Tradition

The royal jubilee, or heb-sed, was a festival of renewal rooted in Egypt's most ancient history. One of its iconic images comes from Dynasty 3, a scene in Djoser's Step Pyramid complex at Sakkara. It shows Djoser in full stride running a footrace to demonstrate his fitness to rule, an important feature of the jubilee because the kingdom's own strength, health, and fertility depended on that of the ruler himself. The sed festival traditionally took place during the thirtieth year of the reign. Most kings, of course, died long before reaching this goal, and some celebrated early. Amenhotep III was one of a small percentage who survived to celebrate as prescribed.

Considering the amount of treasure spent in preparation, Amenhotep III's heb-sed must have been the most lavish in history. Temples and colossal sculptures had been erected the length of the Nile Valley; jewelry and ornaments were produced in the thousands at the royal workshops; and the new palace compound, the “House of Rejoicing,” with its huge, gleaming lake, was readied on the west bank of Thebes. The main celebration would occur here at Malkata and in its surrounding area, including the vast memorial temple nearby at Kom el Hettan.