02 | Cast of relief from the tomb of Horemheb

Pharaohs liked to receive gifts, but they were also partial to giving them.

These included rewards to officials who performed their duties exceptionally well.

One example is the so-called ‘Gold of Honour’, a reward of precious gold adornments that could include collars, armlets, bracelets and maybe even earrings.

The Gold of Honour practice is first mentioned in the early 18th Dynasty biography of an Egyptian sailor who was rewarded gold for bravery in battle.

Around 250 years later, the general Horemheb was honoured with the same gift.

The event was commemorated in a relief originally decorating his tomb at Saqqara and this is a cast from that tomb relief.

The scene preserves intriguing ceremonial details and is dominated by the collared figure of Horemheb, who is much larger in scale than those around him, emphasising his status and importance.

While Horemheb is the largest figure here, the original scene included two even larger figures to his right.

We can’t see the pharaoh and queen – Tutankhamun and his wife Ankhsenamun – who sat on a raised royal dais to observe the royal court. This block illustrates some of the events taking place.

Look at the top left – we see officials bowing before the royals, lowering their fans in a gesture of respect.

Below them is a scribe clutching a writing case and leading a procession of foreigners to the court.

To the right is the rewarding of the Gold of Honour.

Here, Horemheb wears a pleated kilt and a tunic with baggy sleeves.

He raises his arms as two attendants reach towards the collars at his neck.

To the left, three attendants bring more jewellery: two offer collars and another brings a bracelet or head cone.

The number of these collars makes us wonder: how realistic is this scene?

Horemheb’s tomb tells us he was rewarded by Tutankhamun but surely wearing all these collars would have been uncomfortable and heavy, especially if they were all made of gold!

Perhaps the repeated gifts of gold are a symbolic representation of the event.

Horemheb was the commander-in-chief of Tutankhamen’s army.

As Tutankhamun was quite young when he ascended to the throne, only 9 years old, high officials held significant power alongside him.

The Gold of Honour signified Horemheb’s approval from Tutankhamun.

This gold proved he was to be respected and followed.

Eventually, Horemheb became regent to the king: he was able to govern Egypt on the pharaoh’s behalf, and slightly later Horemheb did in fact become the last king of the 18th Dynasty.