The Legendary Tomb of the Pharaohs: Life and Death in the Valley of the Kings

Hagemann’s book is utterly captivating, and thanks to its unique sources—fragments of narratives, protocols, and letters that were accidentally preserved in a nearby landfill—it brings the reader close to those who lived and worked there. Anyone interested in history in general, and Egypt in particular, should read this brilliant book! —Magnus Westerborough

In the Valley of the Kings—the legendary burial ground of the pharaohs—not only was death present, but life was also present. Adjacent to the valley lay the village of Deir el-Medina, where all the builders, painters, scribes, and other craftsmen needed to construct those unique tombs lived.

Here, we meet them and their families, three thousand years later, but so close that the distance is easily forgotten. The desert sands have preserved not only their homes, churches, and tombs, but also an astonishing number of their accounts, meeting minutes, letters, and personal diaries.

Thanks to these documents, Sophia Hagmann is able to reconstruct the lives of villagers—during festivals, at court, in the kitchen, or deep within tombs—and thus offer a wealth of fascinating insights into life and death in ancient Egypt.