The eyes and ears of the king: a study on a set of designations and the 18th Dynasty officials who held them

In the 18th dynasty, high officials often held the designations "eyes of the King" and" ears of the king". These eyes-and-ears appellations can firmly be identified in 49 text excerpts. These enigmatic phrases are associated with 35 individuals between the co-rule of Hatshepsut and Thutmosis III and the aftermath of the Amarna episode. Despite the substantial body of evidence relating to these appellations, scholars have not up until now thoroughly considered this dataset. A variety of interpretations of royal sense-organ designations have emerged in the literature regardless, and scholars have been unable to come to agreement as to their meaning. Some authors regard these entities as titles of occupation or rank, while others suggest it is used to indicate an official's closeness or level of trust with the monarch. This study has principally been concerned with discerning whether patterns can be detected in the linguistic features and construction of the phrases, their wider textual context, and the social milieu and careers of the officials who held them. The study found there are some commonalities in the linguistic elements of constructions and their co-text, however, there is not a single factor which unites the officials who acquired these appellations.