still called by the ancient Old Kingdom title, “Director of the Six
Great Houses.”^83 According to the Duties of the Vizier, the vizier
hears cases of governmental malfeasance; he receives a copy of every
transfer document (fimy.t-pr); he appoints magistrates and overseers of
police. He is especially involved in cases concerning land, being par-
ticularly responsible for land titles and boundaries.^84 Especially
significant is the declaration: “He will hear each petitioner accord-
ing to the law which is in his hand.”^85 It was theoretically possible
for any Egyptian to petition the vizier directly.^86 There are occa-
sional procedural inconsistencies between the Duties of the Vizier
and statements in other legal texts.^872.3.1.3.1 Under the vizier would have been the treasury overseers,
granary overseers, and the overseers of cattle.^88 The “overseer of
fields” was one such important official in charge of land survey and
land assessment or cadastral rights.^89 The vizier, who may even have
been ultimately responsible for the temples,^90 is thus virtually in
charge of the entire state bureaucracy in Egypt.^912.3.1.3.2 The vizier took a special interest in the affairs of Deir
el-Medina.^92 He directs the Tomb Robbery trials.^93 P. BM 10055
(= P. Salt 124), the detailed list of accusations against the chief of
the work crew, Pa-nb, is addressed to the vizier.^94 He also appears
in more modest situations. O. Nash 1, a record of the court trial of
a woman accused of theft, seems to be the draft of a letter to the298
(^83) Théodoridès, “Procedure.. .,” 138.
(^84) Van den Boorn, Vizier.. ., 161.
(^85) Lorton, “King and the Law.. .,” 56.
(^86) Bierbrier, Tomb-Builders.. ., 107. So too O. DeM 663 (petition to the vizier),
Allam, Hieratische Ostraka.. ., 145. See also Allam, “Remarks.. .”; Théodoridès,
“Mise.. .,” 40.
(^87) Hayes, Papyrus.. ., 143.
(^88) Trigger et al., Social History.. ., 208.
(^89) Van den Boorn, Vizier.. ., 156.
(^90) Martin-Pardey, “Wesir,” 6, col. 1230.
(^91) Ibid.
(^92) See McDowell, Jurisdiction.. ., 10; Eyre, Employment.. ., 109–24. The vizier
even concerns himself with kilts belonging to the temple of Horemheb and to some
anonymous necropolis scribe (Wente, Letters.. ., 219).
(^93) See Capart, “New Light.. .,” 171.
(^94) Allam, Hieratische Ostraka.. ., 287. See also Théodoridès, “Dénonciation...,”
58; Peet, Tomb-Robberies.. ., 16–18.
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