Archaeologists from the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) have made a groundbreaking discovery in Egypt. They have found twelve severed right hands in a palace ruin from the Hyksos period, which is the first evidence of the “Gold of Honor” ceremony. In ancient Egypt, cutting off the right hand was a punishment and a demonstration of power. Soldiers would present the severed hands of defeated enemies to the pharaoh, and in return, they would receive gold bead necklaces as a reward and honor. However, until now, there was no archaeological evidence of this ceremony. The discovery of the severed hands sheds light on this ancient tradition and confirms the accuracy of the depictions in temple walls and high-ranking military graves.
The hands were found in three separate pits in the courtyard of the throne room of a magnificent palace in Tell el-Dab’a in the northeastern Nile Delta. The researchers, led by Julia Gresky, determined that the hands belonged to eleven men and one possibly female person, all in their young adulthood. The hands were carefully placed in the ground with spread fingers and mostly downward-facing palms. The examination of the hands showed that they were likely severed from the bodies of enemy soldiers after their death on the battlefield. The researchers also found that the hands were meticulously prepared and cleaned, without causing any damage to the hand bones themselves.
The discovery of the severed hands is significant because it provides the first direct bioarchaeological evidence of the “Gold of Honor” ceremony. It also helps to understand the precise process of this ancient Egyptian demonstration of power and confirms that the depictions in tomb chambers and temple walls were based on a real tradition. The posthumous mutilation of defeated enemies was a particularly degrading and serious practice. In the belief system of ancient Egypt, physical integrity in death was crucial for a pleasant afterlife. This belief led to the preservation of the bodies of important deceased individuals through embalming. The mutilation of the victims added a deeper dimension to this act of dominance.
