Tomb Scenes In Deir El Medina example essay topic

Deir El Medina Describe the village of Deir El Medina. The village of Deir El Medina grew from the time of the 18th Dynasty to the 20th. By its final stage approximately 70 houses stood within the village walls and 50 outside. Perhaps 600 people lived here by then. A wall surrounded the village approximately six meters high built of mud-brick. Gates were located at each end.

The villages of Deir El Medina made up a special government department under the vizier of Upper Egypt, and were a select largely hereditary group of scribes, quarrymen, stonemasons, artisans, and labourers, who created the final resting place for their divine rulers. Describe in detail a typical workers house at Deir El Medina. Most of the houses in Deir El Medina were built in a standard elongated design, 15 by 5 meters. They had rubble bases and mud brick superstructures, and shared walls like today's terrace housing. Each of these houses would have the following features.

Down several steps from the street was an entrance room, with niches for offerings, st alae and busts. Often there were painted images, sometimes of the god Bes. A low bed-like structure has suggested to some archaeologists that the entrance room was also used as a birthing room. A doorway led into the main room of the house, with raised dais by one wall, plastered and whitewashed. Against another wall may have been a small altar and offering table and niches for household gods. A small cellar was often located under this room, approached by a small flight of steps and covered by a wooden trapdoor.

Several small rooms may have led off the main room, possibly for sleeping, work or storage. At the rear was a small walled court, which served as the kitchen. It contained an oven for baking bread, a small grain storage silo, a container for water and grinding equipment. Another family shrine and another small cellar may also have been here. A staircase led to the roof where the family might sleep or store goods. Windows were normally set high in the walls with a grill.

Though the outside of the houses was whitewashed, traces of paintings have been found in the interior walls. Refer to diagram 1.1 What type of furniture existed in such a household? The furniture was generally well made and often beautifully crafted. Nobles' furniture was often inlaid with semi-precious stones and ivory and the villages often copied this style, using colourful paintings. The most common piece of furniture was the stool, generally made from hard timber that was imported. Seats were of wood, leather or woven rush.

Legs were often carved in the shape of animals Chairs with backs were less common than stools. Tables were low and used for eating and working. The villagers slept on reed mats on the floor on raised platforms. The wealthier villagers had wooden beds, with a wooden headrest as the pillow.

Clothing and household furnishings were kept in chests, boxes or woven baskets. Oil lamps were also one of the most common possessions. Further Evidence The un plundered tomb, discovered in 1906, of Overseer of Works Kha and his wife Merit, provides further evidence of furniture. This is the most complete set of domestic furniture we have now from an artisan's house. The furniture was probably used for everyday purposes and not just manufactured for burial. Kha and Merit's furniture includes: A folding stool with a leather seat made of imported African hardwood.

Two three-legged stools and a chair with sloping back and woven rush seats Two beds with mattresses of woven rush. Bed linen stored in special chests. Eleven chests in total, some brightly painted with scenes of Kha and Merit receiving funerary offerings. Three kinds of tables, from sturdy wooden ones to lightweight woven rush tables.

Storage vessels of bronze, alabaster and pottery. A wooden cosmetic chest with glass and alabaster jars Lamp stands and lamps. A beautifully woven lotus patterned rug. Woven bed coverings. A wooden toilet chair. A basin set for Washing.

Describe the working life of a tomb worker. People worked in gangs, numbering 48 in the time of Ramses II and 120 in Ramses IV's time. It seems that teams within the gangs were divided into 'right' and 'left' groups, perhaps dealing with different sides of the tomb. This is shown in an inscription involving the supply of wicks to enable workers to have light within a tomb. It also suggests that there were two shifts per day " First Month of winter, day five, consumption of wicks made on that day: Right six, Left six, making twelve [for the morning]; Right six, Left five, making eleven [afternoon], total twenty-three". J ROMER, ANCIENT LIVES, P 44 The Gang included stonemasons, carpenters, plasterers, draughts men, painters and sculptors.

They were directed by a foreman and a deputy. Ascribe kept records, including a register of all work done and noting any absences and the reasons for them. A foreman would receive double the pay of an ordinary worker. Give two examples of prayers to the gods (short quotes) and say who said them and where they came from. Adoration of Amon-Re The scribe Ramose and his Wife Mutemwia set up several Stela in the nearby small temples to Amon, his wife Mut and his Son Khon su, recording their prayers". The chief of all gods, the good god, beloved one, who gives life to all warm blooded creatures and all beautiful animals.

