The Flickr Relief Image Generatr

This lively scene depicts two men hiding behind a reed blind and pulling closed a clap net to snare birds. Four birds, which have escaped the net, fly from the pond in which lotus flowers and lotus pads float. Below, Ipi (the tomb’s owner) surveys other activities on his estate. His name and titles are written in hieroglyphs over his head.

Inscription:

"The sealbearer of the King of Lower Egypt, Sole Companion, Overseer of Troops, the revered one Ipi."

Egyptian, Saqqara, Teti pyramid cemetery, offering niche of Ipi. First Intermediate Period, Dynasty 10, about 2050 BCE (2186-2061 BCE). Limestone with traces of pigments.

20.3 × 35.5 × 7.5 cm (8 × 14 × 3 in.)

Art Institute of Chicago (ARTIC 1910.230)

The two sets of horns on this exemplary portrayal of a ram reflect ancient Egyptian sculptors’ simultaneous close observation of nature and strict adherence to artistic tradition. The elongated corkscrew horns atop the ram’s head belong to a species that was already long extinct when this plaque was carved. Rather than abandoning the conventional representation of this animal, artists added a set of curved horns to reflect the appearance of contemporary rams. On similar plaques portions of the original gridded surface remain in the top corners and along the bottom to emphasize the depth of carving. Egyptian artists utilized grids to maintain correct proportions in their work.

Egyptian, 332-30 BCE, limestone.

17.2 × 25.8 × 2 cm (6 13/16 × 10 3/16 × 13/16 in.)

Art Institute of Chicago (ARTIC 1920.251)