Carpenters at Work, Tomb of Rekhmire by Nina M. Davies
Nina M. Davies, an Egyptologist and illustrator, created "Carpenters at Work, Tomb of Rekhmire" in 1504 as a detailed record of an ancient Egyptian wall painting. This work, held in a museum collection, captures a scene of manual labor from the Tomb of Rekhmire, a significant New Kingdom site.
The painting meticulously shows several men engaged in various carpentry tasks using period-appropriate tools, from bow drills and foot-powered lathes to hammers and chisels. The scene primarily depicts the construction of a coffin, complete with hieroglyphs, offering a rare glimpse into the craftsmanship of ancient Egypt.
Davies, alongside her husband Norman de Garis Davies, undertook extensive expeditions in the early to mid-twentieth century to document and preserve visual narratives from Egyptian tombs. Her faithful reproduction of the original tomb art, which dates back to roughly 1504 BCE, provides invaluable insight into ancient techniques and daily life.
What other ancient crafts do you wish we had such clear records of?
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Transcript
This painting is a meticulous record of ancient Egyptian craftsmanship. It was drawn from a New Kingdom tomb painting, circa 1504 BCE. The artist was an Egyptologist, documenting scenes for posterity. Here, one carpenter uses a bow drill to shape wood. Another uses a foot-powered lathe, a complex ancient tool. Even chisels and hammers are shown with precise detail. This entire scene depicts the making of a coffin. A crucial record of life in ancient Egypt, preserved for us.