Elephants
Elephants died out in Egypt in prehistoric times. Live elephants and elephant tusks were sometimes brought into the country as tribute. Harkuf who served the sixth dynasty pharaohs Memere and Pepi II, led four expeditions into Nubia and left this record:I found the ruler of [the confederacy of] Irtjet, Setju, and Wawat. I came down with three hundred donkeys laden with incense, ebony, hknw-oil, sit, (5) pan- ther skins, elephant's-tusks, throw sticks, and all sorts of good products.The only buried elephants were found at Hierakonpolis and date to ca.3600 BCE [1].M. Lichtheim Ancient Egyptian Literature Vol. 1, p.26
New Kingdom pharaohs liked to organize elephant hunts whenever they were abroad and had the chance.
