- Amarna letters
The Amarna letters (sometimes "Amarna correspondence" or "Amarna tablets") are an archive of correspondence on
clay tablet s, mostly diplomatic, between the Egyptian administration and its representatives inCanaan andAmurru during theNew Kingdom . The letters were found inUpper Egypt atAmarna , the modern name for the Egyptian capital founded by pharaohAkhenaten (1350s – 1330s BC) during theEighteenth dynasty of Egypt . The Amarna letters are unusual in Egyptological research, being mostly written in Akkadian cuneiform, the writing system of ancientMesopotamia rather than ancient Egypt. The known tablets currently total 382 in number, 24 further tablets having been recovered since the Norwegian AssyriologistJørgen Alexander Knudtzon 's landmark edition of the Amarna correspondence, "Die El-Amarna-Tafeln" in two volumes (1907 and 1915). [TheAmarnaLettersRef|page=p.xiv]The Letters
These letters, consisting of cuneiform tablets mostly written in Akkadian – the regional language of diplomacy for this period – were first discovered by local Egyptians around 1887, who secretly dug most of them from the ruined city (they were originally stored in an ancient building archaeologists have since called the
Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh ) and then sold them on the antiquities market. Once the location where they were found was determined, the ruins were explored for more. The first archaeologist who successfully recovered more tablets wasWilliam Flinders Petrie in 1891-92, who found 21 fragments.Émile Chassinat , then director of the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology inCairo , acquired two more tablets in 1903. Since Knudtzon's edition, some 24 more tablets, or fragments of tablets, have been found, either in Egypt, or identified in the collections of various museums. [Moran, op. cit., p.xv]The tablets originally recovered by local Egyptians have been scattered among museums in Cairo, Europe and the United States: 202 or 203 are at the
Vorderasiatisches Museum inBerlin ; 49 or 50 at theEgyptian Museum in Cairo; seven at theLouvre ; three at thePushkin Museum ; and one is currently in the collection of the Oriental Institute inChicago . [Moran, op. cit., p.xiii-xiv] The full archive, which includes correspondence from the preceding reign ofAmenhotep III as well, contained over three hundred diplomatic letters; the remainder are a miscellany of literary or educational materials. These tablets shed much light on Egyptian relations withBabylonia ,Assyria , theMitanni , theHittites ,Syria ,Canaan , andAlashiya (Cyprus ). They are important for establishing both the history and chronology of the period. Letters from the Babylonian kingKadashman-Enlil I anchor the timeframe of Akhenaten's reign to the mid-14th century BC. Here was also found the first mention of a Near Eastern group known as the "Habiru ", whose possible connection with theHebrews remains debated. Other rulers includeTushratta of Mittani,Lib'ayu of Shehchem,Abdi-Heba of Jerusalem and the quarrelsome kingRib-Hadda ofByblos , who in over 58 letters continuously pleads for Egyptian military help.Letter Summary
Amarna Letters are arranged politically roughly counterclockwise:
* 001-014 Babylonia
* 015-016 Assyria
* 017-030 Mittani
* 031-032 Arzawa
* 033-040 Alasia
* 041-044 Hatti
* 045-380+ Syria/Lebanon/CanaanAmarna Letters from Syria/Lebanon/Canaan are distributed roughly:
* 045-067 Syria
* 068-227 Lebanon (where 68-140 are from Gubla aka Byblos)
* 227-380 CanaanAmarna Letters List
Note: Many assignments are tentative; spellings vary widely. This is just a guide.
