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2.1.3 The Administration
The Old Kingdom administration of government essentially consisted
of central administration, provincial administration, and local gov-
ernment.^56 Naturally, the dynamics and power structure changed
through time.2.1.3.1 The central administration is generally further divided into
departments of treasury,^57 agriculture, and labor.^58 The chief officials
of these departments were the fimy-r pr- ̇≈, “overseer of the treasury,”
the fimy-r “nwt,^59 “overseer of granaries,” and the fimy-r k3.t, “over-
seer of works.” This administration monitored the wealth and pro-
ductivity of the land, especially with a view towards taxation and
corvée labor.^60 Much effort is devoted to the registration of persons
and property.^61 In the early Old Kingdom, the pharaoh often entrusted
members of the royal family with administrative assignments, but
these princes with such authority are replaced about the Fourth
Dynasty by non-royal families of officials.^62 A deliberate policy of
shifting high officials from one administrative district to another also
prevented undesirable concentration of power in the hands of indi-(^56) For an overview of Old Kingdom administration, see Leprohon, Civilization...,
1: 279–80; Goedicke, “Royal Administration.. .”; Kanawati,Governmental Reforms...;
Eyre, “Work.. .,” 39–40; Gundlach, Der Pharao.. ., 202, 228, 231, 275–79 (descrip-
tion of administration of the Fifth Dynasty). On the lack of strong division in admin-
istrative competence among officials, see Müller-Wöllerman, “Alte Reich.. .,” 32–33.
For Old Kingdom administration, see also Martin-Pardey, Untersuchungen...
(^57) For remarks on the treasury, see Eichler, Untersuchungen.. ., 281–84; Kemp
apud Trigger et al., Social History.. ., 82–83.
(^58) Leprohon, Civilization.. ., 1: 279. Leprohon emphasizes the importance of the
minister of labor (“overseer of royal works” fimy-r k3.wt nswt) and the head of
the treasury. The minister of labor was, along with the vizier, the chief officer of
the Fourth Dynasty. On the fimy-r k3.t, who was not only responsible for building
but also for the workers, see Goedicke, Königliche Dokumente.. ., 58.
(^59) The office of overseer of the granary (fimy-r “nwt) was created in the Fifth
Dynasty (earlier perhaps under the overseer of the ministry of labor or vizierate).
See also Schmitz, “Scheunen, Scheunenvorsteher.. .,” cols. 591–98; O’Connor apud
Trigger et al., Social History.. ., 214–15 and 218.
(^60) See Eyre, “Work.. .”; Bakir, Slavery.. ., 2, 4. On corvée labor, see also
Strudwick, Administration.. ., 247–49; on corvée in the Old Kingdom royal decrees,
see Hafemann, “Arbeitspflicht im alten Ägypten. I.” On corvée labor terminology,
see Gödecken, Meten.. ., 137–39.
(^61) See, e.g., Goedicke, Königliche Dokumente.. ., 19; Eyre, “Work.. .,” 39 (on tax-
ation having its origin in biennial royal progress through the country counting the
livestock).
(^62) So Helck, LÄ1, col. 672. See also Müller-Wöllerman, “Alte Reich.. .,” 31.
On the transition of the Fourth Dynasty, see Helck, Wirtschaftsgeschichte.. ., 56
(officials/princes receive towns for their support).
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