Irynefer's tomb no 290 at Deir el-Medina. It lies at the far end of the Western cemetery and shares the forecourt with the earlier tomb of Nu and Nakht-Min TT 291. Irynefer's tomb no 290 at Deir el-Medina The tomb is located at the far end of the western cemetery and shares the forecourt with the earlier tomb of Nu and Nakht-Min TT 291 . It consists of an entrance, an antechamber and a burial chamber. The owner of the tomb was Irynefer, a necropolis workman of the Ramesside Period. He lived in the village in the 19th dynasty during the early part of Ramesses II's reign. His title was the "Servant in the Place of Truth". Photography © Elvira Kronlob 2011 The entrance to the tomb was identified by Bernard Bruyère during the season of 1922/1923. Bruyère's drawing of the exact position of the tomb and its surroundings can be found in his manuscript MS 2004 0144 017, dated Januray 31st 1923, which was digitised by IFAO. It marks the outline of the tomb and numbers it as 290: http://www.ifao.egnet.net/bases/archives/bruyere/?id=MS_2004_0144_017 Bruyère's dig diary MS_2004_0144_018 from January 27th 1923 mentions excavations in the Northern area of the Western necropolis, where a large court with 2 tomb entrances was discovered. Each entrance had a shaft in front of it. Bruyère suggested that P1 (on his plan) could be entrance into Irynefer's (AriNefer) tomb. Fragments of several ancient Egyptian objects and a lamp from Christian times were found in this area. http://www.ifao.egnet.net/bases/archives/bruyere/?id=MS_2004_0144_018 Another, later, plan dated February 9th 1923 comes from Bruyère's manuscript MS 2004 0144 027 and shows the name of AriNefer with a question mark: http://www.ifao.egnet.net/bases/archives/bruyere/?id=MS_2004_0144_027 The photographs of the entrance to the tomb and its immediate surroundings in November 2011. Unless otherwise stated, all the photographs on this page are © Elvira Kronlob 2011-2012 The steps leading down towards the entrance into the antechamber The tomb is one of the most interesting of the Ramesside tombs due to its beautifully decorated vaulted burial chamber. A short passage leads to the burial chamber. It is decorated with hieroglyphs and a reclining jackal of Anubis looking towards the entrance of the tomb. The brick vault of the burial chamber was plastered and decorated with colourful scenes and inscriptions giving the names and titles of family members. The background of the scenes was painted yellow. The scenes include illustrations of various spells from the Book of the Dead, images of funerary deities, demons and manifestations of the deceased's ba and shadow. All photographs of the interior of the burial chamber are © by Elvira Kronlob 2012 and were taken in autumn 2012. I am very grateful to her for taking them and for giving me permission to publish them on our website. We will start the tour of the tomb by looking to the right of the entrance towards the north wall. Irynefer stands in the centre with his hands raised in worship towards a frieze that decorates this wall and extends over the western wall. It is interspersed with protective symbols and hieroglyphs in which the baboon is followed by an uraeus separated from the next by a feather, symbol of Ma'at (Germond, 2001, 244). The right side of the upper register is mostly destroyed. Below the destroyed scene in the middle register, Irynefer kneels before Osiris and two gatekeepers. The upper register of the northern wall shows a representation of the god Khepri seated in front of an offering table and a sep priest standing behind him. At the entrance the visitor faces the western wall and the frieze described above. In the shrine within the frieze Ma'at and Shu are seated on the left. In front of Shu there are 42 judges of the dead (Osiris is the 43rd judge). Here Irynefer swears that he has not committed any of a list of 42 sins (each judge is responsible for 1 sin) and recites a text known as the "negative confession" from the Book of the Dead. "...I did not cause the suffering of the people, nor of my relatives.... " The upper register above the frieze depicts various deities. Next to the shrine is a representation of Irynefer worshipping Horus in the form of a falcon. Horus holds a flagellum, the symbol of regeneration and rebirth, which gave him the power to decide who would enter the afterlife. The lower register on the far side of the western wall shows Anubis leading Irynefer to Osiris seated on his throne. Above the scene with Osiris is the vignette of the unusual Spell 135 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Although the text of the spell is not present, the depiction of 5 deities, 7 stars and a disc against a dark background occurs in 5 other 19th dynasty tombs from Deir el-Medina. According to David G. Smith, the spell could be a reference to the flash of the solar corona and to "Bailey's Beads", flashes of light that occur at the precise moment of a total eclipse (for source see below bibl. 11, 12). "Another spell to be said when the moon is new on the first day of the month. Open, O cloudiness! The bleared Eye of Re is covered, and Horus proceeds happily every day, even he the great of shape and weighty of striking-power, who dispels bleariness of eye with his fiery breath." (Faulkner, 2000,123) The image on the south wall, on the left side of the burial chamber, shows the mummification of the deceased, who is lying on a bed with lion heads. The mummification is performed by Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead. The last wall to be described within the burial chamber is the eastern wall. In the lower register, we see Irynefer standing in the solar barque worshipping the phoenix, the symbol of the sun god of Heliopolis. The phoenix in the form of a grey heron wears the solar disk, the image of Re and assures Irynefer of his future rebirth in the manner of the sun (Germond, 2001, 258). In the register above, the couple is praying to a young bull-calf standing between 2 sycamore trees, the sacred trees of Heliopolis, the calf being a prefiguration of the solar bull moving through the sky (Germond, 2001, 239). Horus with the cow goddess Hesat, a manifestation of Hathor, on a reed mat by a pond, are depicted above the calf scene. The following scene spans both registers: Irynefer's parents, whose age is indicated by their white hair, pay homage to Ptah, the patron deity of craftsmen. Irynefer himself kneels in front of Ptah's throne and offers a figure of the goddess Ma'at (Hawass, 2009, 195-197). The rear part of the eastern wall is divided into two registers. The upper register is dominated by an extraordinary scene: it shows the worshipped god Ptah standing in front of the enshrined black shadow of the deceased and two ba-birds. One flies, the other sits in front of a black sun. Just above the arch of the entrance to the chamber is the green-skinned winged goddess Nut, whose name is indicated by the hieroglyphs above her head. Nut kneels before Horus and Hesat. We now turn to the last representation in the chamber, which is located at the top of the eastern wall near the entrance. The scene is very similar to a scene in TT3, the tomb of Pashedu: Irynefer kneels before a dom palm and drinks from a pool of fresh water (Dodson, 2008, 266-269). The illustration belongs to a spell for "drinking water in the necropolis" in the Book of the Dead. The design had to accommodate 3 different viewpoints: the pool is seen from above, Irynefer is kneeling on the bank on the far side so as not to obscure the water, and the tree is growing on the near side of the pool so as not to obscure the kneeling figure (Málek, 2003, 242). To view more photos of the inside of the tomb, follow the link to Claudia Ali and Ali Na'im's web site at http://www.leben-in-luxor.de/luxor_kultur_graeber_tt290_irunefer.html In the summer of 2010 Irynefer's tomb was briefly opened to visitors; by autumn 2010 it was closed again. In the middle of December 2011 the tomb opened while Sennedjem's TT1 closed. Jane Akshar described her visit to the tomb on her blog at http://luxor-news.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-tomb-opens-at-deir-el-medina.html Objects from the tomb are scattered around the globe in several museums. Photography Lenka Peacock © Petrie Museum, UCL Stela of Irynefer 19th dynasty From Deir el-Medina Sandstone Musee du Louvre. C311 Painted stela of the 'Artisan of the Royal Tombs', Irynefer and his family. The stela comes from the tomb chapel. Upper register: from left: Anubis seated behind Osiris, both facing the divine Amenhotep I and his mother Ahmose Nefertari. The 2 lower registers show Irynefer and his wife censing in front of his parents and brothers. In contrast to the wall painting in Irynefer's tomb, where both Irynefer and his wife wear white wigs, this stela shows Irynefer's father Siwadjyt as a white-haired man. These two examples, of which there are only a few, suggest an old age. They all seem to come from the New Kingdom, especially from the tombs of Deir el-Medina (Janssen, 2007, 159-161). Stela of Irynefer 19th dynasty From Deir el-Medina, tomb 290 Limestone Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology , University College London, UC14545 The lower part of this round stela is missing. The upper part shows the remains of a raised relief of the god Ptah facing forward. At the bottom of the right side of the stela there are remains of a man with his arms raised in worship - his head is turned to the left and his hands survive. The lower left side shows the remains of a pile of offerings. The rest of the stela is filled with 5 columns of hieroglyphic inscriptions identifying the worshipper as Irynefer, the Servant in the Place of Truth. Height: 22 cm Width: 20.5 cm Photography Soloegipto 2009 © Musée du Louvre To view Bruyère's drawing of the place where the stela was found, go to http://www.ifao.egnet.net/bases/archives/bruyere/?id=MS_ 2004_0144_035 Irynefer before a table of bread 19th dynasty From Deir el-Medina Musee du Louvre. E12965 Found in the tomb of Irynefer. Irynefer is seated on a rock, brandishing two knives. The short text above the offerings indicates that the knives are sharpened. The text of five vertical lines above gives the names and affiliations of Irynefer. The knives are supposed to express Irynefer's power over evil. Perhaps this ostakon was intended to invoke protection. Photography Su Bayfield 2008 © Musée du Louvre Further web sites featuring the tomb: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/Irunefert.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=372 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. Sources: 1. Dodson, Aidan - Ikram, Salima: The tomb in ancient Egypt : royal and private sepulchres from the early dynastic period to the Romans London : Thames & Hudson, 2008. 2. Janssen, Rosalind and Janssen, Jac. J.: Growing up and getting old in ancient Egypt London : Golden House Publications, 2007. 3. Hawass, Zahi: The lost tombs of Thebes : Life in paradise. London : Thames and Hudson, 2009. 4. Germond, Philippe and Livet, Jacques: An Egyptian bestiary : animals in life and religion in the land of the Pharaohs. London : Thames and Hudson, 2001. 5. Bierbrier, Morris : The tomb-builders of the pharaohs Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 1982. 6. 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. 7. Faulkner, R. O.: The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead London : British Museum Press, 2000. 8. Málek, Jaromír: Egypt : 4000 years of art London : Phaidon Press, 2003. 9. http://www.ifao.egnet.net/bases/archives/bruyer 10. http://www.leben-in-luxor.de/luxor_kultur_graeber_tt290_irunefer.html 11. http://www.diskdoctor.co.uk/texts/Solar%20Eclipses%20%28Dave%20Smith%29%20-%20Part%201.pdf 12. http://www.diskdoctor.co.uk/texts/Solar%20Eclipses%20%28Dave%20Smith%29%20-%20Part%202.pdf Further bibliography Back to top

Within the mud-brick enclosure wall at Deir el-Medina stands the small building of the Ptolemaic temple dedicated to the goddesses Hathor and Maat Ptolemaic temple of Hathor The most prominent temple in Deir el-Medina is the Ptolemaic Temple. It was dedicated to the goddesses Hathor and Maat. The building itself is small, but it is one of the best-preserved examples of a temple from this period still standing today. It is surrounded by a high mud-brick wall. Its complex includes the sites of several New Kingdom temples and small chapels built by the inhabitants of Deir el-Medina on the northern side of their settlement. The view of the northern side of the settlement as seen and photographed by Warwick Barnard during a balloon flight over the settlement in January 2007. Inside the mud-brick wall is the small building of the Ptolemaic temple. Photography © Warwick Barnard 2007 The mud-brick enclosure wall and the entrance gate. The gate was built and decorated by Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos (80-58, 55-51 BC) and features scenes of the king offering sacrifices to various deities. The temple itself was built and decorated in the 3rd century BC. Work was started during the reign of Ptolemy IV Philopator (222-205 BC) and then was continued for the next 60 years under Ptolemy VI Philometor (180-164, 163-145 BC) and Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II (170-164, 145-116 BC). The small temple building lies within a mud-brick enclosure wall within which there are also numerous New Kingdom chapels erected by the inhabitants of Deir el-Medina. To read more about these chapels, follow the link here. Dozens of Greek, Demotic and Coptic Christian graffiti cover the walls of the temple. Hathoric and floral columns and extensive decoration are characteristic of this temple. This is the view looking through the columns above the curtain wall. The curtain wall is covered with reliefs depicting the king making offerings to various gods. Below is the eastern face of the curtain wall - Ptolemy VI Philometor facing Amun-Ra and Hathor. View towards Mammisi (the birth house) of Ptolemy IX Soter II (116-80 BC) and Cleopatra III. Both are shown here in the wall relief, facing Amun, Mut and Khonsu(who are not visible in the photo). The temple itself is entered through a vestibule with two papyrus columns. The pronaos, beyond the vestibule, is defined by a pair of columns, pillars and curtain walls. The view on the left looks from the vestibule through the pronaos into the central chapel. Plan of the temple drawn by Lenka Peacock: The figures on the columns show Amenhotep, son of Hapu, and Imhotep, both architects who were deified after their deaths. The photo was taken in the vestibule, looking through the pronaos towards the North Chapel. A painting by David Roberts (1796-1864) sketching himself in the vestibule of the Temple in 1838. Compare the inside of the temple as photographed in February 2007... This offering scene below comes from the lower part of the portico of the Pronaos. It dates from Ptolemy VI Philometor. The goddess is a female fecundity figure - the counterpart of all the images of Hapy that can be found around the lower part of the walls. The sign on her head stands for 'marshes', meaning that she represents one of the farms or estates that supported the temple. The calf in the marsh could represent Hathor, Neith or Mehet-Weret. ...with the interior of the temple as recorded by the Commission des arts et des sciences in Description de l'Egypte by the artists, who arrived in Egypt with Napoleon's army in July of 1798. They called the site "du temple de l'ouest" in their publication. This is a detail of a hieroglyphic inscription from the southern side of the doorway to the Pronaos. This beautiful double glyph is a sign A80 with a phonetic value Htr . It is used as a determinative. The western wall of the Pronaos is covered with hieroglyphic inscriptions. Its deep reliefs depict the