Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature: The New Kingdom (Berkley: University of California, 2006) 2:143. Gay Robins, Women in Ancient Egypt (London: British Museum, 1993), 177. Barbara Watterson, Women in Ancient Egypt (New York: St. Martin's, 1991), 16. 6 Herman Te Valde, "Mut," in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), http://ww w.oxfordreference.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/view/10.1093/acref/9780195102345.001.0001/acref-9780195102345-e-0481 7 Deborah Vischak, "Hathor," in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), http://ww w.oxfordreference.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/view/10.1093/acref/9780195102345.001.0001/acref-9780195102345-e-0296 8 Robins, Women in Ancient Egypt, 178. 9 A. G. McDowell, Village Life in Ancient Egypt: Laundry Lists and Love Songs, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999), 41. 10 Ibid. 11 Ibid., 42. 12 Ibid. 13 Ibid., 44. 14 Ibid., 45. 4
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Amenemope all contain small sections concerning women, whether it be how to treat them, or how to avoid them lest “[they] steal your heart.” 3 These instructions usually covered a wide variety of topics, and while only a very small part would be about women, they supply a non-fictional perspective on the types of women perceived by men. The idea of women being divided into two categories was a popular concept among the ancient Egyptian males. To men, it appears women were either the honourable, obedient and ideal “Mut” type or the dishonourable, sexual and dangerous “Hathor” type.4 The prescription is inspired by the goddesses for whom the categories are named after.5 Mut is the wife of Amun-Re, mother of Khonsu, and is seen as the “female compassions man meets in his mother, sister, and to a certain extent his wife.”6 To contrast this matronly figure is that of Hathor, the goddess of love, sex, fertility as well as one who is also known for her destructive streak.7 The most commonly featured women within narratives, these dishonourable Hathor women would betray their husbands, lie, or were unknown women who could entice men into their schemes and ruin their lives.8 Before delving into fictional and instructional literature, the letters of Deir el-Medina must be taken into consideration. Being a special city in its own right, entirely made up of the workmen for the Valley of the Kings, much evidence is preserved within its walls. Of the 470 letters found within the city, 1 in 7 are concerning women.9 The letters themselves give a fascinating glimpse into the daily lives of the common ancient Egyptians. They also display how women corresponded between themselves, asking for favours and help.10 Several letters from McDowell’s “Village Life” are excellent examples of these relationships between women. One set of letters includes a request for a shawl from Nebu-her-Ma’at-tjau to Neb-iunt, while another displays a plea for help from Ta-khety-shepse to her sister Ity, as she says her husband will throw her out if she cannot acquire more foodstuffs from her family. 11 The correspondence in the letters could be between women, from them, to them, or simply concerning them. In one letter, a father promises to take his daughter in if the workman (who could also be her husband) throws her out. 12 The women’s letters from Deir el-Medina cover much more than simple requests and pleas. They also display how women sometimes carried out business in the absence of their husbands, or were themselves financially independent enough to not rely on any man. There is one stunning example among the letters of how a woman wrote to the vizier at the time because grain traders unfairly took a couple of sacks from her promised shipment. 13 She relays to her husband, the scribe Nesy-su-Amen-(em)-ope, who is away on business, what the vizier wrote back to her and also requests his assistance. 14 Not only is this an example of how women could conduct business, but also