Greeting-gift (Šulmani)
Encyclopedia
The Greeting-gift were gift
s, or presents exchanged between Kings, and rulers of the 1350 BC-1335 BC Amarna letters
correspondence
. They are notable in the 382–letter corpus
for the variety of the gifts, as well as the involvement of the individuals exchanging the gifts, (their motives).
The "greeting-gifts" were "peace-offerings" between the rulers, and were a function of intrigues, and country/political relationships, or regional 'country'/kingdom relationships.
An example of a discussion of a greeting-gift exchange can be found at one of the authors of the Amarna letters, Zita (Hittite prince)
. Letter EA 44 is presented, (EA for 'el Amarna
'), as an example of the term's usage.
Other notable exchanges of greeting-gifts were with Tushratta
of Mittani, Assyria
, the King of Ugarit
-(letter EA 49, by Niqmaddu II
), and the King of Babylon.
Gift
A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to...
s, or presents exchanged between Kings, and rulers of the 1350 BC-1335 BC Amarna letters
Amarna letters
The Amarna letters are an archive of correspondence on clay tablets, mostly diplomatic, between the Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru during the New Kingdom...
correspondence
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
. They are notable in the 382–letter corpus
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
for the variety of the gifts, as well as the involvement of the individuals exchanging the gifts, (their motives).
The "greeting-gifts" were "peace-offerings" between the rulers, and were a function of intrigues, and country/political relationships, or regional 'country'/kingdom relationships.
An example of a discussion of a greeting-gift exchange can be found at one of the authors of the Amarna letters, Zita (Hittite prince)
Zita (Hittite prince)
Zita, was a Hittite prince, and probably the brother of Suppiluliuma I, , in the 382–letter correspondence called the Amarna letters...
. Letter EA 44 is presented, (EA for 'el Amarna
Amarna
Amarna is an extensive Egyptian archaeological site that represents the remains of the capital city newly–established and built by the Pharaoh Akhenaten of the late Eighteenth Dynasty , and abandoned shortly afterwards...
'), as an example of the term's usage.
Other notable exchanges of greeting-gifts were with Tushratta
Tushratta
Tushratta was a king of Mitanni at the end of the reign of Amenhotep III and throughout the reign of Akhenaten -- approximately the late 14th century BC. He was the son of Shuttarna II...
of Mittani, Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
, the King of Ugarit
Ugarit
Ugarit was an ancient port city in the eastern Mediterranean at the Ras Shamra headland near Latakia, Syria. It is located near Minet el-Beida in northern Syria. It is some seven miles north of Laodicea ad Mare and approximately fifty miles east of Cyprus...
-(letter EA 49, by Niqmaddu II
Niqmaddu II
Niqmaddu II was the second ruler and king of the Ancient Syrian city of Ugarit, reigning ca. 1350-15 BC and succeeding his father Ammishtamru I...
), and the King of Babylon.