Art of Ancient Egypt

The Growth of Egyptian

Civilization

~Around 5000 B.C., prehistoric hunters and

their families settled in the fertile valley of
the Nile River. As far as experts can tell,
these people came from western Asia.
Vocabulary Because there is no evidence that they
Pharaoh moved on or died out, they are regarded as
Dynasty
the direct ancestors of most Egyptian
Sarcophagus
peoples. The Nile River valley, in which they
Mastaba
Ka
settled, was about 750 miles long but
Hieroglyphics measured no more than about 31 miles its
Pyramid widest point. It was lined on both sides by
cliffs ranging in height from around 300 to
1000 feet. Beyond these cliffs was nothing
but desert.
EARLY INHABITANTS ALONG THE NILE
Each summer the Nile River flooded its
banks and deposited layers o f fertile
soil in the valley. This soil had been
carried for thousands of miles from the
African interior. In some places, the
rich soil deposits reached a depth of
more than 30 feet. In this fertile
environment, people gradually
changed from food gatherers to food
producers. Discovering that the wild
vegetables and grains they gathered
grew from seeds, they began to collect
these seeds and planted them in the
fertile soil of the valley.
Although the people continued to hunt
animals for food, they came to rely
more and more on the animals they
raised themselves. This gave them an
advantage over their ancestors. They
were no longer entirely dependent on
the game they hunted for survival.
Because they did not have to move
from one location to another in search
of food, they began to build more
permanent houses of mud, wood, and
reeds.
 The Formation of Kingdoms

This settled existence brought about an increase in their

population and led to the growth of villages and towns. Some towns
grew so large that they took control of neighboring villages and, in
this way, formed kingdoms. As the prehistoric period came to a
close, there were only two large kingdoms in Egypt. One of these
was Lower Egypt, which included the fan-shaped delta region at the
mouth of the Nile. The other was Upper Egypt, which was the valley
carved in the desert by the river.
Thus, an Egyptian civilization emerged along the banks of the Nile
more than 3000 years before the birth of Christ. It continued to
exist for nearly another 3000 years. During that period, Egypt
became a thriving nation in which a pharaoh , or ruler, governed
with complete authority. Agriculture and trade grew, art flourished,
and majestic monuments and temples were constructed.
The Three Major Periods of Egyptian History
The history of Egypt can be divided into three periods: the Old Kingdom, the Middle
Kingdom, and the New Kingdom, or Empire. Each kingdom is further divided into
dynasties. A dynasty was a period during which a single family provided a succession of
rulers.
One reign ended with the death of a pharaoh and another began with the crowning of a
successor from the same royal family. For this reason, every precaution was taken to keep
the blood of the family pure. One of these precautions was to forbid the pharaoh to marry
outside of the immediate family.
The Old Kingdom
The earliest dynastic period began around J100 B.C. when. Upper and Lower Egypt
were united by a powerful pharaoh named Menes. Menes established his capital at
Memphis and founded the first of the 31 Egyptian dynasties. The Old Kingdom dates
from the start of the third of these dynasties, in about 2686 B.C. It ended about 500
years later, when the strong centralized government established by the pharaohs was
weakened by the rise of a group of independent nobles. These nobles split the country
into small states. Civil war and disorder soon broke out between these states, and the
authority of the reigning pharaoh collapsed.

