Egyptian - Art History

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Introduction


The history of Ancient Egypt, from its growth to its downfall, has been depicted through many means of art, such as sculptures of the ancient kings and the hieroglyphic scriptures.  The major periods of Ancient Egypt are divided into the following:  Early Egyptian, Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom, the Late Period, the Hellenistic Period, and the Roman Period.

Early Egyptian


Egypt was also divided into two areas:  Upper Egypt (the southern area) and Lower Egypt (the northern area), named by how the Nile River flowed north towards the Mediterranean Sea.  Since much of the resources were found in Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt invaded and conquered Lower Egypt around 3000 BCE.  It was at that time, the first of many dynasties of the unified Egypt was established, led by Narmer.  This was also the era where hieroglyphs were introduced, recording the deeds of rulers and other events, such as the Palette of Narmer (shown below).

Palette of Narmer, from Hierakonpolis.  Dynasty 1, ca. 3000 BCE

Old Kingdom


Beginning in the 3rd dynasty, under the rule of King Djoser, the Old Kingdom was the time of the pyramids.  The first pyramid was built by the designer, Imhotep, for Djoser.  However, the most well-known pyramids were the Great Pyramids of Giza, which were the tombs of the rulers, Khufu, Khafra, and Menkaura, built around the 4th dynasty.  The construction of the pyramids hold significance in their relation to the sun and the earth, as well as the representation of death.  The shape represents the sun's rays as it hits the earth; the placement on the west side of the Nile represent the setting sun, a symbol of the afterlife.  The Great Sphinx of Giza was also built, though there has been debate on whether it is Khufu's or Khafra's face on the sculpture.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Great_Sphinx_of_Giza_-_20080716a.jpg

Left:  Great Pyramids, Giza. Dynasty 4 ca. 2601-2515 BCE. |  Right:  The Great Sphinx, sculpture, Giza.  Dynasty 4, ca. 2500 BCE

Middle Kingdom


After the sixth dynasty, Egypt was, once again, divided into Lower and Upper Egypt, where two rival rulers each took control.  It wasn't until the 11th dynasty, under the rule of Menuhotep II, that Egypt was, once again, united.  Taken the ideas of the the earlier eras by representing their immortality through the sculptures and scriptures, the Middle Kingdom was known for creating items with delicate craftsmanship, such as a statue of King Senusret III, showing the wrinkles of concern and age.

Head of King Senusret III, from a statue, Dynasty 12, ca. 1836-1818 BCE.

New Kingdom


The New Kingdom Pharaohs demanded much wealth, similar to those of the gods they worshiped.  Massive temples such as the Funerary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Great Temple of Amun, and the Temples of Rameses II and Nefetari were erected for their respected rulers.

Temples of Rameses II and Nefetari, Abu Simbel, Dynasty 19, ca. 1279-1213 BCE.

Death rituals were also treated with extravagance and respect, such as the Funerary Mask of Tutankhamun.  It is also tradition to embed to the dead a scroll of the Book of the Dead, a parchment that depicts the ritual of the afterlife, including the final judgement of the death god, Osiris.

https://www.touregypt.net/images/touregypt/masks2.jpg

Left:  Funerary Mask of Tutankhamen.  Dynasty18, ca. 1473-1458 BCE.  Right:  Judgement Before Osiris, illustration from The Book of the Dead.  Dynasty 19, c. 1285 BCE.

Late Period


Between the Kingdoms, Egypt has faced separation by divisions of Upper and Lower Egypt, but were, eventually, reunited.  After the New Kingdom, Egypt has been conquered by Nubians (Sudan), Assyrians, and the Persians.  They have even had formed alliances with Greece, who have colonized into the country and assisted in the Egyptian army.  For Egypt itself, it was a time their invaders have assimilated to the Egyptian culture.

Ptolemeic Period


Around 332 BCE, Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered Egypt and the Ptolomeic (Hellenstic) Period had begun.  It was also the time Rosetta Stone was carved.  It was a slab made of granodiorite that contained the decree of Ptolemy V, written in Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Ancient Greek. Thanks to the fact that the scriptures are the same in three languages, researchers are able to understand hieroglyphics.

Roman Period


The Ptolomeic Period ended around 30 BCE when Augustus Caesar defeated the last ruler Cleopatra VII and Marc Antony.  This era, the Roman Period, was known for the continuation of the Romans merging with Egyptian culture and the last use of hieroglyphic writing.  A popular trend that emerged in the Roman period is the Fayum mummy portraits.  While the mummification is similar to those of Egyptian, the major difference is the painted portrait of the deceased on the head of the coffin.

Conclusion

 

 
Despite the end of the Ancient Egyptian era, thanks to the art they left behind, the inhabitants (especially the rulers) can truly be what the aspire to be:  immortal.

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Written by starhavenstudios for the Art History Project




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Comments3
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Rozrr's avatar
Nice project. Loads more to discover... I studied Ancient Egypt when I was teaching the culture behind the dancing as a bellydance teacher. Now retired for 7 years... I have a few friends who are amateur Egyptologists...