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Expression of social status in art
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Already on the so called Narmer palette the king is shown greater in scale than the other figures. |
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Not only the king is shown bigger than other people. High officials shown in their tombs are depicted on a much bigger scale than their servants, and even their families. |
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Jewellery was a social marker in art as in life, without reflecting life necessarily exactly. On this relief the tomb owner Usernetjer and his sons are shown with a broad collar. All other people - servants of the tomb owner - are shown smaller and without any jewellery. |