Ancient Egyptian Art Overview

Overview

This lecture introduces ancient Egyptian art, focusing on male rulers, their monuments, funerary practices, and the importance of the afterlife in Egyptian culture.

Key Ideas of Ancient Egypt

• Egypt was once the richest and most powerful civilization.
• Temples and pyramids were constructed as tombs for pharaohs and their families.
• The afterlife was central, leading to practices like mummification to preserve the soul.
• Egyptians worshipped over 2,000 deities.
• Makeup was commonly worn for sun protection by both genders.
• Nile River's annual floods enriched Egyptian soil and enabled civilization.

Geography and Symbolism

• Upper Egypt (south, grassland, hunting) and Lower Egypt (north, fertile delta) are key regions.
• The lotus symbolized Upper Egypt; papyrus symbolized Lower Egypt.
• Nile floods were essential for agriculture and seen as a natural force.

Early Dynastic Period (Pre-3000 to 2575 BCE)

• A dynasty is a succession of rulers from one family.
• The Palette of King Narmer (ca. 3000–2920 BCE) records Egypt's unification.
• Human figures were depicted with specific conventions that lasted 3,000 years.
• The pharaoh was shown as a supreme and divine ruler.

Funerary Architecture and Beliefs

• Early tombs evolved from mastabas (rectangular structures) to step pyramids and true pyramids.
• Mastabas had chapels for offerings and housed ka statues (spirit’s dwelling).
• The Ben Ben stone, found atop pyramids, symbolized creation and the sun.

Old Kingdom (2575–2134 BCE)

• The Great Pyramids at Giza (Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure) were royal tombs and solar symbols.
• Construction used millions of limestone blocks, primarily by native laborers.
• The pyramids’ orientation aligned with cardinal points, symbolizing the pharaoh’s rebirth and ascension.
• The Great Sphinx (Khafre) was a guardian statue with a lion’s body and human head.
• Statues were made from hard materials and housed the ka if the body decayed.

Egyptian Sculpture and Canon

• Canon: An ideal set of proportions for depicting pharaohs and gods.
• Block-like, symmetrical statues expressed eternal stillness; movement was suppressed.
• Statues of pharaohs were idealized; those of scribes depicted aging and individuality.

New Kingdom and Afterlife

• Egyptians perfected mummification to ensure the ka’s survival.
• The Book of the Dead contained spells and prayers for safe passage to the afterlife.
• Judgment scenes depicted the weighing of the soul before entering eternity.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Pharaoh — King of ancient Egypt, considered divine.
• Mummification — Preservation process for the body to house the soul (ka).
• Palette (of Narmer) — Ceremonial object depicting unification of Egypt.
• Mastaba — Early tomb with sloping sides and underground chamber.
• Ka — The spiritual essence or soul of a person.
• Canon — Ideal proportions used in Egyptian art.
• Ben Ben Stone — Pyramidion, symbolic of creation and the sun.
• Book of the Dead — Collection of funerary texts guiding the dead to the afterlife.
• Sphinx — Monumental statue with a lion’s body and human head.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Watch the trailer for “The Mummy” (1999) and “Secret of the Pyramids” video.
• Review the map of ancient Egypt and the Nile, and study images of key artworks.
• Prepare for Part Two, focusing on female rulers of ancient Egypt.