Carved Image of King Narmer, also known as Menes

The Middle Kingdom
After a long period of turmoil, the nobles in Thebes, a city on the upper Nile, were able to gain
control of the country.
They managed to unify Egypt once again into a single state, and order was
restored to their troubled land. The success of these nobles marked the beginning of
the Middle Kingdom, a period of about 250 years from around 2050 to 1800 B.C.
The Middle Kingdom was a time of law and order and prosperity in Egypt. This was
true even though the pharaoh, while still the supreme head, was not as powerful
as pharaohs had been during the Old Kingdom. Around 1800 B.C., Egypt was
overrun for the first time by foreign invaders. Using horses and chariots, the Hyksos
from western Asia swept across the country. They easily defeated the Egyptians,
who fought on foot. The Hyksos inhabited Lower Egypt and for 200 years forced the
Egyptian people to pay them tribute. Finally, the Egyptians, having learned how to
use horses and chariots, drove the invaders from their country and restored
independence.
The New Kingdom
The third and most brilliant period of Egyptian history, which began in 1570
B.C., is known as the New Kingdom, or Empire. Warrior pharaohs used their
expertise with horses and chariots to extend Egypt's rule over neighboring
nations.
Under one of these pharaohs, Amenhotep III, the New Kingdom reached the
peak of its power and influence. Thebes, the royal capital, became the most
magnificent city in the world. Suddenly Amenhotep's son and heir, Amenhotep
IV, broke with tradition. He tried to bring about changes in Egyptian religion
that for centuries had recognized many different gods. Amenhotep IV moved
the capital from Thebes to Tel el-Amarna. There he established Aton,
symbolized by the sun disk, as the one supreme god. In honor of his god,
Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaton, which meant "it is well with
Aton." Unfortunately, while Akhenaton was absorbed in his new religion,
Egypt's enemies began to whittle away pieces of the once mighty nation.
 The Decline of Ancient
Egypt
Akhenaton's new religion did
not survive after his death. Tel
el-Amarna was destroyed by
Egypt's enemies, the capital was
returned to Thebes, and the old
religion was restored. Although
other pharaohs after Akhenaton
tried to recapture the glories of
the past, Egypt's long chapter in
history was coming to an end. In
332 B.C., Alexander the Great of
Macedonia conquered Egypt,
bringing the New Kingdom to a
close. Several centuries of
Hellenistic rule followed.

Finally, in 30 B.C., Egypt was made

a province of Rome.
The greatness of ancient Egypt has
not been forgotten over the
centuries. Works of art of all kinds
remain. They range from huge
pyramids and tombs to skillfully
formed stone statues, wall paintings,
and carved and painted reliefs .
The golden throne of King Tut 1361-52. These and other treasures are
fascinating reminders of the
Wood overlaid with gold, silver, semi-
magnificent civilization that
precious stones. flourished on the banks of the Nile.
The Pyramids
Try to picture the pyramids as they once were: covered with a smooth layer of
polished white limestone. They were massive, pure white monuments standing
against a back­drop of constantly shifting brown sand and blue sky. What
purpose did the pyramids serve? How were they built? What is inside?

The Pyramid of Khufu

Before considering these questions, consider one example of these great
monuments. The Pyramid of Khufu presents rigid, straight contour lines that
clearly define and accent the simple triangular shape of this monumental
structure.

Its size is truly massive: The

Pyramid of Khufu covers an area
of almost 13 acres.
This means that the five largest
cathedrals in the world could be
placed within its base with room
to spare. It was made by piling
2.3 million blocks of stone to a
height of 480 feet. This makes
the pyramid about as high as a
modern 48-story building.

Pyramid of Khufu c. 2545

B.C.
 Looking at it from the outside, you might expect the inside of the pyramid to be
spacious. This is not the case. Except for passageways and a few small rooms called
galleries, the pyramid is made of solid limestone. Why build such a massive structure
and then provide such little space inside? To answer this question, you must first learn
something about the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. As you will see, religion
influenced every phase of Egyptian life.
Influence of Religion
Egyptian religion placed great importance on the resurrection of the soul and
eternal life in a spirit world after death. The Egyptians believed that the soul, or
ka, came into being with the body and remained in the body until death. At death,
the ka would leave the body for a time and eventually return and unite with the
body again for the journey to the next world and immortality. If the body were lost
or destroyed, the ka would be forced to spend eternity wandering aimlessly. For
this reason, the Egyptians went to great lengths to preserve and protect the body
after death. Following a complicated
embalming process, the body was wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in
a fortress-like tomb, where it would be safe until the ka's return. Such a
tome served as a kind of insurance against final death.

