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Tribute Bearers, Tomb of Rekhmire
Due to their friendly and relatively docile nature, cheetahs are easily domesticated. Cheetahs were first tamed in Egypt, where they were frequently given collars and leashes, much like dogs.
Pictured: Painting of foreigners bearing tribute in the form of timber, ebony, ivory, and animals. On the far right, a man carrying ebony leads a cheetah on a leash. Behind him walks a man with timber and an animal (possibly an aardvark), a baboon, and a man with elephant ivory. Tomb of Rekhmire, Thebes. Reign of Thutmose III or Amenhotep II, c. 1479–1425 BCE. Facsimile made by Nina de Garis Davies (1881–1965 CE).