EA# letter author to recipient summary notes EA# 1 Amenhotep III toBabylon kingKadashman-Enlil EA# 2 Babylon king Kadashman-Enlil to Amenhotep 3 EA# 3 Babylon king Kadashman-Enlil to Amenhotep 3 EA# 4 Babylon king Kadashman-Enlil to Amenhotep 3 EA# 5 Amenhotep 3 to Babylon king KadashmanEnlil EA# 6 Babylon king Burna-Buriash II to Amenhotep 3EA# 7 Babylon king Burna-Buriash 2 to Amenhotep IV EA# 8 Babylon king Burna-Buriash 2 to Amenhotep 4 EA# 9 Babylon king Burna-Buriash 2 to Amenhotep 4 EA# 10 Babylon king Burna-Buriash 2 to Amenhotep 4 EA# 11 Babylon king Burna-Buriash 2 to Amenhotep 4 EA# 12 princess to her lord EA# 13 Babylon EA# 14 Amenhotep 4 to Babylon king Burna-Buriash 2 EA# 15 Assyria kingAshur-Uballit I to Amenhotep 4EA# 16 Assyria king Ashur-Uballit 1 to Amenhotep 4 EA# 17 Mitanni kingTushratta to Amenhotep 3EA# 18 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 3 EA# 19 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 3 EA# 20 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 3 EA# 21 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 3 EA# 22 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 3 EA# 23 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 3 EA# 24 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 3 EA# 25 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 4 EA# 26 Mitanni king Tushratta to widow Tiy EA# 27 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 4 EA# 28 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 4 EA# 29 Mitanni king Tushratta to Amenhotep 4 EA# 30 Mitanni king to Palestine kings EA# 31 Amenhotep 3 to Arzawa kingTarhundaraba EA# 32 Arzawa king Tarhundaraba to Amenhotep 3(?) EA# 33 Alashiya king to pharaoh #1EA# 34 Alashiya king to pharaoh #2 EA# 35 Alashiya king to pharaoh #3 EA# 36 Alashiya king to pharaoh #4 EA# 37 Alashiya king to pharaoh #5 EA# 38 Alashiya king to pharaoh #6 EA# 39 Alashiya king to pharaoh #7 EA# 40 Alashiya minister to Egypt minister EA# 41 Hittite kingSuppiluliuma toHuri [a]EA# 42 Hittite king to pharaoh EA# 43 Hittite king to pharaoh EA# 44 Hittite prince Zi [k] ar to pharaoh EA# 45 Ugarit king [Mistu| [M] istu] ... to pharaohEA# 46 Ugarit king ... to king EA# 47 Ugarit king ... to king EA# 48 Ugarit queen .. [h] epa to pharaohs queen EA# 49 Ugarit king Niqm-Adda II to pharaohEA# 50 woman to her mistress B [i] ... EA#051 Nuhasse kingAddunirari to pharaohEA#052 Qatna kingAkizzi to Amenhotep 3 #1EA#053 Qatna king Akizzi to Amenhotep 3 #2 EA#054 Qatna king Akizzi to Amenhotep 3 #3 EA#055 Qatna king Akizzi to Amenhotep 3 #4 EA#056 ... to king EA#057 ... EA#058 EA#058 [Qatihutisupa| [Qat] ihutisupa] to king(?) obverse EA#059 Tunip peoples to pharaohEA#060 Amurru kingAbdi-Asirta to pharaoh #1EA#061 Amurru king Abdi-Asirta to pharaoh #2 EA#062 Amurru king Abdi-Asirta to Pahanate EA#063 Amurru king Abdi-Asirta to pharaoh #3 EA#064 Amurru king Abdi-Asirta to pharaoh #4 EA#065 Amurru king Abdi-Asirta to pharaoh #5 EA#066 --- to king EA#067 --- to king EA#068 Gubal kingRib-Addi to pharaoh #1EA#069 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Egypt official EA#070 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #1 EA#071 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Haia(?) EA#072 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #3 EA#073 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Amanappa #1 EA#074 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #4 EA#075 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #5 EA#076 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #6 EA#077 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Amanappa #2 EA#078 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #7 EA#079 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #8 EA#080 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #9 EA#081 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #10 EA#082 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Amanappa #3 EA#083 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #11 EA#084 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #12 EA#085 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #13 EA#086 