The Village
Deir El Medina is the modern Arabic term (meaning “monastery of the town”) given to the ancient town of “Set Mat” (Place of truth). Medina was located on the western bank of the Nile, in Upper Egypt, opposite the religious capital of Thebes and concealed behind Gurnet Murai hill. The town was built and functioned for a period of around 500 years during the period of the “ New kingdom” (18th -20th Dynasties, 1567-1085BC) Evidence to support this is found by the well preserved structural foundations of the village which were uncovered by numerous Archaeologists including WErnesto Schiaparelli and Bernard Bruyere between the mid 19th Century and the mid 20th century.
The sole purpose of Der El Medina was to house the workers who laboured in the neighbouring ‘Valley of the Kings’, building, decorating and ornamenting the tombs of the pharaohs and the royal families. Although the exact date of the founding of the settlement as well as the founders are unknown, it is believe by many archaeologists that Deir El Medina is thought to have been founded by the pharaoh Amenhotep I and his mother Ahmose Nefetari. Due to the numerous paintings and statues of them in the many tombs, temples and houses of Deir El Medina where they were believed to be the patron gods of the village. Amenhotep I was the first pharaoh to separate his mortuary temple (temple for offering prayers for his dead spirit) from his tomb. Many papyrus and ostraca have been found to support this where poems of gratitude and supplication were made towards them during times of hardship.
The location of Medina is due to its sole purpose, which was to house the builders of the royal tombs , their families and people such as potters to cater for the tomb workers needs. Its location served as an aid to majority its residents who walked for twenty minutes every day to work at the valley of the Kings. For this reason, Deir El Medina’s unique and very different to the other towns constructed during the ‘New Kingdom’. Unlike the rest of the villages, which were built on the fertile and agricultural eastern side of the Nile, Medina was built on the west, and was located in the middle of a barren desert. Also, Medina was not like the other villages and towns as it did not serve agricultural purposes.
Deir El Medina covered an area of 7500 square metres and housed up to around 200 residents. These workers and their families who resided in Medina and worked on the royal tomb were known as ‘Bakw-en- Set Maat (the servants in the Palace of Truth). The town was built within a secure wall and housing was planned in the same order for workers, as their work in the tombs, with the ‘right’ gang living on the right side of the village and the ‘left’ on the left, thus creating ease and order for work and communication. Deir el medina housed up to around 70 houses within the town walls and 50 outside the walls in the surrounding town where they cultivated livestock to help supply for the town.
The sole purpose of Der El Medina was to house the workers who laboured in the neighbouring ‘Valley of the Kings’, building, decorating and ornamenting the tombs of the pharaohs and the royal families. Although the exact date of the founding of the settlement as well as the founders are unknown, it is believe by many archaeologists that Deir El Medina is thought to have been founded by the pharaoh Amenhotep I and his mother Ahmose Nefetari. Due to the numerous paintings and statues of them in the many tombs, temples and houses of Deir El Medina where they were believed to be the patron gods of the village. Amenhotep I was the first pharaoh to separate his mortuary temple (temple for offering prayers for his dead spirit) from his tomb. Many papyrus and ostraca have been found to support this where poems of gratitude and supplication were made towards them during times of hardship.
The location of Medina is due to its sole purpose, which was to house the builders of the royal tombs , their families and people such as potters to cater for the tomb workers needs. Its location served as an aid to majority its residents who walked for twenty minutes every day to work at the valley of the Kings. For this reason, Deir El Medina’s unique and very different to the other towns constructed during the ‘New Kingdom’. Unlike the rest of the villages, which were built on the fertile and agricultural eastern side of the Nile, Medina was built on the west, and was located in the middle of a barren desert. Also, Medina was not like the other villages and towns as it did not serve agricultural purposes.
Deir El Medina covered an area of 7500 square metres and housed up to around 200 residents. These workers and their families who resided in Medina and worked on the royal tomb were known as ‘Bakw-en- Set Maat (the servants in the Palace of Truth). The town was built within a secure wall and housing was planned in the same order for workers, as their work in the tombs, with the ‘right’ gang living on the right side of the village and the ‘left’ on the left, thus creating ease and order for work and communication. Deir el medina housed up to around 70 houses within the town walls and 50 outside the walls in the surrounding town where they cultivated livestock to help supply for the town.