A 3,300-year-old Egyptian whistle, carved from the toe bone of a cow, was unearthed in the ruins of Amarna, the former capital of ancient Egypt established by Pharaoh Akhenaten around 1347 B.C. Archaeologists discovered the object near a worker settlement once linked to tomb construction. The site, which was abandoned after only 15 years, continues to yield material evidence of daily life during the New Kingdom.
According to an analysis published in Live Science, the artifact’s form and context suggest a practical use tied to oversight or control. The whistle is currently the earliest known example of its kind in ancient Egypt.
Unassuming Whistle Opens Window Into Everyday Life
Described as “a very unassuming artefact,” the whistle was discovered in 2008 by archaeologists with the Amarna Project, but its analysis was only recently completed. The object is carved from the toe bone of a cow, with a single hole drilled into it. According to co-researcher Michelle Langley, associate professor at Griffith University in Australia, it “fits comfortably in your palm,” making it easily portable for someone who may have needed it on patrol.
In the study, published Sept. 1 in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, Langley and her colleagues crafted a replica using a fresh cow toe bone to recreate the original playing conditions. The results were convincing:
The natural form of the end of the bone creates the perfect surface to rest your lower lip so you can blow across the hole – Langley explained.
Checkpoint Guarding a Sacred Zone
The whistle was unearthed at the Stone Village, near the Workman’s Village, both believed to have housed workers who helped build Akhenaten’s royal tomb. Excavations, directed by University of Cambridge archaeologists Anna Stevens and Barry Kemp, have revealed a complex network of roadways and small structures in the area — an ideal setting for watch posts and checkpoints.
Langley emphasized the importance of the site’s security:
This area appears to have been heavily policed in order to keep the sacred location of the tomb known and accessed by only those that need to know and go there – he said.
The whistle being used by a policeman or guard makes the most sense.
Amarna itself — radical in concept and design — only lasted around 15 years before being abandoned after Akhenaten’s death, when his son, Tutankhamun, restored Egypt’s traditional gods.
Echoes From Deir El-Medina and the Medjay
The discovery also recalls Deir el-Medina, the well-known village of tomb workers in the Valley of the Kings, where tight policing and surveillance were a feature of daily life. Langley draws parallels between the sites, highlighting how law enforcement was a structured part of ancient Egyptian society during the New Kingdom.
In particular, she refers to the medjay, a once semi-nomadic desert people who became elite enforcers in service of the state:
The medjay were a semi-nomadic group of people originally from the desert region and who were well-known for their elite military skills – Langley said.
They were used by the Egyptians as a kind of elite police force.
Visual Proof of Ancient Surveillance
Further evidence supporting the whistle’s police function comes from the tomb of Mahu, chief of police at Amarna. Inside, richly detailed wall scenes show:
- Police detaining intruders:
In his tomb, one scene shows police holding men in custody — apparently having been caught trying to sneak into the city – said Langley.
- Guards at strategic posts:
In other scenes, we see a series of sentries standing along what might be a roadway like that around the villages.
- Checkpoints and border control:
In another image in Mahu’s tomb, sentries stand guard at small structures that may be checkpoints. So, we do know that police were actively guarding the boundary and areas of the city – she added.
Spotlight on Nonroyal Life
While the monuments of Akhenaten and King Tutankhamun continue to captivate the public imagination, artifacts like this whistle reveal a lesser-known but equally compelling side of ancient Egypt: the daily operations and societal structures that supported monumental ambitions.
Langley concludes:
While there has been a lot of attention given to the tombs and monuments built by the Pharaohs, we still know relatively little about the more average person. Sites like Amarna are so important because they record the lives not only of Pharaoh and his court, but also the regular, everyday people.