La ruralité méconnue des Medjay immigrés en Égypte au Nouvel Empire

 

The questions addressed in this paper focus first the specific treatment the Egyptians exerted on their prisoners, to show how their integration fell into narrow rules. Being king’s property, the royal cartouche was branded on their shoulder, after which they were transferred to institutions, as agricultural and building work force. To prevent evasion and register their work when rented out to other institutions, their foreign identity appears before their name in written matter. The second focus is the application of this administrative pattern to Medjay referred to in sources, but long considered to be Egyptian policemen. Here they stand out unquestionably as foreigners. A stele and statues of high ranking Medjay officers have telling royal cartouches on their shoulders. Moreover, XVIIIth dynasty tomb scenes and Ramesside written sources evidence a collection of rural occupations, which are definitely not those of policemen. These observations rule out the century old groundless theory on the ethnic disappearance of the Medjay from New Kingdom onwards, and their ghost denomination.

Special issue around the theme: "The rural World during the ancient Medditerranean Culture: Right/Laws, Religion, Trade, Practices"

 

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