3,000 year old excuses for missing work: (Egyptian ostracon)

[sl8]

Last edited Thu Apr 28, 2022, 06:59 AM - Edit history (1)

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA5634

[...]

Description
Ostracon with register of attendance at work. Labelled 'Year 40' of Ramses II, it provides a workmen's register for 280 days of the year. There are twenty-four lines of New Egyptian hieratic on the front and twenty-one lines on the back. A list of forty names is arranged in columns on the right edge of each side, followed to the left by dates written in black in a horizontal line. Above most dates is a word or phrase in red, indicating the reason why this individual was absent from work on that date.

[...]

Inscriptions
Inscription type: inscription
Inscription position: front
Inscription script: Hieratic
Inscription translation: Year 40 Penduauu: month 1 of Spring, day 14 (DRINKING WITH KHONSU) Hornefer: month 2 of Winter, day 13 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 14 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 15 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 2 of Winter(WITH HIS BOSS), day 16 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 17(WITH HIS BOSS), day 23 (WITH HIS BOSS)…. month … of Summer, …. (…) Hornefer: month 2 of Summer, day 10 (ILL) Sawadjyt: month 3 of Spring, day 23 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 24(WITH HIS BOSS), month 4 of Spring, day 16 (HIS DAUGHTER WAS BLEEDING), month 1 of Winter, day 14 (OFFERING TO THE GOD), month 1 of Winter, day 15 (DITTO), month 1 of Winter, day 24 (LIBATING TO HIS FATHER), day 25 (DITTO), day 26(?) (DITTO), day 28(?) (WITH HIS BOSS) Sawadjyt: month 2 of Summer, day 14(WITH HIS BOSS), Horemwia: month 3 of Spring, day 21(WITH HIS BOSS), day 22 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 2 of Winter, day 8 (BREWING BEER), month 3 of Summer, day 17 (ILL), day 18 (ILL), day 21 (ILL), day 22, month 2 of Summer, day 4 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 2 of Summer, day … (WITH HIS BOSS) Horemwia: month 4 of Summer, day 4 (ILL), day 5 (ILL), day 6 (ILL), day 7 (ILL) Amennakht: month 4 of Spring, day 15 (WITH HIS BOSS DITTO), day 16 (DITTO), day 17 (DITTO), month 3 of Winter, day 18 (BREWING BEER), month 2 of Summer, day 4 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 3 of Summer, day 7, day 8 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 3 of Summer, day 24, day 25, day 26 (WITH HIS BOSS) Wadjmose: month 4 of Winter, day 23(HIS DAUGHTER WAS BLEEDING), month 4 of Summer, day 6 (BUILDING HIS HOUSE) Nebamentet: Hehnekhu: month 1 of Summer, day 16 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 17 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 2 of Summer, day 7 (WRAPPING (THE CORPSE OF) HIS MOTHER), day 8 (DITTO) Nakhy: month 1 of Spring, day 14 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 15 (DITTO) Nakhtmin: month 1 of Winter, day 25 (LIBATING), month 2 of Winter, day 7 (FETCHING STONE FOR THE SCRIBE), month 3 of Winter, day 27 (HIS WIFE WAS BLEEDING) Pennub: month 3 of Spring, day 21 (WITH AAPEHTI), day 22 (DITTO), day 23 (DITTO), day24 (DITTO), month 2 of Winter, day 7 (FETCHING STONE FOR THE SCRIBE), month 2 of Winter, day 8 (FETCHING STONE FOR THE SCRIBE), day 23 (WITH THE SCRIBE), day 24 (WITH THE SCRIBE), month 3 of Winter, day 28 (BREWING BEER), month 4 of Winter, day 24 (HIS MOTHER WAS ILL), day 25 (DITTO) Aapehti: month 3 of Spring, day 21 (ILL), day 22 (ILL), day 23 (ILL), day 24 (ILL), month 4 of Spring, day 7 (ILL), day 8 (ILL), day 15 (ILL), day 16 (ILL), month 1 of Winter, day 14 (OFFERING TO THE GOD), month 1 of Winter, day 17 (ILL), month 1 of Winter, day 18 (ILL), month 1 of Summer, day 27 (ILL) Khaemtir: month 3 of Spring, day 21 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 22 (DITTO), day 23 (DITTO), day 24 (DITTO), month 4 of Spring, day 17 (BURYING THE GOD), month 1 of Winter, day 18 (BREWING BEER), month 3 of Summer, day 8 (ILL) Amenmose: month 2 of Winter, day 8 (BREWING BEER) Anuy: month 1 of Winter, day 24 (FETCHING STONE FOR THE SCRIBE), month 3 of Winter, day 28 (BREWING BEER) Wennefer: month 1 of Winter, day 14 (OFFERING TO THE GOD), month 4 of Summer, day 4 (OFFERING TO HIS GOD) Buqentuf: month 1 of Winter, day 17 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 1 of Winter, day 18 (BREWING BEER), month 2 of Summer, day 6 (WRAPPING (THE CORPSE OF) HIS MOTHER), day 8 (DITTO) Manninakhtef Huy: month 1 of Winter, day 17 (BREWING BEER), day 18 (BREWING BEER), month 2 of Winter, day 17 (BREWING BEER), month 3 of Winter, day 27 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 28 (DITTO), month 4 of Winter, day 3 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 4 of Winter, day 7 (WITH HIS BOSS), day 8 (DITTO) Huy: month 4 of Winter, day 24 (WITH HIS BOSS), month 4 of Summer, day 25 (DITTO), day 26 (DITTO) ….: month 3 of Spring, day 21 (ILL), day 22 (ILL), day 23 (ILL), day 24 (ILL), month 4 of Spring, day 7 (ILL), day 8 (ILL), month 1 of Winter, day 24 (ILL), month 2 of Winter day 8 (BREWING BEER), month 2 of Summer, day 8 (BREWING BEER) Paherypedjet: month 3 of Spring, day 21 (WITH AAPEHTI), day 22 (DITTO), day 23 (DITTO), day 24 (DITTO), month 4 of Spring, day 7 (DITTO), day 8 (DITTO), day 15 (DITTO), day 16 (DITTO), day 17 (DITTO), month 1 of Winter, day 14 (OFFERING TO THE GOD), month 2(?) of Winter, day 13 (…), month 3 of Winter, day 25 (WITH KHONS MAKING REMEDIES), 26 (DITTO), month 3 of Winter, day 27 (DITTO), month 1 of Summer, day 25 (MAKING REMEDIES FOR THE SCRIBE’S WIFE), day 26 (DITTO), day 27 (DITTO), month 2 of Summer, day 2 (DITTO), day 3 (DITTO), day 4, day 5, day 6, day 7, day 8 (DITTO), month 3 of Summer, day 3 (WITH KHONS MAKING REMEDIES), day 17 (WITH HOREMWIA), day 18 (WITH HOREMWIA), day 21 (DITTO), day 22, month 4 of Summer, day 4, month 4 of Summer, day 5, day 6, day 7, day 8, day 24 (ILL), day 25, day 26, month 1 of Spring, day 15 (ILL), day 16 (?) (ILL)
Inscription note: Painted.

