Theme: Laundry

Theme	Craftsmanship Laundry
Tomb Owner	Amenemhat
Necropolis	Beni Hasan
Tomb number	2
Date	Senwosret I
Execution	painting
Position	North half of the west wall of the main chamber, north part of the 5th register from the top.
Theme Description	Like the linen production, washing of clothes or linen has not been depicted in the tombs of the Old Kingdom. The only exception known so far is the representation of laundry in the tomb of Ibi at Deir el-Gebrawi (see: Davies, N. de G., The Rock Tombs of Deir el Gebrâwi I, pl. VIII, 3rd register). In the Middle Kingdom, the theme appears in the tombs at Beni Hasan, at Thebes as well as at Assuan. The process encompasses three general work steps. The cleaning process is carried out by beating the cloth with wooden clubs, washing and rinsing it in the river or a water tank and wringing it out. Afterwards, the wet cloth is stretched out to dry in the sun and after drying, the pieces of cloth are being folded and knotted in bundles.
Images	Newberry, P. E., Beni Hasan I, pl. XI. Main image. 19 © Shedid, A. G., Die Felsgräber von Beni Hassan in Mittelägypten, fig. 76. 1 © Kanawati, N. and Woods, A., Beni Hassan. Art and Daily Life in an Egyptian Province, fig. 125. 0 © Kanawati, N. and Woods, A., Beni Hassan. Art and Daily Life in an Egyptian Province, fig. 124. 0 © Kanawati, N. and Woods, A., Beni Hassan. Art and Daily Life in an Egyptian Province, fig. 117. 0 © Photo © John Wyatt, 2008 (kindly provided for Meketre)., 0 ©
Details
References	1. Newberry, P. E., Beni Hasan I, p. 31. 1. Hall, R., Egyptian Textiles, pp. 48 - 56. 1. Klebs, L., Die Reliefs und Malereien des Mittleren Reiches, pp. 122 - 123. 1. Vogelsang-Eastwood, G., The Production of linen in pharaonic Egypt, pp. 40 - 42.