Ingot of gold and four specimens of silver, from Tel el Amarna. XVIII Dynasty

Ingot of gold and four specimens of silver, from Tel El-Amarna. XVIII Dynasty, ancient Egypt, c. 1370BC. The pharaohs of Ancient Egypt used quantities of these precious metals in their grave goods. They traded gold and silver throughout the ancient world, as witnessed by the Amarna letters, written by the Egyptian pharaoh to the ruler of a neighbouring kingdom.