Egypt
3500-30 B.C.
Early Dynastic, Old, Middle, New
Kingdoms and Amarna
Prehistory, Ancient Near East, Egypt
= 5-10%
Egyptian Info
• Importance of the Nile
• Dams
• 1st historians = Herodotus and Manetho (3rd
century BCE)
• Rosetta Stone (Greek, Demotic,
Hieroglyphic)
• Jean Francois Champollion 1790-1832
Predynastic Period
• Mesopotamian influence
• Upper and Lower Unity (Menes)
Hierakonpolis, Egypt 35003200BCE
Palette of Narmer
Egyptian religion
• Egyptian art is saturated with religion
• Religious beliefs
Palette of Narmer
Mastaba: some had a small room
for a statue of the deceased
(serdab)
OLD KINGDOM
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Pharoahs were gods-the rest of society fixed
capital was Memphis
Art was prospective
Prayers were meant to bring objects
surrounding the dead to life
• Paintings were meant to please the “ka” in
the afterlife
Old Kingdom
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Mummification
Mastaba
1st architect=Imhotep
4th dynasty – pyramids at Gizeh
Khufu-13 acres
Khafre guarded by Sphinx
• Profile nearly always has 2 left feet
• Men were red , women yellow
Stepped Pyramid of King Djoser
(Zoser)
Great Pyramids at Gizeh
Sphinx
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3rd Millienium BC. Most
dates range from 25902400 BC.
Old Kingdom;
Sandstone
Khafre (aka Chephren)
Maybe a guardian
Body of a lion and head of
person.
Symmetrical.
Portrayal of kings sculpture
was common
Lion shows regal strength
Superhuman
Erosion at different layers
Sun Worship
Dream Stele
Broken Nose
Khafra
Egyptian Canon of Proportions
Statue of Sheikh el-Balad
representing Ka aper
Menkaure Triad
Middle Kingdom 2155-1785bce
• Followed by invasions
• Restoration occurred under the 18th dynasty
and New Kingdom begins
• Thebes was the capital
• Temples of Luxor and Karnak were built
• “Valley of Kings”
• Paintings depict pleasures of life-dancing,
etc-some movement
Face of King Senusert III, Dynasty 12 1874-1855 BCE
Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom
• 1379-61bce
• Amenotep IV was Aten’s representative on
earth and moved capital to Amarna changed
his name to Akenaten
• Insists on truth and sincerity and many
times the portraits are exaggerated to
emphasize real characteristics
• Successor is Tutankhamun
Mortuary Temple of Queen
Hatshepsut
Temple Ramses the II
Temple Rameses II interior
Campaniform
Hypostyle hall
Fowling scene, wall painting from
Nebamun tomb
Amarna style
Judgment before Osiris, Book of the Dead,
Dynasty 19 c. 1285 BCE
• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/05
/photogalleries/tut_mummy/index.html
http://history.howstuffworks.com/ancientegypt/king-tut-tomb.htm#