Calf Bearer

Images of men carrying animals slung over their shoulders are found in Egyptian tomb reliefs and paintings of people bearing offerings for the dead from as early as the Old Kingdom. The fourth and third centuries B.C. provide a number of such images, including one in this vitrine, at least some of which were made for tombs. The purpose of this plaque, however, remains unknown. A few contemporaneous reliefs, including a second in this vitrine, provide parallels for the figure's frontality and for its extremely bold carving. Since most of the objects offering stylistic parallels originated in Lower Egypt, this plaque probably did as well.