A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

ings against disobedient subordinates. In the Decree of Neferirkare

the king addresses the “overseer of priests,” who has the power to

transfer those disobeying the royal commands to the Ów.t-wr.t, the

“Great House” (i.e., the court).^101

2.1.3.3 Local Government

The ̇3ty-', “local prince,” “nomarch,” “mayor,” is an important

administrative and juridical title. In the Old Kingdom “new towns”

or “villages,” are established, controlled by ̇q3.w ̇.wt (“rulers of

manors”).^102 There is also a “court of the district” (qnb.t n.t w).^103

Pious foundations possibly played a major role on the local level.^104

The “local governors” ( ̇ry-tp) and “nobles,” “magistrates,” (sr.w) may

also be designations of local officials.^105

2.1.4 The Courts

2.1.4.1 The usual term for the court or court system in the Old

and Middle Kingdoms is the “Six Great Houses” ( ̇.t wr.t 6).^106 The

Sixth Dynasty official Weni, for example, states “(that he heard) cases

alone with only the Judge and Vizier concerning every secret and

everything related to the name of the king from the Royal Harem

and the Six Great Houses.”^107 The institution is still obscure, the

chief source of information being the enigmatic titles of persons con-

nected with it.

̨ 3 ≈ 3 .t (djadjat)^108 is a particularly common term for a “court” in

the Old Kingdom and thereafter. Such courts seem to have had

significant administrative or advisory functions, in addition to judi-

cial duties.^109

(^101) Martin-Pardey, Untersuchungen.. ., 93–94.
(^102) Andrassy, “Das Pr-“n',” 31–32. For the ̇ry.w-tp(“local governors”) and ̇q3.w-
̇.wt (“rulers of manors”), see Eyre, “Work.. .,” 19. Van den Boorn, Vizier.. ., 100,
also discusses the “leader of the funerary domain.”
(^103) Allam, “Quenbete.. .,” 45.
(^104) Trigger et al. Social History.. ., 107, and also 105.
(^105) Goedicke, Königliche Dokumente.. ., 112–13.
(^106) See Strudwick, Administration.. ., 188–98; Boorn, Vizier.. ., 8; Trigger et al.,
Social History.. ., 83–85. See further Boochs, Straftrechtliche Aspekte.. ., 32–33.
(^107) Urk. 1, 99. Baines, “Restricted Knowledge.. .,” 17, discusses the legal authority
of Weni. See also Kanawati, Governmental Reforms.. ., 29.
(^108) See especially Hayes, Papyrus.. ., 45–46; Lurje, Studien.. ., 64.
(^109) Hayes, Papyrus.. ., 45.
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