During the 18th dynasty (1550-1307) members of the upper classes, court and government officials in particular, built tombs in a valley not far from Deir Al-Medina (the "workman's village"). Using art forms that are less stylized than that in most of the royal tombs, and exhibiting a playfulness and even a sense of joy, the tombs of the "nobles" are colorful and lively. Below are examples from two of them.
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Below: Also during Thutmosis IV's reign, a "Scribe of the Land Register," Menna, enlarged a previous tomb and decorated it lavishly. Beneath the scene (upper left) of Nile activity, a sacrificial bull is being killed and purified. Then, upper right, a banquet is in progress and, below, almost whimsical images of a cat frightening birds and a mouse with cat above.
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