Art of Ancient Egypt

Votive Palette of King Narmer

• Unified Upper and Lower Egypt

• Enlarged, ceremonial version of a palette used for grinding eye shadow

• Commemorates military victory of Narmer

Imhotep

• During the 3rd Dynasty, Imhotep was the aid of Pharaoh Zoser

• Architect & Physician• Later became a deity of

wisdom and medicine• Began pyramid building

tradition

Step Pyramid to Zoser2681-2662 b.c.

Cross section of Step Pyramid

The Great Sphinx

• Guardian of tomb of Kafre

• Lion with a human head

• Head may be Kafre• Greeks took

inspiration from this

Sphinx

Bent Pyramid

• Bent pyramid designed after step

• Smooth sides• Degree of slope

changed part way up• 51 degrees changed to

43 degrees

Pyramids at Giza

Book of the Dead

• Collection of spells and magic to help the deceased pass through the underworld

The Pharaoh Khafre

• The hawk represents Horus, the sky god

• Shows the Pharaoh’s relationship with the gods

• Body is idealized and rigid

Another statue to Khafre

Queen Hatshepsut

• Similar design to Khafre

• Very rigid and idealized

• Powerful female ruler who had herself named Pharaoh

Wall art

• People shown drawn chest & eye from front.

• Legs, head, arms in profile

Akhenaten/Amenhotep IV and Nefertiti

Nefertiti

• Striving for a more natural look in art

• Idealized to a degree but less rigid than in past

King Tutankhamen

• Followed Akhenaten’s son

• Died at age 19• Tomb discovered

largely in tact by Howard Carter

• Amazing treasures

Howard Carter

Tut’s throne

• Gold, silver, glass paste, glazed ceramic.

Eye of Horus

• Found in King Tut’s tomb

• Horus’s eye was lost in battle with his uncle Seth to avenge death of Osiris

• Very important symbol

Temple of Ramses II

• 67 feet tall - Built into side of cliff

Art of mummification?

• Ramses II tomb uncovered

• His body was very much in tact

• Still had hair

Egyptology

A degree that you can earn that deals strictly with the excavation and

history of ancient Egypt

Interesting Facts

• Egyptians shaved their hair and wore wigs to prevent lice

• Circumcision was practiced

• Contraception used (animal dung)

• Potions to induce miscarriage

• Proverb – People bring about their own undoing through their tongues.