Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt
Instructor: Mrs. Christine Ege
Introduction to Art – DAD Department
18th March 2015

Egypt and the Nile
• The Nile is one of the largest rivers in the world
• The Nile runs from the blue mountains of
Northern Ethiopia to the Mediterranean Sea
• It is divided into Upper and Lower Egypt
• Upper Egypt = Northern Ethiopia, The Sudan,
and Sothern Egypt
• Lower Egypt = Northern Egypt
• Every year the Nile floods and helps the land
surrounding it become fertile
• Because of this people began settling along the
Nile thousands of years ago
• Egypt is home to one of the longest lasting
civilizations and is an important part of
developing the modern world

Early Dynastic Periods
(ca. 2950 – 2575 BCE)

People, Boats, and Animals (detailed reconstruction)
Artist Unknown (Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic, ca. 3500 – 3200 BCE)
Paint on Plaster
Entire painting 16’ 4” x 3’ 7 1/8”
Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt
http://www.lacourart.com/ArtHistorySurvey/03-egypt/01-predyn/00-
predyn-early-dyn-01.html
Pre-Dynastic Art
• During the Pre-Dynastic periods
Egyptians created works that closely
resemble those created in
Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Persia
• One of the main forms of art found
from the Pre-Dynastic eras is wall
painting
• The wall paintings found in the
tombs of Hierakonpolis depict
funerary scenes
• People march in lines to give
offerings to the dead
• They are surrounded by boats (which
were important to cary the Egyptian
dead to the after life)
• Connects is style with wall paintings
found in Çatal Höyük

The Palette of King Narmer (left, back; right, front)
Artist Unknown (Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic, ca. 3000 – 2920 BCE)
Slate
2’ 1” high
http://www.ancient-egypt.org/history/early-dynastic-period/1st-dynasty/horus-
narmer/narmer-artefacts/narmer-palette.html
The Palette of King Narmer
• It is one of the world oldest complete
artworks
• Shows the Unification (coming
together) of Upper and Lower Egypt
• Although the Unification took a long
time the Palette shows it happening
in one great event
• You can see King Narmer on the back
(left)
• He is wearing the ceremonial hat of
Upper Egypt
• He is surrounded by images which
were important to both Upper and
Lower Egypt
• This palette is an “elaborate,
formalized version of a utilitarian
object commonly used in the
Predynastic period to prepare eye
makeup”

The Step Pyramid of Djoser
Imhotep (Saqqara, Egypt, Third Dynasty, ca. 2630 – 2611
BCE)
Mud Brick
New burial practices
• Considered to be the first true pyramid
• Created for the Pharaoh Djoser in the
Third Dynasty
• Djoser was looking for something
different
• Imhotep
• The worlds first true architect
• He applies architecture, engineering, and
aesthetics to create monumental buildings
• The pyramid he came up with seems to
be a series of Mastabas (of differing
sizes) placed on top of one another
• The sides are placed along important
cardinal points are were important in
maintaining the religious purposes of
the burial complex

Changing from Mastabas
to Pyramids
• Mastabas were used as burial sites
in Egypt before pyramid building
became popular
• In their construction and style
Mastabas are more closely related
to the Mesopotamian Ziggarut
than to the Pyramids we are used
to
• Egyptian builders first created
pyramids by adding Mastabas on
to of Mastabas
• They created stepped structures
which were taller than the normal
Mastabas, but were weaker in
construction than pyramids
• This system was later refined and
developed by architects like
Imhotep

Hieroglyphics
• The most known form of ancient
writing system
• Developed over time
• Each dynastic period developed
hieroglyphics in their own style,
therefore over the 3000 year history
of ancient Egypt many forms of
hieroglyphics were used
• Both phonetic and symbolic
• There were symbols that were only
associated with the sounds it takes to
make words
• There were symbols that were only
associated with whole words or
phrases
• These two forms were mixed together
to make a highly complicated writing
system that was used for everything
from religion, to politics, economics,
and even daily life

The Old Kingdom
(ca. 2575 – 2150 BCE)

