Skip to main content 
Who built the tombs of the pharaohs, and what did they do when the pay stopped? At Deir el-Medina, you can walk through the village of the royal tomb builders and stand where the world’s first recorded strike began. Here is how to read the ruins like a local guide.
Who Were the People Who Built the Valley of the Kings?
Skilled craftsmen: stonecutters, plasterers, painters and scribes. They lived in a walled village just over the hill from the royal tombs, and they kept their work secret.
- Their village was called Set Maat, “the Place of Truth”.
- They worked in two crews, a right side and a left side.
- They walked to the Valley of the Kings across the ridge, and slept near the tombs during the work week.
The Strike That Stopped the Pharaoh’s Tomb
In the reign of Ramesses III, grain rations arrived late, and the workmen simply stopped working. It is the first strike in history we can read about, and it is written on a papyrus now in Turin.
- The scribe Amunnakht recorded the events in Year 29 of the king.
- The men sat down in the necropolis and at temples, demanding their unpaid grain.
- One line sums it up: “We are here because of the hunger and thirst.”
The authorities paid, and the men went back, then struck again. It matters because it shows that even the pharaoh’s own craftsmen could force officials to act. The Turin Egyptian Museum explains the papyrus in its Turin Strike Papyrus highlight.
Curious what else the West Bank hides? Explore our curated Luxor day tours and let a guide bring the workers’ world to life: Luxor day tours.
What Was Daily Life Like in the Workers’ Village?
Busy, noisy and surprisingly modern. Families lived in small, tightly packed houses, and the community left thousands of notes on limestone flakes called ostraca.
- Absence lists record sick days and family events.
- Rations of grain, fish and vegetables were paid by the state.
- Letters, accounts and even jokes survive in the village rubbish.
Field tip: stand at the edge of the ruins and trace the main street. The houses shared walls, and most had a cellar and a staircase to a flat roof. You can picture the neighbours calling across the rooftops.
Why Did the Tomb Builders Paint Their Own Tombs So Well?
Because they were the best artists in Egypt, and they decorated their own burial chambers with the same skill as the royal ones. The result is some of the most vivid painted tombs in Luxor.
- Sennedjem’s tomb glows with gold, blue and green, and shows him farming the fields of the afterlife.
- Other chapels, such as those of Inherkhau and Peshedu, add scenes from everyday and spiritual life.
The chapels are small, so groups enter in small numbers. Ask at the gate which ones are open, because some close for conservation.
Deir el-Medina at a Glance
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Ticket | About 220 EGP for foreign adults (see Luxor ticket prices) |
| Time needed | 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Best light | Morning, before the heat |
| Crowds | Light |
| Pairs well with | Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum and the Colossi of Memnon |
How Do You Fit Deir el-Medina Into Your Day?
Visit it before the temples, not after. It makes everything else more human. Once you know who carved the walls, the Valley of the Kings feels like a workplace, not a museum.
- Early start: Deir el-Medina, then the Valley of the Kings.
- Easy day: Deir el-Medina, Medinet Habu, then lunch.
- Hardy hikers: an ancient workers’ path leads over the ridge. Go with a guide, and avoid summer midday.
Building your full route? Start with our things to do in Luxor guide, or follow the plan in Luxor in two days. Next door, see Hatshepsut’s temple.
Ready to see Egypt through the eyes of its workers? Book a private West Bank tour with one of our expert guides: Luxor tours.
Deir el-Medina: Questions Worth Asking
Where did the first recorded strike happen?
Here, in the reign of Ramesses III, when the village’s workmen stopped work over unpaid grain rations.
What makes Deir el-Medina different from Luxor’s grand temples?
It shows ordinary lives, not royal ones. You see houses, tomb chapels and the daily world of the people who built the tombs.
Can I go inside the workers’ tombs?
Some are open on rotation. Ask at the gate, and expect small chambers with limited numbers of visitors.
What were the workers paid in?
Mostly grain, along with fish, vegetables and other supplies. When the grain was late, the village went on strike.
A Village That Built an Empire’s Tombs
Deir el-Medina is where Luxor stops being only about kings and starts being about people. Give it an early hour, and you will see the Valley differently. Let us weave it into your Luxor days with our Luxor tours.
Featured image: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
