Ramesses III Prisoner Tiles
The Ramesses III prisoner tiles are a collection of Egyptian faience depicting prisoners of war, found in Ramesses III’s palace at Medinet Habu.
They are decorated with images of chained prisoners characterized by their ethnic attributes. It is a selection of five captives, representing peoples involved in the political world of the New Kingdom.
From right to left: the first captive is a Hittite with pale skin; his hands are tied behind his back and he wears a striped skullcap with a dotted rim. He wears a colorful short kilt and a garment tied at the shoulder.
The second is a Bedouin Shasu with his wrists held in handcuffs. He has a small beard, which connects to his mustache; he is wearing a ribbed cap with a plain headband and his dress is composed of a kilt, a tunic, and a Syrian robe, as well as a circular pendant.
The third is the traditional Asiatic with his elbows bound to shoulder height. He is most probably Syrian, recognizable by the sharp beard terminating in two points along his cheeks and his thick mass of black hair.
The fourth is Nubian with tightly curled red hair. He wears a decorated collar and a short kilt over a long pleated robe with dotted fringe and belt. The fifth is a tattooed Libyan with his hands bound in front of him.
New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses III, ca. 1186-1155 BC. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 36457 A, B, D and JE 36597