The Pyramids as Tombs

The most impressive tombs were built for the pharaohs. Each pharaoh was
more than a king; in the eyes of the people, he was also a god. When he died,
the pharaoh was expected to join other gods, including Re, the sun god; Osiris,
the god of the Nile and ruler of the underworld; and Isis, the great mother god.
Each pyramid was built to house and protect the body of the pharaoh and the
treasures he would take with him from this world to the next. His body was
sealed in a sarcophagus, a stone coffin. It was then placed in a burial chamber
Egyptian cargo located in the center of the pyramid. Dead-end passages and false burial
chambers were added to the building. These were meant to confuse tomb
boat robbers and enemies who might try to destroy the pharaoh's body. To an
Egyptian, the destruction of the body was the most horrible form of vengeance.
 Evolution of the Pyramid Shape
The pyramid shape developed gradually. Originally, the Egyptians buried their dead in hidden pits
and piled sand and stone over the top. Later this practice changed, and the Egyptians began to
use sun-dried bricks to build mastabas. A mastaba is a low, flat tomb. These rectangular tombs had
sloping sides and contained a chapel and a false burial chamber in addition to the true one hidden
deep inside. In time, several mastabas of diminishing size were stacked on top of each other to
form.a step pyramid. Finally, they were built without steps, and a point was added on the top, thus
creating the true pyramid form.

Construction of the Pyramids

Thousands and thousands of workers toiled
for decades to build a single pyramid.
limestone was quarried and dragged to the
construction site and then carefully fitted into
place. How the Egyptians managed to lift and
fit these huge blocks of stone, each averaging
2.5 tons, into place remains unclear.
By the time of the Middle Kingdom, the
weakened position of the pharaohs and the
threat of invasion made construction of
large-scale structures such as the pyramid
impractical. Many small pyramids and mastabas
may have been built during this period.
However, these were probably made of mud
bricks, which soon crumbled and disintegrated.
More permanent tombs prepared for the
pharaoh were cut into the rock cliffs of a valley
across the Nile from the capital city of Thebes.

Step Pyramid of King Zoser 2681 B C

 The Temples

If the pyramids are evidence of the skill of Old Kingdom builders, then the great temples are proof of the genius of New Kingdom
architects.
The practice of burying pharaohs and nobles in tombs hidden in the cliffs west of the Nile continued throughout the New Kingdom.
Meanwhile, architects took on more important tasks. Temples were erected along the eastern banks of the river near Thebes, and
these became more and more elaborate. Each of these temples was built by command of a pharaoh and was dedicated to the
pharaoh's favorite god or gods. When the pharaoh died, the temple became a funeral chapel where people brought offer­ings for the
pharaoh's ka.

The Temple of Amon

A temple built to honor a particular god often was enlarged by several
pharaohs until it reached tremendous proportions. The ruins of the Temple
of Amon at Karnak dedicated to the all-powerful chief god of Thebes, will
give you an idea of what these gigantic structures must have looked like.

A wide avenue led directly to the front

of this massive temple complex.
. The great doorway was
flanked by obelisks, tall, four­
sided, pointed stone shafts.

. . Statues of the pharaoh and

huge banners opened onto
y an uncovered courtyard.
.
. Entry to the great hall lies
I beyond the courtyard.

. Massive stone columns

reached a height of nearly
70 feet.

. The sanctuary was the small, dark, and mysterious chamber

where only the pharaoh and certain priests were allowed to
enter.
 Egyptian Sculpture and Painting
~Ancient Egypt's most impressive achievements in the field of art were the publicly visible pyramids and
temples. Within the pyramids, however, were sculptures and paintings. Many of these treasures have
survived over the centuries.

