This 20th Dynasty ostracon was discovered by Howard Carter amongst debris near the entrance of Tutan

This 20th Dynasty ostracon was discovered by Howard Carter amongst debris near the entrance of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. The vividly sketched hunting scene features a Ramesside ruler vanquishing a lion, symbolizing Egypt’s dominance over its foes. In hieratic text, the artist captioned the sketch: “The slaughter of every foreign land, the Pharaoh–may he live, prosper, and be healthy.”

Oftentimes, ostraca discovered near cemeteries bear some semblance to art within the surrounding tombs–as artists perfected their work by first drawing on these sherds. Such is not the case with this ostracon, so it is possible this piece was produced out of hope for a strong ruler or simply for pure enjoyment of the artist.