Funerary Stele of Thutmose

The shape of this funerary marker is very similar to those found in cemeteries today. Called a stele, it uses both pictures and words to commemorate an official named Thutmose. The topmost section, reserved for the most important figures, shows Thutmose and his wife raising their hands in praise toward Osiris, god of the underworld, and Anubis, the jackal-headed god of mummification. The two deities are depicted at a larger scale than Thutmose—a sign of their higher status. In the middle and bottom sections, Thutmose and his wife receive offerings from their children and servants. This stele was likely set up in a tomb chapel by Thutmose’s family.