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Amanappa #4 EA#087 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Amanappa #5 EA#088 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #14 EA#089 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #15 EA#090 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #16 EA#091 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #17 EA#092 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #18 EA#093 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Amanappa #6 EA#094 Gubla man to pharaoh EA#095 Gubal king Rib-Addi to chief EA#096 chief to Rib-Addi EA#097 Iapah-Addi toSumu-Hadi EA#098 Iapah-Addi to Ianhamu EA#099 pharaoh to Ammia prince(?)EA#100 Irqata peoplesEA#1001 Tagi toLab-Aya EA#101 Gubla man to Egypt official EA#102 Gubal king Rib-Addi to [Ianha] m [u] EA#103 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #19 EA#104 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #20 EA#105 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #21 EA#106 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #22 EA#107 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #23 EA#108 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #24 EA#109 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #25 EA#110 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #26 EA#111 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #27 EA#112 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #28 EA#113 Gubal king Rib-Addi to Egypt official EA#114 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #29 EA#115 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #30 EA#116 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #31 EA#117 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #32 EA#118 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #33 EA#119 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #34 EA#120 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #35 EA#121 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #36 EA#122 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #37 EA#123 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #38 EA#124 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #39 EA#125 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #40 EA#126 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #41 EA#127 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #42 EA#128 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #43 EA#129 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #44 EA#129 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #45 EA#130 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #46 EA#131 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #47 EA#132 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #48 EA#133 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #49 EA#134 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #50 EA#135 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #51 EA#136 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #52 EA#137 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #53 EA#138 Gubal king Rib-Addi to pharaoh #54 EA#139 Ilirabih & Gubla to pharaoh #1EA#140 Ilirabih & Gubla to pharaoh #2 EA#141 Beruta kingAmmunira to pharaoh #1EA#142 Beruta king Ammunira to pharaoh #2 EA#143 Beruta king Ammunira to pharaoh #3 EA#144 Zidon kingZimriddi to pharaohEA#145 [Z] imrid [a] to an official EA#146 Tyre king Abi-Milki to pharaoh #1EA#147 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #2 EA#148 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #3 EA#149 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #4 EA#150 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #5 EA#151 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #6 EA#152 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #7 EA#153 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #8 EA#154 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #9 EA#155 Tyre king AbiMilki to pharaoh #10 EA#156 Amurru kingAziri to pharaoh #1EA#157 Amurru king Aziri to pharaoh #2 EA#158 Amurru king Aziri to Dudu #1 EA#159 Amurru king Aziri to pharaoh #3 EA#160 Amurru king Aziri to pharaoh #4 EA#161 