Chapter 2

Africa: Gods, Rulers, and the Social Order

(ca. 3100–330 B.C.E.)

Egypt

Nile River in Africa.

a uniform language, geographical isolation, a shared political and cultural life

2

The Gods of Ancient Egypt

Associated with the effects of the environment

Worship of Amon, the sun god and creator

Most powerful – but thousands of lesser deities existed

3

The rays of the sun god, Amon, shine down on Tutankhamen and his consort.

Throne with Tutankhamen and Queen, detail of the back, late Marana period. New Kingdom, 18th dynasty, ca. 1360 B.C.E. Wood plated with gold and silver, inlays of glass paste.

4

The god Amon, on the right, grants everlasting life to the

Middle Kingdom pharoah Sesostris. Behind the pharaoh stands the protective falcon-headed god

Horus.

Amon recieves Sesostris (Senusret) I, pillar relief,

White chapel, Karnak, ca. 1925 b.c.e.

5

Second only to the sun as the major natural force was the Nile River.

Isis - central role among the female deities

6

Nile River and Isis

The Rulers of Ancient Egypt

Neolithic villages 3150 b.c.e.

Union of Upper and Lower Egypt by the first pharaoh, Narmer

7

Palette of King Narmer

Ca.3100 b.c.e., 25”

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Theocratic socialism

The divine power flowed from the gods to their royal agents.

The Great Sphinx,Gizeh.

a hybrid symbol of superhuman power and authority.

11

Pharaoh Menkaure (Mycerinus) and his Queen Kha-merer-nebty IIca. 2599-1571 B.C.E.

•freestanding sculpture of the Old Kingdom pharaoh Mycerinus with his queen stands proudly at his side

Pharaoh could join with the sun god to govern Egypt eternally.

reincarnation

Egyptian mummy and coffin, ca. 1000 b.c.e

13

Egypt’s Cult of the Dead

Scene from a Funerary Papyrus, Book of the Dead

The Book of the Dead emerged as a lengthy guide for preparing oneself for physical deatha set of Egyptian funerary prayers. A painted papyrus scroll brings to life the last judgment.

Illustration of Spell from the Book of the Dead burial chambers of Sennudjem,

ca. 1279 b.c.e. 15

Egyptian pyramids function primarily as tombs.

The pyramids were built to assure the ruler’s comfort in the afterlife.

Pyramids at Giza, Egypt, c. 2500-2475 B.C.E.

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Reconstruction of the pyramids of

Khufu and Khafre

at Gizeh. Ca. 2650-2600 b.c.e.

© 18

The pyramids reached a zenith of organizational effort on behalf of the pharaoh’s comfort in the spirit world

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Seated scribe, Saqqara, 5th dynasty, ca. 240021

The scribe was one of the highest officials in ancient Egypt. Trained in reading , writing, law, religion and mathematics.

Kin

g T

utan

kham

en

Ca. 1345-1325 B.C.E. the tomb housed riches of astonishing variety, including the pharaoh’s solid gold coffin, inlaid with semi-precious

carnelian and lapis lazuli

Why

was

Kin

g T

ut s

o fa

mou

s?

Egyptian cover of the coffin of Tutankhamen (portion), from the Valley of the Kings, ca. 1360 B.C.E. Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

Canopic coffinette (coffin of Tutankhamon), c. 1327 B.C.E. Gold inlaid with enamel and semiprecious stones, 15 3/4" high. Egyptian

Museum, Cairo

Presentation of Nubian tribute to Tutankhamon (restored), tomb chapel of Huy, Thebes, 18th Dynasty, c. 1336-1327

B.C.E. Wall painting, 6' x 17 1/4'.

King Tut’s pyramid

Akhenaten is associated with monotheism as a religious view.Defied the tradition of polytheism by elevating Aten (God of the Sun Disk) to a position of supremacy over all other gods.(Akhenaten about 1351-1334 BCE. Abraham lived 1812-1637 BCE)

Statue of Akhenaten, from Karnak, Egypt, Amarna Period, 1353-1350 B.C.E. Sandstone, approx. 13"

high. Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

•Akhenaten’s chief wife.

•The mother of 6 daughters.

Ca.1355 B.C.E. New Kingdom 18th dynasty, painted limestone

Queen Nefertiti, Egyptian

Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti and daughters. Sitting beneath the sun disk Aten.

29

The social hierarchy – topped by the ruling dynasty supported by a priestly elite; multiple rungs in the social ladder and anyone could advance through education

30

The Social Order

Egyptian Women

all property was inherited through the female line, economic independence, civil rights and privileges.

Procession of female musicians with instruments, including a harp, double pipes, and a lyre, Tomb of Djeserkarasneb,

Thebes, ca. 1580-1314 B.C.E.

Music – many surviving instruments from tombs, and visual representations of musicians

Hatshepsut, ca. 1500-1447 B.C.E.

The most notable of all female pharaohs.

22 years, royal wig and false beard, and the crook and flail.

traditional symbols

of rulership.

The Arts in Ancient Egypt

Literature – no masterpieces of literature emerged

34

The canon of proportion in painting

Spatial depth represented through conceptual stacking

. 35

The visual arts

Scene of Fowling, tomb of Neb-amon

Egyptian art mirrors the deep sense of order and regularity that dominated ancient Egyptian life.

Temple architecture -Mirrored Egyptian view of the cosmos: pylons, hypostyles, and obelisks

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38

Hypostyle hall, great temple of Amon – Ra, Karnak ca. 1220 b.c.e.

painted reliefs

134 massive columns shaped like budding and flowering papyrus

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Northern Sudan

Nubia

1550 b.c.e the powerful state of Kush in Nubia defeated the Egyptian army

King Shabaqo from the area of the ancient Kush, ca. 8th century

b.c.e Solid cast bronze, 6” 40

These portrait like heads are the earliest known 3-dimentional artworks of sub-Saharan African.

Africa : Western Sudan

Head, Nok culture, ca. 500 B.C.E.-200 C.E. Terracotta, height 14-3/16

in. National Museum, Lagos/Bridgeman.

Egypt was conquered in 332 B.C.E. by Alexander the Great.

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Egypt’s Cult of the Dead The pharaoh and the sun-god generally viewed as having shared aspects

Burial practices based on stringent belief in reincarnation

The pyramids reached a zenith of organizational effort on behalf of the pharaoh’s comfort in the spirit world

The Book of the Dead emerged as a lengthy guide for preparing oneself for physical death

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Akhenaten’s Reform

Elevated Aten (sun god) to position of supremacy over all other deities to suppress power of priesthood

Centered a new city (Akhetaten) between existing political capitol at Memphis and religious center at Thebes, thereby redirecting influences of each

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