king, Ptolemy VI Philometor, making offerings to Hathor-Isis and Maat. Detail of the window - there are two Hathors and a lotus placed between them. The west wall in the pronaos. On the left is the square Hathor column and in the foreground the stairs leading from the left side of the vestibule to the roof of the temple. Pronaos - View of the reliefs on the west wall. The upper register from the right: Nun, Nut, Heh, Hauhet, Kek, Kauket and Hathor, all holding symbols of life, receive the worship of Ptolemy VI Philometor. The decorated ceiling in the pronaos preserves ancient colours. Mineral based pigments were used to decorate the reliefs. Pronaos - View of the reliefs on the north wall. The upper register: Osiris, Isis-Hathor, Horus, Nephthys-Maat. The lower register: Amun-Re, Mut, Khonsu, Montu, Tjenenyet. In both registers the gods are worshipped by Ptolemy VI Philometor. The southern chapel The doorway on the left leads into a long and narrow chapel. It is dedicated to Amun-Sokar-Osiris. The well-carved wall reliefs depict scenes from the judgement of the dead. Similar scenes are usually found on tomb walls or on papyrus scrolls. The carved figures, although Ptolemaic, are well proportioned and well modelled. Part of a scene on the southern wall of the chapel. The goddess Maat leads a figure of the deceased king (Ptolemy VI Philometor) towards the Hall of Judgment. Above the king, forty-two judges sit, ready to pronounce their verdict on his fate. Horus and Anubis weigh the deceased's heart. The heart is balanced on a scale against the feather of Maat. The ibis-headed Thoth stands to the right and records the result. A lion-hippopotamus-crocodile figure called Ammit sits nearby, ready to devour the heart of the unjust. The four sons of Horus stand above a lotus flower. The face of Osiris (not visible in the picture), seated on the throne. The image below shows an animal-headed genii, which can be seen in the upper left register of the of the doorway of the southern chapel. A four-headed ram depicted on the lintel above the door (inside the chapel). Detail of an offering table with blue lotus flowers in front of the throne of Osiris on the west wall of the southern chapel as decorated by Ptolemy IV Philopator. The lintel over the central chapel door with seven heads of Hathor. The central chapel The central chapel was dedicated to Hathor by Ptolemy IV Philopator. The wall reliefs show Hathor receiving offerings from him, his sister Arsinoe, and Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator (145 BC), who continued the decoration of the chapel. Ptolemy VI Philometor making an offering to Amun-Re, Mut, Khonsu, Hathor and Maat. Ptolemy IV Philopator and the queen Arsinoe III are making offerings to Min Amun-Re. Ptolemy VI Philometor making an offering to Amun, Amunet, Montu-Re, Maat and Raet. South wall. King Ptolemy IV Philopator offering to Hathor of Dendera and Horus. Ptolemy VI Philometor making an offering to Amun-Re, Mut, Khonsu, Hathor and Maat. Ptolemy VI Philometor makes offerings to Amun-Ra, Mut, Khonsu, Hathor and Maat. The reliefs were restored by Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II, Cleopatra II and Cleopatra III. The north chapel The doorway on the right leads to the North Chapel dedicated to Amun-Ra-Osiris. The reliefs show the king in front of various deities including Hathor, Isis, Nepthys, Horus, Anubis, Mut, Amun and others. Northern (right) wall of the chapel Nut Osiris Anubis Nepthys Ptolemy VI Philometor Horus Isis Southern (left) wall of the chapel Ptolemy VI Philometor Hathor Amun-Ra Amun-Ra Iat Maat Isis Detail of the papyrus and lily frieze. Details of reliefs and inscriptions on the temple walls. Wast (Weset) - the ancient name for Thebes, modern Luxor. The outer (rear) wall of the temple. Octavianus (who became Augustus in 27 BC and the first Emperor of Rome) offering to the goddesses Raet and Tjenenyet. The remains of earlier structures on the north side of the temple within the enclosure wall. The text on this page was written by Lenka Peacock Photography © Lenka and Andy Peacock Sources: 1. Wilkinson, R. H. : The complete temples of Ancient Egypt. London : Thames & Hudson, 2000. 2. Bomann, Ann H.: The private chapel in ancient Egypt : a study of the chapels in the workmen's village at el Amarna with special reference to Deir el-Medina and other sites. London : Kegan Paul International, 1991. 3. Strudwick, Nigel and Helen: Thebes in Egypt : a guide to the tombs and temples of ancient Luxor London : British Museum Press, 1999. 4. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 5. Pharaoh's workers : the villagers of Deir el-Medina / edited by Leonard H. Lesko Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1994. 6. Ventura, Raphael: Living in a city of the dead : a selection of topographical and administrative terms in the documents of the Theban necropolis Freiburg (Schweiz) : Universitatsverlag, 1986. 7. Černý, Jaroslav: Le culte d’Amenophis 1er chez les ouvriers de la nécropole thébaine, BIFAO 27 (1927). Further bibligraphy Back to top

The Egyptian collections of the Ashmolean Museum are one of the most extensive in England. Objects from all periods of Egyptian cluding the Bodleian Library's ostraka collection. It houses a vast collection of papyri, ostraka and other objects from Deir el-Medina. The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK The Ashmolean Museum's Egyptian collections are among the most extensive in England. Objects from all periods of Egyptian civilisation from prehistory to the 7th century AD are represented in the collection. Although some objects were part of the original collection, most come from British excavations in Egypt between the 1880s and 1930s. Oxford University's excavations in southern Egypt and the Sudan from 1910 onwards added a substantial body of Nubian material. The Department of Ancient Egypt and the Sudan holds a large collection of papyri, ostraca, tablets and wooden labels, including the Bodleian Library's ostraca collection. Following a major refurbishment, the museum opened the new Ancient Egypt and Nubia galleries on 26 November 2011. Most of the new objects from Deir el-Medina are displayed in a secluded part of the gallery. The Ashmolean Museum opened to the public in May 1683. The collection was given to the University of Oxford by Elias Ashmole (1617-1692). The collection was originally founded by John Tradescant (d. 1638), who exhibited it for a fee at his house in Lambeth. The collection ranged from natural specimens to man-made artefacts from every corner of the known world. www.ashmolean.org Photos by Lenka Peacock, 2016, unless otherwise stated © Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Naunakhte's will From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 20th dynasty Papyrus This legal document, written in hieratic script in black ink on a sheet of papyrus, is part of the will of a woman called Naunakhte. It records Naunakhte's distribution of her own property among her 8 children and her decision to disinherit 3 of the children who she felt had not cared for her as well as they should have in her old age. It sheds light on the position of ancient Egyptian women and their right to divide the family estate. Inv. no. AN1945.97(4) Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Naunakhte lived in Deir el-Medina and was married twice. As a very young girl (12 years or slightly older) she was married to a prominent scribe called Qenhirkhopshef (over 50), by whom she had no children. After his death, having inherited Qenhirkhopshef's and perhaps her father's valuables and real estate, she married a craftsman named Khaemnun with whom she had 8 surviving children. (Van Heel,2016,2) The will of Naunakhte is dated to year 3 in the reign of King Ramesses V (c. 1142 BC). It consists of 4 papyri, one of which is displayed in the gallery and shown above. Two of the papyri were acquired by Sir Alan Gardiner sometime after 1928 and given to the Ashmolean Museum in 1945. The other two papyri were found in situ during the 1928 IFAO excavations (P.DeM23 and 25) (Van Heel,2016,89). The document was written by two village scribes, one of whom was called Amennakht, whose name appears in the 8th line on the right-hand side of this sheet. The document records Naunakhte's oral testimony before the local court. By this time Naunakhte was very old and may not have had much longer to live. Year 3, fourth month of inundation, day 5, in the reign of the Dual King, the Lord of the Two Lands Weser-Ma'at-Re Sekheper-en-Re, l.p.h., the Son of Re, Lord of Diadems like Atum Ramesses Amen-her-khepesh-ef Mery-Amen (Ramesses V), l.p.h., given life for ever and eternity. This day, the lady Naunakhte made a record of her property before the following court: the chief workman Nakhte-em-Mut the chief workman In-Her-kHau (12 further names) She said: As for me, I am a free woman of the land of Pharaoh. I raised these eight servants of yours, and I outfitted them with everything that is usual for people of their character. Now look, I have become old, and look, they do not care for me. As for those who put their hands in my hand, to them I will give my property; (but) as for those who gave me nothing, to them I will not give of my property. List of the men and women to whom she gave: the workman Maaninakhtef the workman Qenhirkhopshef. She said: "I will give him a bronze washing-bowl as a bonus over an d above his fellows, (worth) 10 sacks of emmer." the workman Amunnakhte the lady Wasetnakhte the lady Menatnakhte. As for the lady Menatnakhte, she said regarding her, "She will share in the division of all my property, except the oipe of emmer that my three male children and the lady Wasetnakhte gave me or my hin of oil that they gave to me in the same fashion." List of her children of whom she said, "They will not share in the division of my one-third, but only in the two-thirds (share) of their father." the workman Neferhotep the lady Menatnakhte the lady Henutshenu the lady Khatanub As for these four children of mine, they will (not) share in the division of all my property. Now as for all the property of the scribe Qenhirkhopshef, my (first) husband, and also his immovable property and the storehouse of my father, and also this oipe of emmer that I collected with my husband,will not share in them. But these eight children of mine will share in the division of the property of their father on equal terms. Translation from McDowell,1999,38-40 The Sinuhe ostrakon Probably from Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 19th dynasty (1292-1190 BC) Limestone With the exception of religious texts and various standard formulae, few other compositions are represented in so many copies or partial copies. Two papyri from the 12th and 13th dynasties provide a fairly complete text. During the Ramesside period in the 19th and 20th dynasties, master scribes and their pupils copied the text on ostraka in school. This is an example of a large ostrakon with virtually the entire narrative inscribed on both sides. (Simpson,2003,54) Inv. no. AN1945.40 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner These are both sides - recto and verso - of the largest surviving limestone ostrakon from ancient Egypt. The text is a copy of a story known as The Tale of Sinuhe, dating from the Middle Kingdom, the reign of King Senwosret (c. 1918-1875 BC). The main protagonist is a courtier named Sinuhe. He flees Egypt after the announcement of the death of King Amenemhat (c. 1938-1908 BC) and has adventures in Syria and Palestine before returning home as an old man. A major theme of the story is the superiority of Egyptian culture over all others. Although the text was composed during the Middle Kingdom, this copy was written more than 600 years later. It is written in hieratic script in black and red ink. The story was considered a literary classic by the ancient Egyptians and remained in circulation for hundreds of years. Stele of Khaemope From Biban el-Muluk 19th - 20th dynasty Limestone Triangular stele with an inscribed column in hieroglyphic script belonging to the "Servant of the Place of Truth" Khaemope. Khaemope was not an uncommon name in the Ramesside community of Deir el-Medina. It is found on stelae, on a block statue, on papyri, in a tomb painting and in tomb graffito. There were several titles associated with this name - some were simply craftsmen with the title "Servant of the Place of Truth", some were ATw officers who appear in several court cases, and there was also a contemporary "woodcutter" Khaemope. Inv. no. AN1942.47 Given by Nina de Garis Davies This stela could have belonged to one of the following Khaemopes: - The first workman Khaemope, who is mentioned in a document from the end of the 19th dynasty on the "right side" of the workmen. Benedict Davies sees the possibility of identifying him as the "Servant of the Place of Truth" Khaemope (iii) who is named on a block statue of his father, the "Servant of the Place of Truth" Pashedu. - Davies also sees the alternative that he could be synonymous with Khaemope (iv), the son of Nakhtmin (Davies,1996,292-293) The tomb TT321 has been assigned to Khaemope (v). Model of a sandal From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom Wood Black ink A model of a wooden sandal, inscribed "Servant of the Place of Truth in the west of Thebes". Inv. no. AN1952.206 Ex Griffith collection List of workmen From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Black ink Limestone ostrakon inscribed in hieratic script with a list of craftsmen who worked in the late 19th dynasty. They are arranged in two groups - left and right - according to their rank within the team. Inv. no. HO57 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Hieratic papyrus From Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty A letter from the draughtsman Hormin to his father, the draughtsman Hori. This papyrus shows how a decorative project (here, the carving and painting of a royal tomb) was usually carried out. Two teams of masons, draughtsmen and sculptors - 'the left' and 'the right' - would have worked on opposite sides of the royal tomb. Hormin came from a family of draughtsmen; the posts were often passed from father to son. Inv. no. AN1958.112 Gift of Sir Alan Gardiner "The draughtsman Hor-Min to the father, the scribe Hori [...] in life, prosperity and health, in the praise of Amen-Re, King of Gods. To the effect that: I say to Amen-Re, King of Gods, Mut, Khonsu, and the ennead of Karnak, Grant that you be healthy! Grant that you live! Give to you strength, health and happiness! Further: when my letter reaches you, you should send for the man who will go to receive the grain (for?) the donkey. Look, the god's-father of the temple of Hathor wrote me saying: 'Come to receive it.' And you should write to reason with the captains so they will promote the servant of yours, so that he will speak with the leaders, to call up that servant of yours, so that he may give me a hand with the drawing: I am alone, since my brother is ill. Those of the right side have carved a chamber more than the left-side. Now, he will consume my rations with me. Now, witness a commission of Pharaoh, l.p.h., like this one when men are doubled for it! Now when I told it [to] the High Priest, the captains said to me, 'We will bring him up (to the work site). It is not the responsibility of the High Priest.' So they said: Write [...] As for everything my mouth said, I will double it, and more." Translation from McDowell,1999,215 The draughtsman Hormin (Harmin) (i), son of Hori (ix), appears in several ostraka dating from the reign of of the successors of Ramses III. There is some evidence that he may have been active early in the reign of Ramesses IV. He definitely appears later in year 4 of Ramesses IX. Hormin probably survived until year 17 of the same