Egyptian relief:

Sunken relief of Thoth – Luxor temple; in this type of releif the background protrudes in front of the figures; it was the most common sculptural techniques used during the New Empire.  During the Middle Kingdom the use of sunk relief came into fashion, and in the 18th and early 19th Dynasties it was employed to great effect. The background was not cut away as in low relief to leave the figures standing above the level of the rest of the surface. Instead the relief design was cut down into the smoothed surface of the stone. In the strong Egyptian sunlight the carved detail would stand out well, but the sunk relief was better protected from the weather and was therefore more durable.

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Parthenon relief:

The Cavalcade III: shows the procession of the Panathenaic festival, the commemoration of the birthday of the goddess Athena; we see 4 riders, each dressed differently. The lead figure wears a helmet & body armour with cloak & short tunic.  To the right of him is most distinctive of all, naked but for a chlamys (slipped down his back, falls down his bottom, flows over his left arm). He raises his right arm, which must have held a whip, added in paint. These figures are composed of a series of phalanxes overlapping one on another in an unequal division.  We see great variation in composition and dress, some heavily draped in mantle and tunic, others are all but naked.  Some ride bareheaded, others wear a distinctive cap.