Egyptian Hieroglyphs 9-16-2016

Studying another section of the museum’s Egyptian stone collection brought me directly to this detailed hunting and offering relief carving. The combination of hieroglyphic text alongside naturalistic animal figures showcased the incredible storytelling mastery of ancient stone craftsmen working with simple chisels, stone hammers, and raw native limestone blocks. This shot was taken at the Egyptian exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

A handler leads a horned oryx across the upper stone block, accompanied by incised birds, water waves, and hieroglyphic symbols. Warm directional museum illumination cuts across the limestone joints and tool marks, revealing fine chiseled textures while bathing the entire historical scene in rich, golden sandstone hues from edge to edge.