egypt-museum:

Relief of Female Musicians

Fragment of a relief depicts female musicians, originally from Tell el-Amarna, reused at el-Ashmunein (Hermopolis).

The varied hand positions give an illusion of movement to this troup of female musicians. The second woman from the right is not playing a stringed instrument and it is possible that she is a singer. However, she appears to hold a long slim object in her right hand.

During the Amarna Period the need for speedy erection of new temples for Aten led to the use of smaller, now called Talatat, blocks of stone, which were easier to transport and carve. New Kingdom, Amarna Period, 18th Dynasty, reign of Akhenaten, ca. 1353-1336 BC. Now in the Private Collection.