Most temple and tomb walls were decorated in relief: carved, then painted. Relief carving builds on the same rules as statues and drawings, but there are two ways to carve it.
Key idea
Raised relief cuts away the background so the figure stands out; sunk relief cuts the figure into the wall and suits bright sun outdoors.
| Raised relief | Sunk relief | |
|---|---|---|
| What is cut away | the background around the figure | the figure itself, below the flat wall |
| Edges | the figure stands above the surface | the edges of the figure go into the stone |
| Best light | soft light indoors | strong sun outdoors, which casts sharp shadows |
| Work | more stone to remove | quicker; harder to erase or recarve |
Why it works
The choice followed the light. In a dim room, a raised figure shows its gentle modeling. Outside in the hard Egyptian sun, a raised figure can look flat, but the deep cut edges of sunk relief throw strong shadows and make it readable from far away. Ramesses II had many reliefs cut in deep sunk relief, even indoors; it was faster, and deep cuts are hard for a later king to recarve with his own name.
Both kinds were painted. The bare stone we see in most temples today has lost its paint to sun, rain, floods and time; in protected places, like some tombs and the inner rooms of temples, bright colors survive.
Worked example: Indoors or out?
A battle scene covers the outside face of a temple pylon, in full sun. Which kind of relief would you expect?
- Outdoor wall in strong sun.
- Sunk relief casts sharp shadows there.
Answer: Sunk relief.
Worked example: Feeling the edges
You run your finger along a carved figure: the figure is lower than the wall around it. Which kind is it?
- The figure is below the surface.
- That is sunk relief.
Answer: Sunk relief.
Common mistake
Confusing the two. In sunk relief, the edges of the figure go into the stone; in raised relief, the background is lowered. Quick check: is the flat original surface around the figure (sunk) or on the figure (raised)?