AMARNA CORRESPONDENCE

“Tell el-Amarna” is the modern name for Akhetaten, the city founded by the Egyptian pharaoh Amenophis IV (also known as Akhenaten), who ruled from 1376 to 1336 B.C. Archaeologists discovered an important archive of cuneiform tablets, some with Egyptian glosses, which also included documents from the reign of Amenophis III (reigned c. 1387–1350). The majority are letters and reports written by local governors and petty rulers of the Levantine coast that was under Egyptian control. Of special interest are the 43 missives sent by kings of independent states, such as Babylonia, Mitanni, and Assyria, which concern the reciprocal exchange of prestigious commodities such as chariots, gold, and various artifacts, as well as marriageable princesses.