authority over the provinces “increased gradually” but that the provin-
cial local administrations retained responsibilities.^80 These were largely
agricultural, and presumably the villages were generally left to them-
selves, once they had paid their taxes.^81 The exemption decrees, on
occasion issued by the king in response to complaints by officials,^82
are informative on the nature of provincial administration, particu-
larly regarding the officials addressed and charged with executing
royal directives.
Such directives from the king and central authorities were pre-
sumably carried throughout the land by royal messengers. Limitations
could be placed on the aid which such emissaries might require from
local institutions.^832.1.3.2 Provincial Administration
2.1.3.2.1 It can be difficult to identify the provincial or royal court
origin of certain officials.^84 Several titles occur for offices dealing with
provincial administration.^85 In the early Fourth Dynasty the mr-wp.t
seems have been in charge of one or more nomes.^86 The overseer of
Upper Egypt (fimy-r “m'w) was created in the Fifth Dynasty as a sort
of minister of provincial affairs.^87 In the late Old Kingdom there
was apparently a division of Upper Egypt into three distinct sections,
each of which was subordinate to an “Overseer-of-Upper-Egypt,”
fimy-r ”m'.^88
These officials were evidently responsible for civic order. Weni,
for example, boasts that he acted as “overseer of Upper Egypt” so
that “no one did any harm to his fellow.”^89(^80) Leprohon, Civilization.. ., 1: 279, but see also Kanawati, Governmental Reforms...,
131.
(^81) Leprohon, Civilization.. ., 1: 279. On Old Kingdom taxes and corvée labor,
see Müller-Wöllermann, “Warenaustausch.. .,” 150–58; Goedicke, Königliche Doku-
mente.. ., 69; Hafemann, “Arbeitspflicht im alten Ägypten. I,” 10–11.
(^82) Goedicke, Königliche Dokumente.. ., 111.
(^83) E.g., ibid., 41.
(^84) Eichler, Untersuchungen.. ., 261, and see also 259.
(^85) These titles naturally change through time. See also Fischer, Dendera.. ., 12.
(^86) Gödecken, Meten.. ., 50–51.
(^87) Leprohon, Civilization.. ., 1: 279–80; Martin-Pardey, Untersuchungen.. ., 152–70;
Gardiner, Egypt.. ., 103–4; Hornung, Gründzuge.. ., 31; Théodorides, “Charte.,”
705–6; Goedicke, Königliche Dokumente.. ., 112; Kanawati, Government Reforms..., 14.
(^88) See also Goedicke, Königliche Dokumente.. ., 183; Gödecken, Meten.. ., 66;
Vittmann, Priester und Beamte im Theben der Spätzeit, 190.
(^89) Urk. 1, 106, 4–5, and cf. also Doret, Narrative Verbal System.. ., 53.
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