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Venus of hippo ivory, and extremely difficult substance to procure, meant as a funerary offering. This figure's existence suggests that humans have occupied the Nile region for 700,000 years. -
College Sidekick. n.d. The Old Kingdom | Boundless Art. https://www.collegesidekick.com/study-guides/boundless-arthistory/the-old-kingdom.
College Sidekick. n.d. The Early Dynastic Period | Boundless Art. https://www.collegesidekick.com/study-guides/boundless-arthistory/the-early-dynastic-period.
College Sidekick. n.d. The Middle Kingdom | Boundless Art. https://www.collegesidekick.com/study-guides/boundless-arthistory/the-middle-kingdom -
Ancient Egypt was a patriarchal society separated by two regions - Lower and Upper Egypt (represented by papyrus and lotuses, respectively). Egyptians lived their whole lives preparing for death and their resurrection in the land of reeds, making funerary art and depictions of the divine world a common function and theme. Pharaohs were Egyptian kings with a close connection to the gods, and had extravagant funerary practices at the times of their deaths.
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Two sided palette. One side depicts a battle between the Libyans and the Egyptians, where the Libyans are bound and mutilated by various beasts representing Egyptian gods. The other side is a peaceful scene, relatively representative with flora and fauna of the area. -
Large engraved list of the 76 legitimate Pharaoh's cartouches. A cartouche is a frame for a hieroglyphic inscription formed by a rope design surrounding an oval space. These were meant to signify an honored name. In architecture, cartouches would be left blank for inscriptions and epitaphs. -
Defining iconography and style of Egyptian art originated here. The Canon of Proportions guided artists on how to properly size figures based on their social status. Cobras for power, scarabs for protection and strength, and falcons representing the god Horus were common symbols of this time and beyond. Lotuses and papyrus of upper and lower Egypt were depicted intertwined at times to represent unity of the two regions, often included in depictions of pharaohs to represent their unifying power.
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Siltstone of defined registers depicting Egyptians conquering Libyans. Horus, the falcon god with human hands, holds a victim with rope. The other side depicts a bull trampling a naked man and two men – presumably the victims of the other side – restraining two felines with very long necks. A sandal bearer stands nearest to Naramer, whose constituents are presenting the standards of their gods to the beheaded, naked, and castrated Libyans. -
Limestone stepped pyramid of a similar structure to a mastaba. A mastaba is a place of worship and burial. They contained a chapel, offering table, and a downwards shaft to an underground burial chamber. The shaft was meant to communicate with the dead pharaoh inside. -
This period was known as the "age of the pyramids", characterized by its abundant and complex pyramids and adjacent structures. Funerary practices had developed increasing complexity over time, and the pyramids were meant to reflect the worship of kings with the pride of patriotism.
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The greatest monuments of ancient Egypt. They contributed not only to the burials of the pharaohs, but as monuments of patriotism and Egypt’s power as a country. Among the pyramids, Khufu is the largest, Menkaure is the smallest with its pyramids of queens, and Khafre has its own complex. -
Diorite statue depicting Khafre seated on his throne. Diorite is a very difficult stone to work with, which is why the edges are much more rigid than most statues. On the side of the throne is a lotus and papyrus intertwined, symbolizing unity of Lower and Upper Egypt. A falcon rests at his back, symbolizing the deity Horus protecting and granting divine rule to Khafre. He is youthful, fit, and emotionless, idealized characteristics in Egyptian culture. There were many multiples of this statue. -
Monolithic limestone sphinx statue connected by a causeway to the funerary temple of Khafre. A pharaoh’s worship had cult status, some continuing to be worshiped by subjects hundreds of years after their death. The sphinx is a guardian figure much like the Lamassu of Mesopotamia. -
A necropolis of sorts meant for the remains of high-ranking military officials. Ti was the director of hairdressers, working close with the Pharaoh and therefore being of a high rank. This high rank allowed Ti to purchase and build the Mastaba. -
Seated limestone figure – presumably a scribe with a scroll of papyrus. He is depicted in a naturalistic fashion; barely clothed, barefoot, and seated on the floor instead of a throne. Scribes were very important in ancient civilizations, as they were responsible for record keeping and documenting history by hand. This statue was placed with a pharaoh’s burial site to document his ascension and history as a king. -
Painted limestone wall relief at the Mastaba of Ti at Saqqara. The top has various birds and treetop life along branches of papyrus and lotuses. The relief depicts Ti, huge and stylized compared to the rest of his constituents, watching his party actively hunting many hippopotamuses and crocodiles under the water. These wall paintings were meant to ensure that the activities of the dead’s mortal lives would continue in the afterlife. -
Contains the Pyramid texts which were reserved only for kings and queens. This was a religious text providing provision instructions, spells, and guidance for transitioning into the afterlife, among other protective texts to ease the journey from the mortal realm to the land of reeds. -
Decorated wooden coffin for that of the middle class. The practice of decorated burials had spread to the upper-middle class of Egypt at this time, making it less exclusive. A map of the netherworld is painted on the inside to help guide the dead through the afterlife. -
Between the ages of the old and middle kingdom, Egypt’s power was eroded. This politcal and economic uncertainty was reflected in its artwork, where pieces may have been cheaply made or with less-than-ideal subjects. The extravagant burial practices of pharaohs and officials were less exclusive at this time, leading to middle-class Egyptians having their own tombs or decorated coffins.
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Post-and-lentil tomb. Painted on the walls are domestic scenes, such as wrestling and other conventionally masculine activities. Tomb art focused more on daily life than the divine, interpreting the afterlife as a continuation of earthly life. -
Diorite block statue of Minhotep. His pharaoh status is only given away by his Nemes and beard. This statue would not have required much effort when compared to others of the old kingdom, reflecting the economic instability of the time. -
Statue of Senusret. His expression is somber, which was common for statues of the time. Realism was prevalent during the middle kingdom, where kings and officials were shown with weathered features inspired by political insecurity of the time.