This presentation provides an overview of ancient Egyptian art and culture. It describes the geography of ancient Egypt along the Nile River which protected it. It outlines objectives for students to learn about Egyptian life, art forms, and to create their own coffin painting. Key art forms discussed include sculpture, which followed strict conventions of facing forward with stiff poses. Paintings depicted daily life and the afterlife. Architecture featured pyramids and temples built by skilled craftsmen like Imhotep. Mummies were created to preserve pharaohs for the afterlife. Hieroglyphics and crafts like pottery were also cultural contributions.

1. Please click anywhere to begin presentation and
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2. Ancient
Egyptian
Art
7th Grade Art History
Encampment School
Mrs. Kraft, 2001
Ancient
Egyptian
Art

3. Objectives
Objectives
By the time we finish this unit
you should be able to:
•Describe life in ancient
Egypt
•Tell what kinds of art were
created in ancient Egypt
•Create a life-sized painting
of a coffin or mummy case
in the style of the ancient
Egyptians

4. Remember:
•Items that you will be
tested on will be written in
red.
•Make sure you write these
items down.
Tutankhamun coffin
1352 BC

5. Words that you will learn:
•Hieroglyphic
•Stele
•Pharaoh
•Papyrus
•Scribe
An artist that you will meet:
•Imhotep
Tutankhamun coffin
1352 BC

6. Geography
•Located in the Nile river
valley
•Civilization developed by
about 3,000 BC

7. Geography
Protected from invaders by:
•mountains to the south
•vast deserts on both sides
•Mediterranean Sea to the north

8. Geography
This location kept Egypt separate
from the rest of the world, so the
Egyptians had a unique and
enduring style of life and art for
about 3,000 years.

9. People
Communities were made
up of:
•Hunters and fishermen
•Soldiers
•Slaves
•Priests
•Scribes
•Artists and craftsmen
•Farmers and herdsmen Fishing Scene
Tomb of Kenamun
About 1430 BC

10. People
Artists, craftsmen and
scribes were honored and
admired.
A scribe is a scholar who
could read and write.
Scribes wrote on papyrus.
Papyrus is a reed pounded
to make a heavy type of
paper.
Seated Scribe
Painted Limestone
About 2500 BC

11. People
The leader was called a
pharaoh.
The pharaoh was believed
to be half man, half god.
The afterlife of the pharaoh
is an important theme in
ancient Egyptian art.
Tutankhamun Sarcophagus
About 1340 BC

12. Contributions
The ancient Egyptians:
•Made bricks
•Used sails on the water
•Used wheels on land
•Harnessed animals for work
•Trained donkeys to carry
people
•Combined copper and tin to
make bronze
•Forged tools from copper.
Egyptian Boat

13. Contributions
They also used
hieroglyphics.
•Hieroglyphics are an
early form of picture
writing.

14. Architecture
The greatest architectural achievements of the Ancient
Egyptians were the pyramids.
•Pyramids were built as tombs for the pharaohs.
•They contained the items that the Egyptians believed that
the Pharaoh would need in the afterlife.
•Much of the art that remains was preserved in the
pyramids.

15. Architecture
•The first pyramid was built for King Zoser. It was a “step
pyramid”. It was designed and built by an artist and architect
named Imhotep.
•Imhotep is the first artist whose name is recorded in history.
•This pyramid was built about 2600 BC.

16. Architecture
•The three “great pyramids” are located at Giza.

17. Architecture
They are guarded by the Great Sphinx.
•The sphinx is carved from a rocky ledge.
•It was damaged by Muslim vandalism and
sand and wind.

18. Architecture
The ancient Egyptians also built beautiful
temples.
•This is the Temple of Re
•The post and lintel system was used to build
this temple.

19. Mummies
The pyramids and tombs contained the
mummified remains of the pharaohs.
The ancient Egyptians believed that the soul
(called the Ka) would need to use the body in
the afterlife, so the bodies were carefully
preserved. Many items in the tombs were left
there to be used by the Ka in the afterlife.

20. Mummies

21. Mummies
These are the
mummified remains
of a pharaoh named
Ramses II.

22. Mummies
After embalming,
mummies were carefully
wrapped in yards of linen
bandages.

23. Mummies
The ancient Egyptians
even mummified animals.

24. Sculpture
Painted relief sculpture lined the walls of pyramids.
This is called a stele.
•A stele is a carved upright stone slab used as a
monument.

25. Sculpture
This stele shows Ramses II slaying his enemies.

26. Sculpture
Notice that the sculptures are stiff, formal, and stylized.

27. Sculpture
Faces face forward, and
the left foot is slightly
ahead of the right. There
are no open spaces in the
stone that the figures are
carved from.

28. Sculpture
Artists used materials
found in the Nile river
valley. They were:
•Gold
•Turquoise
•Lapis Lazuli
•Red coral
•Glass

29. Sculpture

30. Sculpture
This gold mask rested on
the head of the mummy of
King Tutankhaman.

31. Sculpture
Notice how Ramses II
faces forward. He appears
to be very rigid. This is
typical of ancient Egyptian
sculpture.

32. Sculpture
This sculpture of Queen
Nefertiti is much more
relaxed and graceful than
most ancient Egyptian
sculpture.

33. Crafts
Craftsmen made furniture,
jewelry, pottery, and other
useful items.

34. Crafts

35. Crafts

36. Crafts

37. Crafts

38. Crafts

39. Crafts

40. Crafts

41. Painting
Ancient Egyptians followed a very strict set of rules in
their art. One of these rules was to show the human body
from the most familiar or visible angle.

42. Painting
Again, the figures appear
to be rigid and stylized.
Notice the left foot and
body posture.

43. Painting
Paintings tell us
about the daily
lives of the ancient
Egyptians.

44. Painting
This painting is somewhat
unusual. Can you spot the
reason why?

45. Painting
The gods
are often
depicted in
the tomb
paintings.

46. Objectives
Now that you have watched this
presentation, can you
•Describe life in Ancient
Egypt?
•Tell what kinds of art were
created in ancient Egypt?

47. The End