Deir el Medina is a fascinating site for anyone interested in how the ancient Egyptians actually lived. It's close to the Valley of the Queens, and incorporates a small Ptolemaic-era temple and the remains of a small walled village that housed the workers who built the temples and tombs of the West Bank. The village, which contained around 70 small houses, is still well enough defined that you can make out streets and the walls of individual buildings. The name of the area comes from the small 3rd-century B.C. temple to Hathor on the site, which was taken over by early Coptic priests and named Monastery of the Town, or "Deir el Medina."

Next to the village there is a small necropolis, which contains several tombs built for men who worked in the Valley of the Kings. Perhaps the most famous is the tomb of Sennedjem, himself a tomb builder in the 13th century B.C. The walls of his tomb are richly painted and well preserved, and include a rather chilling depiction of the jackal figure of the god Anubis preparing the mummy of the owner of the tomb. Much of the original contents of this tomb are now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Another well-known tomb here contained the body of Peshedu, and while it is also decorated with Anubis, don't miss the touching painting of the owner himself by a palm tree near water. The tomb of Inherkhau is decorated with pictures of its owner from his quotidian life as well. Judging by the pictures, Inherkhau was not only bald, at least for part of his life, but an enthusiastic harp player.