The Great Pyramid
Gizeh, Egypt, Fourth Dynasty
The Great Pyramids of
Giza
• Considered the greatest of all
ancient Egyptian constructions
• There are three main pyramids +
smaller ones created for royal
family members
• They were created over 75 years
• Created for the Pharaohs Khufu,
Khafre, and Menkaure
• Although we see this as the final
stage of the evolution of the
Mastaba, there are other things
which can describe the use of the
Pyramid
• At the time the Pharaohs worshiped
Ra (the sun god) and one of his
main symbols what that of a
pyramid
• Many Egyptologists believe that the
choice of a pyramid shape was to
connect the Pharaoh with Ra

Inside the Great Pyramid
• One thing that always needs to be
considered is that the Great Pyramids are
burial chambers
• Underneath the large stones of the outer
pyramid lies the burial chambers of the
Pharaoh, and his main wife
• These chambers were placed at specific
spaces inside the pyramid in order to
have them line up with cardinal points
• These points allowed the dead to enter in
and out of the pyramid
• The pyramid was viewed as the home of
the dead persons soul and a place for him
to meet with the gods
• The shafts created inside the pyramid are
believed to be used by the soul as a kind
of door to the heavens
• They were also used for engineering
purposes in order to keep air flowing into
the main chambers while they were being
constructed, as well as a place to bring in
the Pharaohs coffin

Pyramid complexes
• Along with the pyramids themselves
the whole area creates a pyramid
complex
• These complexes included:
• Main Pyramids
• Smaller Pyramids
• Procession Ways
• Temples
• Statues
• Gardens
• The complexes are basically mini cities
and often are referred to as the cities
of the dead
The Great Pyramid
Gizeh, Egypt, Fourth Dynasty

The Great Sphinx
Egypt, Gizeh, (ca. 2520 – 2495 BCE)
Sandstone
65’ x 240’
The Gizeh Plateau
The Shpinx
• Is located in the pyramid complex of
Gizeh
• Connects to the pyramid of Khafre
• It is the largest statue in the ancient
near east
• Believed to be the head of the pharaoh
Khafre attached to the body of a lion
• This type of imagery is connected to the
sun god so it makes sense that it was
built at the entry way to the causeway
leading to the great pyramid of Khafre
• Connects the idea of human intelligence
with the strength of a lion

Statue of Khafre
Egypt, Giza, Fourth Dynasty (ca. 2520 – 2494
BCE)
Diorite-gabbro gneiss
1.68 meters
Early Royal Statues
• The beginning of creating life like 3 dimensional sculptures
• This early statue shows the beginning of specific stylization
techniques
• The head and upper body of the statue were copied by later
pharaohs who wanted to mimic the style of Khafre
• The seated positions shows that sculptors were not
comfortable with creating statues that were free standing
• This is similar to the types of statues that were found in
Mesopotamia and Persia

Statue of Menkaure and a Queen
Egypt, Giza, Fourth Dynasty (ca. 2490 – 2472
BCE)
Graywacke with traces of red and black paint
142.3 cm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
Couple Statuary
• During the old kingdom statues of couples became very popular
• These statues are often of Pharaohs and their wives or of princes
and princesses
• This style of sculpture is very unique to ancient Egypt
• Male and female form are always relatively the same height
• They stand in a very typical stance with the left leg coming
forward as if they were in motion
• She stands with her arm wrapped around his back and touching
his left arm
• The body form of the pharaoh is strong, young, and muscular
• The body form of the queen is soft and supple

Seated Scribe
Egypt, Saqqara, Fifth Dynasty (ca. 2450 – 2325
BCE)
Painted limestone with inlaid eyes of rock crystal,
calcite, and magnesite mounted in copper
53 cm high
Musee du Louvre, Paris, France
The Use of Hyper-Realism
• At the same time that statues of pharaohs like
Khafre and Menkaure were being created some
Egyptian artists were becoming interested in
Hyper-Realism
• Hyper-Realism is the use of realistic features in
order to create depictions of people that
actually look time the people being depicted
• This sculpture was found in the tomb of an
important scribe named Kai, and believed to be
Kai himself
• The weight of this sculpture is different to
other sculptures of the time
• It is very unique