reign. (Davis,1996,204). Hormin was married to Meramundua (i) with whom he had 2 daughters - Henutneteru and Isis, and a son named Hori. They are all mentioned in Inherkau's tomb TT359. It is suggested that Meramundua may have been Inherkau's daughter or more likely his cousin. (Davis,1996,28-29) Absence record From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Black ink Two fragments of a report written in hieratic script, which records the absence of two of the crew's workers due to scorpion bites. Inv. no. HO174 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Account of grain deliveries From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom Limestone Red ink Hieratic account of the rations of grain delivered to the village, brought from the temple and from the king. Inv. no. 298 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Letter to the king From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom Limestone Black ink Hieratic letter to the king reporting that work on the royal tomb was progressing according to plan. Maintaining regular communication between the workers at the tomb and the central administration was one of the duties of the village scribe. Inv. no. HO164 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Mose's letter From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Black ink Letter from the village scribe Mose to Pesiur, the vizier under King Ramesses II (c. 1279-1213 B.C.), concerning various commissions. Inv. no. HO71 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Model letter From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Black ink Official letters often followed a set formula. This model letter to a vizier probably served as a template for the village scribe's regular reports. Inv. no. HO79 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Report of a visit ostrakon From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Black ink Report of a visit by the Vizier to inspect the work of the crew. Inv. no. HO118 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Figured ostrakon From the Valley of the Kings New Kingdom Limestone Drawing of a profile of the head of a king, looking to the left. The eye is drawn frontally. The king's head is adorned by a short wig with an uraeus on the forehead. There is a collar around the neck. This is a quick but skilful sketch in black ink. Inv. no. AN1933.804 Sayce bequest Amennakht's poem ostrakon From Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty Limestone Height: 18 cm Limestone ostrakon inscribed in hieratic script by the scribe Amennakht with two poems written by him. This page contains a poem praising the city of Thebes and expressing his longing for it: "the bread there is finer than goose fat, its water is sweeter than honey..." . The red dots above the lines are "verse points", which were used to were used to mark rhythmic units in literary texts, possibly similar to line breaks in a poem. Inv. no. ANAsh.H.O.25 Gift of Sir Alan Gardiner The Satire of the Trades ostrakon From Deir el-Medina 19th - 20th dynasty Limestone Limestone ostrakon inscribed in hieratic script with part of a text known as The Satire of the Trades. A father took his son to the school of scribes and praised the profession of a scribe in comparison with more menial jobs. Inv. no. HO356 Given by Sir Alan Gardiner Stele dedicated to divine cats of Re and Atum Place of excavation: Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Limestone Black ink, traces of a preliminary sketch in red A rounded stela of painted limestone, the lower part depicting an unidentified couple worshipping "The cat of the god Re" and "The great cat, the peaceful one, in his perfect name Atum" - two aspects of the same solar deity, both shown facing each other in the upper part. Inv. no. AN1961.232 Former Armytage collection Photo by Lenka Peacock, 2006 Stele of Amenpahapy Place of excavation: Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty Limestone This stela was dedicated by the Servant in the Place of Truth Amenpahapy. The six snakes represent the cobra goddess Meretseger. The stela may have been placed in a rock-cut shrine along the path from Deir el-Medina to the Valley of the Kings. Inv. no. AN1945.15 Gift of Nina de Garis Davies Photo by Jana Tejkalová 2008 Driving a bull to pasture Place of excavation: Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty A figured ostrakon of a shepherd in a pleated linen kilt walks behind a "neg" - bull. In his left hand he holds a short crook and the end of a double tether, probably attached to the bull's nose ring. In his raised hand he may be holding another crook. Above the bull's back is an inscription in hieratic script. Above are a pair of mating goats and two kids. Inv. no. AN1938.915 Former Nina de Garis Davies collection Bibl. J. Vander d'Abbadie, loc. cit. pt. 3, pp. 22-27, pls. IX-XIII. Dispute over a hut Place of excavation: Deir el-Medina Mid 20th dynasty, Ramesses III Limestone Fragment of a limestone ostrakon with a hieratic inscription describing the settlement of a dispute over a hut inherited by a craftsman named Wennofer. The author of the text, Wennofer, claims ownership of his father's hut, which at the time was occupied by another craftsman who also claimed ownership. Both men went to the chief workman, Khonsu, and his deputy to settle their dispute. It was decided that Wennofer had the right to the hut, but that he should compensate the other party for any improvements made while he lived there. The following is a list of items that were made in payment. The inscription is not written in ink. It is unusual in that it is cut into the limestone and filled with blue frit, a technique used for formal hieroglyphic inscriptions. Perhaps Wennofer set this ostrakon like a stele into a wall of the disputed hut to publicise his claim to the building. Inv. no. ANAsh.H.O.655 Gift of Sir Alan Gardiner Photo by Jana Tejkalová 2008 [Reporting by] the workman Wen-nefer (and) the work[man...saying] there be given to me the hut (of) my father [...] in the presence of: the chief workman Khonsu the deputy [...] [...] And they said to me, "Give him grain [...for the construction] that he made in it." List of the silver [given to him...] box: 2 deben, 3 oipe of it belonging to me [...from his?] wood And I made for him a staff [...from?] his wood and [...] hen-box, X deben [...] (Translation from McDowell,1999,180) Photo by Philippa Robins 2010 Hieratic ostrakon Place of excavation: Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty Limestone The ostrakon is inscribed with hieratic signs, numbers and unusual marks. The signs probably represent personal names, and the numbers record the quantity of items (probably pots) made by them or delivered to them. Inv. no. ANAsh.H.O.1093 Gift of Sir Alan Gardiner Photo by Jana Tejkalová 2008 "Identity marks and their relation to writing in New Kingdom Egypt" is a PhD research programme, planned for May 2011 - August 2015, at University of Leiden under leadership of Dr. Ben Haring. The objectives of the research are to explain the shapes and nature of the marks themselves, and their affinity with writing and to assess precisely how the marks were used in the workmen’s community – in addition to writing. http://hum.leiden.edu/lias/research/smes/id-marks.html The international conference "Pot marks and other non-textual marking systems from prehistory to present times" was held in Berlin on December 7-9, 2012. The main focus of the event, organized by the Department of Egyptology and Northeast African Archaeology of Humboldt University Berlin within the framework of a research linkage between Humboldt University and Warsaw University, funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, was on pot marks in Ancient Egypt, but other marking systems from Egypt and elsewhere were discussed as well. List of receipts for various commodities Place of excavation: Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty, about 1213-1204 BC Fragment of a papyrus inscribed in hieratic script with accounts of the crew of workers and various individuals. It lists supplies of food, tools, timber and and metalwork carried out for them. Most of the entries begin with a date in the season of peret (winter). Inv. no. AN1960.1283 Gift of Sir Alan Gardiner Photo by Jana Tejkalová 2008 Figured ostrakon Place of excavation: Thebes The head of a bubalis (Antelope bubalus) Inv. no. AN1938.913 Bought in Thebes Ex Nina de G. Davies collection Presented in memory of Kate Griffith Photograph by Su Bayfield This page was compiled by Lenka Peacock from the sources listed below. I would like to thank Dr Liam McNamara, Assistant Keeper for Ancient Egypt and Sudan, and Amy Taylor, Senior Picture Library and Publications Assistant, both of the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Oxford, for their kind comments and assistance in updating the site. All photographs are reproduced by kind permission of the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford. The photographs were taken by Lenka Peacock, Jana Tejkalová, Philippa Robins and Su Bayfield. Sources: 1. www.ashmolean.org 2. Museum's own labels 3. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 4. J. Vander d'Abbadie, loc. cit. pt. 3, pp. 22-27, pls. IX-XIII. 5. Parkinson, Richard: Cracking codes : the Rosetta Stone and decipherement London : British Museum Press, 1999. 6. Van Heel, Koenraad Donker : Mrs. Naunakhte & Family: The Women of Ramesside Deir al-Medina Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 2016 7. 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. 8. Simpson, William Kelly: The literature of ancient Egypt : an anthology of stories, instructions, stelae, autobiographies, and poetry New Haven : Yale University, 2003. Further bibliography Back to top

Located in the western cemetery at Deir el-Medina, TT218 belonged to Amennakht, TT219 to Nebenmaat and TT220 to Khaemteri, who all held the same title of "Servant in the Place of Truth" during the reign of the 19th dynasty's king Ramesses II (1,279 BC-1,213 BC) TT218, TT219 and TT220 "Three tombs of the ‘Servants in the Place of Truth’ open to the public at Deir el-Medina" Three tombs were opened to the public for the first time on 13 May 2016, following the completion of their restoration, Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Anany announced in his statement. Located in the western cemetery of Deir el-Medina, TT218 belonged to Amennakht, TT219 to Nebenmaat and TT220 to Khaemteri, who all held the same title of "Servant of the Place of Truth" during the reign of King Ramesses II of the 19th dynasty (1,279 BC-1,213 BC), said Mahmoud Afifi, head of the Department of Ancient Egyptian Antiquities at the Ministry of Antiquities. All three tombs were originally excavated by Bernard Bruyère in 1928. They are located in the southern part of the western necropolis, between Sennedjem's TT1 and Irynefer's TT290. The tombs belong to one family - the tomb chapel of Nebenmaat (ii) TT219, located between those of his father Amennakht (xxi) TT218 and his brother Khaemteri TT220, can be dated accurately to the first half of Ramesses II's reign on the basis of the dates contained in the mostly intact painted scenes on the tomb walls. They are of great importance in the compilation of invaluable genealogical data (Davis, 1996, 278). The recent IFAO season completed preparations for the opening of the tomb complex to the public. Past missions have been spent clearing the tomb floors, making topographical plans, photographing the walls and their paintings, and installing wooden floors, electricity and finally glass panels to protect the painted scenes, said Cédric Gobeil, director of the IFAO mission to Deir el-Medina. The courtyard of this group of tombs leads to the first antechamber with polychrome paintings similar to those in the tombs of Sennedjem, Pashedu and Inherkau. The second antechamber, in which the plastered walls were painted white, leads to the tomb complex. TT218 is almost identical in decoration to the first antechamber. It contains traditional views of family members engaged in various activities, as well as illustrations of various spells from the Book of the Dead and images of funerary deities. It belonged to Amennakht and his wife Iyemwaw. The burial chamber of Nebenmaat and his wife Mertseger in TT219 is completely different: its walls were painted in a monochrome style - the background is white with scenes painted in yellow, red and black. This style of decoration is unique in Egypt: of the 53 decorated tombs at Deir el-Medina, only 22 are monochrome. The scenes include the image of Nebenmaat as a priest censoring and libation to his parents, a motif of the deceased and his wife with gods and family members, an image of Anubis tending to a mummy on a couch, and views of offerings made by the deceased to divinities and by Mertseger and her sons to various gods. An illustration of the funeral procession to the tomb also adorns the walls. The vaulted ceiling bears images of the gods and the deceased. Further into the tomb we find TT220, which belonged to Khaemteri and his wife Nofretsatet. The walls in this section are quite damaged, but traces of scenes show that they were painted in a monochrome style on a white background. The scenes include images of deities, a motif of a mummy on a couch, a view of a funerary banquet and an illustration of Anubis jackals. Press report from the Luxor Times magazine with many photos taken inside the tombs and with an excellent video including interviews with Cédric Gobeil (Egyptologist, IFAO) and Mostafa Al Saghis (Director of the South Qurna Antiquities Area) conducted above the site of Deir el-Medina and inside the burial chambers of TT218 and TT219: http://luxortimesmagazine.blogspot.nl/2016/05/exclusive-footage-ancient-egyptian.html On the occasion of the commemoration of a century of archaeological work (1917-2017) carried out by the IFAO at Deir el-Medina, an exhibition organised by Hanane Gaber, Laure Bazin Rizzo and Frederic Servajean brought together objects from the excavations preserved at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and documents from the IFAO archives (excavation diaries and photographs). In addition to the installation of objects from Deir el-Medina that are normally displayed in different rooms of the museum, the general public and researchers were able to discover a virtual visit to an unpublished tomb from Deir el-Medina - TT218-TT219-TT220 - on screens installed in the room. The visit was carried out by @Olivier Onezime, a research engineer at the IFAO. The 3D model of the tombs is now available on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ifaocaire/videos/2199129870114222/? hc_ref=ARQvm414sXi9Venx8vAGLxJEiv3Zi5hPlNU7e6WWtz9HnZePOQGd4MPYCilJcyov9bQ Sources: 1. 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. 2. Dodson, Aidan - Ikram, Salima: The tomb in ancient Egypt : royal and private sepulchres from the early dynastic period to the Romans London : Thames & Hudson, 2008. 3. http://luxortimesmagazine.blogspot.nl/2016/05/exclusive-footage-ancient-egyptian.html 4. https://www.facebook.com/ifaocaire/videos/2199129870114222/? hc_ref=ARQvm414sXi9Venx8vAGLxJEiv3Zi5hPlNU7e6WWtz9HnZePOQGd4MPYCilJcyov9bQ 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. Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, UK The Ancient Egyptian Gallery contains over 600 objects. It covers 'Belief', the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, including their view of creation, their gods and their rituals. "Life - the social structure of ancient Egypt, childhood and a variety of occupations from pharaoh to farm labourer. "Death - funerary beliefs, preparation of the body for mummification, coffin symbolism and tombs. And "the afterlife" - ancient Egyptian beliefs about what happened after death and the need for burial objects, servants, food offerings and possessions. http://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/ bristol-museum-and-art-gallery/ The collections search page: http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/ In the 1890s, archaeologists from the Egypt Exploration Fund (now the Egypt Exploration Society) excavated at Deir el-Bahri, a complex on the west bank of the Nile opposite the modern city of Luxor. At that time, archaeological finds that were not reserved for the national collection in Cairo could be shared between the donors of funds for the excavations (mainly museums and universities). Bristol Museum sponsored the EEF and received regular donations of finds as a result. In 1905 the mummy of Horemkenesi arrived in his coffin from Luxor (KS2 resource, 2003). The coffin was found in the pit tomb of Mentuhotep II's queen Sadeh (Booth,2003,247), who lived almost 1000 years before Horemkenesi, who was buried in her tomb in Mentuhotep's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri. The tomb had remained undisturbed for 3 millennia. Horemkenesi lived during the turbulent times of the 20th and 21st dynasties, around 1070 BC, in what is now called the Third Intermediate Period (Booth, 2006, 243). He lived either at Deir el-Medina or within the enclosure of Medinet Habu. His main occupation 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 the title of "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 that the title may have been hereditary (Booth, 2006, 244). During Horemkenesi's early years, the boy must have attended classes and been trained as a scribe. The lessons would have taken place either in Deir el-Medina, where the school for the children of the necropolis workmen was run, or in the nearby Ramesseum. When the settlement of Deir el-Medina was abandoned, he would have been educated at the temple of Medinet Habu (Janssen,2007,64). His career began during the reign of Ramses XI (1098-1070 BC) and continued until at least the 20th year of the High Priest Pinedjem I (1070-1032 BC) (Booth,2003,244). His main duties were to inspect tombs for damage, repair robbed tombs and organise non-royal burials. His name is found in several rock carvings around the Valley of the Kings. His signature indicated which tombs he had inspected. For example, his name can be seen near the tomb of Seti II. In 1981 it was noticed that Horemkenesi's mummy was beginning to deteriorate and it was decided to unpack the mummy in order to find out more about Horemkenesi's physical characteristics and health, as well as how the body was mummified (KS2 Resource, 2003). The Horemkenesi mummy revealed a short, plump man who was between 55 and 60 years old at the time of his death. He suffered from arthritis in his shoulders and back, which must have caused him painful stiffness. The brain, which is normally removed, was left intact in the cranial cavity. On the other hand, his heart, which is usually left in the body, was missing from Horemkenesi's body. His earlobes had large holes in them and several of his teeth were worn down to the gums because the food he ate contained sand (KS2 resource, 2003). The mummy was buried in a 3-piece coffin, which was fashionable at the time. It is made of wood and covered with a thin layer of painted plaster. Inside and outside, there are images of gods and prayers to protect the deceased and help him in 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 in the blank spaces in the text. The panoramas below were taken by Robert Gibson from Sydney, Australia. 14 photos I took in the gallery were rendered by him to create 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 colourfully painted mummy board. The burial consisted only of the mummy in the coffin, draped with garlands of woven rush leaves, but no grave goods belonging to Horemkenesi were found in the tomb. No amulets were found in the linen wrappings, but feathers and small pieces of plant material were found in his bandages. The canopic jars were also missing. A pair of leather sandals 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 group of mummies and coffins, follow the link to 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 objects found in the coffins were recorded and given a unique catalogue number. The detailed list helps us to understand the wide range of ingredients used in the embalming process. All the coffins and remains of skin tissue from inside the mummy wrappings are listed together with the Horemkenesi's mummification process - baking soda to dry the body, sawdust, straw and plant fibres to fill the body cavities, and the body cavities to provide support, resins, minerals, charcoal and even beetles and larvae. As methods of changed and evolved over a long period of time in ancient Egypt, this list, together with the medical report from 1981, provide a better understanding of the process in which Horemkenesi's body was involved. I would like to thank Sue Giles, Senior Collections Officer-World Cultures, Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives, for permission to use the photographs on this page, and Amber Druce, Curator-World Cultures, Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives, for her helpful comments. Photographs © Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives Photography by Lenka Peacock Text produced using the following resources Sources: 1. Ancient Egyptians at Bristol's City Museum & Art Gallery : a KS2 resource for teachers Bristol : Bristol's Museums, Galleries & Archives, 2003. 2. Booth, Charlotte: People of Ancient Egypt Stroud : Tempus, 2006. 3. Janssen, Rosalind and Janssen, Jac. J.: Growing up and getting old in ancient Egypt London : Golden House Publications, 2007. 4. Clayton, Peter A.: Chronicles of the Pharaohs : the reign-by-reign record of the rulers and dynasties of ancient Egypt London : Thames & Hudson, 1994. 5. http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/?asset_id=32273145 (accessed June 25th 2011, the link is no longer available) 6. http://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery/ 7. http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/ Further bibliography Back to top

The owner of the tomb 3 at Deir el-Medina was Inherkhau. Inherkhau's tomb TT 359 at Deir el-Medina The owner of tomb 359 at Deir el-Medina was Inherkhau, who lived in the settlement during the 20th dynasty reigns of Ramesses III and Ramesses IV. "Until May 2014 the tomb was closed for restoration. The work included the consolidation of the walls and paintings. Cracks were repaired, colours were made more vivid and a new lighting system was installed". From: Betz, Raymond: What's new in Luxor: Pack your bags now! In: Ancient Egypt: The History, People and Culture of the Nile Valley. Volume 16, Number 3, Issue No. 93, Dec 2015/Jan 2016, pp. 42-43. All photography on the page © 2009 Mutnedjmet The ceiling of the first chamber of the tomb - the front vaulted upper chamber - is composed of various highly coloured patterns of intricate petal designs, repeated designs of rosettes and spirals intertwined with the two names of the tomb owner Inherkhau and his wife Wabet. (Treasures, 352) The niche on the south-west wall of the first chamber contains a representation of Inherkhau and his wife Wabet in the pose of worship. On the back wall of the niche there is a representation of Anubis watching over the necropolis in the form of a black jackal with a red ribbon around his neck, reclining on a mastaba and holding the sekhem-sceptre between his front paws and the flagellum between his back paws. The north-west wall of the first chamber - upper register Inerkhau is depicted sitting on a chair in a barque whose stern and the prow both end in the shape of a lotus flower. The Wedjat eye, symbolising protection, strength and perfection, is painted on the hull on either side of the chair. The deceased, dressed in a white linen costume typical of the 19th dynasty, wears a multicoloured pearl necklace and a garland of flowers and leaves around his neck. His wig is topped by a headband. He has a short, square beard. Inherkhau's arms are outstretched and a large piece of white linen is stretched behind his back, held by each hand - a gesture for which we have no good explanation. North-west wall, lower register: Each of these scenes depicts Inherkhau and his wife as the recipients of ritual acts and ceremonies performed by priests and their family members. from The Lost Tombs p. 59 Lower register: Relatives offer libations to the deceased couple A blind harpist sings to the chief workman Inherkhau and his wife Wab in this detail from their tomb. The text of the harpist's is written in the columns of hieroglyphic text behind the behind the harpist (only part visible here). here). The text of the song - McDowell pp. 125-6 Middle register: Inherkhau, in an immaculate white linen costume, performs an act of worship before the souls of Pe, a mythical city in Lower Egypt. The three kneeling genies are incarnations of Horus, Imsety and Hapy. (Treasures 333) Inherkhau stands before an offering table worshipping the sacred benu-bird of Heliopolis. The bird wears the crown of the god Osiris to show its connection to the god who was believed to be the spirit of both Re and Osiris. Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead, offers a heart to the mummy of the deceased. For the ancient Egyptians, the heart, rather than the brain, was believed to be the seat of their wisdom and the centre of memory and emotion, and was kept in the body after mummification. Behind Anubis is the standard of Osiris, Lord of Abydos. Inherkhau kneels in worship of the god god Horus in the form of a falcon. Both the pedestal on which the falcon stands as well as its plumage are detail and show great artistic skill. The sacred cat of Heliopolis, associated with the centre of the cult of the sun god Re, kills the evil serpent Apophis under the ished/persea tree. This symbol of chaos had to be ritually killed every day as the sun god's barque passed through the underworld. End wall: Inherkhau and his son worship Ptah and Osiris in a double scene Upper register: Inherkhau adores the horizon Lower register: Inherkhau is seated before before his relations carrying a snake rod Inherkhau worshipps four jackals Adoration of a serpent Representation of the deified king Amenhotep I and his mother Ahmose-Nefertari From Deir el-Medina, TT359 Now at the Neues Museum, Berlin AM2060, AM2061 Sources: 1. Betz, Raymond: What's new in Luxor? : Pack your suitcase now! In: Ancient Egypt : The history, people and culture of the Nile Valley. Vol. 16, No. 3, Issue No. 93, Dec 2015/Jan 2016, pp. 42-43. 2. 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. 3. 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 4. Dodson, Aidan - Ikram, Salima: The tomb in ancient Egypt : royal and private sepulchres from the early dynastic period to the Romans London : Thames & Hudson, 2008. 5. Hawass, Zahi: The lost tombs of Thebes : Life in paradise. London : Thames and Hudson, 2009. 6. Shaw, Ian, Nicholson, Paul: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt London: British Museum Press, 1995. 7. Strudwick, Nigel and Helen: Thebes in Egypt : a guide to the tombs and temples of ancient Luxor London : British Museum Press, 1999. 8. The Treasures of the Valley of the Kings : tombs and temples of the Theban west bank in Luxor Cairo : The American University in Cairo Press, 2001. 9. Weeks, Kent R.: The treasures of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings Cercelli : White Star Publishers, 2005 On-line resources: 1. http://www.ifao.egnet.net/bases/archives/bruyere/?sujet=Tombes+359%2C360%2C361+Anherkhaoui.+Qaha. +Houy&os=0 2. http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/artisans/inerkhaou359/e_inerkhaou359_01.htm Further bibliography Back to top

The temple of Amenhotep I at Deir el-Medina stands on the terrace above the Ptolemaic temple enclosure. This temple was dedicated to Amenhotep I (1551-1524 BC) and his mother Ahmose Nefertari, who were both deified by the villagers. The original structure was a small one and little remains of it. The temple of Amenhotep I The temple stands on the terrace above the Ptolemaic enclosure. This temple was dedicated to Amenhotep I (1514-1493 BC) and his mother Ahmose Nefertari, both of whom were deified by the villagers. The original structure was small and little remains of it. Many of the walls surrounding the site are later additions. The temple consisted of an outer and inner hall, a pronaos and a shrine. Two steps led to the pronaos, which was decorated with a wall of red, white and black horizontal bands. Nothing remains of the royal couple to whom the temple was dedicated, depicted on a throne. Numerous statues by Drovetti, Schiaparelli, Bruyère and Baraize have been found on the site. Photography © 2009 Andre du Toit, S. Africa Photography © 2007 Lenka Peacock 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 (1514-1493 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, acted as regent for the first part of his reign. They are jointly credited with the founding of Deir el-Medina, where they enjoyed personal religious cults until the late Ramesside period. Apart from the modest temple that was primarily dedicated to the couple, they were also secondary worshippers in the chapels of 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 ostraka. 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. All are from Deir el-Medina and are now part of the museum collections. Petrie Museum, UCL UC33258 Queen Ahmose-Nefertari Possibly from Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty, 1295-1186 BC Limestone Black ink with traces of a preliminary sketch in red. Bust of Queen Ahmose-Nefertari, looking to the left. She wears a long tripartite wig and the vulture headdress. The dating of the ostrakon takes into account the fact that Queen Ahmose-Nefertari was depicted with the "vulture" headdress after her deification in the Ramesside period. Height: 11.8 cm Width: 13.5 cm Photography © Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL Photo by Lenka Peacock Petrie Museum, UCL UC14379 Limestone fragment Possibly from Deir el-Medina Ramesside Period (1295-1069 BC) Limestone Height: 20.5 cm Width: 14.5 cm Fragment from a tomb. In the lower left part of the fragment there is the upper part of a royal head and face with a uraeus on the forehead. Above the head there is a cartouche of Ahmose-Nefertari, the queen of Ahmose I (1570-1546 BC), the mother of Amenhotep I. Photography © Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL Photo by Lenka Peacock Petrie Museum, UCL UC14223 Stela of Kaha Probably from Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty (1186-1069 BC) Limestone Height: 20 cm Width: 12.7 cm This is the right part of a framed stela of Kaha. It shows the deified Amenhotep I standing to the left, holding a spear in his left hand. The two cartouches beside identify him as Amenhotep Djeserkare. To his right is a priest standing in worshipful position. The name of the priest is written in a hieroglyphic inscription above his head. Photography © Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL Photo by Lenka Peacock Egyptian Museum, Turin Statue of the deified Amenhotep I From Deir el-Medina 19th-20th dynasty Painted limestone On stylistic grounds the statue can be dated to the 19th or 20th dynasty, but it may be a copy of an older statue from the time of Amenhotep I himself. It was probably carried in processions during religious ceremonies. The seated pharaoh wears a nemes headdress, decorated with parallel blue and yellow stripes. He has a false beard attached to his chin (Museo Egizio,2019,132). 