At the MAES monthly meeting last Monday, Michael Tunnicliffe explored the “Amarna Letters” with readings of the letters themselves by Sarah Griffiths. This unique archive of clay tablets covered in cuneiform script, were discovered at Amarna and reflect the diplomatic correspondence between Egypt, her vassal states and neighbouring powers. But the messages are not all polite inquiries into the health of various kings; Egypt was seen as a wealthy country where gold was like dust, there to be gathered up and the vassal rulers were quite blatant in their demands for gold to decorate their palaces!
Read more about the Amarna Letters here: Amarna Letters