Amurru king Aziri to pharaoh #5 EA#162 pharaoh to Amurra prince EA#163 pharaoh to ... EA#164 Amurru king Aziri to Dudu #2EA#165 Amurru king Aziri to pharaoh #6 EA#166 Amurru king Aziri to Hai EA#167 Amurru king Aziri to (Hai #2?) EA#168 Amurru king Aziri to pharaoh #7 EA#169 Amurru son of Aziri to a Egypt official EA#170 Ba-Aluia &Battiilu EA#171 Amurru son of Aziri to pharaoh EA#172 --- EA#173 ... to king EA#174 Bieri ofHasabu EA#175 Ildaja ofHazi to kingEA#176 Abdi-Risa EA#177 Guddasuna kingJamiuta EA#178 Hibija to a chiefEA#179 ... to king EA#180 ... to king EA#181 ... to king EA#182 Mittani kingShuttarna to pharaoh #1EA#183 Mittani king Shuttarna to pharaoh #2 EA#184 Mittani king Shuttarna to pharaoh #3 EA#185 Hazi kingMajarzana to kingEA#186 Majarzana of Hazi to king #2 EA#187 Satija of ... to kingEA#188 ... to king EA#189 Qadesh mayorEtakkama EA#190 pharaoh to Qadesh mayor Etakkama(?) EA#191 Ruhiza kingArzawaija to kingEA#192 Ruhiza king Arzawaija to king #2 EA#193 Dijate to kingEA#194 Damascus mayorBiryawaza to king #1EA#195 Damascus mayor Biryawaza to king #2 EA#196 Damascus mayor Biryawaza to king #3 EA#197 Damascus mayor Biryawaza to king #4 EA#198 [Arahattu|Ara [ha] ttu] of Kumidi to kingEA#199 ... the king EA#200 servant to king EA#2001 Sealants EA#2002 Sealants EA#201 Artemanja ofZiribasani to kingEA#202 Amajase to kingEA#203 Abdi-Milki ofSashimi EA#204 prince of Qanu to kingEA#205 Gubbu prince to kingEA#206 prince of Naziba to kingEA#207 Ipteh ... to kingEA#208 ... to Egypt official or king EA#209 Zisamimi to kingEA#210 Zisami [mi] to Amenhotep VI EA#2100 Carchemish king toUgarit kingAsukwari EA#211 Zitrijara to king #1EA#2110 Ewiri-Shar toPlsy EA#212 Zitrijara to king #2EA#213 Zitrijara to king #3 EA#214 ... to king EA#215 Baiawa to king #1EA#216 Baiawa to king #2EA#217 A [h] ... to king EA#218 ... to king EA#219 ... to king EA#220 Nukurtuwa of (?) [Z] unu to kingEA#221 Wiktazu to king #1EA#222 pharaoh to Intaruda EA#222 Wik [tazu] to king #2 EA#223 [Enguta|En [g] u [t] a] to king EA#224 [Sum-Adda|Sum-Add [a] to king EA#225 Sum-Adda of Samhuna to kingEA#226 Sipturi_ to king EA#227 Hazor kingEA#228 Hazor king Abdi-Tirsi EA#229 Abdi-na-... to king EA#230 Iama to kingEA#231 ... to king EA#232 Acco kingZurata to pharaohEA#233 Acco king Zatatna to pharaoh #1 EA#234 Acco king Zatatna to pharaoh #2 EA#235 Zitatna/(Zatatna) to king EA#236 ... to king EA#237 Bajadi to kingEA#238 Bajadi EA#239 Baduzana EA#240 ... to king EA#241 Rusmania to kingEA#242 Megiddo kingBiridija to pharaoh #1EA#243 Megiddo king Biridija to pharaoh #2 EA#244 Megiddo king Biridija to pharaoh #3 EA#245 Megiddo king Biridija to pharaoh #4 EA#246 Megiddo king Biridija to pharaoh #5 EA#247 Megiddo king Biridija or Jasdata EA#248 [Jasdata|Ja [sd] ata] to king EA#248 Megiddo king Biridija to pharaoh EA#249 EA#249 Addu-Ur-sag to kingEA#250 Addu-Ur-sag to king EA#2500 Shechem EA#251 ... to Egypt official EA#252 Labaja to kingEA#253 Labaja to king EA#254 Labaja to king EA#255 Mut-Balu orMut-Bahlum to kingEA#256 Mut-Balu to Ianhamu EA#257 Balu-Mihir to king #1EA#258 Balu-Mihir to king #2 EA#259 Balu-Mihir to king #3 EA#260 Balu-Mihir to king #4 EA#261 Dasru to king #1EA#262 Dasru to king #2 EA#263 ... to lord EA#264 Gezer leaderTagi to pharaoh #1EA#265 Gezer leader Tagi to pharaoh #2 EA#266 Gezer leader Tagi to pharaoh #3 EA#267 Gezer mayor Milkili to pharaoh #1EA#268 Gezer mayor Milkili to pharaoh #2 EA#269 Gezer mayor Milkili to pharaoh #3 EA#270 Gezer mayor Milkili to pharaoh #4 EA#271 Gezer mayor Milkili to pharaoh #5 EA#272 Sum. .. to king EA#273 [Ba-Lat-Nese] to king EA#274 Ba-Lat-Nese to king #2 EA#275 Iahazibada to king #1EA#276 Iahazibada to king #2 EA#277 Qiltu kingSuwardata to pharaoh #1EA#278 Qiltu king Suwardata to pharaoh #2 EA#279 Qiltu king Suwardata to pharaoh #3 EA#280 Qiltu king Suwardata to pharaoh #3 EA#281 Qiltu king Suwardata to pharaoh #4 EA#282 Qiltu king Suwardata to pharaoh #5 EA#283 Qiltu king Suwardata to pharaoh #6 EA#284 Qiltu king Suwardata to pharaoh #7 EA#285 Jerusalem kingAbdi-Hiba to pharaohEA#286 Jerusalem king AbdiHiba to pharaoh EA#287 Jerusalem king AbdiHiba to pharaoh EA#288 Jerusalem king AbdiHiba to