We´ve been talking a ibt about women in the harems on another thread. Here are some excerpts from what I found in: "Women in Ancient Egypt" by Gay Robins:

"The institution of the 'harim'.
Important queens had their own establishments, endowed with estates, and administered by male officials. A favourite wife might also be given estates in her own name. Most royal women, however, were housed in one of several 'harims' situated in Memphis, Thebes, and Medinet el-Ghurab located at the entrance to the Fayium. Each 'harim' was an independent institution on a level with the households of the king, of his mother, and of his principal wife. The establishemtns were endowed with lands and cattle, and administered by a network of male officials. Fragmentary administrative documents record amounts of grain, oil and fish delivered as provisions to the 'harim' at Medinet el-Ghurab. Other tests suggest that the women were involved in producing textiels, so that they would contribute to, and perhaps even cover, the cost of their upkeep.

The 'harim' at Medinet el-Ghurab ... was an independent establishment, where royal women and their attendants were housed.... It is not clear wether the king would visit periodically, or wether it was where he sent surplus women or those of whom he was tired. It can be assured that the royal children were brought up uin the various 'harims'...

Documents also record an institution called the 'household' of the royal children'. It is uncelar wether this was a part of the 'harim' or comprised a separate administrative unit of its own. nothing is known of the lives of the majority of royal offspring. Did they live in the 'harim' or the 'household of the royal children' until they died? were they allowed to marry, and if so, who might their partners have been?"

UGH! My immediate reaction ;)

I also found following interesting lines in 'Daughters of Isis' - Joyce Tyldesley, who writes a whole chapter on the topic but this will have to suffce for now:

"The harem is a concept largely unknown in both ancient and modern western culture. However, the image of the exotic Turkish-style seraglio, a secluded and closely guarded pleasure-palace filled with scantliy dressed concubines idling away their days in languid preparation for their sultan´s command, has become an integral part of our western fascination with the mysterious east, a fascination which stretches from the temptingly decadent orientalist paintings of the nineteenth century...

There. So often we forget and fall back on our western habits, viewpoints and cultural dropback, totally forgetting we are dealing, not only with an ancient culture, but a very special, outstanding one too - Egypt.