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ANCIENT EGYPT

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

i. Ancient Egyptii. Geography Section

iii. Architecture Sectioniv. Pyramidsv. Sculpture of Ancient Egypt

vi. Painting of Ancient Egyptvii. Clothing components

viii. Religious Beliefsix. Egyptian Writingx. Culture Identity

xi. Conclusionxii. Summary

xiii. Egyptian Motif

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Ancient Egypt

A land of mysteries, No other civilization has so captured the imagination of scholars and laypeople alike. Mystery surrounds its origins, its religion and its monumental architecture: colossal temples, pyramids and the enormous Sphinx. The Egyptian pyramids are the most famous of all the ancient monuments, the only remaining wonder of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Just as life arose from the waters, the seeds of civilization were first sown along the banks of the Nile. This mighty river, which flows north from the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, nourished the growth of the pharaonic kingdom. The long, narrow flood plain was a magnet for life, attracting people, animals and plants to its banks. In pre-dynastic times, nomadic hunters settled in the valley and began to grow crops to supplement their food supply. Seen as a gift from the gods, the annual flooding of the river deposited nutrient rich silt over the land, creating ideal conditions for growing wheat, flax and other crops. The first communal project of this fledgling society was the building of irrigation canals for agricultural purposes.

The sun was a principal deity whose passage across the sky represented the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The pharaohs were seen as gods, divine representatives on earth who, through rituals, ensured the continuation of life. After death, they became immortal, joining the gods in the afterworld.

The Egyptians also believed that the body and soul were important to human existence, in life and in death. Their funerary practices, such as mummification and burial in tombs, were designed to assist the deceased find their way in the afterworld. The tombs were filled with food, tools, domestic wares, treasures all the necessities of life -- to ensure the soul's return to the body so that the deceased would live happily ever after.

The most imposing tombs are the famous pyramids, shaped like the sacred mound where the gods first appeared in the creation story. These were incredibly ambitious projects, the largest structures ever built. Their construction was overseen by highly skilled architects and engineers. Paid laborers moved the massive limestone blocks without the use of wheels, horses or iron tools. The conscripts may have been motivated by a deep faith in the divinity

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of their leaders and a belief in immortality. Perhaps they thought that their contributions would improve their own prospects at the final judgment in the afterworld.

The gigantic pyramids were conspicuous targets for tomb robbers, whose plundering jeopardized the hope for eternal life. Subsequent generations of kings hid their tombs in the Valley of the Kings in an attempt to elude the robbers. In the desert valley near the ancient capital of Thebes, now called Luxor, they prepared their royal tombs by cutting into the side of the mountain. Despite efforts to hide the entrances, thieves managed to find the tombs, pillaging and emptying them of their treasures.

One tomb was spared, however: Tutankhamen’s. Although his resting place was disturbed twice by robbers, the entrance was resealed and remained hidden for over 3,000 years. Its discovery by the British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922 is considered the greatest archaeological find in history. Carter spent the rest of his life working on the tomb, removing its treasures to Cairo, and documenting and studying its contents, including the pharaoh's gold coffins and mask. Tutankhamen’s mummy remains in his tomb, the only pharaoh to be left in the Valley of the Kings.

Today, Egyptian archaeologists are still making important discoveries, and the scientific study of royal mummies is shedding new light on the genealogy of the pharaohs. The ongoing deciphering of hieroglyphic writings and research on the life of the peasants are also answering many questions related to the evolution of Egyptian culture. The pharaonic religion gives the impression that the Egyptians were preoccupied with death; however, there are ample indications that they were a happy lot who knew how to enjoy life.

Geography Section

Just as life arose from the waters of the primeval sea, so the waters of the Nile gave birth to the pharaonic kingdom. A gift to the people of Egypt, the longest river in the world flows north from the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. Its flood plain was an extensive oasis, a magnet for life -- human, plant and animal. Humans were drawn there because they could grow crops and settle into permanent villages. The annual flooding of the Nile deposited nutrient rich silt on the land, creating all the ingredients needed to support life and the growth of a great civilization.

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Bounded on the south, east and west by an impenetrable desert and on the north by the sea, ancient Egypt was protected from outside influences, which allowed it to evolve in its own unique way. The Nile Delta is the only delta in Egypt and is 100 miles long and 155 miles wide. It is in the shape of a triangle. There are 5 important oases in Egypt and they are all located in the Libyan Desert. They are the Farafirah, Bahriah, Dakhilia, Kharijah, and the Siwah oases. The climate in Egypt is hot and dry and there are only two seasons which are winter (December through March), and summer (the rest of the year). The average temperature in the winter is between 55 and 70 degrees F. The average temperature in the summer is between 80 and 90 degrees F. In the summer the temperature can be as high as 110 degrees F.

