Deir el-Medina Luxor

Deir el-Medina Luxor Nestled in the Theban hills on Luxor’s West Bank, Deir el-Medina offers a rare glimpse into the daily lives of the artisans who crafted Egypt’s most magnificent tombs. This exceptionally well-preserved workmen’s village housed the skilled craftsmen who built and decorated the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens during the New Kingdom (1550–1070 BCE).

Why Deir el-Medina is Unique

Unlike Egypt’s grand temples and tombs, Deir el-Medina reveals the human side of ancient Egypt:
✔ Best-preserved ancient Egyptian village (over 70 houses still standing)
✔ Thousands of ostraca (pottery shard notes) detailing workers’ lives
✔ Intact tombs of the artisans themselves with stunning decorations
✔ Temple of Hathor with rare Ptolemaic-era reliefs

Top Features to Explore

1. The Village Ruins

• Walk through the grid-pattern streets of the 450+ year-old settlement

• See original house foundations with sleeping platforms, kitchens, and shrines

• Observe where scribes recorded work attendance and wages (in grain, oil, and fish)

2. The Workers’ Tombs

• Tomb of Sennedjem (TT1) – Vibrant paintings of daily life and the afterlife

• Tomb of Inherkau (TT359) – Colorful Book of the Dead scenes

• Tomb of Pashedu (TT3) – Stunning agricultural afterlife scenes

3. Temple of Hathor

• Built during the Ptolemaic Period (332–30 BCE)

• Features rare depictions of the “Judgment of Osiris”

• Contains a well-preserved mammisi (birth house)

4. The Great Pit

• A 50m-deep water storage system showing ancient engineering skills

• Demonstrates how villagers survived in the arid valley

Fascinating Facts About the Workers

✧ Earned double the standard wage and had weekends off
✧ Went on history’s first recorded labor strikes when payments were late
✧ Left behind love poems, shopping lists, and court records on ostraca
✧ Had their own local goddess (Meretseger, “She Who Loves Silence”)

Visitor Tips

📍 Location: West Bank, between Valley of the Queens and Ramesseum
⏰ Hours: 6am–5pm (go early or late to avoid heat)
💰 Ticket: Requires West Bank general ticket + separate tomb tickets
📷 Photography: Permitted (no flash in tombs)
⏳ Time Needed: 1.5–2 hours for full exploration

Pro Tip: Combine with nearby Valley of the Queens or Ramesseum for a complete West Bank experience.