A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

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EGYPT

THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD^1

Richard Jasnow

1. S L

Relatively few legal texts are preserved from the historically complicated

and obscure Third Intermediate period proper. This is particularly

the case for the Libyan Dynasties (Twenty-second through Twenty-

fourth);^2 the Nubian Dynasty (Twenty-fifth) is more productive of

juridical documents and economic contracts.^3 The surviving sources

for law from the Third Intermediate period and especially the Late

period (Saite Dynasty onwards) do tend, however, to be more explicit

than their predecessors.^4 A distinguishing feature of the later New

Kingdom and earlier Third Intermediate period is the prominence

given to oracular or divine decrees. One has recourse to the divine

for confirmation of legal, economic, and political decisions.

Malinine suggested that the relative scarcity of legal texts, specifically

contracts, until about the time of Shabako (ca. 700) may reflect an

actual change in Egyptian legal practice.^5 The popular tradition

reflected in Diodorus Siculus held that there was a legislative reform

instituted by King Bocchoris (Twenty-fourth Dynasty: ca. 720–715).^6

(^1) Ca. 1000–650. The temporal boundaries covered by this designation are disputed.
Some would not include the Nubian Dynasty as part of the Third Intermediate period,
e.g., Strudwick and Strudwick, Thebes in Egypt.. ., 40. The basic work is still Kitchen,
Third Intermediate Period...
(^2) Cf. Vleeming, Papyrus Reinhardt.. ., 1. See also Menu, “Women and Business
Life.. .,” 193–95, and “Questions relatives à la détention des terres.. .,” 135.
(^3) Malinine, “Jugement.. .,” 171. Private individuals seem to employ documents
more widely. In Louvre C 258 = E 3336, for example, a priest cites a certificate
(h) apparently confirming his right to enter the temple of Amun as a priest ( Jansen-
Winkeln, “Zu einigen religiösen.. .,” 252–53).
(^4) But see Johnson, “Legal Status.. .,” 182. See further Menu, “Business.. .,” 197,
and “Un document juridique ‘Kouchite’.. .,” 332.
(^5) Choix.. ., v–vi. On the law-giving activity of Shabako, see Leclant, “Kuschitenherr-
schaft,” col. 894 [= Herodotus II, 137, 139; Diodorus Siculus I, 65].
(^6) Malinine, Choix.. ., vi.
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