The Graffiti of Pharaonic Egypt. Scope and Roles of Informal Writings (c. 3100-332 B.C.), 2001, 366 p., ill. -

Graffiti, being a form of written communication invariably free of social restraints, are a far more accurate reflection of the character of the Egyptian era of the pharaohs than the far more polished artistic or literary works. This book is the first overall attempt to offer insight into more than 2800 years of Egyptian and Nubian hieroglyphic and hieratic graffiti. For this work, extensive use has also been made of materials as yet unpublished. All this taken together makes Dr. Alex Peden's work a valuable guide to "normal" life and society in ancient Egypt.