65 x 27 x 40 cm Drovetti collection (1824) Cat. 1372 Museo Egizio Information and photos Photography © Museo Egizio, Turin. Photo by Lenka Peacock, 2019 Egyptian Museum, Turin Stela of Amenemope From Deir el-Medina Beginning of the 19th dynasty, reign of Seti I and Rameses II Limestone The stela is dedicated to Amenhotep I and Ahmose-Nefertari by the 'Servant in the Place of Truth' Amenemope and Amennakht. Height: 30 cm Width: 20 cm Drovetti collection (1824) Cat. 1452/bis Museo Egizio Information & photo Photography © Museo Egizio, Turin. Photo by Lenka Peacock, 2019 Egyptian Museum, Turin Stela of Parahotep dedicated to Amun-Re of Ipet, Meretseger and Amenhotep I From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty Painted limestone Round-topped Meretseger was the goddess of the pyramidal peak overlooking the Theban necropolis. Her common name was "she who loves silence". She was worshipped mainly by the workmen of Deir el-Medina. Drovetti collection (1824) Cat. 1451/bis Museo Egizio Information and photos Photography © Museo Egizio, Turin. Photo by Lenka Peacock, 2019 Egyptian Museum, Turin Stela depicting Seti I and a vizier adoring Amenhotep I and Ahmose Nefertari From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty, reign of Ramesses II (1279-1213 BC) Limestone with traces of paint Round-topped Upper part of a stela depicting Seti I on the right, followed by a Governor of the Town, Vizier (his name is lost), censing before Amenhotep I and Ahmose-Nefertari. Schiaparelli excavations, 1905 Cat. 1466 Museo Egizio Information and photos Photography © Museo Egizio, Turin. Photo by Lenka Peacock, 2019 Although the next two images are not from Deir el-Medina, they are very closely related to the inhabitants of the workers' village. They depict the deified royal couple. Both fragments come from the Theban tomb of Kynebu, a priest "over the secrets of the estate of Amun". He served during the reign of Ramesses VIII towards the end of the New Kingdom (c. 1130 BC). Neues Museum, Berlin, Inv.-No. ÄM 2061 Representation of the deified Pharaoh Amenhotep I New Kingdom, 20th dynasty, 1152-1145 BC. From Thebes, Inherkau's tomb TT 359 at Deir el-Medina Painted plaster Amenhotep I is shown wearing a blue cap-wig with an uraeus on the front. He is crowned with a sun disc. In his right hand Amenhotep holds a crook and a flail, symbols of royal power. In his left hand he holds an ankh, symbol of life. The king is depicted wearing the classic Shendjyt -kilt and a longer sheer linen robe. Photography © Neues Museum, Berlin Photo by Lenka Peacock, 2011 Neues Museum, Berlin, Inv.-No. ÄM 2060 Representation of the deified queen Ahmose-Nefertari New Kingdom, 20th dynasty, 1152-1145 BC From Thebes, Inherkau's tomb TT 359 at Deir el-Medina Painted plaster Ahmose-Nefertari wears a flowing, pleated dress, more typical 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. The black colour of Ahmose Nefertari's skin does not reflect her true colouring, but may symbolise regeneration. Photography © Neues Museum, Berlin Photo by Lenka Peacock, 2011 Sources: 1. Wilkinson, R. H. : The complete temples of Ancient Egypt. London : Thames & Hudson, 2000. 2. Bomann, Ann H.: The private chapel in ancient Egypt : a study of the chapels in the workmen's village at el Amarna with special reference to Deir el-Medina and other sites. London : Kegan Paul International, 1991. 3. Strudwick, Nigel and Helen: Thebes in Egypt : a guide to the tombs and temples of ancient Luxor London : British Museum Press, 1999. 4. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 5. Pharaoh's workers : the villagers of Deir el-Medina / edited by Leonard H. Lesko Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1994. 6. Ventura, Raphael: Living in a city of the dead : a selection of topographical and administrative terms in the documents of the Theban necropolis Freiburg (Schweiz) : Universitatsverlag, 1986. 7. Černý, Jaroslav: Le culte d’Amenophis 1er chez les ouvriers de la nécropole thébaine, BIFAO 27 (1927). 8. Museo Egizio, English Turin : Fondazione Museo delle Antichità Egizie di Torino, 2019. 9. Wilkinson, Toby: The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Ancient Egypt London : Thames & Hudson, 2008. Further bibligraphy Back to top

Theban tomb TT291 at Deir el-Medina belonging to Nakht-Min, Servant in the Great Place and Servant in the Place of Truth. Late 18th dynasty Tomb 291 at Deir el-Medina The Theban tomb 291 was discovered by the French Institute in the middle of its 1922 season. It is located in the north-western part of the main cemetery of Deir el-Medina, at an altitude of 115 m. It is about 90 m from the south-western corner of the enclosure wall of the main Ptolemaic temple. The owner of the tomb was Nakht-Min. Late 18th dynasty Nakht-Min's titles: 1. Servant in the Great Place 2. Servant in the Place of Truth The picture on the left is taken from the courtyard, looking west, the Theban hills are behind the tomb. The tomb shaft is visible in the foreground. Below is the picture taken from behind the pyramidion of the of the tomb, looking east towards the settlement on the right, the temple enclosure wall in the distance on the left. Dating of the tomb The exact dating of the tomb is difficult. The epigraphic style of this tomb is more elaborate and less cursive and is undoubtedly older than the style in the tombs of the 19th and 20th dynasties at Deir el-Medina he title "Servant of the Great Place" is more characteristic of the 18th dynasty than of the Ramesside period The depiction of the god Amun is intact and is located in a prominent and visible position, suggesting that the tomb predates the reign of Akhenaten The style of painting also provides good clues: the frieze consists of a series of lotus flowers alternating with bunches of grapes - an ornamental motif characteristic of the 18th dynasty The human figures have large heads for the size of their bodies. The figure of the two women in the 2nd register of the west wall can be well studied because their transparent clothes show their silhouette: the stomach is too big, the thighs are round, the arms are slender. These characteristics do not correspond to the Ramesside style, but rather to the Amarna style. The painted reliefs of the tomb seem comparable in style to those of the tomb of Ay in the Western Valley The now missing relief depicting the god Osiris in his shrine, the offering table and the person offering to the god can be seen in this picture. The graffito mentioned at the end of this page may be the one visible just above the lotus flowers on the offering table. In view of all these chronological indications and stylistic similarities, Bruyère dated the tomb to the end of the 18th dynasty, or more precisely to the period immediately following the reign of Akhenaton. The interior of tomb 291 I found a black and white picture of the interior of this tomb in a 1926 publication: to my horror the missing relief on the right side was still in place! The relief on the right (northern) side of the chapel had clearly been removed - cut out! The now missing relief depicting the god Osiris in his shrine with the offering table and the person offering to the god can be seen in this picture. The graffito mentioned at the end of this page may be the one visible just above the lotus flowers on the offering table. 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. A plan of the tomb of Nakht-Min, no. 291. Drawn by Lenka Peacock, after a drawing of Bernard Bruyère, in Tombes Thebaines I. Tombe de Nakht-Min. In the chapel of the tomb a graffito in black ink echoes a 21st dynasty message left by Ankhefenamun, "a scribe of the Tomb", son of Butehamun. "Yours is the West, ready for you, all blessed ones are hidden in it, sinners do not enter nor any unjust. The scribe Butehamun has landed at it after an old age, his body being sound and intact. Made by scribe of the Tomb Ankhefenamun". 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=392 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. The text on this page was written by Lenka Peacock Photography © Lenka and Andy Peacock With many thanks and gratitude to the late Douglas James Peacock for the translations of the French text Sources: 1. Taylor, John H.: Death and the afterlife in ancient Egypt London : British Museum Press, 2001. 2. Shaw, Ian: British Museum dictionary of ancient Egypt. London : British Museum Press, 1995. 3. Bruyere, Bernard : Tombes Thebaines. La Necropole de Deir el-Medineh. Tom 1. Cairo : 1926. 4. Černý, Jaroslav: A community of workmen at Thebes in the Ramesside period Cairo : Institut Francais d'archeologie Orientale du Caire, 1973. Further bibliography Back to top

The Berlin Museum and the German Orient Society (Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft) were granted a concession to excavate at Western Thebes during 1911-1913. Their work at Deir el-Medina was conducted under the leadership of Georg Möller, a distinguished paleographer, in 1913. Neues Museum, Berlin, Germany The Berlin Museum and the German Orient Society (Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft) were granted a concession to excavate at Western Thebes during 1911-1913. Their work at Deir el-Medina was conducted under the leadership of Georg Möller, a distinguished paleographer, between the 26th February and the 29th March 1913. Their dig covered 4 locations and resulted in numerous finds: more than 160 hieratic ostraka and 70 figured ostraka were recovered. 11 houses together with their contents were uncovered and within the Eastern cemetery 4 graves of children were located. Their results within the Western cemetery produced 10-13 excavated tombs (McDowell,1999,24-25). Rudolf Anthes published a brief report of the excavations based on Möller's notes in his Die deutschen Grabungenauf der Westseite von Theben in den Jahren 1911 und 1913 published in Sammlung des Heidelberger ägyptologischen Instituts in 1943. https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/neues-museum/collections-research/about-the-collection/ I would like to express my heartfelt 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 devoted his time and effort during my visit to the Museum. All photographs were taken by Lenka Peacock in 2011 and are © Neues 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. Representation of the deified queen Ahmose-Nefertari New Kingdom, 20th dynasty, 1152-1145 BC From Thebes, Inherkau's tomb TT 359 at Deir el-Medina Painted plaster Inv.-No.ÄM 2060 Ahmose-Nefertari wears a flowing, pleated dress, typical in representations of elite women of the Ramesside period (about 1295-1069 BC) rather than the period during which the Queen was alive. On her head she wears the vulture head-dress of the goddess Mut, consort of the god Amun of Thebes, surmounted by a sun-disc and ostrich plumes. The cobra on her crown and the flail in her hand indicate her royal status. The lotus blossom was often held by deceased women, thought to be representing rebirth. The black colour of Ahmose-Nefertari's skin does not reflect her true coloration, but may symbolise regeneration. Representation of the deified Pharaoh Amenhotep I New Kingdom, 20th dynasty, 1152-1145 BC. From Thebes, Inherkau's tomb TT 359 at Deir el-Medina Painted plaster Inv.-No.ÄM 2061 Amenhotep I is shown wearing a blue cap-wig, with a uraeus on its front. It is topped with a sun-disc. Amenhotep holds a crookand a flail, symbols of royalty, in his right hand. He holds an ankh, symbol of life, in his left hand. The king is shown wearing the classic shendjyt-kilt, and a longer see-through linen garment. To read more about the cult of the deified couple, follow the link to the Amenhotep temple at Deir el-Medina. Tomb relief of Khabekhnet in front of royal families From TT2 at Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, the reign of Merneptah, 1213-1203 BC Plaster Limestone Inv.-No.ÄM 1625 Khabekhnet was the eldest son of Sennedjem (TT1 ). He lived during the 19th dynasty when Ramesses II (1279-1212 BC) was on the throne. His title was "Servant in the Place of Truth". He lived in Deir el-Medina and worked in the royal tombs at the Valley of the Kings. Khabekhnet's house was located in the southwestern part of the village. It stood next to the house of his father Sennedjem (Théby,2007,276). Khabekhnet was buried along with his wife, Sahte, and their family in a tomb TT2 in the above and slightly to the south of his father's tomb. Khabekhnet's family was as extensive as Sennedjem's family. A stela found in the courtyard of the tomb contains the names of Khabekhnet, his brother Khons and several children: Mose, Anhotep, Amenemheb, Isis and Henutweret. Benedict Davies suggests they all were Khabekhnet's offspring (Davis,1999,45). The relief below comes originally from his tomb. It shows Khabekhnet standing in a gesture of adoration on the right in front of a row of deceased kings. The purpose of this relief might lie in the fact, that he could have been responsible for the care of their tombs. Votive stele of Ta New Kingdom, 20th dynasty, 1152-1145 BC. From Deir el-Medina Limestone Inv.-No.ÄM 20989 Osiris with a djed-pillar instead of his head Votive stele of a family praying to Meretseger From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 18th dynasty, around 1500 BC Inv.-No.ÄM 24029 Stela of Ubekhet praying in front of the snake goddess Meretseger son: Ani-Nakht From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, around 1200 BC Inv.-No.ÄM 21565 Figured ostrakon New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, 1292-1187 BC From Deir el-Medina Limestone Inv.-No.ÄM 21446 The drawing represents a procession of a deity in its sacred shrine on a boat equipped with long wooden poles being carried by temple priests. During festivals the gods were taken out of their shrines and temples and their image - shrouded and invisible to the crowds of onlookers - were carried in processions in order to visit the neighbouring sanctuaries. The boats in which the shrines rested were constructed of foreign wood and were embellished with precious metals. The prow of the boat bears the likeness of the deity, in this case the ram's head signifies Amun (Meskell,2004,95-97). The ram is wearing a broad collar around his neck and his head is surmounted by a ureaus within a solar disk. The sacred shrine, which is located centrally on the boat, dominates the deck. The shrine does not seem to be veiled and is open to the view. The portable barque of the god is visible inside and is flanked by 2 protecting deities. The top of the shrine is flat and corniced, surmounted by a cobra frieze. On the prow two deities stand in front of a plumed Wepwawet standard. The deity on the left might represent the goddess Maat as a feather is apparent on her head. A reclining sphinx is placed behind the standard and faces the prow. The scene in front of the shrine is at first glance difficult to understand as it gives the impression that the two figures, standing behind the sphinx and facing the shrine, are interacting with each other. It is the opinion of Jan Kunst, a Dutch Egyptologist, that the impression was created by the fact that the artist run out of space and had to squeeze the figures slightly due to the shortened rendering of the barque dictated by the small size of the ostrakon. According to him both figures represent royal figures, one of a kneeling king (as often can be seen on depictions of the barque of Amun) and behind that a standing king offering a round jar (perhaps a nu jar containing milk or wine) in his outstretched arms. He concludes that similar figures - most likely wooden statues of the king that adorned the actual barque of Amun - were intended on this ostrakon. The drawing looks like a skillful draft for a larger work. Perhaps this is a study in preparation for a temple wall relief or a tomb painting representing a river barge of Amun. The scene is known from some 16 representations found in different locations around Egypt and ranging in date from the New Kingdom down to Ptolemaic times (Murnane,1979,18). A limestone relief of the Beautiful Festival of the Valley, found within the enclosure of the Temple of Hathor at Deir el Medina, dating from the 1st year of reign of Ramesses II, now in Cairo Museum also carries this image and the ostrakon might be a draft for the relief similar to this one. In this relief a similar scene of the barque of Amun is shown on the East side of the South wall of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak. The king is shown offering the contents of a jar to the statue of Amun, which is placed inside the shrine. The goddesses Maat and Hathor stand on the prow. Ostrakon with king on his throne New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, 1192-1186 BC. From Deir el-Medina Limestone Inv. No. ÄM 21446 Ostrakon of a man driving a pied bull New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, 1292-1187 BC. From Deir el-Medina Limestone The body of the man, who walks alongside the small bull, is painted red, his kilt white. The piece is incomplete and the man's head and his right shoulder are missing. The herdsman's right arm rests on the back of the animal while his left hand rests above his head. The animal is outlined in black and painted mostly black with red markings. The baseline is indicated. The scene is skilfully drawn. It is one of the finest examples of its kind. Hieratic ostrakon 18th - 19th dynasty, 1540-1186 BC From Deir el-Medina Limestone Inv.