ABSTRACT
So W.M.Flinders Petrie wrote in his Journal, which survives in manuscript at the Petrie Museum, London. It is typical of the man that he was so excited by a mere workmen’s village-an emotion not shared by many archaeologists of his day. As busy as ever he was, he supervised during two seasons, 1889-90 and 1890-91, the four sites of Illahun, Kahun, Gurob and Hawara. His careful recording, aided by his impressive knowledge of tools, techniques and terminology, has given us a unique insight into the textile crafts carried out in the houses of the Kahun workforce, where previously there was only pictorial evidence of 12th Dynasty workshop production.
