Other possibly significant mentions of “laws” appear in docu-
mentary and literary texts. P. Kahun 22 (ll. 2–3) refers, for exam-
ple, to “the law of Upper Egypt,”^5 while in the literary composition
of Merikare (E42), the king is admonished: “Make great your great
ones so that they carry out your laws.”^61.2 Royal Inscriptions
Few royal inscriptions of this period have legal import. The Old
Kingdom exemption decrees have no parallel in the Middle King-
dom. Two royal decrees concerning laborers are incorporated into
P. Brooklyn 35.1446.^7 The Coptos Decree of Nebkheperre-Intef deals
with the dismissal of a count from his office, with resulting loss of
official income (Thirteenth Dynasty).^8 The Tod Inscription of Sesostris
I may mandate burning as a legal punishment.^9 The Decree of
Sesostris I permits his vizier to establish a cenotaph.^101.3 Administrative Orders
The two royal edicts just cited from P. Brooklyn 35.1446 may also
be considered administrative orders.^11 Notations in P. Brooklyn 35.1446
record the carrying out of those orders and preserve the conclusions
of almost all the cases mentioned in the document.^121.4 Private Legal Documents
Among the most important archives and documents of legal import
from the Middle Kingdom are the Lahun archive,^13 the Hekanakhte
letters (significant for leasing and land-holdings),^14 and the Djefa-Hapi(^5) Hayes, Papyrus.. ., 52.
(^6) Lorton, “King and the Law.. .,” 54; Lorton, “Treatment.. .,” 16–17; Quack,
Merikare.. ., 31.
(^7) Translated in Parkinson, Voices.. ., 85; Quirke, Administration.. ., 139.
(^8) Breasted, Ancient Records.. ., vol. 1, 339–41; text in Sethe, Ägyptische Lesestücke,
- See also Allam, “Les obligations et la famille.. .,” 91.
(^9) Assmann, “Justice.. .,” 149.
(^10) Helck, Wirtschaftsgeschichte.. ., 170–71 (Cairo 20539).
(^11) Quirke, Administration.. ., 140, 142.
(^12) Hayes, Papyrus.. ., 19.
(^13) See Simpson, Textes et Languages, 1: 67. See also Helck, Wirtschaftsgeschichte...,
110–11, and Franke,Verwandtschaftsbezeichnungen.. ., 232–33. The texts are still in
the process of publication; see Luft, Illahun...
(^14) James, Óekanakhte.. .; Goedicke, Hekanakhte...
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