Royal Society; and J. Shuckburgh, at the Sun, near the Temple Gate, in Fleet Street, 1743. 4. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 5. Romer, John: Ancient lives : the story of the Pharaoh's tombmakers London : Phoenix, 1984. Further bibliography Back to top

Neferabu was a worker from Deir el-Medina, whose title was "The servant in the Place of Truth". He was active in the necropolis during the first half of the 19th dynasty. His tomb (which is numbered TT5) is an excellent source from which his family tree can be constructed. Neferabu's tomb no. 5 at Deir el-Medina Neferabu was a worker from Deir el-Medina whose title was "The Servant in the Place of Truth". He worked in the necropolis during the first half of the 19th dynasty. Thanks to the surviving textual evidence from the village, the dates can be narrowed down to the years 36 (O.Gardiner 133) and 40 (O.BM 5634) of Ramesses II. (Davis, 1999, 158) The tomb of Neferabu (numbered TT5) is an excellent source from which to construct his family tree. Neferabu was the son of "The Servant in the Place of Truth" Neferrenpet and his wife Mahy. The tomb inscriptions refer to Amenmose as the "father" of Neferabu, but it has been proved that Amenmose was actually the father of Neferabu's wife Ta-Isis (or Isis or Taiset). (Davis,1999,158) The names of his numerous children are recorded on the walls of the tomb. He had sons Nodjemger, Neferronpet, Ramose and Meriunu and daughters Henuttu, Mahi, Tenthaynu, Hotepy, Mutemopet, Istnofret, Henut-iunet and Roruti. The tomb of Neferabu is nestled against the Theban hills in the northern part of the western necropolis of Deir el-Medina. Photography © 2007 Andy Peacock A plan of the tomb of Neferabu, no. 5. Drawn by Lenka Peacock, after a drawing in Vandier, Jacques : Tombes de Deir el- Médineh, 1935. History of the discovery Almost nothing is known about the discovery of the tomb of Neferabu. Most likely, it was discovered more than two centuries ago. Maspero suggested 1818 as the year of discovery on the basis of the stele of Neferabu now in the British Museum (EA 589, more details below). The stele came from a collection of Count Belmore and was said to have been found in a tomb at Thebes in 1818. Although this votive stele may have come from his tomb, it is more likely that it came from one of the shrines at Deir el-Medina, or possibly from the rock shrine between the village and the Valley of the Queens. There is other evidence that dissuades us from accepting Maspero's claims. 1. From a papyrus in the Louvre, we know that the tomb was violated during the Ptolemaic period, when it served as a catacomb: "Appointed Horus leaves to each of his sons a quarter that belongs to him in Neferabu's catacombs, and a quarter of the dead." 2. The tomb was probably inhabited by Copts. In the first hall and the two connecting rooms, there were numerous burn marks on the ceiling and walls. This does not prove with certainty that the tomb was inhabited by Copts (some marks are modern and made by the Arabs), but they can often be taken as a sign of the presence of Copts, and it is very likely that the tomb of Neferabu, after serving as a catacomb, was used as a dwelling by Copts. 3. After visiting Deir el-Medina in the 1880s, Alfred Wiedemann described the tombs of the 19th dynasty, but did not mention the tomb of Neferabu in his article published in 1908. 4. In 1929 Bernard Bruyère discovered another stela in the shaft of pit 1195. This proves once again that the stela from Belmore's collection which was found in a tomb in Thebes did not come from the tomb of Neferabu. However, it is not impossible that the tomb of Neferabu was already known in 1818 and then quickly forgotten. This is not without precedent in Deir el-Medina - wall scenes in Tomb No. 3 were copied by Hay between 1825 and 1838, and then the tomb was rediscovered by Howard Carter in 1910. This hypothesis seems likely. The tomb known in 1818 could have been filled with sand shortly afterwards. There is another example of this happening at Deir el-Medina: the tomb of Inherkau was partly drawn by Lepsius in the mid-19th century, then lost and rediscovered by Bruyère in 1930. 1930. It is not possible to conclude whether the tomb was known in the early 19th century and we cannot answer the question who discovered the tomb of Neferabu and when. (Vandier,1935,1-4) Drawn by Lenka Peacock, after a drawing in Vandier, Jacques : Tombes de Deir el-Médineh, 1935. The architecture The tomb belongs to the category of chapel tombs. It had the following layout: a small open courtyard at ground level, a one-room vaulted chapel surmounted by a brick pyramid topped by a stone pyramidion, and a large funerary stele beyond. The vaulted chapel was very richly decorated. The shaft near the courtyard leads to the underground passage and two burial chambers. This type of tomb was widely used during the 19th and 20th dynasties. The tomb consists of two distinct parts: the underground part for the deceased, and the outer side, which was visited by family and friends and served as a place for worshipping the dead. This part was almost completely destroyed, but the preserved remains and other data gathered from other tombs can help