-No. P 11253 Four lines in black ink of a hieratic inscription. "Month 2 of shemu last day of the month, the delay (?) of a man and another man sanctuary delay (?) 16". (Tranlated from German translation published at https://dem-online.gwi.uni-muenchen.de/recherche.php#conErgebnis ) Fragment of a hieroglyphic ostrakon From Deir el-Medina 20th dynasty, 1160 BC Limestone Inv.-No. P 14320 Hieroglyphic draft for an inscription in the tomb of Ramesses IV. Hieratic ostrakon From Deir el-Medina 19th dynasty, 1292-1190 BC. Limestone Inv.-No. P 14203 The fragment of this ostrakon written in hieratic script preserved a part of a school text called. "Kemyt". The work named Kemyt (The Compendium), an Egyptian word meaning "what completes, completion", or "what is completed", is mentioned in the 12th dynasty's (circa 1950 BC) The Satire of Trades, so it must be older than that, suggesting 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 (circa 2000 BC), where the origin can be derived. The surviving copies are written in vertical columns divided by spacing lines, in red paint, 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 signs used is old fashioned, characteristic of early Middle Kingdom period. Why have more ostraka with portions of Kemyt survived than those bearing parts of any other literary text? There might be several reasons for that: the text of Kemyt is not particularly interesting (it is a model letter), so perhaps it was in its simplicity and in its lack of difficulties for the young scribe that it could have been used for scribal beginners. It could have been used as the first reader from which the student learned to handle the hieratic script both in reading and writing. Thanks to its standard formulae and expressions the exercise was easy to learn and hard to forget making the work ideal for instructional purposes. Ostrakon with names of kings From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, around 1230 BC Pottery 15 x 10 cm Inv.-No. O. Berlin P 11235 Acquired by Ludwig Borchardt This smooth piece of yellowish brown pottery, probably a vessel fragment, is inscribed on the convex side with 5 + 2 lines in black ink. It is broken off at the upper left edge, end of line 1 is lost, line 3 is effaced. After line 5 there are two lines of writing effaced by the scribe. Classification: account - inventory : deficit Keywords: grain - oil Contents: Account of oil and grain. Below: titulary of Ramesses II. Terminology: ir n (2, 5); wDA.t (1); mn (5); mn.t it (4); gmy.t m sfT (1); gmy.t m Sbn.w (4); TAy (5) Names/Titles: Wsr-mAa.t-Ra stp.n-Ra anx wDA snb (nswt-bity, nb-tA.wy ; king; 5-6 Publication: Deir el Medine online, URL: http://dem-online.gwi.uni-muenchen.de (photograph, description, transcription, transliteration, translation and commentary) ©1998-2017 The Deir el-Medina Database, Leiden University http://dmd.wepwawet.nl/ Hieratic papyrus From Deir el-Medina Dates attributed: 20th dynasty, year 21 of Ramesses III and year 24 of Ramesses III Dimensions: 28 x 20.5 cm Inv.-No. P. Berlin P 10496 Acquired by H. Schäfer in Luxor in 1909 Dates mentioned: rnp.t-sp 21 I Smw sw 7 nswt-bity Wsr-mAa.t-Ra Mry-Imn anx wDA snb (recto 1); rnp.t-sp 24 I Smw sw 30 (verso 6) This is a small dark brown papyrus inscribed on the recto with 17 lines in black ink and on the verso with 15 lines in black but beginning of verso 6 in red ink. Verso 15 (docket) is written upside down along the lower edge. Top recto = bottom verso. The papyrus is damaged - first half of recto 15-17 and verso 1-3 are now lost. Contents: A committee inspecting the tomb of the workman 2a-m-Nwn found that it could be reached through the (nearby) tomb of the workman Imn-m-Ip.t (the speaker). The latter was asked to open his tomb. When inspected, it turned out that this tomb contained an uninscribed coffin. The matter was settled by an oath (by Imn-m-Ip.t ?). Three years later, Imn-m-Ip.t had a quarrel about his tomb with the workman Wn-nfr, who was accused of throwing the 'mistress' of Imn-m-Ip.t (i.e. the mummy of a female ancestor?) out of the tomb. This matter was also settled by an oath. Names and titles mentioned in the text: an. (pA HoA anx wDA snb ; verso 1); an. (Pr-aA anx wDA snb ; king; verso 4); an. (tAy=i Hnw.t ; f.; verso 10); Imn (deity; verso [1]); Imn-m-Ip.t sA Ra-mry (rmT-is.t ; verso 6); Imn-m-Ip.t (rmT-is.t ; recto 5); Imn-ms (verso 9); Imn-nxt (sS n TAty ; recto 7, verso 8); Imn-nxt (sS ; recto 2, 5, 17, verso 13); Imn-xa (idn.w ; recto 3, 5-6, verso 9); In-Hr-xa (idn.w ; recto 2-3, 6); In-Hr-xa (aA n is.t ; verso 8; cf. 2a ); ax-p.t (sS ; recto 16); Wn-nfr sA Pn-Imn (rmT-is.t ; verso 7); Wn-nfr (sS ; recto 2); BAk (verso 10); BAk-n-wrnr (rmT-is.t ; recto 10); PA-bAk (verso 13); Nfr-Htp (AT.w ; recto 6, verso 14); nswt-bity Wsr-mAa.t-Ra Mry-Imn anx wDA snb (king; recto 1); 1r sA 1y-nfr (recto 10); 1sy-sw-nb=f (rmT-is.t ; verso 8); 2a (aA n is.t ; verso 13 - for In-Hr-xa ); 2a-m-Nwn (rmT-is.t ; recto 4 - written 2a-Nwn ; 11 - no title); 2nsw (aA n is.t ; recto 2, 11, verso 7-8, 13) Incomplete: [...] (sS ; rt. 17) Text is related to the British Museum ostrakon EA 5624 and and ostrakon in the Archaeological Museum in Florence O. Florence 2621. Publication of the papyrus: 1. Allam: Hieratische Ostraka und Papyri, 277-280 (no. 265), pl. 80-83 (photograph, transcription, translation and commentary); 2. Blackman IN: JEA 12 (1926), 177-181 (translation, commentary); 3. G. Burkard, H. Fischer-Elfert: Aegyptische Handschriften 4 (Verzeichnis der orientalischen Handschriften in Deutschland XIX, 4), Stuttgart 1994, 67, no. 92 (description; transcription and transliteration of recto 1 and verso 14); 4. Erman: Zwei Aktenstücke ... , 331-336, 339-347 (transcription, translation, commentary); 5. Helck: Materialien III, 348 and 349 (translation recto 1-14 and verso 6-12; commentary); 6. Kitchen. K.: Ramesside Inscriptions V, 476-478 (transcription); 7. Wilson IN: JNES 7 (1948), 139, nos. 57 and 58 (translation verso 1-5 and 11-14; commentary) (Description and other additional information accessed from the Deir el-Medina database of the Leiden University at http://www.wepwawet.nl/dmd/scripts/dmdobj.asp?id=P.%20Berlin%20P%2010496 ) Ancestral bust Possibly from Deir el-Medina New Kingdom Limestone with traces of pigment Inv.-No.ÄM 20994 Face features are carefully modelled with some paint remainig. The tripartite wig is painted. The front bears a hieroglyphic inscription mentioning the goddess Hathor with her title. There are a few gouges on the body and its face. 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 referred to as 'ancestor busts'. It is thought that they were placed in the small shrine areas which seemed to form part of private homes, and played a part in the private devotions of the family. Five busts were found in houses at Deir el-Medina, where they could have been placed in wall niches in the first and second rooms. The wall niches are comparable in size, so this seems probable. Rather than representing anyone in particular, the busts anonymous nature suggests that they represent all the ancestors whom the family might wish to commemorate. Another theory is that they represent "the able spirit" of those, who had been authoritative in life, by inference, the older members of the community. In troubled times people turned to them for help, i.e. to a parent still remembered, not to an ancestor of long ago. Some of these must 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 understood that for the worshiper the ancestor busts conjured up memories of a deceased relative. Doum-palm nuts From Deir el-Medina These 3 nuts come from a tree called doum palm ("hyphaene thebaica") which only grows in Upper Egypt, specifically in the region to the south of Abydos. Numerous depictions on the tomb walls from the New Kingdom show the tree, whose fruit was among the items wanted by the deceased. The fruits of the palm have been found in many tombs, from as early as the Predynastic Period. Basket with linen New Kingdom, 1540-1075 BC From Deir el-Medina Basketry, linen Inv.-No.ÄM 20995 Inv.-No.ÄM 7243 Folded linen, stained Two well-preserved pairs of sandals meant for a child From Deir el-Medina New Kingdom - Late Period, 1540-332 BC Vegetable fibres, leather Inv.-No. ÄM 10824/1,2 Inv.-No. ÄM 20998 In ancient Egypt a wide variety of materials - mainly organic (vegetable fibres, leather, wood) - was used to make footwear. There were various types of vegetable fibres such as palm leaf and fibre (the leaf sheath of a palm leaf), halfa grasses and reeds. Leather was oil-cured to make the skin durable. In earlier times sinew was used for sewing the parts together and later on flax was used but also, on a limited scale, leather thongs were employed. Scenes in tombs sometimes show leatherworkers making sandals they pull the strap through the sole with their teeth, put skin in vases with oil to make the skin durable or men are shown cleaning the skin. The production of fibre footwear is never shown. Some people believe that, therefore, it might have been a household activity. Scenes of sandalmakers are shown as part of a larger composition: a leather workshop where also other objects were made, such as chariots and weaponry (Veldmeijer,2014,18-19). 1. Sewn sandals Distinction is beeing made between three types of Sewn Sandals: type A, B and C. This pair represents the so-called A-Type: the soles are symmetrical or near-symmetrical lengthwise, thick and the number of transverse bundles is low (< 30). Both sandals have twelve transverse bundles (the front and especially the back one have a substantially smaller diameter), which are sewn in a fairly regular way. The transverse rows are finished with an edge, which is made in the same technique, i.e. a fibre core, which is wrapped and sewn with palm leaf strips. The triple edge is of unequal diameter - theouter one being the thinniest. The straps are incomplete, but enough is preserved in situ to see that there were back and front ones. 2. Leather composite sandals This is a well-made pair of sandals, which consist of several sole layers. The leather is coloured in bright hues - mainly red and green - and the dorsal surface of the sole and the straps are decorated. The heel is rounded and the waist is constricted. From here, the width increases towards the front almost equally until, approximately, the first quarter of the length. Here, the lateral edge continues with a wider curve towards the big toe area. The treadsole is fairly thick. The straps are mainly in place. Painted terracotta jug with handles From Deir el-Medina 18th-19th dynasty, 1550-1187 BC Pottery Height: 25.5 cm Inv.-No. ÄM 21327 Painted clay vessel with motives of ornaments, flowers, mimusops fruits, wreaths/collars and a checkerboard pattern. Sources: 1. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 2. Meskell, Lynn: Object worlds in ancient Egypt : Material biographies past and present Oxford : Berg, 2004. 3. Théby : město bohů a faraónů = Thebes : city of gods and pharaohs / Jana Mynářová & Pavel Onderka (eds.) Praha : Národní Museum, 2007. 4. 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 5. Murmane, William J.: The bark of Amun on the third pylon at Karnak. IN : Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, Vol. 16,(1979), pp.11-27. 6. James, T.G.H.: Pharaoh's people : scenes from life in Imperial Egypt New York : Tauris Parke, 2003. 7. 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 8. Janssen, Rosalind and Janssen, Jac. J.: Growing up and getting old in ancient Egypt London : Golden House Publications, 2007. 9. Veldmeijer, André J.: Footwear in Ancient Egypt: the Medelhavsmuseet collection Varldskulturmuseerna Stockholm : National Museums of World Culture, 2014 http://www.egyptian-museum-berlin.com/index.php http://dem-online.gwi.uni-muenchen.de/index.php http://www.hethert.org/beautifu.html http://www.wepwawet.nl/dmd/scripts/dmdobj.asp?id=P.%20Berlin%20P%2010496 Further bibliography Back to top

The village was inhabited by the community of workmen involved in the construction and decoration of the royal tombs in both the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. Together with their wives and families the workmen occupied the houses of mud brick and stone for some 450 years. The village of Deir el-Medina Deir el-Medina is one of the best preserved ancient settlements in 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 village was inhabited by the community of workmen involved in the construction and decoration of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. Together with their wives and families, the craftsmen occupied the neatly built mud-brick and stone houses for some 450 years during the New Kingdom period. The settlement was founded sometime early in the 18th dynasty, although it is uncertain under which king. Many bricks in the enclosure wall of the settlement were stamped with the name of Thutmosis I (c. 1524-1518 BC), who was the first pharaoh to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. However, the reverence paid to the previous king, Amenhotep I (1551-1524 BC) and his mother, Ahmose-Nefertari, suggests that they may have been instrumental in establishing the royal workforce at Deir el-Medina. We have little information about the earliest years of the community. Most of our knowledge of the settlement comes from the extensive evidence from the 19th and 20th dynasties, when the village almost doubled in size. The initial workforce was probably drawn from a number of places, possibly from other crews in the Theban area employed on temple building projects. The original town was surrounded by a thick mud-brick wall. Since the first phase of the settlement, dating from the beginning of the 18th dynasty, was destroyed by fire, little is known about its layout. After the Amarna period, under the restoration of King Horemheb (c. 1321-1293 B.C.), the village expanded. The damaged houses were restored and new ones built. During the 19th dynasty, Deir el-Medina covered an area of about 132 metres long and 50 metres wide. The houses within the enclosure wall were all built in blocks - there was no space between them and two adjacent houses shared a wall. Although the village was occupied for over four centuries, the evidence from the excavations shows that the general layout of the individual houses largely follows the pattern established in the first phase of the