1. 1 Pharaohs and the Afterlife: The Art of Ancient Egypt

2. 2 Things to notice: The evolution of Egyptian art and culture and its relationship to the Nile. Recognize stylistic conventions of Egyptian art. Egyptian funerary art forms and reasons for the development of these monuments. The architectural evolution from pyramid to the tomb temple and burial monuments The aspects of the New Kingdom as reflected in its art.

4. 4 Ancient Egypt

5. There is a continuity in Egyptian culture that doesn't exist in Mesopotamian cultures: - Egypt has a natural boundary, the intense desert surrounding the country. - Egyptian civilization grew up along the Nile - the lifeline and highway of the country 5

6. 6 The Nile and Egyptian Unification Examine the dependence on the Nile River, and the importance of the unification of upper and lower Egypt.

7. 7 Upper Egypt up the Nile (south) is mountainous, desert. Lower Egypt down the Nile is flat and open - delta and huge marshland. Upper and Lower Egypt were rival kingdoms in their early history.

8. The Nile Delta The yearly Nile floods deposited rich topsoil.

9. 9 Pre-Dynastic, Early Dynasties, and the Old Kingdom

10. 10 The Rosetta Stone The 3rd of a three stone series is a multilingual stele that allowed linguists to begin the process of hieroglyph decipherment. It is a single passage written in three different languages (Hieroglyphic, Demotic, and in classical Greek).

11. 11 Stylistic Conventions of Egyptian Art There are several conventions of ancient Egyptian culture that strongly affected the art of ancient Egypt: 1.The Pharaoh (King) is divine. 2.Representation of the figure is based upon presenting the most identifiable view of each part of the body. 3.Preparation for the Afterlife is of extreme importance. 4.The soul or ka lives on after the death of the body. Tombs contained everything the deceased might want or need in the afterlife and much of our knowledge of the culture comes from tomb paintings.

12. Palette of Narmer 3100 - 3000 B.C. The Palette of Narmer is a commerative work of art that is based on real palettes used for grinding kohl (eye makeup) for protection from the intense sun. Kohl is the very black, heavy eye makeup that you saw Elizabeth Taylor wearing in "Cleopatra".

13. The Palette of Narmer illustrates a very important foundation for the description of the human figure in Egyptian art - the idea that there is a regular system for the proportion and description of the figure. Such a regularized, systematic approach to a problem is called a canon. Throughout the 3000 year history of ancient Egypt the description of the figure remains remarkably constant, with little deviation. This is one reason that the public at large is able to identify a work of art as coming from Egypt - it is easily identified. 13

14. Although, if they chose to, Egyptian artists were fully capable of very naturalistic description of the human figure, and the world at large around them, when it came to the Pharaoh and other important figures they worked in a conceptual, symbolic manner. The most obvious manifestation of this we also saw in Mesopotamia - the various parts of the body are presented in their most recognizable views. 14

15. 15 Early Funerary Art Forms Describe funerary art forms and practices in the Old Kingdom. Understand the importance of the Stepped Pyramid by Imhotep and the mortuary precinct at Saqqara.

16. The Old Kingdom (2686 – 2181 BCE) - commissioned sculptures kings, gov.- usually Funerary Architecture The Old Kingdom is the period when the pyramids were built and when the Pharaohs consolidated both their image as gods with the divine right to rule and their rule of the now unified kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt. Unlike the kings of Mesopotamia the Pharaohs went one better - they saw themselves as gods incarnated on Earth to rule. 16

17. 17 Mastabas are an early form of rock or mudbrick tomb used before 3000 BCE. Mastaba means "bench" referring to the shape of the structure. They have a burial chamber underground linked to the above ground monument by a vertical shaft. In the ante-room of the monument there was a niche for a statue of the deceased.

18. 18 Section (left), plan (center), and restored view (right) of typical Egyptian mastaba tombs.

20. After pyramids were being built for the Pharaoh mastabas were still used by members of the royal family and the royal court all of whom wanted to be buried as close to the pyramid of the Pharaoh as possible. In the pyramid complexes there may be hundreds of mastabas that belong to the family and retainers of that particular pharaoh. 20

21. Organs were removed (with the exception of the heart) and stored in canopic jars, allowing the body to be well-preserved.

22. 22 Djoser's pyramid was the first masonry structure of its size and the first pyramid built, although, it was a bit tentative, which is seen in its form. The design, that started out as a very large mastaba, went through six revisions in the building process. It is solid and didn't actually serve as a tomb as did later pyramids. It was designed by the architect Imhotep, who was later deified.

23. 23 There are several other examples of "experimental" or "developmental" pyramids throughout Egypt, including the Bent Pyramid at Dashur and the Step Pyramid of Sneferu (seen below). Because of un-sound masonry techniques the casing slid off leaving the slope of debris around its base.

