Relief with a construction scene
Unknown Artist
ca. 1353–1336 B.C.
Medium
Limestone, paint (mostly modern)
Dimensions
h. 22.8 cm (9 in); w. 33 cm (13 in)
Classification
Talatat, construction scene
Period
New Kingdom, Amarna Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift and Louis V. Bell Fund, 1991
Accession Number
1991.240.12
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of ancient Egypt with this captivating limestone relief, titled *Relief with a Construction Scene*. Dating to around 1353–1336 B.C., it hails from the New Kingdom's Amarna Period during Dynasty 18—a revolutionary era under Pharaoh Akhenaten, when Egypt's capital briefly shifted to the city of Amarna. This small-scale artwork (9 x 13 inches) vividly captures everyday laborers at work, likely building temples or structures dedicated to the sun god Aten, reflecting the period's emphasis on royal projects and daily life. Crafted in low-relief limestone, a favored mediu...