Nebamun - the Life of an Egyptian accountant

Officials in chariots as depicted in Nebamum 's tomb chapel

Desert hares are caught as feast food for the wealthy Nebamun

Below: Nebamun hunting in the mashes of the Nile. In ancient Egypt, fertile marshes were a place for rebirth and erotism. Above: Fishes and ducks found in these fertile marshes

Above: Egyptian ladies at Nebamun's party

Livestock lined up for inspection in Nebamun's world

And little British kids lined up against the glass as they scribble the answers to their British Museum assignment The life of an accountant in ancient Egypt was by no means monotonous or simple. These exquisite well preserved drawings were found in the tomb chapel of Nebamun, the accountant in charge of grain at the Temple of Amun at Thobes (modern Karuak ) who lived lavishly in his life time and as shown, hopefully in his afterlife. Nebamun is thought to have lived at around 1500 BC. Apparently, these paintings were hacked from the tomb wall and purchased by a British collector who in turn sold them to the British Museum in 1821. The location of this tomb chapel was never revealed and the collector died in poverty without ever revealing its source location.

And at the time while I was there, there were many British school kids who were frantically scribbing the answers for their quiz assignments during their school trip to the British museum. It was such a joy to hear them speak to each other. On seeing one of the many statues, a little boy exclaimed , " Look ! He's got nipples !"