Men Splitting Papyrus 1473 BC

"Men Splitting Papyrus" is a 1473 BC Egyptian tomb painting now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The painting depicts two men, likely laborers, engaged in the laborious process of splitting papyrus stalks. One man carries a bundle of reeds while the other sits and uses a tool to split them. The painting provides valuable insight into ancient Egyptian labor practices and the importance of papyrus, a material used for writing and other purposes. The vivid colors and stylized figures are characteristic of Egyptian tomb art, which was intended to guide the deceased into the afterlife.