Ti Watching a Hippopotamus Hunt
Egypt, Saqqara, Fifth Dynasty, (ca. 2450 – 2325
BCE)
Painted limestone relief
Approx. 114.3 cm high
Tomb of Ti, Saqqara, Egypt
Scenes for the Afterlife
• Some of the first depictions of the after life that are
found in the Old Kingdom are found in the tomb of Ti
• Ti was a wealthy government official from the Fifth
Dynasty
• The wall etchings found in his Mastaba depict many
scenes but the most spectacular is probably that of
him watching a hippopotamus hunt
• These scenes depicted the daily life of the royals and
were meant to keep them entertained in the afterlife
• Hippopotamus hunting was a normal part of royal life

The Middle Kingdom
(ca. 1975 – 1640 BCE)

Rock Cut Tombs BH 3 – 5
Architect Unknown (Beni Hasan, Egypt, 12th Dynasty, ca. 1950 – 1900 BCE)
Beni Hasan
• During the middle kingdom tombs
began moving away from the pyramid
forms found in the old kingdom in to
rock cut tombs
• Architects and engineers used the
natural form of the mountains to
carve the overall structures
• By moving the tombs of the pharaohs
into the mountains the royal families
were trying to protect the dead, and
their possessions, from grave robbers
• The fluted columns they used in the
entry way were obviously an influence
to the Greeks

Face of Senwosret III
Artist Unknown (Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, ca. 1878 –
1840 BCE)
Red quartzite
H. 16.5 cm (6 1/2 in.); W. 12.6 cm (4 15/16 in.); D. 11.4 cm (4
1/2 in.)
Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1926
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-
online/search/544184
Developments in the Human
Form
• After the Old Kingdom the human form
changed quite a bit in Egyptian art
• The feature were still highly stylized
• The features that were stylized be came
more realistic though
• Egyptian artists, and politicians at this time
felt that my making all forms of the human
body highly stylized they were creating order
from chaos
• This stylization is found across all forms of
art and in all media

The New Kingdom
(ca. 1539 – 1075 BCE)

Temple of Karnak
• Temples were built at Karnak for
over 1,500 years
• Covers around 60 acres
• This temple complex was dedicated
to the god Amun
• There is a main (or inner temple)
that is surrounded by smaller
temples, procession ways, and
housing for the priests and
priestesses
• Statues of the gods would be placed
in the inner temple along with all
the things they would need to live
their life
• Every morning the priests and
priestesses would wash the gods
and change their clothes
• Gods and goddesses were seen as
living beings and needed to be
treated with respect

Entryway to the Temple of Karnak
Karnak, Egypt
Limestone
Monumental Statues
• Monumental Statues are found
throughout the temple of Karnak
• Lines of monumental sculpture line the
entry ways to the temple complex
• These statues are depictions of the
Pharaohs and their families
• Pharaohs that gave orders to construct
different parts of the temple would have
monumental statues made of
themselves and placed outside the wall
of the temple to impress anyone who
was visiting the complex
• Some of the most well knows sculptures
at Karnak are those of Ramses II and his
wife
• They are the largest, that most detailed,
and considered to be the most beautiful

Procession Ways
• Along the main procession ways
into Karnak monumental
sculptures were constructed
• These sculptures are often of
animal forms
• It is believed that they were
meant to protect the home of the
gods
• Much as you would if your were to
get a large dog to protect your
house
• These procession ways are very
long, very wide, and often contain
dozens of statues

Lotus Columns
• One of the main architectural
details found from throughout
Egypt are capitals
• One of the main forms of capitals
mimics the design of a lotus
flower
• Lotus flowers were an important
part of Egyptian religious practices
• They were believed to be life
giving, because the bloom from
water and were associated with
the flooding that gave food to the
people who lived along the Nile
• There are different forms of the
Lotus Capital
• They changed as architectural
techniques changed, but their
overall use and meaning did not
change for almost 2000 years

