dwarf served high ranking court official circa person considerable importance wealth owned thousands cattle held palaces religious titles married high ranking average size children successful career burial arrangements indicative acceptance given ancient egyptian society texts advocated acceptance integration physical mental disabilities depicted wife children painted sculpture tomb rediscovered famous example art shows sitting cross legged block stone wife embracing children standing legs size person composition scene symmetry depicts facial features shortened limbs individual common form paintings carvings tomb titles depict scenes life carrying estate holding symbols office discovery location tomb buried flat brick tomb located near modern cairo large complex ancient egyptian royal tombs structures built including great pyramid rediscovered german archaeologist tomb situated close dwarf high ranking royal father date long uncertain firmly attributed reign wife appears nearby tomb official suggesting families related apparently buried wife trace remains bodies tomb looted long ago like known attempts building ceiling dome square chamber dome resting bricks corners room rectangular interior contained cult false door containing stone statues found painted limestone sculpture family statues wood granite wooden discovered recorded high depicted standing walking staff hand remnants wooden statue und germany state outline wig pose left arm held forward elbow ton collection sculpture family limestone sculpture family collection cairo depicts wife sitting children lower register depicted sitting cross legged block stone arms folded position characteristic wife sits alongside wearing long long wig covering natural hair forehead arms gesture affection support shown slight smile face happiness couple children boy girl stand legs ordinary person depicted nude index fingers placed mouths lock hair falling heads indicating age egyptian children given adult son shown darker skin wife daughter standard artistic convention indicate gender status reflecting fact high ranking females remain indoors retain light skin colour males gain darker skin hot egyptian sun names children recorded child depicted sculpture presumably reasons symmetry named royal masters son called live eldest daughter happy younger daughter companion depicted normal proportions suggesting inherit father condition sculpture roughly arrangement ensures overall composition retains artist slab incorporating negative space piece putting children place legs artist adds sense symmetry creates impression ordinary seated figure preserving appearance unusual physique family names titles given inscriptions placed children horizontal face base depicted sculpture portrays large head small arms legs possibly indicates common form severely affects fastest growing parts body particularly short stunts lower legs affects head producing relatively large skull forehead depressed nasal bridge alternative diagnosis condition produces short arms legs wife portrayed far depiction piece contemporary portraits high ranking egyptian women role position means healthy given mother wish survival baby possessed similar names denote absence disease convey positive message seen defect ancient egypt unlike cultures egyptian texts advised acceptance physical mental disabilities dwarf gods number gained prestigious roles given lavish proximity royal masters career documented false door statues record titles including beloved lord king weaving palace presumably indicating palace crew ship referring ceremonial cult boat possibly referring animal keeper god seal boat referring bark certain festivals titles suggest started career official charge royal possibly pets role known served subsequently gained higher ranking posts charge royal cult boats alternatively born high ranking family given roles appropriate birth rank carried religious rites dual role priest titled priest priest large bull head bull participated funeral services builder great pyramid successor wife woman normal stature likewise serving tomb false door tomb indicate wealth power described owner thousand cattle shown scenes domestic life carried litter sailing boat receiving children false door shows carrying standard activities high ranking cattle receiving accounts overseeing shown wearing skin carrying symbols office staff relief shows accompanied pet dogs depicted evidently custom items furniture low specially adapted litter low large panels conceal legs sculpture size required creator unusual artistic choices standard convention depicting higher status physical size maintained portraying larger clearly opposite situation actually existed hand shown physical characteristics dwarf unusually relief wife pictured alongside appears separately avoid complications arisen needing depict couple relative sizes portraying larger party convention dictated shown carrying typical male activities hunting presumably impractical stature relief shows pulling guide boat marshes
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