Fragment of Relief

Fragment of Relief

Egyptian artists used scenes of everyday life to convey important religious messages. This detail from a tomb relief depicts a man gathering a lotus flower and three lotus buds. The Egyptians believed that the lotus was the first living thing to emerge from the waters of chaos at the moment of creation. The flower thus became a potent symbol of creation and rebirth, and its presence in a tomb was believed to assist in the spiritual resurrection of the deceased.

• Culture: Egyptian
• Medium: Limestone, painted
• Place Found: Thebes, Asasif, Egypt
• Dates: ca. 670-650 B.C.E.
• Dynasty: late XXV Dynasty
• Period: Third Intermediate Period
• Dimensions: 5 5/16 x 5 7/8 in. (13.5 x 15 cm)  (show scale)
    collections
   
  Brooklyn Museum
  brooklynmuseum.org
  Brooklyn Museum
  brokynmuseum.org