pharaoh EA#289 Jerusalem king AbdiHiba to pharaoh EA#290 Jerusalem king AbdiHiba to pharaoh EA#290 Qiltu king Suwardata to king EA#291 ... to ... EA#292 Gezer mayorAddudani to pharaoh #1EA#293 Gezer mayor Addudani to pharaoh #2 EA#294 Gezer mayor Addudani to pharaoh #3 EA#295 EA#295 Gezer mayor Addudani to pharaoh #4 EA#296 Gaza kingIahtiri EA#297 Gezer mayor [Iapahi|Iapah [i] to pharaoh #1EA#298 Gezer mayor Iapahi to pharaoh #2 EA#299 Gezer mayor Iapahi to pharaoh #3 EA#300 Gezer mayor Iapahi to pharaoh #4 EA#301 Subandu to king #1EA#302 Subandu to king #2 EA#303 Subandu to king #3 EA#304 Subandu to king #4 EA#305 Subandu to king #5 EA#306 Subandu to king #6 EA#307 ... to king EA#308 ... to king EA#309 ... to king EA#310 ... to king EA#311 ... to king EA#312 ... to king EA#313 ... to king EA#314 Jursa kingPu-Ba-Lu to pharaoh #1EA#315 Jursa king PuBaLu to pharaoh #2 EA#316 Jursa king PuBaLu to pharaoh EA#317 Dagantakala to king #1EA#318 Dagantakala to king #2 EA#319 [Ahtirumna|A [h] tirumna] king Zurasar to kingEA#320 Asqalon kingWidia to pharaoh #1EA#321 Asqalon king Widia to pharaoh #2 EA#322 Asqalon king Widia to pharaoh #3 EA#323 Asqalon king Widia to pharaoh #4 EA#324 Asqalon king Widia to pharaoh #5 EA#325 Asqalon king Widia to pharaoh #6 EA#326 Asqalon king Widia to pharaoh #7 EA#327 ... the king EA#328 Lakis mayorIabniilu to pharaohEA#329 Lakis king Zimridi to pharaohEA#330 Lakis mayor Sipti-Ba-Lu to pharaoh #1EA#331 Lakis mayor SiptiBaLu to pharaoh #2 EA#332 Lakis mayor SiptiBaLu to pharaoh #3 EA#333 Ebi to a princeEA#334 ---dih of Zuhra [-?] to king EA#335 --- [of Z] uhr [u] to king EA#336 Hiziri to king #1EA#337 Hiziri to king #2 EA#338 Zi. .. to king EA#339 ... to king EA#340 ... EA#341 ... EA#342 ... EA#356 myth of Adapa and the South Wind EA#357 myth the Ereskigal and Nergal EA#358 myth fragments EA#359 myth Epic of king of Battle EA#360 ... EA#361 ... EA#364 Aiab to kingEA#365 Megiddo kingBiridiya to pharaohEA#367 pharaoh to Endaruta ofAkshapa EA#xxx Amenhotep III toMilkili H#3100 Tell el-Hesi P#3200 Pella princeMut-Balu toYanhamu P#3210 Lion Woman to kingT#3002 Amenhotep toTaanach kingRewassa T#3005 Amenhotep to Taanach king Rewassa T#3006 Amenhotep to Taanach king Rewassa U#4001 Ugarit kingNiqmaddu Chronology
William L. Moran summarizes the state of thechronology of these tablets as follows:From the internal evidence, the earliest possible date for this correspondence is the final decade of the reign of
Amenhotep III , who ruled from 1388 (or 1391) BC to 1351 (or 1353) BC, possibly as early as this king's 30thregnal year ; the latest date any of these letters were written is the desertion of the city ofAmarna , commonly believed to have happened in the second year of the reign ofTutankhamun later in the same century in 1332 BC. Moran notes that some scholars believe one tablet, EA 16, may have been addressed to Tutankhamun's successorAy [Moran, op. cit., p.xxxv, n.123] However, this speculation appears improbable because the Amarna archives were closed by Year 2 of Tutankhamun, when this king transferred Egypt's capital from Amarna to Thebes.ee also
*
Abdi-Heba
*Labaya
*Ashur-uballit I
*See the town of "Lakiša",Lachish , for "find" of one tablet, EA 333.
*Amarna letters–localities and their rulers Bibliography
References
Research and Analysis
*Goren, Y., Finkelstein, I. & Na'aman, N., "Inscribed in Clay - Provenance Study of the Amarna Tablets and Other Ancient Near Eastern Texts", Tel Aviv: Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University, 2004. ISBN 965-266-020-5
External links
* [http://www.specialtyinterests.net/eae.html Encyclopedia of el-Amarna] Contains summaries of the letters.
* [http://www.tau.ac.il/humanities/archaeology/projects/amarna.html Mineralogical and Chemical Study of the Amarna Tablets - Provenance Study of the Amarna Tablets] – University of Tel Aviv web page
* [http://cdli.ucla.edu/dl/photo/P135963.jpgAll 6 views on 1--Sample letter(Mesopotamian)]
* [http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~veldhuis/ Article explanation of 6 views of a Tablet-letter.]
*CathEncy|wstitle=The Tell el-Amarna Tablets
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