Architecture Section

The ancient Egyptians built their pyramids, tombs, temples and palaces out of stone, the most durable of all building materials. Although earthquakes, wars and the forces of nature have taken their toll, the remains of Egypt's monumental architectural achievements are visible across the land, a tribute to the greatness of this civilization. These building projects took a high degree of architectural and engineering skill, and the organization of a large workforce consisting of highly trained craftsmen and laborers.

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Apart from the pyramids, Egyptian buildings were decorated with paintings, carved stone images, hieroglyphs and three-dimensional statues. The art tells the story of the pharaohs, the gods, the common people and the natural world of plants, birds and animals. The beauty and grandeur of these sites are beyond compare. How the ancient Egyptians were able to construct these massive structures using primitive tools is still a mystery.

Pyramids

The spectacular pyramids that have made Egypt so famous are truly one of the world's greatest architectural wonders. One of the oldest mysteries surrounding ancient Egypt concerns the building of the pyramids. How did humans move such massive blocks of stone using only Stone Age tools? The Egyptians left thousands of illustrations depicting daily life in the Old Kingdom. Curiously enough, none of them show how pyramids were built.

A pyramid is a tomb, a four-sided stone structure that symbolizes the sacred mountain, humanity's universal striving to reach the heavens. The ancient belief in raising the human spirit towards the gods is the quintessential purpose behind the construction of pyramids. Even today, pyramids are metaphors for humanity's search for higher consciousness.

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Sculpture Section  

"The message of the work of art had to be clear: everyone from scribes to peasants had to understand at first glance that the great image of the pharaoh was a sign of his limitless power."

Most art work was done for the pharaoh or his wealthy government officials.  The large works of sculpture were often displayed at temples, which the pharaoh would build to their favorite deity.  Sculptures were stiff, formal, and solemn.   The Egyptians did not strive for realistic depiction, but instead wanted to present a powerful image.  Egyptians used the size of their sculptures to show the social order. The pharaoh was larger than life size, scribes and court officials were life size, and workers and peasants always shown working.  Many of the smaller statues were constructed out of slate which allowed them to survive over time, while the enormity of other sculptures helped them to survive.  The Great Sphinx was carved out of a rock outcropping with the paws added on later from separate rocks. 

Colossus of Memphis Canopic jars

Great sphinx Sphinx luxar colossi of ramses 2 abu simbel

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Painting Section

Most of the painting of Ancient Egypt that has survived was found in tombs of the pharaohs or high governmental officials. The art is known as funerary art because it is in tombs and depicts scenes of the afterlife. Tomb paintings were of everyday life until the New Kingdom about 1550 BC to 1020 BC.  During the New Kingdom the paintings showed different levels of the Egyptian society as well as items the deceased would need in the afterlife. (Marceau, 1997)  For example servants, boats, and food would be painted to help the deceased in their trip through the afterlife. 

"To assist the dead person in his or her transition before the tribunal of Osiris was the Book of the Dead, a roll of papyrus containing religious and magical text."

This and other items left in the tomb would assist the deceased in their journey in the afterlife.

Much of the Egyptian painting was a mixture of sculpted reliefs which were painted.  Meaning the Egyptians would first carve the rock and then paint the scene over the carved surface.  Egyptian depiction of people is very consistent in their proportions and views of the people.  The reason is that the Egyptians used a formula to paint people. 

"Egyptians artists used this method to keep figures in proportion.  They divided a sheet of papyrus into nineteen rows of squares.  Then they drew the figure using the first three rows of squares for the area between the forehead and the neck, the next for the shoulder to the knee, and the last six for the lower limbs and feet."

(Romei, 1995)  In this way human paintings from different artist over a long period of time retained the same appearance.

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Clothing Components

The Egyptians cared about their appearance which indicated a person’s status, role in a society or political significance.

Clothes based on two elements:

1. The wrapped kilt of men2. The sewed kalasaris (a sewed sheath which developed into a shirt) of women, which by the

New Kingdom, became incorporated into men's dress as well.

