👮 Discovery of a 3,300-year-old "police whistle" in ancient Egypt

A 3,300-year-old whistle, carved from a cow's toe bone, has been uncovered at Akhetaten, present-day Amarna, an ancient Egyptian capital founded by Tutankhamun's father. This rare discovery offers a unique glimpse into daily life in ancient Egypt, far beyond the pharaohs and their grand monuments.

The artifact, the first bone whistle ever discovered in ancient Egypt, was found during excavations by the Amarna Project in 2008 but was only recently analyzed. Akhetaten, established around 1347 BCE by Pharaoh Akhenaten, was a short-lived capital abandoned after his death, known for its monotheistic worship of the sun disk Aten. This modest whistle, with a single drilled hole, fits comfortably in the palm of the hand and would have been used by guards to monitor workers at a royal tomb site.


Researchers reproduced the whistle using a modern cow bone and found that its natural shape allows for easy placement of the lower lip to blow and produce a sound. It was likely used by law enforcement officers to communicate or give alerts in a controlled environment.

The whistle was discovered in a stone village near Amarna, interpreted as a checkpoint. Texts and images from the New Kingdom period indicate the existence of police officers called medjay, a semi-nomadic group renowned for their military skills. The decorated tomb of Mahu, chief of police at Akhetaten, shows scenes of guards monitoring roads and checkpoints, corroborating this hypothesis.

This find sheds light on the lives of ordinary inhabitants of ancient Egypt, often overlooked in favor of the elite. It reveals how security was maintained in sensitive areas, such as royal tomb construction sites, using simple but effective tools. Sites like Amarna are important for understanding not only the pharaohs but also the daily lives of common people.

The medjay, elite police of ancient Egypt

The medjay were a group of semi-nomadic people from desert regions, recruited by the Egyptians for their exceptional military skills. They formed an elite police force tasked with maintaining order and security, particularly around royal sites.

Their role included monitoring workers, protecting borders, and preventing intrusions. Artifacts and ancient texts, such as those found in Mahu's tomb, describe their guard and control activities.

Unlike regular soldiers, the medjay often operated independently, using their knowledge of the terrain to patrol effectively. Their presence was crucial in places like Akhetaten.