Slave Bondage In Ancient Egypt
Funny thing about classical art. Usually there’s no visible bondage, because even the slaves were kept more by fear than by actual rope and chain. This image from ancient Egypt is a rare exception:
This image comes from David Redford’s 1984 book “Akhenaten the Heretic King” and is said to depict a decoration on the base of Queen Tiy’s throne, circa 1440 BC.
Interesting how the ties are closer to the elbows than the wrists. Close parallels to a lot of modern imagery.
It’s my understanding that having the tie closer to the elbow prevents possible slippage and escape. Although I’m far from a rope expert.
There are two flowers in front of the prisoners. In Egyptian higherglifics those flowers are lotus blossoms and signify opiants, suggest the slaves are in some stage of drug inducement.