Law

Abstract

The chapter gives a brief diachronic survey of ancient Egyptian law, covering the period from the Old Kingdom to the Third Intermediate (c.2686–664 bc). The article provides discussion of what we know about ancient Egyptian law during the pharaonic period, including legal regulations and practices that can be assembled from various textual sources; types and uses of legal documents; and the composition and workings of law courts. [Note that coverage of Egyptian law from the Twenty-sixth Dynasty to the Roman period (c.664 bc–ad 394) is provided in another OHO article—Lippert 2016, for details of which, see the bibliography.]

Social Exclusion in Ancient Egypt: A Sociological Approach

“…Among the best-known crimes were treason, lèse-majesté , desertion, murder, abuse, adultery, rape and robbery. All of them had different penalties, depending on the individuals involved and their degrees, which were usually determined in trials including various prestigious officials and personalities (Lippert 2012, 2; Müller-Wollermann 2015, 228–33). Punishments varied according to the social status of the condemned individual: physical punishment was not as common for members of the elite as it was for the rest of the Egyptians (Fig.…”