Hatshepsut Kneeling
Egypt, Deir el-Bahri (ca. 1473 – 1458 BCE)
Red Granite
2.59 meters high
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA
The Woman Who Would be King
• Hatshepsut was the wife of Thutmose II
• After he died, there was a problem because
Hatshepsut had not given birth to any sons
• Because of this, and in order to keep control over
the empire, Hatshepsut decided to transform
herself from a woman to a man in order to become
king
• She was a ruthless leader who used art and
propaganda to show the legitimacy of her reign
• There are over 200 sculptures that have been
found of queen Hatshepsut
• These statues are often very large and depict
Hatshepsut wearing the ceremonial crown of the
Pharaohs

Funerary Temple of Hatshepsut
Egypt, Deir el-Bahri, (ca. 1473 – 1458 BCE)
The Burial Complex of
Hatshepsut
• The burial complex of Hatshepsut is
one of the most interesting in all of
Egypt
• The burial complex is believed to have
been designed by Senmut
• Senmut was not an architect but
managed to make a monumental
complex that used the natural
landscape as a building tool
• The complex takes after the history of
building rock cut tombs
• The main part of the burial complex is
built into the rock, and is preceded by
a large temple complex where priests
would worship the life of Hatshepsut
and the gods
• The temple would have been
surrounded by lush gardens and would
have been a very different world than
the cities that surrounded it

Colossal Figure of Akhenaten
Egypt, Gempaaten, (date unknown)
Sandstone with traces of polychromy
4 meters high
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Akhenaten
• Gained power in 1353 BCE after a revolution
• He was originally called Amenhotep IV but later changed
his name to Akhenaten
• He did this because he chose to abandon the worship of
old Egyptian god in favor of the sun god Ra (at the time
called Aton)
• Akhenaten disrupted the political and religious system of
the time
• Because of this he was not favored by the ruling classes in
Egypt, but was very popular with the common peoples
• One of the most interesting this about Akhenaten was
that he chose to depict himself in a less stylized manner
than his predecessors
• Akhenaten wanted the people he ruled to be connected to
him and one of the main ways he did this was to depict
himself and his family in a more realistic manner

Akhenaten and His Family
Egypt, Tell el-Amarna (ca. 1353 – 1336 BCE)
Painted Limestone
31.1 x 38.7 cm
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
The Power of Ra
• Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti set
up a new home in a city they created
called Amarna
• They viewed this city as their new
capital and the main place to worship
the sun god Ra
• As a worshiper of Ra Akhenaten and
his family are often depicted with
images of the sun
• The sun gods arms always stretch
down in the rays of the sun to protect
not only the pharaoh but also is family
and the people he reign over
• This love of the sun god is eventually
what lead to the down fall of
Akhenaten
• Many people believe he was killed by
other royal families who did not like
the power that he gave to the new
priests of Ra, or to his wife Nefertiti
• What we do know from the images
that remain of Akhenaten and his
family is that he cared deeply about
his family life

Nefertit
Egypt, Tell el-Amarna, (ca. 1353 – 1336)
Painted Limestone
51 cm high
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Gender Rolls in Ancient Egypt
• Nefertiti was one of the most important women in
Ancient Egyptian history
• Much like Hatshepsut, Nefertiti was a strong woman
who took power (for her son) after the death of her
husband.
• The art which we have that is related to Nefertiti is
related to that of Akhenaten
• The statues that exist of her how less stylized
features and focuses more on the actual style and
look of Nefertiti
• Many of the remaining artifacts depicting Nefertiti
are damaged
• This is due to the revolution that was healed after
the death of her husband Akhenaten. The people
wanted to remove traces of their reign, and their
worship of Ra

Inner Coffin of Tutankhamun’s Sarcophagus
Egypt, Tomb of Tutankhamun, Valley of the
Kings, Eighteenth Dynasty, (ca. 1332 – 1322
BCE)
Gold inlaid with glass and semiprecious
stones
1.85 meter long, 243 pounds
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
King Tutankhamun
• Probably one of the most well known Egyptian artifacts
• Found by Howard Carter
• Tutankhamun was the son of Akhenaten
• He is known as the boy king, because he gained power from his step mother Nefertiti at a
young age, but died at only the age of 19
• What intrigues people about the tomb of Tutankhamun is the amount of decorated items that
were placed within his tomb
• There are large amounts of gold, shell, and precious stone

