Masters and apprentices at the Chapel of Hatshepsut: towards an archaeology of ancient Egyptian reliefs

Ancient art is typically studied in terms of its aesthetic or historical value. This article presents an alternative approach, examining ancient Egyptian wall reliefs from a chaîne opératoire perspective. The assessed here adorn the walls Chapel Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari Thebes. analysis reveals, for first time, sequence artists’ work, initial preparation surface to master sculptor's final touches. enables reconstruction ergonomic organisation distinguishing contributions individual hands and revealing often intangible phenomena, such as master-apprentice interactions. A similar approach may be useful when carved other parts world.