So Who Gets the Kids?

This chapter examines Menatnakhte's relationship with the workman Weserhat. Despite the fact that Menatnakhte was married to—or officially cohabited with—the workman Qenna, she had apparently also found time to have sexual relatoins with Weserhat. The verso of the Turin Strike Papyrus (P. Turin Cat. 1880) contains a number of memos mentioning Weserhat. One entry mentions three daughters whom Weserhat apparently refuses to give up, leading some authors to believe that his wife had died and that he now needed a wet nurse to bring up his children. A passage in the Turin Strike Papyrus has also been interpreted as a property division between a husband and his wife as the result of a divorce. The chapter considers the possibility that this property division between Weserhat and Menatnakhte could actually also be a financial agreement on account of their marriage. It also discusses the charges, mentioned in the Turin Strike Papyrus, brought forward by the workman Penanuqet against Weserhat.

Marriage: The Final Step

This chapter focuses on marriage in Deir al-Medina. It begins with an overview of the marriage procedure or ceremony in the village, and cites indications that a formal divorce (at least in some instances) required an official statement made in court to dissolve a marriage. It then considers several ostraca describing how the future son-in-law carries some gift to the house of his prospective father-in-law, hoping to marry the latter's daughter, including one that summarizes various marital property arrangements from the ninth century BCE. It also examines an undated text that may contain the remains of an oath on the occasion of a marriage (O. Varille 30) and concludes with a discussion of the marriage between Naunakhte (twelve or slightly older) and Qenhirkhopshef (fifty-something).

Women Causing Trouble

This chapter discusses the behavior of women in Deir al-Medina, focusing on those who caused trouble. It begins by wondering how the Deir al-Medina men viewed their own behavior as compared to female behavior. It then cites the Maxims of Ptahhotep, which offer some sound advice about the treatment of women. From a male point of view, Ptahhotep's teaching suggests that a woman could apparently cause much trouble, and women knew how to use this to their advantage. The chapter also considers the Wisdom of Any, which contains some maxims that could have been written with Naunakhte in mind, and instances in which wives committed adultery. Finally, it examines the Turin Indictment Papyrus, which describes the charges brought against the priest Penanuqet aka Sed of the temple of Khnum.

A Day in the Life of Menatnakhte

This chapter examines the Will of Naunakhte from the perspective of one of Naunakhte's daughters, Menatnakhte. The Will of Naunakhte is the most famous case of a Deir al-Medina woman dividing her inheritance. It consists of four papyri, two of which were acquired by Alan Gardiner sometime after 1928 and are now kept at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The two other papyri were found in situ during the excavations in Deir al-Medina in 1928. In her last will, Naunakhte states that some of her children will not inherit from her, because they had not looked after her when she was old. The inheritance divided by Naunakhte included the property of her first husband, Qenhirkhopshef and the property acquired by her and her second husband, Khaemnun. This chapter considers the possibility that Naunakhte's will had created some dissent in the family.

Two Scribes Called Amunnakhte

This chapter focuses on two scribes, both named Amunnakhte; one is the son of Khaemnun and Naunakhte, the other the son of Ipuy. It first considers O. DeM 225 from early Dynasty 20, which shows Amunnakhte the son of Khaemnun and Naunakhte being commissioned by a Mrs. Iy to manufacture a coffin. It then examines the letters that Amunnakhte and Maaninakhtef wrote each other, including one in which he urges the latter to take care of their business. It also analyzes P. DeM 4–6, believed to have been written by three different scribes, and concludes with a discussion of P. Vienna KM 3925 verso, the writing of which is somehow slightly reminiscent of Amunnakhte son of Ipuy, but which also mentions the scribe Amunmose who brought something to a number of men and women, among them Amunnakhte son of Khaemnun and Naunakhte.

Protecting Your Daughter’s Rights

This chapter examines how Deir al-Medina fathers protected their daughters. It begins with a discussion of how a Deir al-Medina girl who married a workman from the village would remain close to her family, and from time to time would flee their husbands back to the parental home. This is evident in a limestone ostracon involving the workman Telmontu, who complained to the chief workman Khonsu and the scribe Amunnakhte son of Ipuy about his son-in-law, evidently in defense of his daughter. The chapter considers another case of a father coming to the rescue of his daughter: an ostracon containing a statement by the workman Horemwia to a person who seems to be his daughter. Finally, it cites another ostracon containing a case of theft from some storehouses.

Thrown Out

This chapter focuses on divorce in Deir al-Medina. It begins with the observation that divorce in the village was easy: a man could “throw his wife out” of the house and a woman could just as easily decide to “go away,” although this would have emotional and financial consequences. A departing wife would receive real estate. It was always the woman who left the house because a house in the village was state property and directly connected with the husband's job. However, there are also cases where it was the man leaving the house to live with another woman. The chapter considers one such case, P. Geneva D 409 + P. Turin Cat. 2021 recto, which involved the vizier, and the problems that it highlights, namely the future of the family property and the children, apart from their personal grief. It also discusses marriage in Deir al-Medina.

Qenhirkhopshef the Younger

This chapter focuses on Naunakhte's son, Qenhirkhopshef the Younger, who received a larger share of her mother's inheritance in the form of a copper vessel and ten additional sacks of grain. It begins with some facts about Qenhirkhopshef: he was a regular workman, but some of the correspondence with his brother Maaninakhtef suggests that he also worked as a carpenter, perhaps as part of a family business. It then considers one ostracon (O. BM EA 50737) from Dynasty 20, which mentions both Qenhirkhopshef and his sister Khatanub; Naunakhte's daughters sometimes appear in the records buying carpentry. It also describes Qenhirkhopshef the Younger as one who seems to have been more versatile than other workmen. Finally, it analyzes one of Qenhirkhopshef's stelae, found in a Theban tomb and then acquired by the Earl of Belmore. The tomb has come to be known as Lord Belmore's Tomb.

Was Husband Number Two a Demotion?

This chapter focuses on Naunakhte's second husband, Khaemnun, a workman in Deir al-Medina. It is not clear when Khaemnun was born. There is some speculation that he was already active as a workman at the end of Dynasty 19, and more specifically in year 4 of either Amunmessu (1199 BCE), Sethy II (1196 BCE), or Siptah (1190 BCE). The chapter reconstructs some of the kitchen-table discussions between Naunakhte and Khaemnun and considers the claim of the workman Amunemipet that he has a right to Khaemnun's tomb. It also discusses various stories in the village, from Khaemnun's donkey to agriculture in Deir al-Medina, land leases from the Kushite period (Dynasty 25), and the dispute over donkeys between a workman, a water carrier, and the chief of police Sobekhotep. It also looks at the deals that the policemen and their chiefs were always striking with the workmen.

Women Can Party Too

This chapter examines an ostracon, O. Cairo CG 25705 + O. IFAO 1322 + O. Varille 38 (or O. Cairo CG 25705+), showing what appears to be a women's drinking party in Deir al-Medina. At first glance, O. Cairo CG 25705+, dated to the reign of Ramesses III or IV, seems to deal with a women's drinking party in honor of the goddess Hathor. The text also mentions Telmontu, who was related to Naunakhte through marriage: her son Neferhotep was married to his daughter. However, this might not be the goddess Hathor after all, but the birthday girl herself (or perhaps a girl who had just had her first menstruation or child). The personal name Hathor is actually not all that uncommon in Deir al-Medina. In theory this drinking party could even refer to a memorial service for a deceased Hathor. This chapter considers the possibility that Naunakhte's daughters and sons, and even her husband Khaemnun, attended similar events.