for agriculture and fields disputes.^130 Several other scribal positions
appear to have legal significance as well, such as the “overseer of
the scribe of the royal document.”^1312.1.5 Police
The designations for police varied widely in different places and
times in Egypt. It is difficult to discern a distinct hierarchical sys-
tem of police bureaucracy.^132 In the Old Kingdom, the s3-pr, “gen-
darmerie,” are responsible for enforcing justice and economic
sanctions.^133 They punish delinquent taxpayers, and provide security
for desert expeditions. The so-called “pacified Nubians” may also
have been a type of police.^134 The fimy-r “nt, “overseer of disputes,”
first appears in the First Intermediate period. The office is attested
into the New Kingdom and then, in an archaizing form, in the Late
period.^135
Jails or prisons for long-term incarceration in the modern sense
are hardly known from ancient Egypt.^136- L
3.1 Parties
The meager evidence does not suggest that women were at any
disadvantage as litigants in law suits.^137 Slaves nowhere appear as
litigants.3.2 Procedure
3.2.1 The evidence is too sparse to speak confidently of standard
procedure in the Old Kingdom. A lawsuit may have commenced
with a written complaint.^138 The plaintiffpossibly had to take upon(^130) Martin-Pardey, Untersuchungen.. ., 182.
(^131) Strudwick, Administration.. ., 181, 199, 204–5, 208–16.
(^132) Andreu, “Polizei,” cols. 1068–71.
(^133) Andreu, “Sobek...”
(^134) But see Goedicke, Königliche Dokumente.. ., 62–63.
(^135) Van den Boorn, Vizier.. ., 50–51.
(^136) Boochs, Strafrechtliche Aspekte.. ., 81.
(^137) Cf. Pestman, Marriage.. ., 182.
(^138) Seidl, Einführung.. ., 34. Cf. Menu, “Prête.. .,” 68.
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