The Tomb-Builders of the Pharaohs

By Morris L. Bierbrier

Book Overview

Little is known of the everyday lives of ordinary people in ancient Egypt, but excavations at the village of Deir el-Medina have provided a unique opportunity to reconstruct the daily life of one particular group--the workmen who built the tombs of the pharaohs in the nearby Valley of the Kings. The Tomb-Builders of the Pharaohs brings to life the people who lived and died at Deir el-Medina over three thousand years ago: their loves and hates, disputes and scandals, work and leisure. The author carried out extensive research on the tomb-builders and draws on the thousands of documents, letters, literary texts, and drawings found at Deir el-Medina to give a fascinating and intimate glimpse of life in the village.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9774167465
• ISBN13: 9789774167461
• Release Date: May 2016
• Publisher: American University in Cairo Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.8" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An Excellent history of a little known group of Egyptians

The valley of the Kings in Egypt has enticed numerous archeologists in search of the burial sites of the Pharoahs. These remarkable tombs were built by skilled workers who had a special city built for them and their families. Mr. Bierbrier has researched and done a scholarly work about these workers and their day to day lives. We learn that the more things change, the more they stay the same, as the same day to day and family problems that we have today are very much the same as those who lived 3,000 years ago. It is certainly a distant mirror and one that students of Egypt will enjoy. It is well written and I am particularly proud of this book as Mr. Bierbrier is a cousin of mine. This however did not affect my opinion of this fine work.