stone reliefs

Stone reliefs are sculptural works carved into flat stone surfaces so that figures and designs project outward from the background.

Unlike freestanding sculpture, reliefs remain attached to and emerge from their backing material.

They range from barely raised bas-relief to deeply carved high relief where figures nearly detach from the stone.

Ancient civilizations from Egypt to Assyria to Greece used stone reliefs extensively to decorate temples, tombs, and public monuments, depicting gods, rulers, battles, and ceremonial scenes.