Sculpture
Despite every precaution taken by the Egyptians, the fortress-like pyramids and tombs of the pharaohs were soon
robbed of their treasures. Frequently the mummified bodies of the pharaohs were mutilated or destroyed in the
process. To make certain the ka still would have a body to unite with, sculptors were ordered to carve the pharaoh's
portrait out of hard stone. These sculptures were placed in the tomb near the sarcophagus, where they acted as
substitutes for the body inside. The Egyptians believed that even if the real body were destroyed, the ka would be
able to enter the stone substitute for the journey to the next world.

Hatshepsut, daughter of
King TutAnkhAmun
Limestone Canopic jars 656 BC
Jewelry found in King TutAnkhAmun’s
Tomb
 Computer generated image of King TutAnkhAmun

Outer Coffin of King TutAnkhAmun

Second Coffin for King Tut

 The Great Sphinx
The strength and dignity that were a trademark of
the pyramids
also characterized the sculptures produced during the
Old Kingdom. Perhaps the most familiar and
impressive example of Old Kingdom sculpture is the
Great Sphinx (Carved from rock at the site, the Sphinx
presents the head of a pharaoh, probably the Fourth
Dynasty pharaoh, Khafre, placed on the body of a
reclining lion.) It towers to a height of almost 65 feet.

Great Sphinx, Giza, Egypt. c. 2600 B.C.

The massive size of the Great Sphinx was intended to demonstrate the power of the
pharaoh. Why do you think the pharaoh's head was placed on the body of a I ion?

Portrait of Khafre
In the seated portrait of Khafre, the figure has the solid, block like
form of the hard diorite stone from which it was carved. The pharaoh
is shown sitting erect and attentive. His body appears stiff and rigid,
but the head has a more lifelike appearance.

CARTOUCHE. Early Egyptians used

a form of picture writing to create a
pictogram called a cartouche. These
carved oval symbols represent the
name of an important person.
Symbolism in 3) A falcon,
which
Egyptian Art represents
Horus, the god
In studying Khafre's portrait, you , may
of the sky, was
have the feeling that the pharaoh is aware of, placed behind
but above, the concerns of ordinary mortals, Khafre's head to
He looks straight ahead, yet the eyes seem
remind viewers
alive to events taking place around him. It is
this quiet aloofness that makes this portrait a of the pharaoh's
symbol of eternal strength and power-befitting 'divinity. Khafre
a king and a god. Look below at some of the was considered
uses of symbolism in this sculpture.
to be the
descendent of
Re, the sun god.

2) His
right hand
forms a
fist, which
must have
1) The pharaoh's throne is
once
inscribed with symbols
gripped
proclaiming him the king of
some
Upper and Lower Egypt.
symbol of
his high
office.
 Portrait of a Middle
Kingdom Ruler

The Middle Kingdom, which lasted from around 2050 to

1800 B.C., was a time of law and order that ended
when Egypt was invaded by the Hyksos. Much of the
sculpture produced during this period was destroyed by the
invading Hyksos and by the New Kingdom rulers who
followed.
The works that survived have a wide range of quality. A
fragment of a portrait of King Sesostris III is an example of
the skill and sensitivity demonstrated by the best of the
Middle Kingdom carvers. The expression on this surprisingly
realistic face suggests none of the confidence and aloofness
noted in the portrait of Khafre. In this work, the firmly set
mouth and the "worry" lines above the eyes convey a look
that is troubled and weary.
The great pharaoh Khafre never would have been
portrayed with the expression seen on the sculpture of
Sesostris III, but Khafre ruled during the Old Kingdom ­a
time when no one dared question the pharaoh's divine
power or authority. Conditions had changed by the Middle
Kingdom, when this pharaoh's portrait was carved. The
sculptor captured a look of concern and resignation on the
face of this ruler, whose authority depended largely on his
personality, strength, and cleverness.

