Ancient
Egyptian
Art
Dawn Deming, Art I
Reference: Mrs. Kraft, poweropint 2001
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 scratch art image
and a canopic jar of a coffin
or mummy case in the style
of the ancient Egyptians
Remember:
•Items that you will be
tested on will be written in
red.
•Make sure you write these
items down.
Tutankhamun coffin
1352 BC
Words that you will learn:
•Hieroglyphic
•Stele
•Pharaoh
•Papyrus
•Scribe
An artist that you will meet:
•Imhotep
Tutankhamun coffin
1352 BC
Geography
•Located in the Nile river
valley
•Civilization developed by
about 3,000 BC
Geography
Protected from invaders by:
•mountains to the south
•vast deserts on both sides
•Mediterranean Sea to the north
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.
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
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
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
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
Contributions
They also used
hieroglyphics.
•Hieroglyphics are an
early form of picture
writing.
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.
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.
Architecture
•The three “great pyramids” are located at Giza.
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.
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.
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.
Mummies
Mummies
These are the
mummified remains
of a pharaoh named
Ramses II.
Mummies
After embalming,
mummies were carefully
wrapped in yards of linen
bandages.
Mummies
The ancient Egyptians
even mummified animals.
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.
Sculpture
This stele shows Ramses II slaying his enemies.
Sculpture
Notice that the sculptures are stiff, formal, and stylized.
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.
Sculpture
Artists used materials
found in the Nile river
valley. They were:
•Gold
•Turquoise
•Lapis Lazuli
•Red coral
•Glass
Sculpture
Sculpture
This gold mask rested on the head
of the mummy of King
Tutankhaman.
King Tutankhamun was a married
boy King of 19 years when he died
Tutankhamun was in his teens
when he married his half sister
Keeping property, wealth and
power closely within the family was
thought to safeguard the
continuance of the dynasty.
Many of the ancient Egyptian
names end in 'amun” or “aman”
King Tut had a magnificent tomb filled with
golden treasure to keep him well contented
in the afterlife.
The Pharaoh's body was inside 3 coffins,
with a stone sarcophagus surround and 4
gilded shrines. The weight of the coffin was
so heavy it took 8 men to lift it.
It was only when the layers were removed
that the second coffin revealed itself to be
solid gold.
The mummified corpse also had a separate
gold mask. But the king's embalmed
organs were stored apart in a nearby
shrine.
The treasure included vast quantities of
gold or gold inlaid items - a gold dagger,
gold sandals, a wooden gold decorated
inlaid throne, gold statues, carved cosmetic
jars, ivory game board set, chests, and
various boxes.
Sculpture
Notice how Ramses II
faces forward. He appears
to be very rigid. This is
typical of ancient Egyptian
sculpture.
Sculpture
This sculpture of Queen
Nefertiti is much more
relaxed and graceful than
most ancient Egyptian
sculpture.
It seems Queen Nefertiti
only bore daughters,
making her a
Crafts
Craftsmen made furniture,
jewelry, pottery, and other
useful items.
Crafts
Crafts
Crafts
Crafts
Crafts
Crafts
Crafts
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.
Painting
Again, the figures appear
to be rigid and stylized.
Notice the left foot and
body posture.
Painting
Paintings tell us
about the daily
lives of the ancient
Egyptians.
Painting
This painting is somewhat
unusual. Can you spot the
reason why?
The gods are often depicted in the
tomb paintings.
Some of the most famous gods
include Osiris, chief judge and god
of resurrection and vegetation, Isis
wife of Osiris and divine mother of
Horus.
Horus the soaring hawk, was the
divine god and protector of the King
with his all seeing eye.
Re or sometimes Ra the sun god
was reborn every day and was the
overall head of some nine gods.
After life came death, then rebirth.
Anubis was the guide for the dead
seeking their way to the underworld
whilst being the patron of embalmers
and always depicted a black jackal
headed man.
Painting
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?
Can you define these terms?
•Hieroglyphic
•Stele
•Pharaoh
•Papyrus
•Scribe
What did the artist Imhotep do?
Assignment
The Egyptians used
hieroglyphics and various
patterns to decorate the
pharaohs’ coffins.
You will use pattern and symbols
that represent things that are
important in your life to make a
canopic jar and a scratch art
image that that resembles those
of the ancient Egyptians.
What symbols will you use?