- Evidence of a sophisticated civilization in ancient Egypt begins around 3500 BCE, as seen in early wall paintings depicting funerary practices and a ceremonial stone palette carved with scenes commemorating the unification of Egypt. - The earliest Egyptian art dates to the Predynastic period between 5500-3100 BCE, prior to the establishment of dynasties. During this time, tribal hunter-gatherer communities transitioned to agrarian societies with permanent settlements, specialized crafts, and the beginnings of writing. - Around 3150-3110 BCE, King Narmer is believed to have unified Upper and Lower Egypt, as depicted on artifacts like the Narmer Palette, which shows him wearing the crowns of both

1. Ancient Egyptian Art

3. Predynastic Art

4. Map of Egypt ANCIENT EGYPT

15. Palette of King Narmer from Hierakonpolis, Egypt ca. 3,000-2,920 B.C.E. slate approximately 25 in. high

16. Image gallery The Palette of King Narmer Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic 3000-2920 BC Predynastic Egypt was divided geographically and politically into two regions: Upper and Lower Egypt Upper Egypt was the southern, upstream part of the Nile Valley. It was dry, rocky, and culturally rustic. Lower Egypt in the Northern part of the Nile Valley was opulent, urban, and populated. The Palette of King Narmer is one of the earliest historical artworks preserved. It was, at one time, regarded as commemorating the foundation of the first of Egypt’s thirty-one dynasties around 2920 BC (the last ended in 332 BC) This image records the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt into the “Kingdom of Two Lands” at the very end of the Predynastic period. ANCIENT EGYPT Egyptians prepared eye makeup on tablets such as this for protecting their eyes against irritation and the sun’s glare. This palette is not only important because of its historical content, but it also serves as a blueprint of the formula for figure representation that characterized Egyptian art for three thousand years.

17. Image gallery The Palette of King Narmer Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic 3000-2920 BC The back of the palette depicts the king wearing the bowling-pin-shaped crown of Upper Egypt accompanied by an official who carries his sandals. The king is in the process of slaying his enemy and is significant in the pictorial formula for signifying the inevitable triumph of the Egyptian god-kings. The falcon is a symbol of Horus , the kings protector. Below the ground-line of the king are two of his fallen enemies. Above the king are the two heads of Hathor a goddess of favorable dispose to Narmer and shown as the cow with a woman’s face. Between these two faces is the hieroglyph of Narmer’s name with a frame representing the Royal Palace. ANCIENT EGYPT Symbolic of the unification Used to hold the eye makeup The front of the palette depicts the king wearing the red cobra crown of Lower Egypt. The bodies of the dead are seen from above, as each body is depicted with it’s head severed and neatly placed between its legs.

18. Image gallery People, boats, and animals. (detail of a watercolor copy of a wall painting From Tomb 100 at Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic 3500-3200 BC The Predynastic period in Egyptian art refers to the earliest or Prehistoric art of Egypt. This particular image seems to be a funerary scene depicting people, animals and boats. These stick-like figures are very similar to those of the Neolithic paintings from Çatal Hüyük. Boats- symbolize the journey down the river of life and death ANCIENT EGYPT The lower center of this image depicts a heraldic grouping of two animals flanking a human figure. The image suggests an influence of Mesopotamian art. It is interesting to note that Mesopotamian culture could have made its way over a thousand miles up the Nile

19. Imhotep Pyramid and Mortuary of Djoser Saqqara, Egypt ca. 2,630-2,611 B.C.E. limestone

20. Image gallery Imhotep, Stepped Pyramid and mortuary precint of Djoser, Saquara Egypt Dynasty III Each person must provide for the happiness of his afterlife- would reproduce daily life in tombs for their Ka (spirit) to enjoy- blurring of line between life and death Tomb was like afterlife insurance 3000 BC -the start of the old kingdom Pharaoh was supreme ruler and a god- basis of all civilization and of artwork Knowledge of civilization rest solely in tombs Imhotep : Doctor, Architect, High Priest, Scribe and Vizier to King Djoser ANCIENT EGYPT Built on a mastaba , burial chamber deep underground with a shaft linking it to the pyramid, meant to serve as a great monument Part of a huge funerary district with temples and other buildings, scenes of religious celebration before and after death

21. Imhotep Pyramid and Mortuary of Djoser Saqqara, Egypt ca. 2,630-2,611 B.C.E. limestone

22. Image gallery Imhotep, restored plan Information goes here ANCIENT EGYPT

23. Imhotep Façade of the North Palace Mortuary of Djoser Saqqara, Egypt ca. 2,630-2,611 B.C.E. limestone

24. Image gallery Façade of the North Palace of the mortuary precint of Djoser, Saqqara, Egypt Dynasty III Ca. 2630-2611 This is an example of an engaged column Notice that they are less functional than they are decorative. ANCIENT EGYPT

25. Imhotep Columnar entrance to the Mortuary of Djoser Saqqara, Egypt ca. 2,630-2,611 B.C.E. limestone

26. Image gallery Columnar entrance corridor to the mortuary precinct of Djoser, Saqqara, Egypt Egyptian architecture began with mud bricks, wood, reeds- Imhotep (first artist whose name was part of recorded history) used cut stone masonry Style was similar to less enduring material- columns are always engaged rather than free-standing Now columns had an expressive purpose rather than just functional Tapering fluted columns were designed for harmony and elegance, not just to hold things up Images of Papyrus columns are associated with lower Egypt ANCIENT EGYPT

27. Tomb of Perneb (mastaba) from Saqqara, Egypt ca. 2,350-2,323 B.C.E. limestone approximately 16 ft. high