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Middle Kingdom (about 2025-1700 BC) art: non royal relief

There are two main places were non-royal relief appears in the Middle Kingdom

Stelae of Individuals

Early Twelfth Dynasty

In the early Middle Kingdom the relief is often raised, sometimes of very high quality

stela of the Eleventh Dynasty
stelae of the Early Twelfth Dynasty

At the end of the Twelfth Dynasty a larger scale production of stelae started. There are still some high quality works of art, but many stelae are of rather low quality. Sunken relief become very common.

A gallery of late Middle Kingdom stelae

 

Reliefs in tombs

Tombs in the residence cemeteries (such as Lahun) are not so richly decorated as in the Old Kingdom (about 2686-2181 BC) . Often there is only a stela or false door. Only some tombs of governors in the provinces are fully decorated.

Reliefs found at Lahun


 

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