Headdress

Wigs were worn by men and women of high society. The primary function of the wig was as a headdress for special occasions, such as

ceremonies and banquets. Wigs were made of curled long hair separated into three parts, the so-called goddress. Peasant women tied and decorated their head with flowers and inexpensive linen ribbons. children decorated their heads with amulets of small fish to protect from the dangers of the

Nile

Materials

Textiles were made of linen, a light airy fabric suitable in hot and humid climates. Wool was considered unclean, and not to be worn in temples by priests Some silk were traded with Asia from 2000 BC and traces of silk have been found in Egyptian

tombs Prestigious leopard skins, were reserved for priests and pharaohs, and worn during religious

festivals

Personal Care

Men were always clean-shaven, they used razors made from bronze to shave their beards and heads.

Bathing - using rubbing oils and perfumes applied into the skin Cosmetic implements applied by the rich nobility A dye called henna was used by women to redden their nails and lips.

Ancient Clothing of Old Kingdom

Male Noble

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- Simple short kilt - white color

- Small necklace

- Short curled hair covering the ears

- Barefooted

Female Noble

- Kalasaris - a simple transparent long dress

- Large wig

- Barefooted

Priest

- Long white robes with a strap over one shoulder

- Leopard skins

- Leopard skin sandals

- Clean shaven heads and body - hair was considered impure

- Washed several times a day for purity.

Male Farmer

- Short Kilt

- Short curled hair covering the ears

- Barefooted

Female Peasants

- Simple straight linen skirt, from under the breast

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- Bare breasted

- Short hair trimmed below the ears

- Barefooted

Ancient Clothing of Middle Kingdom

Male Noble

- Kilt lengthened

- Transparent overskirt

- Collars

- Barefooted

Female Noble

- Kalasaris - a simple transparent long dress

- Large wig

- Barefooted

Priests

- Long white robes with a strap over one shoulder

- Leopard skins

- Leopard skin sandals

- Clean shaven heads and body - hair was considered impure

- Washed several times a day for purity.

Male Farmer

- Long Kilt

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- Short hair with ears visible

- Barefooted

Female Peasants

- Simple straight linen skirt, from under the breast

- Bare breasted

- Short hair trimmed below the ears

- Barefooted

Ancient Clothing of New Kingdom

Male Noble

- Simplicity gone

- Elaborate pleated garment

- Use of color

- Embroidery

- Broad collars

- Kalasaris worn by men

- Leather sandals with extended toes

- Wig and perfumed cone

- False beard where made of leather or metal, and reserved for the Pharaoh

Female Noble

- Elaborate gown

- Beaded yoke collar

- Bracelets around the wrist

- fluted transparent linen

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- Cosmetics and Perfumes

- Wig and hair ornaments

- Kohl (a black dye) lines the eyebrows

Priests

Long white robes with a strap over one shoulder

- Leopard skins

- Leopard skin sandals

- Clean shaven heads and body - hair was considered impure

- Washed several times a day for purity.

Male Farmer

- Long Kilt

- Short hair with ears visible

- Barefooted

Female peasants

- Long linen Kalasaris

- Long unplaited hair

- Jewelry and necklaces made of pottery beads

- Barefooted

Childrens

-Naked until puberty

- Head was shaved off except for a long lock of hair left on the side of the head, this s-shaped lock was depicted by the hieroglyphic symbol of a child or youth.

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Both girls and boys wore this style until the onset of puberty. Older boys often shaved their heads, while girls had ponytails hanging down the center of the back

Religious BeliefsCreation Myth - The Egyptians created myths to try to explain their place in the cosmos

Ancient Gods - The Pantheon consisted of More than 2000 gods. Most had only a local cult center

Mummification - Preservation of body was paramount, for without it the soul would be lost forever

The Soul - Egyptians believed that the human soul was composed of two parts the Ba and the Ka

Afterlife - Tombs were often visited by the family with new offerings.

Magic And Symbols - An integral part of the religion, spells were mainly used for protection purposes

Egyptian Sacred Texts

Pyramid Texts - used in the Old Kingdom, and written in hieroglyphics, these texts were carved inside pyramid walls from the 5th and 6th Dynasties.

Coffin Texts - used in the Middle Kingdom and written in hieratic, more Spells were added with time, and the texts were carved in wooden coffins

Book Of The Dead - New Kingdom spells, written on sheets of papyrus covered with magical texts, and accompanying illustrations called vignettes

Old Kingdom (Ra sun god, Pyramid Texts in Unas pyramid - 5th Dynasty)

5th Dynasty - The sun cult is promoted. A sun temple is built at Abu Ghorub as well as a small pyramid at Saqqara.

