Disputes over private property rights in Deir El-Madina

Abstract EN

The documentations found at both the village and the royal worksites of Deir el-Madina has added a lot to our understanding of the various aspects of the Egyptian society.

However, until now there have been limited studies of the human interrelation of the society of Deir el-Medina.

The study focuses on the private property rights, as housing within the boundaries of the village which was provided for the workmen by the state.

It has been suggested that upon a workman’s attachment to the workforce he was given certain properties for his personal use.

These buildings consisted of a house, a hut, a chapel, and a tomb, which belonged to the government.

These were therefore not allowed to be freely sold or inherited.

On this assumption it would be likely that upon the death of a workman, the freehold of these buildings would, in theory, revert back to the state to be assigned to his successor.

But this state of affairs may not be strictly happening.

This was discussed in details through the texts of different cases from the related sources.