Hieroglyphs
• Egyptian hieroglyphs can represent
phonetic sounds, syllables, entire words or
even grammatical rules with a single
picture.
• Many inscriptions are a combination of
images that are read both as sounds and
as words
• Hieroglyphs can be read right to left or left
to right, depending on which direction they
are facing. If they face left, start reading at
the left. If they face right, start at the right.
Ancient Egypt
Motifs and Symbols
King Tut’s mirror
case in the
shape of an
Ankh, the
hieroglyph for
life, as well as
the word for
mirror.
Ca. 1330, wood, gold leaf, paint
Hieroglyphs: Words
1. Ankh
Life, mirror
2. Kheper
The God Kheper,
manifestation, form
3. Ra
Ra, Sun God
4. Neb
All, Posessor
Hieroglyphs: Words
1. Ankh
2. Sma
3. Djed
4. Lotus
Eternity, wrapped around
names of pharoahs,
forms a cartouche shape
Unity, looks like a vase
Looks like a column, or
spine, means stability
Upper Egypt, Lotus
Hieroglyphs: Words
1. Heka
Ruler, King
2. Was
Dominion
3. Iunu
Heliopolis, city in lower Egypt
4.
Lower Egypt, Papyrus
Hieroglyphs: phonics
T
U
W
A
MN
N
Pluralizes the word above or beside.
Pronounced like a U
#1. Try to decipher the
inscription seen here.
Remember, anything
hieroglyphs wrapped in a
rope (creating the cartouche)
refers to a pharaoh. Read
from bottom to top. (the
pluralizing form always
appears underneath the
object being pluralized.) This
is the throne name of the
pharaoh, Tutankhamun.
#2. Now try this inscription
on the lid of the box. This
is the also a The three
symbols on the bottom are
an epithet, or a title added
on to a name, and the
remaining symbols are the
name. Start with the
middle line, then continue
to the top line. Finally, read
the epithet at bottom.
Remember to read into the
pictures, right to left.
Cartouche Box, ca. 1330 BCE,
wood, gold leaf, paint
Symbols
• Many Egyptian symbols represent virtues,
vices, and are taken from imagery relating
to the gods.
• These symbols appear on jewelry, wall
paintings, funerary art, and furniture.
• Furniture and household items often are
meant to be read as well as used for
functional purposes.
Udjat and Wedjat
• Udjat, right eye,
eye of Horus,
symbol of the sun
and symbol of
upper Egypt
• Wedjat, Right eye,
eye of Thoth,
symbol of the
moon and symbol
of lower Egypt
#3. This symbol derives from the
myth of Horus, Osiris and Seth.
Look online to find the details of
the story. After reading it, try to
suggest some ideas as to why it
would be seen often in art,
especially on funerary art.
Scarab, Disk and Wings
4. Can you tell who this belonged to?
This piece of jewelry
shows the scarab, or
dung beetle pushing the
sun disk, symbolic of the
sun god Ra, across the
sky. This is based on the
Egyptians observation of
dung beetles rolling
dung into balls across
the ground. This is a
symbol of regeneration.
The beautiful blue
comes from Lapis, a
stone from Afghanistan,
and the blue is
turquoise. The red is
glass. The wings are
symbols of protection.
Horus
• Horus is the sky god
and son of Osiris
• He is shown as a
falcon and often wears
the crown of upper or
lower Egypt. He is
associated with the
Pharaohs.
The Uraeus, or Cobra,
and the Vulture were
symbols of protection,
the Cobra for Lower
Egypt, and the Vulture
for Upper Egypt.
These two animals
can be seen on the
headdress of
Tutankhamun.
Accessories
• Materials such as ceramic, stone, gold, silver,
alabaster (a white stone like calcite), faience (a
metallic glaze for ceramic), cartonnage (like
paper mache), and glass were used to make
objects for everyday life.
• Common objects were mirrors, perfume vessels,
combs, and pallets for make-up
• Textiles, few of which remain, were linen,
leather, and cotton. These were woven for
furniture seats, clothing, and floor covering.
Glass vessels
Most Egyptian glass
was cast. The molted
glass as globbed onto
the end of a stick which
held a clay mold of the
interior of the vessel.
Once hardened,
different colored bands
of glass rods could be
applied to the outside
and combed through
the vessel to create the
wave patterns.
Glass beads could be used to simulate
finer stones and gems for jewelry.
Pectoral (necklace) in the form of Isis. The pattern below her feet
is called the palace façade motif. It is a red, blue, and green
geometric pattern that simulates the painted doors on palaces.
#5 Label the hieroglyphs or images you can identify on this object.
Alabaster
perfume jar
This jar reads like one
giant hieroglyph.