settlement's construction during the 18th dynasty. The ground level also remained unchanged, unlike other settlements where successive generations built on the remains of previous occupations. The village itself consisted of about 70 houses. They were divided by a main road. It ran from north to south with narrow houses on either side. Archaeological excavations suggest that this street was covered, making the village a solidly roofed community. Both the floors of the houses and the central street were found to be covered with layers of accumulated and well-trodden animal dung from goats, sheep and pigs. (Hobson, 1997, p. 117). In the workmen's village, property ownership was more tightly controlled - property tended to be passed from father to son, along with trades and professions. Restricted by the village boundary, the inhabitants were not able to expand their dwellings, as was often the case elsewhere. Some forty to fifty houses were later built outside the enclosure wall to the north, between or over earlier burials. The community reached its greatest numbers and prosperity towards the end of the reign of Ramesses II (1279-1212 BC). From the end of the reign of Ramesses XI (1098-1070 BC), the Theban area was in turmoil and the tombs in the Valley of the Kings began to be plundered. Both the archaeological and textual evidence suggest that not later than by the early 21st dynasty, around the years 17-18 of Ramesses XI, the community of workmen had left Deir el-Medina and moved within the walls of the nearby temple at Medinet Habu. Dhutmose, the scribe of the tomb, wrote to Hor, the deputy of the estate of Amun-Ra, on his visit to Thebes: "We heard that you have arrived and reached the town of Ne; may Amun give you a good welcome, may he do all good things for you. We dwell here in the Mansion and you know well our way of dwelling. But the boys of the tomb have gone. They dwell in Ne, while I dwell here alone with the scribe of the army, Penthonakhte". The Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III (1182-1151 BC) at Medinet Habu as seen from the western slopes of the Theban Hills above Deir el-Medina Although the former inhabitants no longer lived in the village, they returned to visit the family tombs and to worship at their temple of Amenhotep I. The abandoned houses were used for storage until they decayed beyond their usefulness. It is not clear what happened to the villagers after this period, but the site of Deir el-Medina continued to be used extensively for both religious and funerary purposes until as late as the 8th century AD. In the 3rd century BC, Ptolemy IV Philopater built a temple dedicated to Hathor and Maat on the northern side of the former village, on the site of the earlier chapels and shrines and opposite the small temple of Amun . In the Christian era the temple was converted into a Coptic church. A monastery, or deir, was established there. Deir el-Medina thus survived its change in function from a primarily residential to a to a sacred and burial site. The ancient name of the settlement, "St-maat-Hr-imnty-Wast" , means "The Place of Truth, to the West of Thebes". The ancient villagers referred to their settlement as "pa-demi" , "the town". The modern Arabic name Deir el-Medina, meaning "The Convent of the Town", reflects the fact that, during the Muslim conquest of Egypt, the village's Ptolemaic temple was converted into a Christian church. "Wast" inscription from the walls of the Ptolemaic temple at Deir el-Medina The term "st-maat" , usually translated as "the Place of Truth", appears repeatedly in tomb inscriptions and on funerary objects such as stelae, coffins, shabtis, statues, pyramidions, door lintels and door jambs, as well as on a wide variety of small objects from the Theban necropolis, particularly from the region of Deir el-Medina. A smaller number of objects come from other Theban sites, the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, the Ramesseum, Medinet Habu, Qurna and Dra abu al-Naga. A large group of titles, demoting employees "in the Place of Truth", has been identified in documents from the 19th and 20th dynasties. "st-maat" from an inscription on Bankes stela no. 11 Kingston Lacy The earliest example of the expression "st-maat" is in chapter 125 of the Book of the Dead, which dates from the dynasties 13-17 (2nd Intermediate Period, ca. 1782-1633 B.C.). It reads "I have not committed any sins in the Place of Truth". The term can generally be applied to any place or locality that is sacred or holy. It was not only used within the city of Thebes. There are examples of the term being used in Memphis, Amarna or Abydos. The term cannot be translated with a single phrase because it does not have a single meaning. Depending on the context, "st-maat" can mean the afterlife, the cemetery, a tomb, the king's tomb, or even a workshop (in western Thebes). In Theban documents, "st-maat" was used with the addition "hr-imnty-Wast" , meaning "west of Weset" (Weset being the ancient Egyptian name for Thebes, now Luxor). Inscriptions are found in both hieroglyphic and hieratic scripts. Excavations at Deir el-Medina Throughout the 19th century, objects were looted from the Deir el-Medina area to supply the new antiquities market created by foreign travellers visiting the ancient sites. The first antiquities collected by the locals around the site of Deir el-Medina were sold to passing tourists in 1815. Among them was Sir William Bankes. The collection of pieces he bought at this early stage can be seen at his family home in Dorset, Kingston Lacy . Giovanni Belzoni collected antiquities for the British Consul General Henry Salt at the same time as his rival, the French Consul General Bernardino Drovetti, was bidding against him. Their collections were later divided mainly between the British Museum in London and the Museo Egizio in Turin. John Gardner Wilkinson (1797-1875), an English traveller, writer and pioneer Egyptologist, was the first to excavate the area. He opened several tombs in order to record the remarkable information they contained. Karl Richard Lepsius (1810-1884), a pioneering Prussian Egyptologist and linguist, also copied tomb scenes at Deir el-Medina. This inevitably drew attention to the potential riches, and illegal excavations followed (Hobson, 1991, pp. 116-118). In the 1850s an archive of papyri was excavated from the family tomb of Butehamun. It included letters from his father, the scribe Djutmose, to Butehamun and the correspondence of Piankh (c. 1074-1070 BC) sent from Nubia where he was with the army. Several other papyri, probably from the same source, came onto the market at the same time and were bought by European travellers. Eventually, the papyri and many other objects found their way into the storerooms of numerous museums to await future scholars. Most of these discoveries were made by local people. Huge amounts of information were lost as a result of their haphazard digging. In January 1886, a local resident of Qurna, Salam Abu Duji, and his 3 associates were given permission to excavate at Deir el-Medina. They focused their attention not on the settlement area, but on the adjacent terraced hill to the west - the site of the tombs. After the first week of excavation they found an undisturbed tomb - the tomb of Sennedjem (Burzacott,2017,17-18). The northern part of the valley was excavated down to the virgin soil. One of the most important finds was the intact tomb of the 18th Dynasty foreman Kha and his wife Meryt. Between 1909 and 1912, Émile Baraize was employed by the Egyptian Antiquities Service to carry out work on the Ptolemaic temple. In 1912 he excavated a small chapel located in the north-western part of the enclosure wall of the main Ptolemaic temple (Bomann, 1991, 39). From 1905 to 1909, the first scientific excavation of the site was carried out by the Italian archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli. In 1906 he excavated the chapel of Seti I (Bomann, 1991, 39). Many objects, including papyri and ostraca, greatly enriched the collections of the Museo Egizio in Turin and the Museo Archeologico in Florence. Turin had already acquired a large number of objects through the collector and dealer Bernardino Drovetti in the early 19th century. In 1913, Georg Möller, a German palaeographer, led an excavation at four sites within the settlement as part of the Berlin Museum's season at Deir el-Medina. as part of a large concession in western Thebes. Among his finds were 11 houses with their contents, 160 hieratic and 70 figurative ostraca, 10-13 tombs in the western cemetery and 4 infant graves in the eastern cemetery (McDowell, 1999, 25). The German concession at Deir el-Medina was transferred to the French after World War I. The French began work at Deir el-Medina in 1917. In 1922, the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo, under the direction of Bernard Bruyère, began a project of systematic excavation of the entire site - village, cemetery and pit. The Great Pit , used in ancient times as a garbage dump, was Bruyère's most rewarding discovery. It contained thousands of literary and non-literary ostraca. Bruyère also discovered thirty-two religious structures (Bomann, 1991, 39). In 1925, Bruyère was looking for an epigrapher for his excavations. Jaroslav Černý, a Czech Egyptologist, became a member of the team. He was the world's leading authority on several aspects of the Ramesside period, particularly the hieratic script, a cursive writing system used on papyri and ostraka. Excavation Diaries of Bernard Bruyère from Deir el-Medina, 1922-1955, are now available on-line at http://www.ifao.egnet.net/bases/archives /bruyere/about In 1967, the IFAO gave Georges Castel permission to continue the excavations at Deir el-Medina. Although he continued the work of Baraize, Schiaparelli and Bruyère, he concentrated mainly on the excavations of Gurnet Mura'i to the north and south. Excavations by the French mission continue to this day (Brooker, 2009, 8). Domonique Valbelle and Charles Bonnet have reexamined the site to better understand the phases of construction. A worldwide group of scholars continues to study a wide range of topics relating to all aspects of Deir el-Medina. The research group, entitled "Workers' Huts in the Theban Mountains" , began work at the site of the workers' huts in 2008. They will work for four field seasons of three months each. The IFAO Excavations at Deir el-Medina, Cédric Gobeil's thorough examination of the archives of the Institut français d'archéologie orientale (IFAO), published on Oxford Handbooks online, details the history of the archaeological excavations and other field activities conducted by the Institute at the site of Deir el-Medina since the early 20th century. A free PDF version is available at http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935413.001.0001/oxfordhb- 9780199935413-e-32?rskey=vK0AHG&result=1 All the photos accompanying the "History of excavation" come from the area in the southeast corner of the main Ptolemaic temple enclosure. The text on this page was written by Lenka Peacock Photography © Lenka and Andy Peacock Aerial view of Deir el-Medina This wonderful photo of Deir el-Medina was taken by Warwick Barnard of Sydney, Australia, during his balloon flight over the Theban West Bank in the early hours of 17 January 2007. Little has changed since then. The aerial view is an ideal tool for understanding the layout of the site from east to west, where the sacred mountain of al-Qurn rises. Please use the legend below as a guide and the links for more detailed information and closer views of individual parts of the settlement. Photography © Warwick Barnard 2007 A - The settlement B - The Ptolemaic temple of Hathor and Ma'at C - The Western necropolis D - The Eastern necropolis E - The great pit F - The chapel of Hathor of Seti I G - The temple of Amenhotep I H - The temple of Amun of Ramesses II I - The French dig house J - Towards the rock shrine of Ptah and Meretseger K - Sennedjem's house L - The ancient path to the Valley of the Kings and to the stone huts at the top of the cliffs M - Modern car park N - The tourist rest house & bookstall Western necropolis tombs: TT1 - Sennedjem's tomb TT2 - Khabekhenet's tomb TT3 - Pashedu's tomb TT5 - Neferabu's tomb TT8 - Kha's tomb TT212 - Ramose TT218-220 TT290 - Irynefer TT291 - Nakhtmin and Nu's tomb TT338 - May TT1159 - Sennefer's tomb Sources: 1.Reeves, Nicholas: The complete Valley of the Kings : tombs and treasure of Egypt's greatest pharaohs. London : Thames and Hudson, 1996. 2.David, A. Rosalie: The pyramid builders of ancient Egypt : a modern investigation of Pharaoh's workforce. London : Routledge, 1986. 3. Černý, Jaroslav: Egypt from the death of Ramesses III to the end of the 21st dynasty. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1965. 4. Pharaoh's workers : the villagers of Deir el-Medina / edited by Leonard H. Lesko Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1994. 5. Clayton, Peter A.: Chronicles of the Pharaohs : the reign-by-reign record of the rulers and dynasties of ancient Egypt London : Thames & Hudson, 1994. 6. James, T.G.H.: Pharaoh's people : scenes from life in Imperial Egypt New York : Tauris Parke, 2003. 7. Strudwick, Nigel and Helen: Thebes in Egypt : a guide to the tombs and temples of ancient Luxor London : British Museum Press, 1999. 8. Montserrat, Dominic and Meskell, Lynn: Mortuary archaeology and religious landscape at Graeco- Roman Deir el-Medina. IN: JEA 83, p. 179-197. 9. Romer, John: Ancient lives : the story of the Pharaoh's tombmakers London : Phoenix, 1984. 10. McDowell, A.G.: Village life in ancient Egypt : laundry lists and love songs Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1999. 11. Černý, Jaroslav: A community of workmen at Thebes in the Ramesside period Cairo : Institut Francais d'archeologie Orientale du Caire, 1973. 12. Ventura, Raphael: Living in a city of the dead : a selection of topographical and administrative terms in the documents of the Theban necropolis Freiburg (Schweiz) : Universitatsverlag, 1986. 13. Bomann, Ann H.: The private chapel in ancient Egypt : a study of the chapels in the workmen's village at el Amarna with special reference to Deir el-Medina and other sites. London : Kegan Paul International, 1991. 14. Théby : město bohů a faraónů = Thebes : city of gods and pharaohs / Jana Mynářová & Pavel Onderka (eds.) Praha : Národní Museum, 2007. 15. Brooker, M. L.: A new approach of identifying the function of the elevated beds at Deir el- Medina. A thesis: The University of Birmingham, Master of Philosophy. Birmingham : University of Birmingham, June 2009. 196 p. 16. Hobson, Christine: Exploring the world of the pharaohs London : Thames and Hudson, 1990. 17. Burzacott, Jeff: The Tomb of Sennedjem discovered IN : Nile Magazine, no. 11, December 2017 - January 2018, pp. 17-21. 18. http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935413.001.0001/oxfordhb- 9780199935413-e-32?rskey=vK0AHG&result=1 Further bibliography Back to top

The Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney houses the most important collection of the Eastern Mediterranean art within Australia. The foundation of this collection was laid by donation of over 400 ancient Egyptian objects by Sir Charles Nicholson in 1860. Nicholson Museum, Sydney, Australia The Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney houses the most important collection of Eastern Mediterranean art in Australia. The foundation of this collection was laid in 1860 with the donation of over 400 ancient Egyptian objects by Sir Charles Nicholson. Sir Charles Nicholson (1808-1903) was a scholar, traveller, collector of antiquities, books and manuscripts, and an influential political figure. The Egyptian antiquities were collected by Nicholson during his trip to Egypt in 1856-1857. The provenance of many objects has had to be painstakingly researched and pieced together from fragmentary records, as Nicholson's home in Hertfordshire, England, was destroyed by fire in 1899. Part of his library, containing his archives and papers, was lost in the blaze. The Egyptian collection covers all periods of Egyptian history, from prehistory to Roman times. Sir Charles Nicholson donated much of the Egyptian collection to the University and further objects were acquired from Abydos, Diospolis Parva, el-Mahasna, el-Amrah and Qasr Ibrim by the Egypt Exploration Fund (now the Society) in London in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. http://sydney.edu.au/museums/ collections/nicholson_egypt.shtml.shtml Photograph © Warwick Barnard 2009 A catalogue of the 408 objects collected during the tour was printed in 1858. Edward Reeve published Catalogue of the Museum of Antiquities of the University of Sydney in 1870. In 1891 a revised version of the catalogue was published in London as Aegyptiaca. The publication was prepared by Joseph Bonomi with translations of ancient Egyptian inscriptions by Samuel Birch, Director of the Department of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum, and by D. I. Heath of Trinity College, Cambridge. I would like to thank Dr Elizabeth Bollen, Curatorial Assistant at the Nicholson Museum, who kindly provided the images of the objects and gave me permission to publish them on this website. This site would not have been possible without the help and encouragement of Warwick Barnard of Sydney. "Photography © Sydney University Museums Text written by Lenka Peacock. Hieratic ostrakon with an account of an industrial dispute Limestone Height: 7.5 cm Width: 11.25 cm 20th dynasty From Deir el-Medina Inventory number: NM R97 The ostrakon bears part of a text in Ramesside hieratic. The content deals with the strikes and demonstrations that broke out towards the end of the reign of Ramesses III (c. 1155 BC) and seriously disrupted work on the royal tombs for several years. The date on the first line of the recto is lost, but Jac Janssen suggests that the record of events confirms the first year of Ramesses IV (c. 1151 BC) as the most likely date of this ostrakon (Janssen, 1997, p. 164). The beginning of the text records the members of a delegation to the necropolis. The high priest Ramessenakhte, the royal butler Amenkhew, the mayor of the city, the scribe of the mat Hori, his colleague Paser, the deputy of the granary Meryptah and a setem-priest summoned the two chief workmen together with the two scribes and the rest of the crew (Janssen, 1997, p. 163). In Aegyptiaca, the ostrakon is described as the 97th object: "Fragment of Fine Lime-stone, inscribed on both sides in beautiful hieratic handwriting of the time of Rameses in black ink. The same piece of stone had been used before with writing in the same character, but in red ink. The fragment is nearly flat, but not quite square, and probably the inscription is almost perfect. It measures 4 1/2 inches long by 3 inches wide". The recto contains parts of five lines written in a practised hand, which slopes slightly to the right (Ray, 2006, p. 215). The translation of this fragment by the Rev. D.J. Heath. From right to left - Lieutenant Amen - territorial scribe Hora, scribe of wine skins, Pioer-Lieutenant of the granaries maise .... of Thoth - forwarded to the citadel of the citadel of the scribe Ament, the scribe Hora. Translation from Aegyptiaca: 1891, p. 38 [Year x, month y, day z: (On) this day (there was) the arrival (?) ... by ... (?) the High Priest of Amon)(?), Rames]es(?)nakhte, the Royal Butler, Amonkhau, the Royal Butler ... of Town, the Meryptah, the setem priest, Djehuty [...(?), and they c]ame to the "lock up" of the Tomb, and had [summoned the] two [foremen], the Scribe Amonnakhte, the Scribe Horisheri, and the en[tire] crew. Translation from Eyre: 1979, p. 80 [Day ... On this day there arrived ... the High Priest of Amun Ramesse]-nakhte, the royal cupbearer Amenkhau, the royal butler ... of the City (i.e. Thebes), the accounts scribe Hori of the City, the accounts scribe Pasiur ... the deputy of the granary Meriptah, the setem-priest Thot-[..., and they c]ame to the compound of the Tomb. They [summoned the] two [foremen of the gang], the scribe Amennakhte, the scribe Harsher (alternatively, Hori the title), and the ent[ire] gang. Translation Ray 2006, p. 215 Copied by Lenka Peacock after Jaroslav Černý's transcription, now deposited in the archives of the Griffith Institute in Oxford, Černý Mss, 17.49.66(3). The verso contains parts of a further five lines written by the same hand. The line at the bottom of the ostrakon is partially broken off. It contains a 'strike' entry. The men stated that they were hungry and had no wood, vegetables or fish, which was confirmed by the officials of the court (Janssen, 1997, p. 164). The translation of this fragment by the Rev. D.J. Heath. From right to left - ... passage along the road there was thirst... ...they made us pass the road... ...we were fowls, corn, and fishes... ...supplies forwarded to sustain the chief... Translation from Aegyptiaca: 1891, p. 37 ...the gang having walked out, since they were hungry, [saying], "We have walked out because we are hungry; there is no wood, no vegetables, no fish." ... the Tomb. So they went to consult the magistrate[s] of the Council, who declared, "[The people of the Tomb?] are in the right." ... Translation from Ray 2006, p. 215 The hieroglyphic text copied by Lenka Peacock after Jaroslav Černý's transcription, now deposited in the archives of the Griffith Institute in Oxford, Černý Mss, 17.49.66(3). The text of the ostrakon is one of a series of so-called "strike documents" of the mid-20th dynasty. The known strike texts are similar in style and format: they are administrative memoranda related to the supply and labour problems of the royal tomb. Sequences of actions are found on ostraka, e.g. on O. Cairo 25533, O. Berlin 10633, O. DeM 571. The best known strike document is the Turin Strike Papyrus from the year 29 of Ramesses III. ...the gang having walked out, since they were hungry, [saying], "We have walked out because we are hungry; there is no wood, no vegetables, no fish." ... the Tomb. So they went to consult the magistrate[s] of the Council, who declared, "[The people of the Tomb?] are in the right." ... Translation from Ray 2006, p. 215 [Day ... On this day there arrived ... the High Priest of Amun Ramesse]-nakhte, the royal cupbearer Amenkhau, the royal butler ... of the City (i.e. Thebes), the accounts scribe Hori of the City, the accounts scribe Pasiur ... the deputy of the granary Meriptah, the setem-priest Thot-[..., and they c]ame to the compound of the Tomb. They [summoned the] two [foremen of the gang], the scribe Amennakhte, the scribe Harsher (alternatively, Hori the title), and the ent[ire] gang. Translation Ray 2006, p. 215 It is generally assumed that the authorship of the Sydney ostrakon belongs to the scribe Amennakhte, who is known as the author of the Turin papyrus. Although Eyre argues that a memorandum of this type was usually written by one of the scribes present (Eyre, 1979, p. 85), it is not clear that the hand was that of either Amennakhte or his son, the scribe Horisheri. He suggests that we may be dealing with a "school" of hands closely associated with Deir el-Medina in the early and mid-20th dynasty. In addition to NM R97, there is another object from Sir Charles Nicholson's collection that is listed as possibly from Deir el-Medina. In Aegyptiaca the object is described as No.2. "Part of a vertical inscription in hieroglyphs. According to Mr Birch, this is the end of the funeral formula of a person called Sa-Sati, auditor of complaints (judge) of the Lord of the Earth, i.e. the King. The forms of the letters are in the style of those of Thebes, in the 18th dynasty. This fragment preserves the original colours, except that the blue, which is derived from copper, has become greenish. The hieroglyphs are carved. Limestone, 10.5 cm high". Trapezoidal fragment with carved hieroglyphic inscription Limestone 19th-20th dynasty Height: 26.25 cm Inventory number: NM R2 The signs below n kA n give the title which reads sDm-aS,straditionally translated as 'servant' ('one who hears thessummons'). The first part reads: n kA n sDm-aS n nb-tAwy 'for the ka of the servant of the Lord of the Two Lands'. The remainder of the inscription is the name of the servant: sA-wADy mAa-xrw 'Sa-wadjy, justified'. Translation by Jan Kunst, Holland,2009 The existence of at least six men with the name Sa-Wadjyt/Siwadjet is preserved in textual evidence on stelae, ostraka, and in graffiti, tomb scenes and a papyrus from in and around Deir el-Medina: Sa-Wadjyt (i), husband of Tawosret, who lived sometime during the reign of Ramesses II, Sa-Wadjyt (ii), son of Irynefer, Sa-Wadjyt (iii), husband (?) of Meretseger, Sa-Wadjyt (vi), son of Tanehsy, whose case is preserved on O Petrie 16 and dates to the very early 20th dynasty, Sa-Wadjyt (v), father of Qenymin and Sa-Wadjyt (vi), son of Huy. These individuals lived during the 19th and 20th dynasties. Without the recorded provenance of the fragment and in the absence of names of any relatives, we cannot attribute the inscription to the particular S a-Wadjyt, although a fragmentary stela with a similar title "Servant of the Lord of the Two Lands in the Place of the Truth" was commissioned for Sa-Wadjyt (iv). Sources: 1. Reeve, E.: Catalogue of the Museum of Antiquities of the Sydney University Sydney : Cunninghame, 1870. 111 p. 2. Nicholson, C.: Aegyptiaca. Comprising a Catalogue of the Egyptian Antiquities Collected in the years 1856, 1857, and now deposited in the Museum of the University of Sydney. London : Harrison and Sons, 1891. 150 p. 3. Sowada, Karin N.: Sir Charles Nicholson : an Early scholar-traveller in Egypt IN: Egyptian art in the Nicholson Museum, Sydney. p. [1]-8. 4. Ray, John: Inscriptions and Ostraca in the Nicholson Museum IN: Egyptian art in the Nicholson Museum, Sydney. p. 215-216. 5. Eyre, C.J.: A "Strike" Text from the Theban Necropolis IN: Orbis Aegyptiorum Speculum. Glimpses of Ancient Egypt : Studies in Honour of H. W. Fairman Warminster : Aris & Phillips, 1979. 201 p. 6. Janssen, Jac. J.: Village Varia : Ten studies on the history and administration of Deir el-Medina Leiden : Nederlands Instituut voor het nabije Oosten, 1997. p. 163-164. 7. Davis, Benedict George: 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. p. 307-310 8. http://sydney.edu.au/museums/collections/nicholson_egypt.shtml Further bibliography Back to top

Links to the latest articles and blogs on Deir el-Medina and past updates on the website Links to articles on Deir el-Medina and past updates Updates August 2023: New Guide to Deir el-Medina Upda tes: May 2023: What is O.Turin 57431 telling us about schooling at Deir el-Medina? April 2023: Lucia Gahlin's DeM course at Dillington House, Somerset March 2023: In the Researcher’s Workshop, Museo Egizio, Turin January 2023: Deir el-Medina at the Egyptian Museum, Turin December 2022: " Textiles from Deir el-Medina: First Survey and First Observations" by Amandine Merat "A Deir el-Medina scribe/painter and his hieroglyphs," by Dr. Elizabeth Bettles (Leiden University) November 2022: Dr Deborah Sweeney: "Gender and Religious Practice at the royal tomb-builders’ village of Deir el-Medîna October 2022: - Magazine menagerie September 2022: - Latest news from Deir el-Medina July 2022: - TT8 Reveals ancient smells May 2020: - Deir el-Medina at Kingston Lacy March 2022: MAES Study day on Deir el-Medina New publication by IFAO February 2022: - Love in an Orchard https://papyrus-stories.com/2022/01/26/love-in-an-orchard/ January 2022: - The Museo Egizio Photographic archive on-line https://archiviofotografico.museoegizio.it/en/ December 2021: - From the Basement to the Archaeological Fieldwork : Rediscovering Deir el-Medina Woodcraft from a Comprehensive Study Speaker: Dr. Gersande Eschenbrenner Diemer - lecture at the Museo Egizio November the 30th https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0Y9Go0kdpA&t=374s November 2021 - Creating a 3D model of the temple of Hathor at Deir el-Medina - Bettles, E.A. (Elizabeth) https://www.ulule.com/deir_el_medina/ June 2021: - MUSEO E RICERCA | The Museo Egizio’s current research at Deir El-Medina – Cédric Gobeil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BlGdac5NA8 May 2021: - New entry at the "Egypt Centre Collection" blog of Dr Ken Griffin: "The Village of Deir el-Medina [- guest post by Sandra Ottens]" (April 26) https://egyptcentrecollectionblog.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-village-of-deir-el-medina.html April 2021: - Alessandro Rolle entitled "Il villaggio operaio di Deir el-Medina" published at Mediterraneo Antico on March 23rd 2021 is available in English translation below The workers' village of Deir el-Medina : The organization of work: the scribes of the tomb The original text c an be read at https://mediterraneoantico.it/articoli/il-villaggio-operaio-di-deir-el-medina/ March 2021: Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society held an online Zoom lecture on the 6th of March 2021 entitled “Revealing the Practice of Tattooing in Ancient Egypt” with the speaker Dr Anne Austin October 2020: - Deir el-Medina: The Village and Rediscovery - Egypt Centre Swansea - Musing on Deir el-Medina - Egypt Centre Swansea - Religion at Deir el-Medina - Egypt Centre Swansea - The Necropolis of Deir el-Medina - Egypt Centre Swansea September 2020: - Christian Greco's lecture at the Queens of Egypt exhibition opening May 2020: - Il Papiro di Kha - Museo Egizio di Torino - Le Passeggiate del Direttore - La tomba di Kha e Merit pt. 1 - Museo Egizio di Torino - Il corredo di Kha e Merit - Museo Egizio di Torino - Culti locali a Deir el-Medina - Museo Egizio di Torino - Il villaggio di Deir el-Medina - Museo Egizio di Torino - Lo scriba Butehamun - Museo Egizio di Torino March 2020: - Backhouse, Joanne: Figured ostraca from NK Egypt February 2020: - D eM Thesaurus December 2019: - T attoos again - Smelling vessels contents at Museo Egizio November 2019: - A donkey called Rameses October 2019: - S ennedjem moves - TT1 in 3D on O sirisnet May 2019: - Hinson, B.: Coming of Age or an Age of Becoming? The Role of Childhood in Identity Formation at Deir el-Medina, New Kingdom Egypt (Doctoral thesis 2018) March 2019: - Life within the Five Walls : A Handbook on DeM by Benedict Davies is out February 2019: - A tatooed female mummy from DeM - Austin/Gobeil - free pdf on Academia as author's copy January 2019: - "Decoding signs of identity" book is out October 2018: - Program of the D eM workshop at Museo Egizio October 8-10 July 20018: - P atricia Berg's Doctoral dissertation digitised & free to download June 2018: - IFAO's 3D model of TT218-TT219-TT220 January 2018: - DeM exhibition in Cairo December 2017: - Liverpool lecture November 2017: - DeM conference at Museo Egizio, Turin , Dec ember 18 2017 September 2017: - Review of Mrs. Naunakhte June 2017: - Vignette on Khonsu's inner coffin lid 86.1.2a-DETAIL May 2017: Khonsu's anthropoid coffins Met 86.1.1–.2 March 2017: - The evolving portrait of Deir el-Medina by Dr Cédric Gobeil December 2016: - O steoarthritis at DeM - New release - Mrs. Naunakhte & Family by Koenraad Donker van Heel November 2016: - Emoticons in Ancient Egypt December 2015: - 3D tour of Sennedjem's tomb August 2015: -N ew light on Kha & Merit April 2015: - Deir el-Medina Study Day April 2014: - Jane Akshar's recent visit to DeM March 2014: - Another tomb at DeM will open to the public Summer 2013: - The papers of Jac. J. Janssen in the Griffith Institute Spring 2013: - S un dial from KV - DeM wall painting at Penn Museum February 2013: - Stela of Hesysunebef at the Manchester Museum November 2012: - NK Solar eclipse events article Part 2 Back to top