This artifact is a detailed limestone carving from the 19th Dynasty (c. 1295–1186 B.C.) of ancient Egypt, located in Thebes. It displays a procession of three men bearing offerings to an eminent figure's tomb.
The offerings they carry, including a calf, a bird, a haunch of beef, and geese on a pole, necessitate both hands. Displayed in a reduced scale compared to the bearers, these objects are carved in the round. The figures, adorned with kilts and wigs representative of their societal hierarchy in Ancient Egypt, are depicted in relief. The complexity of the carvings is particularly visible in the garment details, signifying advanced artistic techniques of that era.
The depiction of the men striding, correlated in Egyptian art with life and vitality, follows a consistent pattern in Egyptian tomb art. The first figure looks straight ahead, the second towards the observer, and the third at the first.
Hieroglyphic inscriptions in eight columns above the urn carriers shed light on the ritual importance of their duty. The precision in the engraved text amplifies the figures aesthetically and narratively.
