Thesis The Catalog that my exhibit will contain will be reviewing the Egyptian art from the Middle Eastern region of the world. The exhibit will show four types of categories in my book which include curator, exhibition designer, marketing, and education. The exhibit will include a variety of art and descriptive information that show the history of Egyptian and other popular types of art that are very valuable today in history books.
The Exhibit Map
Gift Shop Front Desk
Restrooms
King Tut Born circa 1341 B.C.E., King Tut was the 12th king of the 18th Egyptian dynasty, in power from 1361 B.C.E. to 1352 B.C.E. During his reign, powerful advisers restored the traditional Egyptian religion which had been set aside by his predecessor Akhenaton, who had led the “Amarna Revolution.” After his death at age 18, he disappeared from history until the discovery of his tomb in 1922. Since then, studies of his tomb and remains have revealed much information about his life and times Probably one of the best known pharaohs of ancient Egypt, Tutankhamun was a minor figure in ancient Egyptian history. The boy king of 18th Egyptian dynasty was the son of the powerful Akhenaten, also known as Amenhotep IV, and most likely one of Akhenaten’s sisters.
Egyptian Cat Bastet Egyptian Cat Bastet - Egyptian Museum, Cairo. 550 B.C. : The first reference to the domestic cat appears in the eleventh dynasty. Because it was hostile to snakes, it became a sacred animal of the Sun God. In the New Kingdom, the male cat was regarded as an incarnation of the Sun God and the female cat was equated with the solar eye. Feline figures may display a scarab, the symbol of the rising sun, engraved on the head or breast thus showing their solar significance. The domestic cat attained special significance as the sacred animal of the Goddess Bastet. Hundreds of figures were set up as votive offerings in the temple at Bubastis in order that the donor might share in the Goddess’s grace. Actual mummies of cats were buried by the thousands in special cemeteries in the area.
Architecture
The great architectural achievements of the past are built of stone. Stone quarries supplied the large blocks of granite, limestone, and sandstone that were used for building temples and tombs. Architects planned carefully as building was done without mortar, so the stones had to fit precisely together. Only pillars were used to sustain short stone supports. At the temple of Karnak, a ramp of adobe brick can be seen leading to the top of the temple wall. Such ramps were used to allow workmen to carry stones to the top of structure and allow artists to decorate the tops of walls and pillars. Pillars were built in the same way. As height was added, the ground was raised. When the top of the pillar was completed, the artists would decorate from the top down, removing ramp sand as they went along. As soon as a pharaoh was named, construction on his tomb was begun. Tomb building continued throughout his life and stopped only on the day on which he died. As a result, some tombs are very large and finely decorated, while other tombs, like that of King Tutankhamun, are small because he ruled as a pharaoh for such a short time.
Anubis, God of the Dead Reclining Anubis : Anubis, God of the Dead, represented with a head of a jackal or simply as a jackal opened the road to the other world and presided over embalmments. After a funeral, Anubis would take the deceased by the hand and introduce him into the presence of the sov Egyptian god of the underworld who guided and protected the spirits of the dead. He was known as the ‘Lord of the Hallowed Land’ - the necropolis - and Khentamentiu, ‘Foremost of the Westerners’ - the Land of the Dead was thought to be to the west, where the Egyptians buried their dead.
Hatshepsut Hatshepsut was a strong-willed woman who would not let anyone or anything stand in her way. In the second year of her co-regency with the child king Tuthmosis III she subverted his position and proclaimed herself pharaoh and King of Upper and Lower Egypt and ruled for about 20 years from about 1479 to 1457 BC. Hatshepsut was protrayed, as in this sphinx, with all the regalia of kingship, even down to the offical royal false beard.
Art The art of the Egyptians reflects every aspect of their lives. Depicted in tomb and temple drawings are scenes of everyday living, models of people and animals, glass figures and containers, and jewelry made from gold and semi-precious stones. The wall and pillar drawings are perhaps the best known. In these drawings, it can be seen that people are going about the everyday business of baking, fishing, boating, marketing, and meeting together in family groups. Such drawings were also used to help the deceased to live forever by giving them all of the instructions they would need as they met the gods on their way to eternal life. The good deeds were recorded and the art that surrounded their mummified body was to help their spiritual self in solving the problems related to life after death. Pictures of food, clothing, servants, and slaves could be used by the deceased just as the real things were used by the person when living. The artists used bright colors of blue and red, orange and white to develop pictures that tell of the life of the deceased individual. The artist would first sketch a design on a piece of pottery, and if the design was satisfactory, it would be sketched on the wall with charcoal. Colors could then be used to fill in the completed picture. Paints were made from naturally occurring minerals and artificially prepared mineral substances.