The worship of Ra, the great sun god, chief of the cosmic deities, was perhaps more closely related to the fate of the royal house than to that of the people, but his cult was nevertheless one of the most important in ancient Egypt. His symbol the pyramid became the design of the monumental tombs of the Egyptian Pharaohs. Ra was said, in fact, to be the direct ancestor of the Pharaohs of Egypt, and in certain hymns was even addressed as a dead Pharaoh. But he was more specifically thought of as a living power, whose daily cycle of birth, journey, and death was a fundamental theme in Egyptian life.

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Middle Kingdom (11th Dynasty Mentu - Ra cult, 12th Dynasty Sobek in Fayum , Coffin Texts)

A new religious literature appeared when Coffin Texts replaced Pyramid Texts.

These texts were painted on coffins rather than pyramid walls. They were non-royal texts used by many classes of society, and reflect the increasing spread of Egyptian funerary beliefs between all classes.

New Kingdom (Amun combined with Ra became major cult, Earliest examples of the Book of The Dead in 1500 BC, monotheism of Aten but quickly reverted)

By the 18th Dynasty Amun the local god of Thebes, became Egypt's greatest god, united with Ra as Amun - Ra. The high priests of Amun gain power and challenge Pharaonic authority by the late 20th Dynasty.

During the reign of Akhenaten, who based his theology on the solar god Aten and denied recognition to all but that god, a monotheistic cult was established. That unique cult apparently proved unsatisfactory to the Egyptians, after Akhenaten death, polytheism was restored.

Egyptian Writing

A Complex writing system consisting of thousands of pictural symbols

Very few people were literate in ancient Egypt

Papyrus manufacture was a costly and complicated process.

Hierogylphic writing was abandoned in the 5th century A.D.

Cultural Identity

Children - were precious to ancient Egyptians, great rejoicing always followed the birth of a baby

Clothes - Elite Egyptians cared about their appearance and clothing which indicated their social status

Domestic Trade - Small scale commerce in the hands of ordinary men and their wives

Family - Strong emphasis on the nuclear family unit

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Festivals - Most ceremonies were cultic, rather than civil

Food - When Egyptians evolved from hunters to settled farmers, a revolution occurred in food production and diet.

Houses - The typical house was square in shape and consisted of at least three rooms

Sports - games were practiced widely by the general population for fitness and entertainment

Women - Compared to other areas of the ancient world, they held stronger social positions and expanded legal rights

Conclusion

Egyptian art and architecture have a strong reflection of the culture from which they were produced.  The power of the pharaoh and his position in society is clearly reflected in the large projects that they were able to complete.  The pharaoh was the center of the Egyptian society.

Summary

Ancient Egypt was a glorious civilization which lasted approximately 3,000 years. Upper and Lower Egypt were unified by King Menes, and he ushered in the 1st Dynasty. The inundation of the Nile River would bring a rich alluvial deposit of fertile black silt over the croplands sustaining their civilization, and this allowed the Egyptians to benefit greatly. Their kings were seen as divine mediators between the gods/goddesses and populace of Egypt.

Magnificent monuments such as pyramids, sphinxes, obelisks and temple complexes were erected and they are all a testament to this illustrious civilization and many have succumbed to its magnetism. Most of the painting of Ancient Egypt that has survived was found in tombs of the pharaohs or high governmental officials.

The spectacular pyramids that have made Egypt so famous are truly one of the world's greatest architectural wonders. One of the oldest mysteries surrounding ancient Egypt concerns the building of the pyramids. How did humans move such massive blocks of stone using only Stone Age tools? The Egyptians left thousands of illustrations depicting daily life in the Old Kingdom. Curiously enough, none of them show how pyramids were built. Egyptians painting was a mixture of sculpted reliefs which were painted. Egyptians would first carve the rock and then paint the scene over the carved surface.

Most art work was done for the pharaoh or his wealthy government officials, which the pharaoh would build to their favorite deity.  Sculptures were stiff, formal, and solemn. The valley contains hundreds of tombs, many of which have yet to be excavated and others that have not yet been found. The most famous tomb belongs to the boy king Tutankhamen.

The Valley of the Kings is famous for its royal tombs. These beautifully painted tombs have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

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Egyptian archaeologists are still making important discoveries, and the scientific study of royal mummies is shedding new light on the genealogy of the pharaohs. The ongoing deciphering of hieroglyphic writings and research on the life of the peasants are also answering many questions related to the evolution of Egyptian culture. The pharaonic religion gives the impression that the Egyptians were preoccupied with death; however, there are ample indications that they were a happy lot who knew how to enjoy life.