An excellent example of religion in Deir-El Medina is of Kha and Meryts tomb. Neither were kings, instead however they were a married couple. Their tomb is one of the few villager workers tombs not robbed, and contained many items such as wigs, jewellery, senet (game), combs, tweezers, and a bronze razor. The items discovered in their tombs, and the images depicted upon the walls of their tomb, show they believed in the afterlife, and certain religious practices.
The tomb craftsmen of Deir-El Medina worked a 10 day week, working nine consecutive days, then with one day off. They worked in groups of 48 to 12 people, and these were called an ‘Iwst’ or ‘Gang’. (The term ‘Iwst’ was taken from the concept of personnel manning a boat, and signifies which side of the tomb they worked.) Then, they were divided into right and left corresponding sides of the tombs. An inscription detailing the supply of candle ‘wicks’ as a source of light for tombs, has led archaeologists to believe that there were two eight hour shifts a day.
Every working day, several scribes would be in attendance to record the work that took place, worker’s absences, payments, supplies received. Artefacts and pieces of papyrus show detailed accounts of the tomb workers work, and this provides us insight into the details of their life, society and their role within Deir-El Medina furthermore.
All villagers had a level of literacy, and fragments of now familiar texts have been found. The text of ‘Hordjedef’ son of Khufu is known solely from having been discovered at Deir-El Medina. Fragments of the private library of Kenherkhepeshef include dream books, which give interpretations of various dreams. “If a man sees himself in a dream, looking out of a window, good, it means the hearing of his cry by his god..” along with “If a man sees himself in a dream, drinking a warm beer, bad, it means suffering will come upon him..”
For much of the time Deir-El Medina was a community of women, as their husbands and the workers of the village were away working in tombs for the King. Women were entrusted with many responsibilities of their own, and in one case a foreman’s wife paid out the workmen’s wages in her husband’s absence. There is also evidence of one scribe called Nasamunopet hiring his wife Hennuwtawi as his deputy. It can therefore be assumed that the women had, in theory equality in the village, however in reality there were definite divisions between the sexes. All paintings in tombs, on ostraca, and papyri depict women as the ideal. They are slim, with beautiful faces, tight clothing that would reveal her body, and always be shown as supportive of her husband. Many women also held religious titles such as chantress, singer or priestess, including duties in major temples cults outside the village. There are also many examples upon stellae showing women making offerings venerating their ancestors.
Women in Medina society were much more privileged than the other women of Egypt, with evidence from Leonard Lesk that they were literate; “one scribe writes to his wife asking for beans... another asking for papyri and pens....” this quotation that was translated from papyri, shows that women were in fact capable of reading and writing. Evidence from tomb paintings, especially those of the tomb worker Ipuy, suggests that women played an important economic role in the community. The ideal woman in Medina society was beautiful and was a good homemaker. She was referred to as ‘Nebet Pe’ which meant ‘Lady of the house’ and was expected to look after the children and the husbands relatives, and this could be up to 15 people. The most respected women were women who were mothers.
Husbands were expected to treat their wives fairly in return for good work as stated in ‘The Instructions of Ani’ “Don’t be over bearing ... happiness is when your hand is together with hers...” Women were able to have part time job, such as selling clothing and they were also able to create a will and initiate divorce. Women played an important role in Medina society and were very different to that of normal Egyptian women.
Religion was an important aspect of Deir-El Medina, and was polytheistic as well as based on magical beliefs. It was important for workers to know all the attributes of the ‘gods’ and their kings religious beliefs, in order for themselves to do a good job at depicting scenes upon the walls of tombs and temples. Texts such as ‘The Book of the Dead’ and ‘The Amduat’ were very important funerary texts, which were displayed on the walls of tombs such as Inherka’s. Gods were also repeatedly depicted, and an example of this is of Osiris (the god of the underworld), Horus (god of the sky), and Anubis (the god of embalming and mummification). ‘The Amduat’ was the oldest funerary text which depicted the path to the Netherworld.
The remnants of artefacts, tombs and inscriptions that have been found, have allowed us to learn about the intriguing town of Deir-El Medina, and also the role of its inhabitants. Deir-El Medina and its people may be ‘dead’ but their voices have chosen to live on and on.