#6. See if you can identify
what it says based on the
images you see.
Faience
This blue glaze for ceramics is often used for
wall surfaces of brick, pottery, and jewelry, to
simulate turquoise. The glaze has minerals in it
such as feldspar, which turn beautiful colors
when fired.
Ostrich feather
fan from King
Tut’s tomb,
ca. 1330 BCE
•Thirty ostrich feathers,
alternating white and brown
were placed in the top core.
•Made of gilded wood
•4” without feathers set in
•An inscription engraved on
the handle includes, as well
as epithets of the king,
information that the king
secured the plumes during a
hunting trip in the desert
Cartonnage is a type of
paper mache made of
gum, linen and papyrus. It
can be used for
household items such as
bowls and baskets. It is
often used for inner
mummy cases because it
can be easily painted or
gilded.
Cartonnage Case and Mummy of
Paankhenamun, c. 945-715 B.C.
Furniture
• Common types of furniture were beds, chairs,
and chests
• Often wood was imported from the near east.
Mohogany and ebony were favorites.
• Much of the native wood was of poor quality
such as cypress, acacia, and some fruit tree
woods.
• Wood of poor quality was usually used for
objects that were meant to be covered in gold
or silver, or meant to be painted.
Beds
View of King tut’s burial tomb, as seen by Howard Carter
when first excavated in 1922.
Bed from Tut’s tomb
•Wood with gild
overlay
•In the form of bulls
wearing sun disks
between horns
•Animal legs
•Panel included at
the foot of the bed
rather than the
front.
•Glass inlay for
spots of animal
Bed from Tut’s tomb.
•Leather straps woven among frame
Chair from the tomb of Queen
Hetepheres, Old Kingdom
•Lion paw feet sit
on spools
•Gilded wood
•Papyrus motif in
arms
•Low to ground
Meditation Chair, (side view), 17th century,
China
#8. List the
characteristics that
you find to be similar
between this chair
and the Old Kingdom
chair.
Chair from Tut’s tomb
•Animal form for legs:
note ducks heads as
cross legs
•Ebony, ivory inlay,
gilding, paint
•Backrest is angled and
supported by vertical
struts
•Seat is contoured for
comfort
•#8 how does this chair
differ from the Old
Kingdom chair?
Throne of
Tutankhamun,
ca. 1330 BCE
•Gilded wood
•Painted on relief carving of
gesso beneath the gold
overlay.
•Animal legs
•Glass, faience, stone Inlay
•Image shows King enthroned
with Queen.
•Between seat and stretcher is
hieroglyph for unity. Symbols
of upper and lower Egypt were
removed by robbers.
Chest from
Tut’s tomb
•Sits on tall legs
•Varnished wood and gilding
•Wood carving is applied with
glue
•Wood carving detail reads
as hieroglyphs
•Top attaches with tongue
and groove joinery rather
than hinges
•Chest closes chest with
leather cord or twine
wrapped around knobs on
top and front.
Painted Chest from Tut’s tomb, ca.
1330, gilded and painted wood
Chests
were often
used for
linens,
perfume
bottles,
jewelry,
and
statues.
Painted Chest
from Tut’s
tomb,
ca. 1330,
gilded and
painted wood
•Exposed wood,
ebony, gilding, ivory
inlay
•Legs curve toward
stretchers
•Poles slide out to be
easily transported on
shoulders of two
servants.
•Angled lid resembles
gable roof
Wall Decor
• Most evidence of wall décor comes from
tombs and some temples
• Walls were most often carved in relief and
painted
• Scenes include the deceased’s passage to
the afterlife, landscape scenes, images of
nobility’s daily activities, and artisans’
workshops.
Ti hunting Hippos, from the tomb of
Ti, ca. 2500 BCE
•Image of
deceased is
largest
•Wavy lines at
bottom
symbolize Nile
•Vertical grooves
symbolize the
reeds along the
Note
•Note the twisted
perspective of
the human
figures
Landscape scene, Fragment from
the tomb of Nebamun, ca. 1400 BCE
Scenes like this
would provide a
paradisiacal setting
for the dead. Again
note the lack of
consistent
perspective. It is
important in Egyptian
design to portray as
much of the object as
possible. In Ancient
Egypt, if it’s written or
depicted, it’s truth.
Artisan’s Workshops, fragment from the
tomb of Nebamun, ca. 1400 BCE
Images of
potters,
glazers,
painters,
and
tanners
Wall of Tut’s burial chamber
The “Nine
Friends” pull
the shrine of
King Tut,
carrying his
mummy to his
grave. Many
scenes include
the
presentation of
the dead to
Osiris.