Deir el-Medineh strike

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The strike of Deir el-Medina in the Egyptian workers' village of Deir el-Medina , which took place in the 29th year of Ramses III's reign . on 10 Peret II (November 4) 1159 BC Chr. Began, represents the first documented strike is world history. The events are on a papyrus preserved, currently in the Museo Egizio di Torino under the inventory number p1880 is kept.

In the New Kingdom

At the time of the New Kingdom , the artisans and workers who built the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings had a special status. All of the workers who worked in the quarries, maintained graves, cut stone, or painted grave walls were government employees. The grave workers also included plasterers , plasterers, bricklayers, wood saws and carpenters. Like the washers, vegetable growers, fishermen and water carriers employed to supply the city ​​of the dead , they enjoyed full state provision .

They received monthly wages in the form of grain deliveries, which for ordinary workers amounted to 150 kg of husk and 56 kg of barley . According to this, a worker with five kg of husk and 1.9 kg of barley was able to provide his family with enough bread and beer every day. In addition, he was regularly supplied with water, fish, vegetables, fruit, pottery and fuel by additional workers. After all, from the mortuary temples on the west side of Thebes and from the treasury he occasionally received even rarer foods such as cakes, meat, wine, honey, oil, etc. In addition, workers who were not satisfied with this, replenished their supplies with smaller handicrafts for private customers. This very pleasant standard of living was largely dependent on the economic situation of the state, which was the prerequisite for the monthly deputate deliveries.

During the height of the Ramessian period, at the beginning of the 19th dynasty , particularly wealthy foremen could even afford houses outside the city with fields and cattle. They also had servants. Sometimes they received awards from the Pharaoh for particularly good work and had the opportunity not only to see him, but also to exchange a few words with him personally. Thus even this group of men held an exceptional position.

The workers' strike

prehistory

The workers' team consisted of the left and right sides . On this strike, each side consisted of a foreman and twenty workers. Work on the tomb of Ramses III. ( KV11 ) were almost complete and new work on the prince's grave began. There were also missing grain deliveries in the 28th year of government and later again in the 31st year of government. First escalations are in the 29th year of government for the 21st Phaophi (July 17th)  1159 BC. Chr. Handed down. The clerk Amun-Nechet is reported that no deliveries have been made for twenty days. After the missing rations were distributed immediately, the next two months went off calmly again.

New difficulties arose on the 2nd Tybi (September 26th) 1159 BC. BC, because the supply manager Ha-em-Waset took an oath , in which he noted the supply of the workers' teams as secured in the future . Reasons for the renewed supply bottlenecks are seen in the additional problems with the water supply, which were mentioned shortly before.

In addition, there were difficulties with the delivery of work materials, which occurred a month later. The previous foreman Bak-en-chensu was replaced by User-Maat-Re-Nechet , who worked in the field of plaster production.

First strike

On November 4, 1159 BC The workers stopped their activities and went to the great mortuary temples towards the edge of the fruiting land. When they got there, they announced that their wages had already been overdue for eighteen days and shouted We are hungry . The strike march continued to Medinet Habu ; the workers stayed there and returned to their village when it was dark. The next day, November 5th, 1159 BC Bread was delivered. Yet another march to Medinet-Habu took place. This time the workers did not return to their village in the evening, but stayed at the temple. The priests shared on November 6, 1159 BC Now the rations due for the previous months of September / October are added. However, the mood among the workers was still heated.

On November 8, 1159 BC Chr. The protective forces chief called Mentu-Mes to the workers for a new demonstration, together with women and children for I. Seti Temple took place. Two days later, on November 10, 1159 BC BC, ten sacks of grain were delivered; on November 12, 1159 BC The workers got the rest for the month of October.

Second strike

After ration deliveries failed to materialize, shortly after December 13, 1159 BC Renewed work stoppages and calls for rallies at the Ramesseum ; further actions are not recorded for the next few days.

On December 28, 1159 BC A work stoppage was carried out again because the deliveries for the month of November were not made. Local administrators called the workers to the workers' village to discuss the bottlenecks. Threats to refrain from further stoppages could not intimidate the workers. Attempts by administrators to prevent workers from leaving the village failed. In an unknown location, the workers continued their strike. To calm the situation, the administrative officials made some backlogs.

Third strike

On February 13, 1158 BC There was a new strike. This time it went to the temple of Merenptah ; there they met the mayor of Thebes , who promised to have 50 sacks of grain delivered. Whether this happened is not mentioned further. Soon after, on February 25, 1158 BC The strike continues. The workers asked the administrators of the Ramses II temple on the one hand to go to the first priest of Amun of the Karnak temple and on the other hand to receive bread from the offerings of the temple. The first request was granted, while the second request, to the displeasure of the workers, was refused. Further protest marches to the Ramses II temple followed. Ultimately, the stronger protests seem to have had their effect, as the next strikes will not take place until the 31st year of Ramses III's reign. be reported.

Another strike in the 31st and 32nd year of government

On Mechir 15 (November 9) 1157 BC Chr., In the 31st year of the reign, the renewed marching past of strikers is mentioned. A few months later the same incident occurred again on Payni 30 (March 24) 1156 BC. In the 32nd year of reign, which began after the end of the celebrations of the valley festival , which began in 1156 BC. Were opened with the processions on the 1st Payni (March 3rd) of the civil lunar calendar . Shortly afterwards, on April 8, 1156 BC Ramses III died. and Ramses IV took over the affairs of state before he was officially crowned the new pharaoh on June 16 . Due to Ramses IV taking over the throne, the strikers interrupted their actions.

After a short break, the strike was now under Ramses IV. On 28 Epiphi (April 21) 1156 BC. Continued with torchlight marches. More work stoppages only appear again under Ramses IX. on.

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ The 10th day of the 2nd month of Peret corresponds to November 14th in the proleptic calendar.
  2. ↑ The 21st day of the 2nd month of Achet corresponds to July 28th in the proleptic calendar. Source TUAT 1 / NF p. 171.
  3. ↑ The 2nd day of the 1st month of Peret corresponds to October 7th in the proleptic calendar. Source TUAT 1 / NF p. 171.
  4. ↑ The 15th day of the 2nd month of Peret corresponds to November 20th in the proleptic calendar. Source TUAT 1 / NF p. 175.
  5. ↑ The 30th day of the 2nd month of Schemu corresponds to April 4th in the proleptic calendar. Source TUAT 1 / NF p. 175.
  6. ↑ The 28th day of the 3rd month of Schemu corresponds to May 2nd in the proleptic calendar. Source TUAT 1 / NF p. 175.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Turin Papyrus pTurin 1961 and 2006. TUAT 1 / NF, p. 173.