The priest would get everyone to work like slaves because they knew that the priest was a friend to all the powerful gods, even Ra.
Next came the military. All soldiers treated everybody below them like slaves. Take my word for it, you don't disobey someone with a six foot spear.
Next in line were the master builders and architects. They were rich and treated everybody below them as slaves. Let’s face it, if you didn't fancy the clergy or military, a career in building was pretty good. If you were not a master builder then working at a supervisory level in construction was not too bad at all, not that supervisors got paid much, but working for a master builder, in addition to pay, they usually got food and housing on site.
Next came anyone working in other professions, shop keepers, traders, quarry owners, boat builders and so on.
At the bottom of the heap came everyone else. Mostly they were farmers or fished in the Nile, otherwise you got a job as a labourer on one of the construction sites. Not that the builders paid much, but it was enough feed and house you.
There were no slaves in ancient Egypt, all men were born free and lived free.
Back to the plot.
Kharmoun decided to present himself to the Priest at the new temple as a master roof builder. Well, it was only a slight exaggeration and meant that he had a chance of earning a decent wage and getting to know the right people.
"Ah hum," coughed Kharmoun as he approached the priest, "that looks like a fine temple you're having built."
"O wow!" replied the priest. "I am saddened because the
vestibule dance chamber has no roof, the dancers will get all wet and slip over when it rains."
"Then priest, I am your man, for I am a master roof builder," he said with a slight blush. “Show me the vestibule and I'll give you a quote for a nice roof.”
“What is your name, young master roof builder? Asked the priest.
“I am Kharmoun, I've been building roofs all my working life, it’s my speciality.”
“Come then Kharmoun, let me show you the vestibule.”
The vestibule was a big room, maybe a hundred feet by fifty feet, which lay in front of the main part of an open air temple, there were smaller rooms on each side that were already completed.
Another aside:
Only two dances were performed in Egypt at that time. The erotic belly dance, which was band from all temples (except on Friday nights), and a religious dance called ring-a-ring-a-Ra-sy, which was performed in all temples (except on Friday nights).
The plot again.
Kharmoun took lots of measurements and checked that the walls would be strong enough to carry the weight of the huge roof. He then went to the local quarry to check the price of all the stone that would be needed for the job.
On his return he was able to give the priest a price for the roof and before too long he had struck a deal to build the vestibule roof.
13
14