A Study On Legal Documents In Ancient Egypt During The New Kingdom

In ancient Egypt, judicial system was a vital part for political institution. It wasnot only a premised factor to keep the state machine operating normally, but also thesafeguard for Egypt’s long-term stability of social security. Egypt in the NewKingdom was the summit of ancient Egyptian civilization, because the administrativesystems become more mature in the period. Therefore, the judicial system during thisperiod was a typical representative of the pharaoh age of ancient Egypt, and itinherited and developed the one of Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom, and becamemore mature in New Kingdom and afterwards.Throughout ancient Egyptian civilization, many legal documents were indeedexisted in the scattered remnants of the royal documents, private legal documents,autobiography and other literary works, although it was not explicitly emerged withcompleted law system. Therefore, this thesis will try to collect the legal documents assoon as possible, and do the translation and commentary, which could reconstruct thejudicial system of ancient Egypt.Based on the research of ancient Egyptian documents, there were a relativelycomplete legal staff, judiciary and judicial process during the New Kingdom. Inaddation, there were a relatively complete trial mode and sentencing standards, aswell as a more standardized guidelines to adjust the property relations betweendifferent social levels. In order to protect kingship, prevent judicial tyranny andofficials’ corruption, there was also the oracle trial which was superior to any secularjudicial power in ancient Egypt. In ancient Egypt the law played a very important rolein different aspects such as fighting against illegal acts, safeguarding national security,protecting citizens’ property, stabilizing social order and economic order as well asreligious order. However, the law had its own limitations in ancient Egyptian. Becauseit was a reflection of the will of ruling class just like all the legislation around theworld through ages, it could make the appropriate adjustments with the developmentof socio-economic conditions. When the social contradictions came to the irreversibleextent, legal regulation could lose its power which controlled and constrained ofsocial contradictions. Thus the ruling power that the law protected was overthrowninevitable.