Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty

The Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty, also known as the Eternal Treaty or the Silver Treaty, was concluded between Ramesses II of the Egyptian Empire and Ḫattušili III of the Hittite Empire around 1259 BC. It is the oldest known surviving peace treaty (though the much older treaty between Ebla and Abarsal may be the earliest recorded diplomatic treaty in human history) and the only one from the ancient Near East for which versions from each party have survived. Though it is sometimes called the Treaty of Kadesh, the text itself does not mention the Battle of Kadesh, which took place around 1274 BC. Both sides of the treaty have been the subject of intensive scholarly study. Despite being agreed upon by the Egyptian pharaoh and the Hittite king, it did not bring about an enduring peace; in fact, "an atmosphere of enmity between Hatti and Egypt lasted many years" until the eventual treaty of alliance was signed.

Egypt's Kadesh inscriptions provide the best documented description of a battle in all of ancient history; they were first translated by the French scholar Jean-François Champollion, but it was not until 1858 that they were identified with the Hittites in the Bible. In 1906, the German archaeologist Hugo Winckler excavated and identified cuneiform-inscribed tablets that corresponded with the Egyptian text. Translation of the texts revealed that this engraving was originally translated from now-lost silver tablets, which were given to each side.

The Egyptian version of the peace treaty was engraved in hieroglyphics on the walls of two temples belonging to Ramesses II in Thebes: the Ramesseum and the Precinct of Amun-Re at the Temple of Karnak. The scribes who engraved the Egyptian version of the treaty included descriptions of the figures and seals that were on the tablet that the Hittites had delivered.

The Hittite version of the peace treaty was found in their capital city of Hattusa, now in central Turkey, and is preserved on baked clay tablets uncovered among the Hittite royal palace's sizable archives. Two of the Hittite tablets are displayed at the Museum of the Ancient Orient, part of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, while the third is displayed in Germany's Berlin State Museums. A copy of the treaty is prominently displayed on a wall at the Headquarters of the United Nations.