This scene occurs in a series of wall-paintings in the tomb of an Egyptian
noble at Beni-hasan in Upper Egypt, of the period of the twelfth dynasty, about
2400BC.
The noble was Khnemu-hetep, administrator of the Eastern desert and
prince of the city of Menat-Khufu, one of the duties was to receive the tribute
of foreigners.
The scene represents the arrival of a company of the tribe of
the Amu from the desert.
Commencing with the upper division of the picture,
Khnemu-hetep, who holds up an inscription stating that in the sixth year of
the kingUsertsen II a company of thirty-seven of the Amubrought an offering
of stibium or eye-paint.
Behind the scribe is the superintendent of the huntsmen;
and then come the foreigners, headed by their chief Abesha presenting an oryx.
The men of the party have beards, and the greater number, both men and women,
wear garments embroidered or woven in patterns, contrasting with the simple
dress of the Egyptians.
Among the weapons will be noticed the throwing stick.
This scene recalls the visit of Jacob's sons to Egypt
with the gift of
"a little balm, and a little honey,
spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds"
(Gen.xliii.11),
for Joseph,
"the lord of the land."
Illustration: "The Bible as History", Werner Keller, Lion
Publishing, 1991.
Description: "Helps to the Study of the Bible", Oxford
University Press, undated.
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