"Deir el-Medina, the village of the workmen who built the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, is a uniquely rich source of information about life in Egypt between 1570 and 1070 B.C. The abundant archaeological remains are complemented by tens of thousands of texts documenting the thoughts and activities of the villagers. They include private letters, administrative accounts, magic spells, records of purchases, last wills and testaments, laundry lists, and love songs. This book combines translations of over 200 of these texts spanning the entire range of preserved genres with illustrations. The reader will, therefore, be able to experience the life of the villagers through their own words whilst viewing the artefacts and artworks they left behind. Each text is introduced by a commentary that provides the context and explains the contribution each text makes to our understanding of Egyptian society at this period."--BOOK JACKET.