Oxen (Primary Title)
Pair of Oxen (Former Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Well-equipped Egyptian tombs had everything needed for a comfortable life in the next world. Cattle were important sources of meat, milk, and labor, but also had a religious significance. These oxen were probably part of a larger model of everyday life focused on the care, use, or butchering of the animals. Such models tell modern people much about ancient Egypt, but for the ancient Egyptians these “models” provided labor and nourishment in the afterlife.
Dynasties 11-12
Middle Kingdom Period
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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