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Relief of Men Presenting Cattle

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
In this sculpture in relief, three men bring cattle to the tomb owner, “from the towns of the estate,” as the inscription says. Two of these balding, rustic laborers wear kilts of coarse material, and the other wears nothing at all. A fragmentary scene below shows men bringing cranes, which were penned and raised for food. Artisans carved images of live food animals in tombs to supply the deceased with an eternal source of provisions.
MEDIUM Limestone
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS
DATES ca. 2500–2350 B.C.E.
DYNASTY Dynasty 5
PERIOD Old Kingdom
DIMENSIONS 20 1/16 x 29 15/16 in. (51 x 76 cm)  (show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER 49.62
CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Limestone tomb relief, two registers of attendants leading bulls. At bottom, portion of another register of man leading cranes. At right, single column (incomplete) with funerary estate name. Over bulls an inscription, repeated three times. Condition: Some remains of color. Lower edge undermined in places and must be filled in. A few minor chips.
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
CAPTION Relief of Men Presenting Cattle, ca. 2500–2350 B.C.E. Limestone, 20 1/16 x 29 15/16 in. (51 x 76 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 49.62. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 49.62_SL3.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 49.62_SL3.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2/27/2015
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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