Amenpnufer’s 8: Craftsmen, Tomb Robbers, and Working-Class Struggle in Ramesside Egypt.

The craftsmen of Deir-el Medina are considered to be amongst some of the finest craftsmen ancient Egypt had to offer, a claim supported by the high level of skill displayed in their work on the tombs of the Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings, as well as their own. Interestingly, a number of these craftsmen moonlighted as tomb robbers, evidenced by the corpus of papyrus that documents the confessions and trials of those caught. While the punishment for tomb robbery was severe, including impalement and mutilation, and the psychological barriers were likely high, the narratives of the Amherst, Abbott and B.M. 10054 papyri make it seem like tomb robbery was a prevalent occurrence during the late 20th Dynasty. As the events documented in the aforementioned papyri are widely believed to be historically accurate (Capart et. al. 1936: 191), the thieving activities of these craftsmen can be understood by studying the socio-political landscape that these men inhabited, their beliefs, and their relationship with and towards the elite and ruling classes. <a href="https://medium.com/@000jaydenmorrison/amenpnufers-8-craftsmen-tomb-robbers-and-working-class-struggle-in-ramesside-egypt-581c15dec952">Visit Now</a>