Iconography of the rewarding scene from the Ancient Egyptian private tombs of the 20th – 21st Dynasty

Abstract

The phenomenon of the king’s rewarding the court officials and warriors for the loyal service reached the peak of its development during the New Kingdom Era, which is confirmed by a considerable number of historical sources, as well as the scenes depicting the king, rewarding the noble people which first appeared in private tombs during the reign of Thutmose IV and went on appearing during the whole New Kingdom Era. This article deals with the rewarding scenes which can be seen in private tombs in Thebes and which are dating back to the 20^th – 21^st Dynasty period. Painting of private tombs of that time is characterized by fewer scenes depicting services and daily life of officials, and, to the contrary, larger number of scenes related to the posthumous existence of the tomb owner. There are only four scenes of reward in the private tombs dated back to the period in question from the necropolises in Rifeh, Aniba, Dra Abu El Naga. By the time of the reign of the 21st dynasty, there is only one image originating from Tanis.