Deir el-Medina

The lesser-known historical site of Deir el-Medina. or Valley of the Artisans, in Egypt is a gateway beyond the high tombs, royal palaces, temples, and ancient homes of the elite. In ancient times, this village was home to skilled workers, primarily the painters and sculptors responsible for the tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. These people gave their lives to the very writing intended to converse with the Gods, meticulously designed to keep maat (an ancient Egyptian concept meaning order and harmony). Outside these tombs isfet (chaos) reigned.

In ancient Egypt, only a small percentage of the population could read or write. Literacy was a privilege of the scribes, who were trained in hieroglyphs and hieratic. Due to the special requirements of the tombs, Deir el-Medina had an unusually high concentration of literate people, sending and reading messages to one another. Residents shared their ideas, told mythological stories and diarized their thoughts and worries, all here in Egypt's 3,500-year-old writing club.

Here you will find houses as well as the tombs of high-ranking scribes and artisans. In one tomb you will find, painted onto the wall, a prostrate man, praying at the foot of a palm tree, dates falling like the burnt dough of Renenutet. The prayer is a humble one, not for glory, power, or ego, but for drinking water. Surrounding the figure, his words—depicted in hieroglyphs—float around him, spreading outward, in a request to the ancient Egyptian gods.

There are three painted tombs in total, and a vast area of mud-brick homes to explore. This includes a temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor. The site provides a unique insight into the daily lives of ancient Egyptians, including their religious practices, family and work routines. Excavations have revealed thousands of artifacts including love letters, literature, and jokes.