The Contribution of Luxury Stone Vessels to an Understanding of Relations Between Egypt and the Near East during the Bronze Age: diplomatic gifts, dowries, rewards and booty

Luxury stone vessels were a popular item of exchange amongst royal courts in the ancient Near East, valued for their contents of precious oils, ointments and perfumes, as well as in their own right. They acted as visible symbols of power and prestige, representing the ability of local elites to obtain exotic materials shaped by skilled craftsmen. The mechanisms by which such goods were distributed reflect political, economic and military spheres of interest, illustrated by specific groups of material such as Egyptian stone vessels with royal name inscriptions. These have a limited distribution outside of Egypt itself, and it may be argued that these were one of the tools by which Egyptian pharaohs tried to assert their influence over supporters and potential allies.