Relief Fragment with Part of a Hieroglyph

Relief Fragment with Part of a Hieroglyph

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The fragment belongs to a vertical column of inscription reading from left to right that was part of a group of texts carved in extremely low relief and exquisitely painted. Preserved are parts of seated-man-sign; the torso and legs are painted with a pinkish color, the kilt is white, and red outlines were used to highlight the different elements. The back contour of of the small figure is slightly concave, while the front has a rounded abdomen and a gentle dip below the now-missing breast. The separation between the upraised leg and the kilt is indicated by an incised line. To the left is part of a vertical black line separating columns of texts. The hieroglyph likely originates from inscriptions listing the titles and epithets of the tomb owner that were placed near representations of him. The darkish gray background preserves vertical brushstrokes.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Relief Fragment with Part of a HieroglyphRelief Fragment with Part of a HieroglyphRelief Fragment with Part of a HieroglyphRelief Fragment with Part of a HieroglyphRelief Fragment with Part of a Hieroglyph

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.