Find Spot: Tomb of Ahmos, el-Amarna (Tomb 4)

Date of Illustration: 1580-1555 BCE I

Description: This is among the earliest recorded use of the trumpet in its military role in a scene from the Tomb of Ahmosis (el-Amarna, Tomb 3), who reigned from 1580 to 1555 BCE, Figure 5b.6a).

There have been many detailed interpretation of this iconography by Hickmann and Davies among others but what is of interest here is their opinion of the role of the trumpeter. The general view is that he is not just a humble rank and file foot soldier with his horn but, because of the centrality of the role which is depicted here, he was an officer of considerable rank. Egyptian iconography was highly sylised and the size, position and presentation of an individual in a scene held great significance in terms of their social or military rank.

Citations: Hickmann 1946: No. 4, Figure 4