Temple of Ramses II
Egypt, Abu Simbel, Nineteenth Dynasty, (ca. 1279 – 1213
BCE)
Abu-Simbel
• Construction was ordered by
Ramses II
• Ramses II was one of the greatest
pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
• Ramses II ordered the construction
of his temple Abu-Simbel in order to
commemorate his victories over the
Nubian peoples
• The statues are massive in their
structure, and are closely related to
the stylized forms often used to
depict pharaohs in sculpture
• These sculptures represented the
Pharaoh and the Pharaohs that
came before him

Reconstructing Abu-
Simbel
• In 1968 the Egyptian government
moved the temple of Abu-Simbel
• They moved the temple 700 feet
up the side of a hill
• They did this to save it from being
covered by flood waters that
resulted from the recently
constructed Aswan dam
• They made sure that the cardinal
points used when making the
temple were keeps as close to the
original as possible
• This was important as the sun was
meant to enter the temple on the
birthday of Ramses II and highlight
the alter that depicted Ramses as
the sun god
Temple of Ramses II
Egypt, Abu Simbel, Nineteenth Dynasty, (ca. 1279 – 1213
BCE)

Judgment of Hunefer Before Osiris (Illustration from the Book of the
Dead)
Egypt, Nineteenth Dynasty, (ca. 1285 BCE)
Painted Papyrus
39.8 cm
British Museum, London, UK
The Egyptian Book of the
Dead
• An important document for
Egyptologist in understanding the
religious beliefs of the ancient
Egyptians
• Shows the process of going to the
heavens or going to the underworld
• This shows the judgment of the dead
by Osiris
• On the right side of the image we see
Osiris
• On the left side we see the gods
Anubis, Isis, Horus, and Thoth
• Osiris stands before a scale that holds a
feather on one side and the heart of
the Pharaoh on the other
• Egyptians believed that when you died
Osiris would weight your heart against
a feather
• If the feather and the heart weighed
the same than the person would go to
the heavens and live with the gods
• If the heart is heaver than the feather
than the person will be sent to the
underworld

Rosetta Stone
Egypt, (ca. 196 BCE)
The Rosetta Stone
• Was the key to unlocking the mystery of
Egyptian Hieroglyphics
• Shows a decree by the priests at Memphis
which honors Ptolemy V
• This is written on the top of the stone in
Hieroglyphics
• This is written on the middle part of the stone
in demotic
• This is written on the bottom of the stone in
Greek
• The discovery of this stone allowed academics
to finally decipher the hieroglyphics written on
the top
• Through the deciphering the content of this
one stone, Egyptologists could then
understand writings found throughout Egypt

Musicians and Dancers
Egypt, Tomb of Nebamun, Thebes, (ca. 1400 – 1350
BCE)
Fresco on dry plaster
1 foot x 2 feet 3 inches
Court Life
• From the tomb of Nebamun we have some o the best examples of Royal Court life
• These examples come from wall paintings, and include events such as musical and dance
performances, and hunting
• From these paintings we can see not only the actions of the royals, but also how they viewed
themselves
• We gained an understanding of dress, hairstyles, actions, and status
• These insights are important so that Egyptologists can differentiate between depictions of royals
and depictions of commoners

Canopic jar with a lid in the shape of a royal woman's head
New Kingdom, Amarna Period, Dynasty 18, (ca. 1352–
1336 B.C.E)
Travertine (Egyptian alabaster), blue glass, obsidian,
unidentified stone
H. 20 15/16 in. (53.2 cm)
Gift of Theodore M. Davis, 1907 (07.226.1)
Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M.
Davis, 1915 (30.8.54)
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/30.8.54
Canopic Jars
• Many artifacts which have been found from the New
Kingdom relate to the Egyptian practice of
Mummification
• Canopic Jars were very important to mummification
• They were used to store the internal organs of the
deceased person
• When people were mummified they needed to have
their internal organs (stomach, lungs, etc..) removed
because of their moisture content
• These items were placed in ceremonial jars which were
buried around the mummy
• These jars are usually highly detailed, and often relate
to religious beliefs surrounding the organs and their
purposes

