Social Structure
The workers of Medina had to take their place on a strict chain of command and social ladder. This did not stop them however, from having quarrels, which often ended in the local court. They were skilled, well-paid, proud craftsmen with minds of their own.
The social structure of Egypt itself was the hierarchy for the village people of Deir-El Medina, a chain of command led by the king at the top. Directly beneath him was the vizier (chief minister) who supervised the government, who took special interest into the construction of royal tombs in The Great Place and responsible for the distribution of roles for village leaders. Theses leaders were devised into two foreman’s, each a leader of gangs- one worked the left side while the other worked the right. They supervised the actual tomb work and day-to-day constructions of the tombs. They were the heads of the village, a representation of the vizier. The scribe also acted as a leader of the village, who supervised alongside the foreman’s, recording written accounts of constructions and of the workers. He would keep a written record of goods from the storehouses while paying the workers wage. Workmen were chosen for the role of guardians of the tomb and doorkeepers of the tomb; the royal workmen acted as guards to the tombs so nothing is stolen by tomb robbers. The Medjay were the police, keeping the tomb and the village workers safe from bandits and tomb robbers. The rest of the community were either servants in the Place of Truth or Servants of the tomb; the servants in the Place of Truth were the craftsman, specific skill set workers for specific projects. The servants of the tomb were helpers to the workers who lived outside the village although, could work to increase their role. Children and female government slaves had roles of messaging between village and tombs, and also acted as servants to the craftsman- cleaners, cooks etc.
The social structure of Egypt itself was the hierarchy for the village people of Deir-El Medina, a chain of command led by the king at the top. Directly beneath him was the vizier (chief minister) who supervised the government, who took special interest into the construction of royal tombs in The Great Place and responsible for the distribution of roles for village leaders. Theses leaders were devised into two foreman’s, each a leader of gangs- one worked the left side while the other worked the right. They supervised the actual tomb work and day-to-day constructions of the tombs. They were the heads of the village, a representation of the vizier. The scribe also acted as a leader of the village, who supervised alongside the foreman’s, recording written accounts of constructions and of the workers. He would keep a written record of goods from the storehouses while paying the workers wage. Workmen were chosen for the role of guardians of the tomb and doorkeepers of the tomb; the royal workmen acted as guards to the tombs so nothing is stolen by tomb robbers. The Medjay were the police, keeping the tomb and the village workers safe from bandits and tomb robbers. The rest of the community were either servants in the Place of Truth or Servants of the tomb; the servants in the Place of Truth were the craftsman, specific skill set workers for specific projects. The servants of the tomb were helpers to the workers who lived outside the village although, could work to increase their role. Children and female government slaves had roles of messaging between village and tombs, and also acted as servants to the craftsman- cleaners, cooks etc.