[...]

Curator's comments
Although the list was compiled in Year 40, the information is likely to relate to the preceding year. The register was probably composed from a day-today rota kept as notes on smaller ostraca; only about 70 out of the 280 days covered by the register seem to have been full working days. Qenherkhepshef is mentioned by name in l. 11 of the verso in a red entry, and is alluded to as 'the scribe' in several others.

On month 3 of Akhet, days 21-4, it seems that Pennub was off work because he was looking after the ill Aapehti. The most frequently recorded reason for absence is illness (over a hundred times), including 'eye trouble', and 'the scorpion stung him'; the next most frequent is being away with one's superior doing private work for him, a practice that was not forbidden if done in moderation.

More at link.

[Effete Snob]

1. Sorry, can't come in today...

I’m, uh, brewing beer.

[sl8]

2. It does seem to be a theme, doesn't it? nt

[3Hotdogs]

3. Yeah? I got a better reason.

I'm libating.

[sl8]

4. Bless you.

Judging by all the brewing that was going on, it was dedicated folks like you that kept everyone from drowning in beer

[Warpy]

5. He might have been brewing for his whole village

Egyptian plain beer was a pretty sorry affair, more like a watery porridge left to ferment for a week or so. Big chunks were strained out and it was ready to drink. A better grade could be made by flavoring the stuff. Beer that would get you there efficiently was flavored by hone or chopped dates, the latter being especially popular.

Maybe this was the only guy who could be trusted to let the stuff ferment for a whole week instead of dipping into it, chunks and all. It would have made a lucrative side line.

Or maybe he was just getting over the hangover from drinking the last week's batch to clear the jars for more.

[sl8]

6. That's pretty interesting, thank you. n/t