Hail to you, Amon-Re, Lord of the thrones of the two lands, foremost in Thebes, bull of his mother, foremost of his fields, wide of stride, foremost in Nubia, Lord of the Medway, Ruler of Punt, Most ancient in heaven in heaven and eldest in all the world, who dwells in all things" ROMER, P 27 Prayer of Hope and Praise The following prayer is from a votive stela of Nebr e, a draughtsman". You are Amon, the Lord of the silent, Who comes at the voice of the poor; When I call you in my distress, you come to rescue me, to give breath to him who is wretched, to rescue me from bondage"M LICHT HEIM, ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LITERATURE, P 106 Explain the role of the Book of The Dead in the Journey into the Afterlife. The journey into the afterlife had traps and pitfalls for the unprepared. These traps could only be avoided if the deceased knew the right procedures and speeches to make.

The book of the dead, or as it was called then, 'The Coming Forth By Day', was the single most important funerary book to enable the deceased to enter the afterlife. It provided the correct instructions and utterances. A copy of the book of the dead was found between the first and second sarcophagi of Kha. The first major obstacle to overcome by the newly dead person was to pass correctly through the judgement of the Deceased Spell 125 described the weighing of the heart against the feather of truth- Maat.

The deceased would appeal to the heart not to betray him. The actual weighing was performed by Anubis, with the god Thoth recording the outcome and the monster A mmit waiting to devour the person if judged harshly. The deceased then had to address each of the 42 'assessor gods' and claim the right to pass through. Sins were denied and virtues stressed. Describe a typical workers tomb. On their free days, the workers spent some time constructing and decorating their own tombs near the village.

As they were skilled tomb builders, the quality of tomb decoration was high. Tomb scenes in Deir El Medina are often unique and less stereotyped than others of the same period. Tombs were of two types: CONSTRUCTED TOMBS- Which were made both mud-brick and stone. The areas open to public access were of mud-brick. A walled court led to a small pyramid of brick or stone.

The point of the pyramid as often decorated with solar cult scenes. A chapel with a vaulted roof contained funerary scenes in bright colours. The tomb itself was reaches by a shaft or stairs from the floor of the court. The burial chamber was generally plastered and painted with bright scenes. ROCK CUT TOMBS- Rock cut tombs were made if no suitable land was available. The entrance had two pillars with rock-cut stela e and statues on either side.

The chapel was made up of two rooms with access to the burial chamber from the second room. What do tombs tell us about Egyptian life? Tombs in the ancient times show us aspects of people's lives. The tomb of I puy, a sculptor in the time of Ramses II, contained many scenes that were unusual because they showed everyday life. These included: . Rural scenes showing farming, fishing with nets, market scenes, viniculture, the cooking of poultry and fish...

Craftsmen making funerary furniture and equipment... A house and garden showing a shadoof (a pole and bucket for raising water from the well), and unusual laundry scenes. Write a description of some of the clothes, jewelry, food and entertainment of the tomb workers. CLOTHING- Clothes were generally linen and the best were finely made. The linen was white and sometimes intricately pleated. Woollen cloaks were worn for warmth and everyday sandals were made from leather and often workers are drawn going barefoot.

At work, a simple kilt was worn or, sometimes, nothing. JEWELLERY- Jewellery was brilliantly coloured. The nobility wore gold, silver and precious stones. The villagers wore brightly coloured faience jewellery, and shell, ivory or semi-precious stones, mostly of blue and green. Men and women wore necklaces, broad collars, earrings and bracelets and are sometimes shown with garlands of flowers around their heads. FOOD- The Egyptians in general had a wide selection of foods available to them.

The wealthier class had greater access to meat- it was expensive to raise animals, particularly cattle. Meats included mutton, beef, pork, wild game, geese, pigeons, wildfowl hunted in the marshes and quail. Eggs and fish were eaten. The main staple was a wide selection of breads made from barley and emmer wheat. Vegetables and fruits were abundant.

These included onions, beets, radishes, turnips, garlic, lettuce, chickpeas, beans, lentils, melons, melons, figs, olives, grapes, raisins, plums and dates. Oils were used extensively and honey was used as a sweetener. Beer and grape juice were commonly consumed by workers- wines were more expensive. Spices and herbs were used such as cinnamon, cumin and thyme. ENTERTAINMENT- There is abundant information about leisure pursuits of Egyptian nobility.

They hunted wild game such as the ibex, ostriches, gazelles, hares and wildfowl, and fished in the Nile. It is not certain if the villagers shared these pursuits. Villagers enjoyed music from instruments such as the harp, lyre, lute, flute and drum. Board games such as sent were also popular. What was Egyptian Family life like?

Houses held five to six people yet burials often included at least three generations. Marriages were generally arranged. There was no ceremony but complex legal arrangements were made. Divorce was simple; reasons given range from adultery to infertility or simple apathy. Women had considerable legal, economic and social status.

Some even appeared to be literate. Children played like they do in every culture yet are often shown performing light work. Boys were educated in a nearby temple where they were taught reading, writing and arithmetic. Squabbles between families, and even within families appear to have been quite common..