Statue of two men and a boy that served as a domestic icon
New Kingdom, Amarna Period, Dynasty 18 (ca. 1353–
1336 B.C.E)
Limestone, paint
H. 6 11/16 in. (17 cm), W. 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm), D. of base
next to man 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm), D. next to boy 1 7/8 in. (4.8
cm)
Rogers Fund, 1911 (11.150.21)
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/11.150.21
Life of Non Royals
• Royals were not the only people who Egyptians
felt could have art created
• Art was a common part of every day life
• People often had small sculptures created
representing their families, or the deceased
• This was for the same purpose that you would
take a photograph
• In the statue to the right you can see a husband
and wife with their son
• What is most noticeable is that the body forms
are exactly that as what we find with royals
• Forward (contripasto) leg, Height of the man and
the woman, Man and woman holding hands
• The same as the statue of Prince Rahotep and his
Wife Nofret

The Third Intermediate
Period
(ca. 1075 – 715 BCE)

Karomama
Egypt, Third Intermediate Period, (ca. 945 – 715 BCE)
Bonze inlaid with gold, silver, electrum, glass, and copper
59.5 cm high
Musee du Louvre, Paris
Detail in Statues
• One of the only examples of
bronze sculpture from ancient
Egyptian history
• The statue is a depiction of
Karomama who was a consort of
Amun
• Karomama was an actual person
who dedicated her life to being a
priestess of Amun
• What is amazing about this statue
is the incredible detail that was put
into creating her form
• The same stylized body parts are
used to create her but there is
more detail place in the inlay of
gold, silver, etc…

Karomama
Egypt, Third Intermediate Period, (ca. 945 – 715 BCE)
Bonze inlaid with gold, silver, electrum, glass, and copper
59.5 cm high
Musee du Louvre, Paris

Late Egyptian Periods
(ca. 715 – 332 BCE)

Temple of Horus
Edfu, Egypt (ca. 237 – 47 BCE)
The Temple of Horus at Edfu
• Is a great example of Egyptian use of
visual propaganda to help keep control
over the population
• At the time the engravings were made
of the main wall of the Temple of Horus,
the rulers of the Ptolemaic Dynasties
were trying to maintain control
• The Ptolemaic rulers were part Egyptian
and part Greek (from the line of rulers
who came in with Alexander the Great)
• The Ptolemaic rulers depicted
themselves as gods on the side of the
Temple of Horus to show their
connection to the Egyptian people and
to distance themselves from their Greek
predecessors
• This type of propaganda was not used
in Egypt again, as the people who
conquered Lower Egypt (the Romans)
did not see the need to connect
themselves to the propaganda systems
of the past

The Influence of Greek Art
• During the Ptolemaic Dynasties there was a
mixture of Egyptian and Greek art
• The rulers of the country were descendent from
Greeks like Alexander the Great and wanted in
many ways to maintain the Greek traditions of
art
• They often chose to show the Greek side of their
heritage with their depiction of people
• Greek depictions of people, found in Egypt, are
more detailed than their Egyptian forms and are
often closer in appearance to what people
actually look like
• These forms were not only used for cultural
purposes but also for political purposes
• The Greeks wanted to show their superiority
through their art

Mummy Wrapping of a Young Boy
Hawara, Egypt, Roman Period (ca. 100 -120 BCE)
Linen Wrappings with gilded stucco buttons and inserted
portrait in encaustic on wood
height of mummy 133 cm, portrait 24 x 16.5 cm
The End of Mummification
• Once the Greeks, and later the Romans, took control of
Egypt ancient traditions began disappearing
• Ancient Egyptian traditions, such as Mummification,
were seen as old fashioned by the Greeks and Romans
• As Egyptian families begain interbreeding with Greek
and Roman families, these practices were seen less and
less
• Even the mummies that have been discovered from this
time period are very Greek and Roman in style
• As the process is developed and changed more detail is
added to the preparation of the mummies, as well and
the decoration of the outer wrapping

Ancient Egypt

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