Egyptian Empire Expands

By about 1570 B.C., all of the conquering
Hyksos who had not been killed or enslaved
had been driven out of the country. Egypt
then entered a period of expansion and
prosperity known as the New Kingdom.
The Egyptians maintained their powerful
army, which had been formed to defeat the
Fragment of Head of King Sesostris III. 1887-49 B.C. Hyksos invaders. They waged a series of
successful raids both to the east and into the
west of Africa.

. NECKLACE. This gold and jeweled ornament represents the falcon god Horus. Small statues and symbols like
these were created to honor and protect the pharaohs
 Eventually, Egypt found itself in control of a vast territory. The expansion of the Empire, which
now extended from the upper Nile to the Euphrates River, brought new wealth to the country, and
this wealth encouraged artistic
activity. During the New Kingdom, sculptors were commissioned to complete a variety of works.
These ranged from huge tomb sculptures carved in the native rock to smaller pieces used to
decorate temples. Statues of pharaohs were often gigantic, reaching heights of 90 feet. Some
statues were painted and had eyes made from rock crystal, which heightened their realistic
appearance.

Although Akhenaton's revolutionary

religious ideas died with him, much of the
art produced after his death continued to
Portrait of Akhenaton exhibit the realistic, relaxed poses favored
during the reign of this unusual king.

During the New Kingdom, the pharaoh

Amenhotep IV, or Akhenaton, refused to
follow the religious customs of his
ancestors. Many of Akhenaton's portraits
depict him realistically, with an
elongated head, pointed chin, heavy
lips, and a long, slender neck Much of
the art created during Akhenaton's reign
also took on a more/ realistic look.
Instead of the solemn, stiff likenesses
favored by earlier pharaohs,
Akhenaton's portraits are more natural
and lifelike. They often show him in
common, everyday scenes in which he is
playing with his daughters or strolling
with his wife, Nefertiti

Queen Nefertiti 1360 B.C.

 This limestone relief
conforms to the rules
Methethy with His Daughter governing ancient
and a Son Egyptian art. Why
Notice the unusual appearance of the figure does this figure look
of Methethy. His head, arms, legs, and feet are appealing and familiar,
in profile, but his shoulders and eye are shown in spite of the
as seen from the front. The man even appears distortions required by
to have two left feet, since there is a big toe on the rules of Egyptian
the outside of each foot. Furthermore, the art?
figure seems to have been twisted in some
way, making it look flat. All parts of the body
seem to be at the same dis­tance from the
viewer's eye.
Did the artist who carved this panel simply
lack the skill needed to make his portrait more
lifelike? A close examination of the figure
reveals that this explanation is not rea­sonable.
The head, for instance, is skillfully modeled and
looks realistic. The body is correctly
proportioned, and details on the other parts of
the panel show that the sculptor could carve
realistically when he chose to. He also knew
how to achieve effective design relationships.
The detailed areas at the top and left edge of
the panel offer a pleasing contrast to the large
area occupied by the figure of the man.

Methethy
with His
Daughter
and Son. e.
2565-2420
B.C.
Polychrome
limestone
relief. 143 x
76 em (56'/4
x 30").
 Rules of Egyptian Art
The carving's unusual features adhere to a strict set of rules followed by all Egyptian artists. These rules required that every
part of the body be shown from the most familiar point of view. For this reason, the head, arms, legs, and feet were always
shown in profile, whereas the eyes and shoulders were presented as seen from the front. Following these rules meant that
paintings and relief sculptures of the body looked distorted and unnatural. It is a credit to the skill of Egyptian artists, however,
that this distortion was kept to a minimum and did not detract from the appealing appearance of their works.
The Egyptians were greatly concerned about life after death. Paintings and relief sculptures of the dead were meant to serve
as substitutes for the body. When artists created images of the pharaoh, they wanted to make sure that all parts of the body
were clearly shown. This was more important to them than making the image beautiful or accurate. A complete image was vital.
After all, if an arm were hidden behind the body in a relief sculpture or painting, it would mean that the ka would enter a body
that was without an arm. It would then be forced to spend eternity in a deformed body. Thus, a strict set of rules was developed
over the years to make sure that all parts of the body were shown-and shown correctly-in sculptured and painted images.