to reconstruct its shape. The courtyard was a square of 6.5 metres on each side, surrounded by walls of stone and adobe. The entrance, which was on the south side, probably consisted of two brick pillars and was accessed by a ramp or stairs. At the end of the courtyard was a pyramidal building. A small chapel , the layout of which, as Bruyère noted, is the same as the hieroglyphic sign for the house, was built of adobe and stone and measured 2 x 3.10 metres. The door, located on the longer side, opened to the south. At the end of the chapel - opposite the front door - there was a niche where the floor was raised to the height of a step. The niche measured 2 metres by 1.5 metres. The funerary stele and an offering table were usually placed here. In his 1926 report (p. 86), Bruyère says of the chapel: "The fact that the slope collapsed has almost completely destroyed the remains. We can only assume that it was a vaulted room, made of brick, with a west-east axis parallel to the front". The walls of the chapel were painted with multicoloured figures on a yellow background. Pyramid . The walls of the chapel were the base on which stood a brick pyramid topped by a pyramidion. The pyramidion was made of painted limestone with inscriptions in honour of the sun. Each of the four sides represented a phase of the sun during the day. On the south side of the pyramid was a niche containing the round stela found by Bruyère in 1929 in a neighbouring pit No. 1195. The inside of the pyramid was hollow so as not to put too much weight on the walls of the chapel. The The outer walls of the pyramids were washed with lime. (Vandier,1935,5-6) Drawn by Lenka Peacock, after a drawing in Vandier, Jacques : Tombes de Deir el-Médineh, 1935. Shaft . In the courtyard, two metres in front of the chapel, there was a burial shaft. It was dug vertically into the ground. It measures 0.75 x 1.40 metres and is 4 metres deep. Its walls were made of mud bricks covered with white paint. There are slits in the walls of the shaft at intervals of about 0.60 metres, so that it is possible to descend. Four steps leading to the first chamber are modern, the 5th is original. The door in the eastern wall opened to the west. The first hall . It is a long hall, oriented from north to south, measuring 2 metres by 5.08 metres. The ceiling is vaulted and made of mud bricks laid in diagonal lines. The walls are completely covered with paint on plaster. A large part of the vault and the north wall are blackened and burnt, making it very difficult to read the text of the inscriptions and to study the murals. Around the centre of the hall, the vaulted ceiling is cracked. Traces of an old brick structure, no doubt the old shaft, can be seen. This suggests that Neferabu reused an earlier tomb as his resting place. It is likely that the earlier tomb dates from the 18th Dynasty. The original shaft is about 2 metres away from the later shaft. The remains of the southern wall of the old shaft can be seen in the courtyard of the chapel. It was also built of mud bricks, as was the later shaft of Neferabu. A small long room leads from the first hall to the west side, and two other small interconnected rooms are on the east side. It is difficult to say whether the small rooms were part of the original tomb or were added by Neferabu. These areas may have been used as storage rooms and were filled with funerary objects. The walls of these rooms are blackened by smoke, either from Ptolemaic or Coptic times. The first room of the eastern group has a cavity in the floor along its eastern wall, representing a kind of oblong tank in which the sarcophagus could have been placed at some point. At the end of the northern side of the first room of the tomb, there is a kind of stage or mastaba, 47 cm high and 2 m wide. The family of the deceased probably placed their offerings on this altar, which takes up the entire back of the hall, during the funeral ceremony. This mastaba is a common feature of tombs in the area, but is usually located at the bottom of the burial chamber. The mastaba in this tomb masks the shaft leading into the burial chamber. The shaft was filled with hard packed earth, which also formed the mastaba itself. The entrance to the second chamber was probably closed by a large vertical stone that slid into two vertical grooves. The grooves are still visible at the entrance to the tomb, although they are covered with white plaster. The entrance to the burial chamber has 4 steps, which are modern. Farina's photographs from the time when the tomb was excavated by Bruyère show us the original state: there was a shaft with three walls whitewashed with lime. The fourth wall was formed by the stopper. At the bottom of the southern wall, the last three layers of mud bricks were not plastered. Either there was a step or, more likely, it is simply a sign of damage. Burial chamber . The second room, the burial chamber, is larger than the first. It measures 6.25 by 3 metres. Its height reaches 2.6 metres, but is also reduced by the vaulted ceiling. Its floor is about 1.5 metres below the level of the first hall. A rather large crack in the ceiling, which has damaged the scenes on the front wall and areas in the south-east