24. There are 47 pyramids of Pharaohs known throughout Egypt. Not only did the pyramids serve as tombs for the Pharaohs who built them, they also served to stimulate the Egyptian economy and to focus the energies of a large kingdom that was just getting used to being unified. 24

25. What political or religious ramifications might this have? Do you think the priests of the cult of Re might have had anything to do with the choice of the pyramid as a tomb? By the 4th Dynasty (Old Kingdom) the transition was made from stepped pyramids to true pyramids. The Pharaohs believed they were the sons of the Sun god Re- the incarnation of Re on earth - the pyramid is Re's fetish (an object possessing magical power) - It is represented as pyramidal stone called a benben - The pharaoh is preserving his spirit in a giant benben! 25

26. 26 The Great Pyramids

27. 27 Pyramids of Giza (Menkure, Khafre, Khufu left to right ) The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops in Greek) 2530 BCE Khafre's Pyramid (Chephren (in Greek),Khufu's son), The Pyramid which is the Place of Sunrise and Sunset, c. 2500 BCE The Pyramid of Menkure (Mycerinus in Greek) The Divine Pyramid c. 2460 BCE

28. The pyramid complexes of Khufu and Khafre each included 5 boat pits containing royal boats. Khufu's and Menkure's each had 3 queens pyramids. Each also had a Valley Temple and a Mortuary Temple connected by a covered causeway - now buried beneath new construction since the 18th c.

29. Workers worked on the pyramids during the flood season when they couldn't work the fields. The massiveness of the tombs did no good, by the end of the Old Kingdom they had all been pillaged no mummies or artifacts associated with the kings has ever been found 29

30. 30 Ancient Egyptians believed a human soul is made up of five parts: the Ren (name) the Ba (individual personality) the Ka (life force) the Sheut (shadow) the Ib (heart) In addition to the components of the soul there is the human body (called the ha, occasionally a plural haw, meaning approximately sum of bodily parts).

31. 31 Other Sculptural Forms Egyptian realism and the canon seen in Old Kingdom sculptural forms of the human figure. What important differences are observed in the two objects presented here?

32. Menkure built the third of the great pyramids at Giza. Here he faces the future of eternity with his wife Khamerernebty. He seems very resolute. As with Khafre he is very formal and rigid.

33. The statue, like that one above of Khafre was intended to be set against a wall. Both pieces are very frontal. Note how there is stone left behind Menkure's left leg to help support it. He appears to be taking a step forward but look at his hips.... 33

34. 34 Can you put your weight on your left foot with it extended like this and keep your hips from rotating with it? … Try it!

35. 35 Alternate View Seated Scribe © 2005 Saskia Cultural Documentation, Ltd. People of lower social status than the royal family, are depicted as more relaxed, and lively -> more lifelike.

36. Sphinx Sphinx Sphinx is perhaps a portrait of Khafre, it is aligned with Khafre's pyramid and faces east - the rising sun (life and resurrection). It's carved from living sandstone. The sphinx was buried in sand until the 19th century when it was discovered by some of Napoleon's troops and archeologists (who also, it might be added, blew off its nose with a cannon ball!) 36

37. It is now commonly recognized that the sphinx may be much older than the pyramids, pre-dating 3000 BCE. In November 1994 a "secret" (i.e. previously unknown) entry is found in the side of the sphinx! 37

38. 38 Describe Egyptian funerary art forms from these periods and state reasons for the development of these monuments. Explain possible reasons for the decline in the power of the pharaoh in the Middle Kingdom. Understand the evolution of burial monuments and why this occurred in the Middle Kingdom.

39. THE MIDDLE KINGDOM 2050 - 1750 The First Intermediate Period (2150 - 2050) was a time of political instability. Pharaohs didn't have the power they did during the Old Kingdom and central rule falls apart. Large pyramids were no longer built - it was recognized that they couldn't protect the former king and his treasure from grave robbers By the end of the Old Kingdom all of the royal pyramids had been completely looted! 39

40. Instead of large tombs, such as the pyramids, smaller tombs are cut into the cliffs - rock-cut tombs that are, as the name describes, cut out of the living rock of cliff sides. Rock-cut tombs will become the preferred type of tomb during the Middle Kingdom. To the right is an elevation section and plan drawing of a tomb. 40

41. After the Mesopotamian invasion of Egypt in the Second Intermediate Period of 1750 – 1570, It was during the New Kingdom that tombs (and temples) cut into rock walls became the most popular. During this period the Valley of the Kings was heavily utilized. Pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty restored the grandeur and power of Old Kingdom Pharaohs. They established an empire that extended further south in Africa and into the Middle East. The economy was enriched by the empire building and New Kingdom life was rich and luxurious (if you weren't a slave or peasant). 41

42. THE NEW KINGDOM 1550 - 1075 42

43. 43 Describe early events in the New Kingdom which bring new influences into the art. Discuss how the Hyksos changed the culture of Egypt and show their location of origin Understand aspects of the New Kingdom as reflected in the art of ancient Egypt.

