Donkeys played a substantial role in the life of the necropolis workmen of Deir el-Medina. Based on a corpus of administrative texts consisting of 124 ostraca and three papyri, this work focuses on the economic aspect and the function of donkeys as means of transport.

After a detailed study of all texts, separate chapters are devoted to the treatment and the work of the animals; their owners, hirers and buyers; the price of hire; and the vocabulary and the formulae used in these texts.