<em>Relief of Mourning Women</em>, 381–343 B.C.E. Limestone, pigment, 11 7/16 x 13 3/8 x 1 3/8 in. (29 x 34 x 3.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 1998.98. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1998.98_overall_SL3.jpg)

Relief of Mourning Women, 381–343 B.C.E. Limestone, pigment, 11 7/16 x 13 3/8 x 1 3/8 in. (29 x 34 x 3.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 1998.98. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1998.98_overall_SL3.jpg)

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I would like more information about this relief.

An image like this would have been important in an ancient Egyptian tomb. The image of mourners carved in stone meant that the deceased would be eternally mourned over, never forgotten.

Clutching, like these women are doing, and even tearing at clothing was a common gesture of mourning in ancient Egypt and other ancient Near Eastern cultures.

This relief would have been fully painted originally. You can still see black in their hair and, if you look closely at the woman to the left, an indication of fringe or a pattern on her dress.

Thank you so much

Why are the women facing the same direction?

This block is just a fragment from a much larger composition in a tomb or funerary chapel. They would have been facing towards the mummy or a depiction of the deceased.

There may have even been more people in the originally composition.

Relief of Mourning Women

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor

This relief sculpture represents three mourners coming from a funeral procession. Each holds the top of her dress in one hand and beats her bare chest with the other. This gesture of mourning in ancient Egypt was often accompanied by loud cries of grief, evident in the open mouth of the woman on the right.

This relief was probably located originally in a tomb chapel. Traces of paint indicate that it would originally have been quite colorful.

MEDIUM Limestone, pigment

Place Made: Egypt

DATES 381–343 B.C.E.

DYNASTY Dynasty 31

PERIOD Late Period

DIMENSIONS 11 7/16 x 13 3/8 x 1 3/8 in. (29 x 34 x 3.5 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 1998.98

CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Fragment of limestone raised relief with remains of original paint, representing three mourning women. They stand, facing left, each holding the flaps of their dress in one hand and beating their breast with the other. Surviving paint is concentrated in the areas of their upper and middle bodies. Condition: Good; some blackish and brownish patches over surface.

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view on the 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor

CAPTION Relief of Mourning Women, 381–343 B.C.E. Limestone, pigment, 11 7/16 x 13 3/8 x 1 3/8 in. (29 x 34 x 3.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 1998.98. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1998.98_overall_SL3.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 1998.98_overall_SL3.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2015

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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