Art in Egyptian Tombs

At one time, it was customary for a pharaoh to have his wife, servants, and slaves sealed in the tomb with him when he
died. Then, when he arrived in the next world, he would have his loved ones and servants with him for eternity. They would
make sure that his new life would be just as pleasant as the old one. In time, this practice of burying others with the
pharaoh was discontinued. Instead, painted relief sculptures or sculptures in the round were substituted for real people and
placed in the tomb with the dead king.
Painting
Eventually the tomb of every important or wealthy person was enriched with painted relief sculptures. When it became
difficult and costly to carve reliefs on the rough, hard walls of cliff tombs during the Middle Kingdom, painting came into
its own as a separate art form.
First, the walls of the cliff tombs were smoothed over with a coating of plaster.
When the plaster was dry, the artist went to work, drawing a series of horizontal straight lines on the plastered wall.
Figures and animals were carefully arranged along these lines to tell a story, usually an event from the life of the
deceased. The pictures were then colored with rich red and yellow hues, with black and blue-green added for contrast.
Typically, little shading was used, so the figures tend to look fiat, as if they had been cut from paper and pasted on the
wall.
This method of arranging pictures in horizontal bands and using bright colors with little shading resulted in a style
similar to that of contemporary comic strips.

Nakht and His Wife

A look inside a New Kingdom tomb prepared for a priest named Nakht will add to your understanding of Egyptian
painting. Portraits of Nakht and his wife are found on one wall of this tomb. They are surrounded by busy servants
engaged in various hunting and fishing activities on the priest's land.
The way in which the figures have been painted should look familiar. This artist, like the relief sculptor who created the
portrait of Methethy, was bound by the standard rules of ancient Egyptian art. The figures of the priest and his wife are
much larger than the other figures, to show that Nakht and his wife are more important. They are also stiff and solemn
because the Egyptians believed that such a pose was fitting for people of high rank. In contrast, the smaller servants are
shown in more natural positions as they hunt and fish.
 Hieroglyphics
Under the border at the top of the
painting in are rows and columns
of small birds and other shapes.
These are Egyptian hieroglyphics,
an early form of picture writing.
These symbols, some of which
represented objects,
communicated information and
were included in wall paintings and
other art forms to help tell the
story. The signs were generally
spaced to form attractive patterns,
frequently clusters of squares or
rectangles.

False Door Stela

Painted on another wall of the small chapel

within Nakht's tomb is a false door. The
priest's ka was expected to pass through
this door in search of offerings. Arranged in
bands on either side of the door are painted
substitutes for servants bearing food and
drink for the ka. An assortment of offerings is
painted in the section directly below the door
where the ka would be sure to find them
when it entered.
Egyptian artists were content to echo the Nakht and His Wife. Copy of wall painting from Tomb
art of the past until they encountered new of Nakht. c. 1425 B.C. 2 X 1.53 m (6.5 X 5').
ideas from outside sources, such as Greece
and Rome. As the influence of these new
ideas grew, Egyptian art lost much of its
unique character, and Egyptian artists
ceased to create the unique art of the
pharaohs.
 False Door Stela
Painted on another wall of the small chapel
within Nakht's tomb is a false door. The priest's
ka was expected to pass through this door in
search of offerings. Arranged in bands on either
side of the door are painted substitutes for
servants bearing food and drink for the ka. An
assortment of offerings is painted in the section
directly below the door where the ka would be
sure to find them when it entered.
Egyptian artists were content to echo the art of
the past until they encountered new ideas from
outside sources, such as Greece and Rome. As
the influence of these new ideas grew, Egyptian
art lost much of its unique character, and
Egyptian artists ceased to create the unique art
of the pharaohs.