Search
Close this search box.

Amarna Letters

archaeology in israel

The Amarna letters are an archive, written on clay tablets, primarily consisting of diplomatic correspondence between the Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru, or neighboring kingdom leaders; during the New Kingdom, between c. 1360–1332 BCE. The letters were found in Upper Egypt at el-Amarna; the modern name for the ancient Egyptian capital of Akhetaten, founded by pharaoh Akhenaten (1350s–1330s BCE) during the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt.



These letters, comprising cuneiform tablets written primarily in Akkadian – the regional language of diplomacy for this period – were first discovered around 1887 by local Egyptians who secretly dug most of them from the ruined city of Amarna, and sold them in the antiquities market. They had originally been stored in an ancient building that archaeologists have since called the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh.


The archive contains a wealth of information about cultures, kingdoms, events, and individuals in a period from which few written sources survive. It includes correspondence from Akhenaten’s reign (Akhenaten who was also titled Amenhotep IV), as well as his predecessor Amenhotep III’s reign. The tablets consist of over 300 diplomatic letters; the remainder comprises miscellaneous literary and educational materials.


The Amarna Letters Special Significance

Moreover, these tablets shed much light on Egyptian relations with Babylonia, Assyria, Syria, Canaan, and Alashiya (Cyprus) as well as relations with Mitanni, and the Hittites. The letters have been important in establishing both the history and the chronology of the period. Letters from the Babylonian king, Kadashman-Enlil I, anchor the timeframe of Akhenaten’s reign to the mid-14th century BCE.

They also contain the first mention of a Near Eastern group known as the Habiru, whose possible connection with the Hebrews—due to the similarity of the words and their geographic location—remains debated.


Other rulers involved in the letters include Tushratta of Mitanni, Lib’ayu of Shechem, Abdi-Heba of Jerusalem. In addition, we hear about Biridiya who was the ruler of Megiddo in the 14th century BCE. Biridiya authored five of the Amarna letters correspondence.


And the quarrelsome king, Rib-Hadda, of Byblos, who, in over 58 letters, continuously pleads for Egyptian military help. Specifically, the letters include requests for military help in the north against Hittite invaders, and in the south to fight against the Habiru.



The known tablets total 382, of which 358 have been published by the Norwegian Assyriologist Jørgen Alexander Knudtzon in his work, which came out in two volumes (1907 and 1915) and remains the standard edition to this day. The texts of the remaining 24 complete or fragmentary tablets excavated since Knudtzon have also been made available. The Amarna letters are of great significance for biblical studies as well as Semitic linguistics, since they shed light on the culture and language of the Canaanite peoples in pre-biblical times.

arik-about

Hi! My name is Arik, an Israeli native who dedicated his life to sharing my passion for the Holy Land with those interested in knowing more about this incredible piece of land. I’m the Chief Guide at ‘APT Private Tours in Israel’.

Did you know the Hoopoe is Israel's national bird?! For more cool info about Israel, join our ever growing community and get exclusive travel tips, and giveaways!

Simon Peter

RELATED POSTS

The Theater at Caesarea Maritima

The theater in Caesarea Maritima is one of the most ancient and magnificent Roman theaters discovered in the Holy Land. Click here for more!

Middle Paleolithic Period

The Middle Paleolithic period is a significant epoch in history that witnessed the emergence and development of our ancient human ancestors.

Tomb of Absalom

The Tomb of Absalom is an ancient, monumental rock-cut tomb in the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem. It's also known as Absalom's Pillar.

The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser

The Black Obelisk Of Shalmaneser III is the earliest ancient description of a biblical figure, Jehu, the Son of King Omri.

Ecce Homo Arch

The Ecce Homo Arch is a significant landmark in Jerusalem. This arch is a part of the Via Dolorosa, Jesus walked before his crucifixion.

Tomb of Benei Hezir

The Tomb of Benei Hezir is a tomb hewn from stone in the historic Mount of Olives Jewish cemetery of Jerusalem. Previously (and mistakenly) known ...

What Is Continuity of Cult?

What Is Continuity of Cult? Well, this is a very important idea in Archaeology that when touring the Holy Land you should know more in-depth!

Theodotos Inscription

The Theodotos Inscription is not merely a stone etching; it is a bridge connecting us to the people and beliefs of an ancient world.

New Church of the Theotokos

The New Church of the Theotokos (The Nea Church) was a Byzantine church erected in Jerusalem by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.

The Old Synagogue at Meron

The Old Synagogue at Meron is one of the oldest synagogues found in Israel. And is the earliest example of the so-called 'Galilean' synagogues

Need help?

Skip to content