44. 44 The Grand Mortuary Temples Describe the grand tombs and mortuary temples of Hatshepsut and Ramses II. First, who is Hatshepsut?

45. Hatshepsut was the mother (or aunt?) of Thutmosis III ( or Tutmosis). 45

47. Hatshepsut Dynasty 18 female ruler; one of the few women to rule Egypt (along with the little-known Sobekneferu and Twosret and the notoriously famous Cleopatra 47

48. 48 Hatshepsut with offering jars, from the upper court of her mortuary temple, Deir el-Bahri, Egypt, ca. 1473–1458 BCE. Red granite, approx. 8’ 6” high. She was the first great female ruler in history and served as Pharaoh while Tutmosis was young. Tutmosis III went on to become the 1st great warrior Pharaoh and began the expansion of Egypt's empire into the middle east.

50. Pylon temples such as this one have large, monolithic facades, the "pylons" that you can see behind the statues and the obelisk, the large pointed column. 50

52. clerestory

54. 54 Painting and the Tomb of Nebamun Examine materials and methods of painting in the New Kingdom. Compare the style to the earlier Egyptian conventions.

55. 55 Akhenaten and the Amarna Period Akhenaten (Amenophis IV) ruled 1353-1335 What are the reasons for the artistic revolution of the Amarna Period. Examine the artistic elements in the figures of Nefertiti and Tiye (Ty).

56. During the New Kingdom the priesthood of Amen had become more powerful than the Pharaoh Akhenaten renounced the age old cult of Amen and abolished it! He changed his name from Amenophis to Akhenaten. Akhenaten created a revised religious order based upon the worship of one god (monotheism) - the Aten (Aton), the Disk of the Sun - Aten is the representation of the sun at sunset - The Scarab Beetle is the representation of the sun at sunrise, Re - the falcon - is the representation of the sun at noon This was a source of major upheaval in the political and the religious world 56

57. 57 He built a new royal city at Tel el Amarna and created a whole sense of aesthetics now referred to as the Amarna Style. He built a new royal city at Tel el Amarna and created a whole sense of aesthetics now referred to as the Amarna Style Art of the Amarna Period is more naturalistic than earlier works - curvilinear, sinuous, more relaxed, though it also exaggerates these qualities too

58. In this intimate family portrait (compare with the standing portrait of Menkaura and his wife!) the Pharaoh and Nefertiti are being blessed by the Aten. Aten stretches out its arms to caress the royal family. A nice example of hierarchical perspective, notice how small the daughters are. 58

59. Following his death the priesthood of the cult of Amen reasserted itself and destroyed the city of Amarna as well as most traces of Akhenaten and the artwork. But, there is new evidence Nefertiti may have been in an authoritative role at one point. Some suggest she served as King after Akhenaten and later gave the throne back to the clergy. 59

60. 60 King Tut Compare the different images of the Pharaohs Akhenaton and Tutankhamen. How do you account for these differences? Why does the art revert back to the earlier conventions ?

61. Tutankhamen (nephew (or half-brother) of Akhenaten) roughly 1333-1323 Tutankhamen's rock cut tomb in the Valley of the Kings was discovered, relatively intact in 1922 by British archeologist Howard Carter. 61

62. It had been broken into, but resealed - then it was covered by debris from a later tomb. This covering by excavation debris is what allowed the tomb to remain intact. Carter recovered 5000 objects and the mummy - fully intact 62

63. The gold death mask (above) was the inner most protective covering - inside 3 nested coffins. It shows a sense of the young king's personality unlike other art of the ancient world. Serpent goddess of Lower Egypt & vulture goddess of Upper Egypt on his headdress protect him. 63

64. 64 Innermost coffin of Tutankhamen, from his tomb at Thebes, Egypt, Dynasty XVIII, ca. 1323 BCE. Gold with inlay of enamel and semiprecious stones, approx. 6’ 1” long. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. When the first, outer, coffin was opened the second coffin was covered with garlands of flowers.

65. He was a young king who only ruled for a few years and died when he was about 18. He may have died as a result of political/religious intrigue resulting from the backlash by the priests of Amen following the death of Akhenaten. When he was born his name was Tutankhaten (from Akhenaten's monotheistic religion) - but we know him as Tutankhamen! One of the first things he did as Pharoah was to restore the old religious system that Akhenaten had replaced with Aten worship. 65

66. Tutankhamen's Throne (back) Shows Tutankamen and his young wife being blessed by Aten as she anoints him with oil. 66