Daniel would love this, and Jack would approve of Horemwia

[fignewton]

This link leads to the British museum's translation of an ostracon that records the excuses for absence of Egyptian workers during one year of Ramses II's reign.

See Horemwia, month 2 of winter, day 8

...There are actually a lot of that specific explanation.

:) :) :)

Comments

[thothmes]

Looking this over it would appear that he is wrapping the corpse of his mother before and after he takes time off for his mother’s illness. I don’t know enough Ancient Egyptian to know if both your mother and your mother-in-law would be referred to as your mother, because otherwise Horemwia has some ‘splainin’ to do!

[fignewton]

Some of these excuses are downright hilarious. But I was specifically referring to the ones about making beer. ;)

[thothmes]

Oh, I know! But I’m from a family of professors, and at least once in a career some student’s relative dies twice, and I was primed! snortchuckle

[fignewton]

Maybe they followed Ankh Morpork's policy for the Watch: one funeral per granny per year. :D