Stela

(pl. stelae)

    Monolithic slabs, usually of limestone, stelae are rectangular in shape with the upper part curved in a semi-circle or decorated with a cavetto cornice. Each is decorated with a picture and an inscription, usually in sunk relief, and they were either set into a wall or put up beside it.

    Boundary: King *Akhenaten used stelae to mark the boundary of his new city, Akhetaten (Tell el Amarna).

    Funerary: Placed in the funerary (tomb) chapel, this acted as the point of contact between this world and the next. Funerary stelae usually show the deceased in the gods' company, and in receipt of offerings from his family; they give his names, titles and the offering formulae to provide food for the deceased in the next world.

    Royal: These large stelae were official proclamations set up in public places, and often provide important historical information. They show the king presenting a rite to a god, and the inscription eulogises the king and proclaims his decree, or recalls an event in his reign, such as victory in battle, the restoration of a holy monument, or a major trading expedition.

Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt by Rosalie and Antony E. David

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   Plural stelae. Greek word used by Egyptologists for a freestanding inscribed stone, often but not necessarily round-topped. A stela can vary in size from several inches to several feet. Most record prayers with dedications to gods on behalf of an individual, often naming members of his family, and they can run to several registers with both inscribed scenes and texts. Historical stelae record the deeds of kings. Some inscriptions on temple walls or cliffs have a surround in imitation of the freestanding stelae.

Historical Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt by Morris L. Bierbrier