Gifts to keep the peace

From: The tomb of Sebekhotep, Thebes, Egypt
Date: 18th Dynasty, around 1400 BC

Egyptian pharaohs often attacked their neighbouring countries, which made the other countries frightened of them. To try and keep the pharaoh happy, the neighbouring rulers would send him presents. Sebekhotep worked for Thutmose IV, and one of his jobs was to deal with these gifts. This piece of painted plaster from his tomb shows Sebekhotep receiving goods from three Nubians. Nubia was just to the south of Egypt and was frequently under threat.

Look for gold rings, jasper (a kind of stone), logs of ebony wood, giraffe tails, a leopard skin, a live baboon and a monkey. Other pictures from the tomb show visitors bearing gifts from Syria, the Near East and other parts of Africa.