Historical significance of selected scenes involving Western Asiatics and Nubians in the private Theban tombs of the XVIIIth Dynasty

The purpose of this study is to examine the historical significance of selected scenes involving Western Asiatics and Nubians in the private Theban tombs of the XVIIIth Dynasty and how these scenes could be related to the known royal sources, and the relationship of the scenes with the office of the tomb\u27s owner. A review of the literature revealed the lack of detailed study of the interrelation of pictorial and textual sources of the relevant private Theban tombs with the known royal textual sources. The research method involved the collection of data from primary sources, the pictorial and textual sources in nineteen private Theban tombs known to have such scenes and dated to the XVIIIth Dynasty. The royal textual data of the XVIIIth Dynasty are employed, especially the Annals of Thutmosis III and the archival sources of the el-Amarna letters. The results of this work can be summarizes as follows. The study attested the realistic nature of specific subject matter of the presentation by foreigners scene in the private Theban tombs of the XVIIIth Dynasty. The subject matter has interrelations with the historical framework of the XVIIIth Dynasty and the campaigns and other activities of its rulers. In addition to that, the presentation by foreigners theme has been divided into three main types--Jnw produce, gifts, B3k revenue or taxes, and H3k spoils. Moreover, the presentation by foreigners scene has connections with specific group of titles, related in each case with a specific person in a specific office. Finally, the subject matter fits the entire cycle of decoration in a tomb hall and has a specific episodic nature and sometimes episodic sequence in the lifetime of a tomb owner. In addition to that, the subject matter serves a symbolic function for the purpose of protecting the holy shrine of the tomb in which the living image on earth of a tomb owner is placed. The location of the presentation by foreigners scene is intended to flank each side of the main entrance of the tomb chapel or to cover the whole ideal west wall of the tomb hall to convey total protection