Description
Book SynopsisRepresentations and inscriptions on tomb and temple walls and individual stelae have provided considerable knowledge of ancient Egyptian daily life, religious custom and military achievements. However, as visual or eulogistic textual evidence they are unable to provide the insight into the people themselves, their personalities and the events and issues they were concerned with, insight which can be found in personal correspondence.
Daily Life in Ancient Egyptian Personal Correspondence addresses a selection of letters from the Old Kingdom up to and including the Twenty-first Dynasty. Under the topic headings of problems and issues, daily life, religious matters, military and police matters, it will show the insight they provide regarding aspects of belief, relationships, custom and behaviour, evidencing the distinctiveness of the data such personal correspondence can provide as a primary source of daily life in ancient Egypt – the extra dimension.
Trade ReviewThis is a fascinating read that really brings ancient Egyptian people to life - from the standard-bearer Maiseti threatening a man with death while also asking him to provide more rope, to the horrified Khay sent a jar of fat instead of honey. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Egyptology, with plenty of background notes and references to keep the academics happy. -- Sarah Griffiths * Ancient Egypt *
In one letter a man demands his maidservant be returned, while in another a brother complains that his sister doesn’t write to him. Each provide a unique snapshot of what it was to live in the shadow of the pyramids. This work yields a fascinating glimpse of what it was to be a part of this long-vanished world. -- Dianna Wray * AramcoWorld *
Table of ContentsIntroduction ;
Problems and issues ;
Letter 1 ;
Letter 2 ;
Letter 3 ;
Letter 4 ;
Domestic issues and responsibility ;
Letter 5 ;
Letter 6 ;
Provisioning ;
Letter 7 ;
Letter 8 ;
Personal and familial issues ;
Letter 9 ;
Letter 10 ;
Letter 11 ;
Letter 12 ;
Summary ;
Daily Life ;
Building work and labour ;
Letter 1 ;
Letter 2 ;
Husbandry ;
Letter 3 ;
Letter 4 ;
Letter 5 ;
Provisions ;
Letter 6 ;
Letter 7 ;
Personal topics ;
Letter 8 ;
Letter 9 ;
Letter 10 ;
Raw materials ;
Letter 11 ;
Letters 12 and 13 ;
Summary ;
Religious matters ;
Religious duties, festivals, and a divine offering problem ;
Letter 1 ;
Letter 2 ;
Letter 3 ;
Letter 4 ;
Letter 5 ;
The ‘God’s Father Priests of “He of the Camp”’ ;
Letter 6 ;
Letter 7 ;
Letter 8 ;
Letter 9 ;
Letter 10 ;
Letter 11 ;
Letter 12 ;
Letter 13 ;
Summary ;
Military and police matters ;
Military duties and responsibility ;
Letters 1, 2 and 3 ;
Letter 4 ;
Letter 5 ;
Letter 6 ;
An assassination plot ;
Letter 7 ;
Letter 8 ;
Letter 9 ;
Summary ;
Further analysis ;
Aspects of agricultural organisation and natural resources ;
Religious aspects ;
Aspects of feelings and emotion ;
The role of women ;
Delivery ;
Writers and recipients ;
Aspects regarding distinctiveness of data ;
Conclusion ;
Appendix ;
Letters within collections ;
Letters from a specific period ;
Letters grouped by topic ;
Letters grouped by same sender and/or recipient ;
Letters studied with respect to specific aspects of structure and focus ;
In conclusion: other categories of correspondence ;
References
