khopesh

The word khopesh may have been derived from "leg", as in "leg of beef", because of their similarity in shape. The hieroglyph for ḫpš ('leg') is found as early as during the time of the Coffin Texts (the First Intermediate Period). However, on the 196 BC Rosetta Stone, it is referenced as the "sword" determinative in a hieroglyph block, with the spelled letters of kh, p, and sh to say: And there shall be set up a statue of the King of the South and the North, Ptolemy, the everliving, the god who appeareth, the lord of benefactions, and its name shall be called 'Ptolemy, the Avenger of Baq-t (Egypt)', whereof the interpretation is 'Ptolemy, the strong one of Kam-t' (Egypt), and a statue of the god of the city, giving to him a royal sword of victory...

The khopesh did not originate in Egypt and was a foreign technology that was introduced to Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period when the Hyksos ruled Lower Egypt. The Hyksos most likely originated from the Levant and brought new technological advances to Egypt. The Hyksos brought new techniques in pottery, bronze working, and weaving, they also brought new weapons like composite bows, chariots, and curved swords that were the precursors to the khopesh. The earliest known depiction of a khopesh is from the Stele of the Vultures, depicting King Eannatum of Lagash wielding the weapon; this would date the khopesh to at least 2500 BC. The height of the use of the khopesh was during the New Kingdom Dynasties in which warfare and imperial conquest were key features of the New Kingdoms. The khopesh fell out of use around 1300 BC. Ancient Egyptian soldiers carried the khopesh with various weapons such as axes, spears, maces, daggers, bows, and war chariots. Outside of active warfare, the khopesh is often featured alongside depictions of Kings as a symbol of power and conquest. Although some examples have clearly sharpened edges, many examples have dull edges that apparently were never intended to be sharp. It may therefore be possible that some khopeshes found in high-status graves were ceremonial variants. Various pharaohs are depicted with a khopesh, and some have been found in royal graves, such as the two examples found with Tutankhamun.

Depictions of the khopesh are also common in carvings from the New Kingdom Period. Carvings typically show the khopesh being wielded by a King in battle or while in a ceremonial setting. This use of the khopesh is used to associate kings with concepts of power and conquest. In an ostracon from the New Kingdom, a depiction of Ramesses IV is shown wielding a khopesh used to smite his enemies. The ostracon came from the reign of Ramesses IV putting its creation around 1153–1147 B.C. It is currently in possession of the MFA Boston. A plaster relief on the exterior of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnack shows a depiction of Seti I from the 19th dynasty in a battle scene with a war chariot and a raised khopesh. In the scene, Seti I is trampling a group of enemies who are depicted as Libyans. The Merneptah Stele from the New Kingdom depicts Merneptah, the fourth king of the 19th dynasty being given a khopesh from the God Amun after his victory over the Libyans in the north.

Archeological examples of the khopesh have been found in tombs with both dull and sharpened edges. This points to the khopesh being used as a ceremonial object as well as a weapon. Archeological examples of the khopesh are most prevalent in the New Kingdom period after their introduction during the second intermediate period. A bronze khopesh found in the region of Palestine was found with an engraving of Ramses II. Louvre. E 25689. Two examples of a khopesh were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun. These swords were ornately carved and with a dull edge, indicating these swords were largely ceremonial in purpose. JE 61588