Occupation and Payment: Official and Unofficial
The inhabitants of Deir El Medina were there with a single purpose, to construct the tombs for the Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings therefore; all occupations were centered within the work of the villagers, a laboring workforce. All villagers of the Deir-El Median society were either employed officially or unofficially, paid through rations of food or through items such as metals, copper sheets etc. As mentioned before within the @social structure, jobs were usually divided via social construct, in relation to the construction of the tombs and especially the Valley of Kings. Working life in Deir-El Median society was performed within a 10 day working week; 8 days at campsite near the royal tombs where they lived in simple huts, and 2 days off where they lived within the village.
Villagers were scribes, guardians, doorkeepers and servants of the tomb, all classified as official jobs with official pay. Official work was classified as only, occupations distributed by the government/vizier, which in turn had a specific payment method of food/object/material ration. Fig 4.3 represents the ‘Ladder’ of Medina Workers, showing the specific roles and responsibilities of official occupations, included with their ration. For example, the foreman of the left and right gang were the most prominent figures in the local community who were considered authority by the villagers, were paid a much higher ration than the other members of the gang due to their superior positions, in comparison to regular work members. As housing was too, supplied by the government, housing standards were significantly different to the foreman’s and scribes, to the regular work members. This too outstand their difference of ration to the typical worker. The foremans also had an exclusive role to their occupation, which was the distribution of equipment such as tools and lamps. Scribes recorded distribution.
Unofficial work was classified as matters of appointment or administrative minor tasks as favours for other villages while maintaining their official employment although; unofficial work was usually described as moonlighting. For instance, foremen would release workmen from their ordinary duties (official employment) to carry out their own private projects (unofficial employment), for themselves to create extra income; this was called moonlighting. Scribes would use their literacy skills to create documents, contracts and letters for people in exchange for extra income. They even prepared papyri or private tomb walls with spells and scenes from the Book of the Dead (Deir-El Medina and Pompeii- M. Demovic, M. Hayes). Craftsmen, such as carpenters and sculptors offered their skills for other members of the community and fellow workers.
Scribes were known to distribute the payment method for the villagers, whom which were paid through metals, grains, and oils but generally, through rations of foods. The state supplied the workmen with all their needs, not only foodstuffs such as grain and vegetables but also, fuel, pottery and laundry service (run by female government slaves). Water had to be brought from the near cultivation, and was delivered to the village. Bonuses were too supplied by the government on feast days and festivals; the distribution of beer and cake was an example of a bonus.
Villagers were scribes, guardians, doorkeepers and servants of the tomb, all classified as official jobs with official pay. Official work was classified as only, occupations distributed by the government/vizier, which in turn had a specific payment method of food/object/material ration. Fig 4.3 represents the ‘Ladder’ of Medina Workers, showing the specific roles and responsibilities of official occupations, included with their ration. For example, the foreman of the left and right gang were the most prominent figures in the local community who were considered authority by the villagers, were paid a much higher ration than the other members of the gang due to their superior positions, in comparison to regular work members. As housing was too, supplied by the government, housing standards were significantly different to the foreman’s and scribes, to the regular work members. This too outstand their difference of ration to the typical worker. The foremans also had an exclusive role to their occupation, which was the distribution of equipment such as tools and lamps. Scribes recorded distribution.
Unofficial work was classified as matters of appointment or administrative minor tasks as favours for other villages while maintaining their official employment although; unofficial work was usually described as moonlighting. For instance, foremen would release workmen from their ordinary duties (official employment) to carry out their own private projects (unofficial employment), for themselves to create extra income; this was called moonlighting. Scribes would use their literacy skills to create documents, contracts and letters for people in exchange for extra income. They even prepared papyri or private tomb walls with spells and scenes from the Book of the Dead (Deir-El Medina and Pompeii- M. Demovic, M. Hayes). Craftsmen, such as carpenters and sculptors offered their skills for other members of the community and fellow workers.
Scribes were known to distribute the payment method for the villagers, whom which were paid through metals, grains, and oils but generally, through rations of foods. The state supplied the workmen with all their needs, not only foodstuffs such as grain and vegetables but also, fuel, pottery and laundry service (run by female government slaves). Water had to be brought from the near cultivation, and was delivered to the village. Bonuses were too supplied by the government on feast days and festivals; the distribution of beer and cake was an example of a bonus.