King with a stubbled beard

The ostracon of Seti I seen below is quite a rarity to behold, as a stubbled faced king is a rather peculiar sight in Ancient Egyptian art. Due to the unusualness of the king being depicted with such natural beard growth rather than the famous Egyptian false beard, it is safe to presume this was maybe used as a practice drawing by a royal artisan. Historians suggest the beard is possibly a sign of mourning, growing out a beard is still common practices for mourning in varied cultures around the world until this very day.

Read more about facial hair in Ancient Egypt here: https://egypt-museum.com/bearded-high-official/