Transcript Book of the Dead

EGYPTIAN ART
3000 B.C.E.- 31 B.C.E.
Farming communities formed along the Nile
during the Neolithic period - before 7000 B.C.
From approximately 3000 B.C., Egypt was
ruled by Pharaohs (kings).
Artists worked for the state and its rulers.
In addition artwork was part of the religion.
They had to work under strict style, a set of
common rules and guidelines regarding
what how to draw artwork.
Egyptian art is said to be timeless. For
nearly 3,000 years artists used many
of the same artistic rules made by priests.
In wall sculptures and paintings, figures
are shown in an unnatural way. We have
learned a great deal about everyday
Egyptian life from the paintings and artifacts
that have been found in tombs.
Common Rules of the Egyptian Style of Art
Tomb murals:
Paintings of a person’s life in his/her tomb.
Linear picture plane:
All the forms are in line. No background or
foreground.
Horror vacui:
Fear of empty spaces. Art crowded with figures.
Hierarchical scale:
Art showing more important figures larger
than less important figures.
Geometric Regularity:
Use of basic shape and a repetition of patterns.
Natural and easy position of the human form:
“Everything had to be represented from its most characteristic angle. [Consider] the effect
which this idea had on the representation of the human body. The head was most easily seen in
profile so they drew it sideways. But if we think of the human eye we think of it as seen from
the front. Accordingly, a full-face eye was planted into the side view of the face.
The top half of the body, the shoulders and chest, are best seen from the front, for then we see
how the arms are hinged to the body. But arms and legs in movement are much more clearly
seen sideways. That is the reason why Egyptians in these pictures look so strangely contorted.
Moreover, the Egyptian artists found it hard to visualize either foot seen from the outside. They
preferred the clear outline from the big toe upwards. So both feet are seen from the inside, and
the man on [a] relief looks as if he had two left feet.
It must not be supposed that Egyptian artists thought that human beings looked like that. They
merely followed a rule which allowed them to include everything in the human form that they
considered important. Perhaps this strict adherence to the rule had something to do with their
magic purpose. For how could a man with his arm 'foreshortened' or 'cut off' bring or receive
the required offerings to the dead?”
Vocabulary words:
Pharaoh:
King of Egypt (thought to be a God) - means
“Great house who shelters all his people.”
Book of the Dead:
To help the dead on their journey to the
after-life. Contained about 200 spells.
Ka:
The invisible soul of a dead person that
goes to the after-life. It is kept “alive”
by grave offerings from the living.
Hieroglyphics:
Egyptian writing – made up of pictograms.
Cartouche:
An oval or oblong frame that encircles a
ruler’s name.
Papyrus:
Early form of paper made from the papyrus plant.
Strips were placed together, then beaten flat.
Scribe:
A man who wrote on papyrus or carved into
walls. Like a secretary, performed any
writing duties.
Web Links
Main Map of Ancient Egypt
http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/prehistory/egypt/maps/mainmap.html
Ancient Egyptian Culture
http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/prehistory/egypt/archaeology/index.html
Alabaster Canopic Jar Lids
http://members.aol.com/egyptold/jar.html
MyStudios - Egyptian Art
http://www.mystudios.com/art/ancient/egyptian/egyptian.html