Village Life in Ancient Egypt. Laundry Lists and Love Songs by A.G. Mic Dowell, Oxford University Press 1999.
ISBN 0-19-9247536.

Content:

Introduction
The Setting
The Community of Wrokmen
The Hostiry of Occupation
The Excavations.

Family and Friends
Letters Between Friends and Family
Love and Marriage
Children and Parents
Support of Women
Adultery
Composition of Households.

Daily Life
Heath Care
Laundry
Water
The Weather
The House
Economics
Economic change
Production for Trade
The Donkey Business

Religion
Introduction
The Official Cults
Personal Piety
Minor Gods: Bes and Tawaret
The Dead
Oracles
Magic
The Afterlife

Education, Learning and Literature
Introduction
Education
Literature
Instruction Texts
Satirical Letters
Stories
Praise of Cities
Hymns
History

Law
The Sources
Principles of Judgment
The Authorities and the Court
Enforcement of the Verdict
The Oracle
Property
Contracts
Torts
Crimes
The Great Tomb Robberies

Work on the Royal Tomb
Introduction
Accession of a New King and the Choice of a Tomb Site
The Work in Progress
Chisels for the Stonecutters
Gypsum for Plastering the Walls
Painting the Tomb
Monitoring Progress
Final Preparations for the Burial
The Burial
Civil War and Foreign Invaders Interrupt the Work
The Workmen

Supplies and Rations
Demonstrations

Epilogue
The Royal Tomb Stands Open.

This is a marvellous book. Nowhere will you get as near to the Ancients as when reading their own letters, poems, notes. Nowhere is daily life reflected better and more lively than in this collection of writings. Cannot be reccommended enough!