and south-west corners, allows a glimpse of the remains of the original masonry, as in the first hall. The east wall is damaged by a large crack, about a metre wide, probably caused by probing at the time of the discovery. It leads to a small lower cavity measuring 2.0 by 1.4 metres. The texts and scenes on the walls are intact. The niches were drawn by Lenka Peacock, after a drawing in Vandier, Jacques : Tombes de Deir el-Médineh, 1935. At the end of the burial chamber there is a peculiar and interesting detail: there are small oblong vertical niches on the east and west walls, about half a metre from the northern corner. Bruyère thought that they were intended to hold a wooden beam to support the weight of the sarcophagus as it was lowered into a room below. In 1929 he made a probe into the floor at the foot of the north wall, but found nothing except a small empty cavity at a depth of 1.5 metres. metres deep. The purpose of these niches remains a mystery. When the tomb was decorated, the niches were bricked up and lime-washed, but the artist left them empty and unadorned. It is difficult to explain these elements as nothing similar has been found in other tombs. (Vandier,1935,6-9) Objects connected to Neferabu housed in the British Museum Fragment of a stela of Neferabu 19th dynasty Limestone From Deir el-Medina British Museum EA 1754 Location: Gallery 63/11 Height: 17.5 centimetres Length: 52 centimetres Acquired in Luxor The stela above may have come from his tomb TT5 or perhaps from one of the shrines at Deir el-Medina. The relief shows the deceased's sons and relatives together with the draughtsman Pabaki, the draughtsman Pashedu and the scribe Ipu(y) carrying various funerary objects to be placed in his tomb. These include various boxes and stools. Merysekhmet is described on the stela as a sn (brother) of Neferabu, but Jac Janssen identifies Merysekhmet as Neferabu's nephew. He argues that Merysekhmet is not his real brother but a member of the same generation to which Janssen refers by sn. (Gleanings,1982,128). This argument is supported by the identification of at least 11 so-called brothers (sn) from several monuments attributed to Neferabu. The filiations recorded on Egyptian funerary reliefs do not always reliably reflect a particular blood relationship and closer examination in certain cases allows Egyptologists to determine the true relationship to the individuals involved (Davies,1999,158). It is in good but incomplete condition. In the literature it is always quoted together with stela 150 (as BM 150+1754). It was published by Kitchen in his Rammesside Inscriptions, Vol. 3, p. 774, part of 154. It has also been published in The British Museum hieroglyphic texts from Egyptian stelae etc, edited by T. G. H. James, Part 9: Plate XXX Registration number: 1931,0613.11 Ostrakon bearing an attendance record of workmen EA 5634 Neferabu's name appears on line 3 of the ostrakon: Neferabu: month 4 of Spring, day 15 (his daugher was bleeding), day 17 (burying the god), month 2 of Summer, day 7 (embalming his brother), day 8 (libating for him), month 4 of Summer, day 26 (his wife was bleeding). To view and browse the digitised version of The Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs and Paintings, (also known as Porter & Moss or TopBib) for this tomb, go to http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/topbib/pdf/pm1-1.pdf#page=3 0 Material for the Bibliography is gathered from an ever-expanding range of multi-lingual sources, encompassing both specialist and semi-popular Egyptological and Near Eastern publications, periodicals, museum guides, exhibition and auction catalogues, together with the growing wealth of web resources. The Bibliography also analyses a range of unpublished manuscripts, including those housed in the Griffith Institute Archive. Published in May 2014 by the Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, the volumes are constantly revised and augmented. Text on this page written by Lenka & Andy Peacock Photographs © Lenka Peacock, The Trustees of the British Museum With many thanks and gratitude to Ing. Jaroslav Bican, my brother, for the translation of the French text into Czech. Sources: 1. Vandier, Jacques : Tombes de Deir el-Médineh : la tombe de Nefer-Abou Le Caire : Impr. de l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale, 1935. 2. Davies, Benedict G.: Who's who at Deir el-Medina : a prosopographic study of the royal workmen's community Leiden : Nederlands Instituut voor Her Nabije Oosten, 1999 3. Davis, Benedict G.: Genealogies and personality characteristics of the workmen in the Deir el-Medina community during the Ramesside period. Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Liverpool : University of Liverpool, February 1996. 4. Gleanings from Deir el-Medina / editors, R. J. Demarée and Jac. J. Janssen. Leiden : Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten te Leiden, 1982. 5. Journey through the Afterlife : Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead / edited by John H. Taylor London : The British Museum Press, 2010. 320 p. 6. The British Museum web site www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk Further bibliography Back to top