Archaeologists have uncovered an unprecedented family statue from ancient Egypt that challenges conventional artistic traditions of the Old Kingdom period. The limestone sculpture, discovered at Gisr el-Mudir in Saqqara, represents the first known example of a family statue combining traditional three-dimensional carving with innovative bas-relief techniques.
Published in The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, the discovery by Dr. Zahi Hawass and Dr. Sarah Abdoh reveals a nobleman’s family portrait unlike any previously found from this era, reports Phys.org. The statue’s unique artistic approach provides new insights into the creative flexibility of ancient Egyptian sculptors during the Fifth Dynasty.