Ankh Only Kings, Queens, and Gods were allowed to carry this symbol. The ankh is the Egyptian sign of life and indicates that the King or God holding it has the power to give or take life away from lesser mortals. The Ankh, as a symbol of the life giving elements of air and water, was often used by a God or Goddess who holds the ankh before the Kin’s nose, giving him the “breath of life” or as streams of water in the form of ankhs running over the King during ritual purification. This ankh is decorated with the “djed” pillar and the dog-headed “was” scepter. The djed pillar was a symbol of stability and was considered the backbone of the God Osiris. The was scepter was a popular symbol for the Gods to hold and means well-being and happiness.
Atum Atum (also known as Tem or Temu) was the first and most important Ancient Egyptian god to be worshiped in Iunu (Heliopolis, Lower Egypt), although in later times Ra rose in importance in the city, and eclipsed him to some extent. He was the main deity of Per-Tem in Pithom in the eastern Delta. Atum was the father of the gods, creating the first divine couple, Shu and Tefnut, from whom all the other gods are descended. He was also considered to be the father of the Pharaohs. Many Pharaohs used the title “Son of Atum” long after the power base moved from Iunu. Atum’s close relationship to the king is seen in many cultic rituals, and in the coronation rites.
The Pyramids
One of the most notable and lasting achievements of the Ancient Egyptians are their pyramids. The size, design, and structure of the pyramids reveal the skill of these ancient builders. The pyramids were great monuments and tombs for the kings. The Egyptians believed that a king’s soul continued to guide affairs of the kingdom even after his death. To ensure that they would continue to enjoy the blessings of the gods, they preserved the pharaoh’s body through the mummification process. They built the pyramids to protect the pharaoh’s body, the pyramid was a symbol of hope, because it would ensure the pharaoh’s union with the gods. The largest pyramid in existence is the Great Pyramid built by King Cheops (Khufu) at Giza. The Great Pyramid measures 481 feet high, by 775 feet long at each of its four bases. Other notable pyramids include the Step Pyramid built for King Zoser, and the pyramid built for King Huni, that was a transition between the step pyramid and the smooth sided pyramid we know today.
Akhenaten Akhenaten (“He who is of service to the Aten” or “Effective Spirit of Aten”) is one of the most famous pharaohs of ancient Egypt, despite the attempts of later rulers to omit him from the lists of kings. He began his reign under the name Amenhotep IV (“Amun is satisfied”). As the son of Amenhotep III, he inherited a prosperous and peaceful nation. He was crowned pharaoh with all of the usual flair and began an apparently normal reign. It is thought that his father reigned as co-regent during the first few years, but this is disputed by some scholars. The coregency is supported by similarities in the artistic style during the later years of Amenhotep III and that of his son, but the style may well have developed before Akhenaten (then Amenhotep IV) became king.
Egyptian frog-goddess Heket was the Egyptian frog-goddess of childbirth. She was depicted as a frog or a woman with the head of a frog. On temple walls she was typically in anthropomorphic form, while on amulets Heket was usually in animal form. Pregnant women often wore amulets and scarabs featuring Heket to protect them during childbirth. She was often featured on ivory knives dating to the Middle Kingdom. These knives were used to magically protect the home. Midwives were called “servents of Heket.”
Religion in Ancient Egypt: The Gods and Goddesses
There were an incredible number of Gods and Goddesses in Ancient Egypt, one for almost every situation and place. Many of the Gods began as local deities and were later organised and merged with others to form either a Triad or an Ennead (nine). There were several large schools of theological thought in Egypt, and each proclaimed its superiority over the others. A ruling dynasty would often promote their chief local god to the chief national god. For example, Amun (associated with Thebes) did not become a major deity until the shift of power to Thebes in the Middle Kingdom. Many of Ancient Egypt’s Gods and Goddesses share characteristics and epithets at different times in history. For example, Sekhmet (the lion Goddess of Memphis), Mut, Tefnut and Hathor are all given the title ‘the Eye of Ra’ and given the task of protecting the sun god. There is often confusion about the different gods known as Horus. For example, Horus the elder was often thought to be the consort of Hathor, while Horus the younger was the son of Isis and Osiris. This is unsurprising given that the Egyptian civilisation survived for over three thousand years, and the religious system was constantly evolving.
Montu
Montu was a solar hawk god and a god of war. His name is thought to derive from the term for a nomad. He was primarily worshipped in the Theban nome in Armant, Madu, Tod, and Karnak. It seems that Montu was originally a local form of the sun god worshipped in Hermonthis, the capital of the Theban nome. He was said to be the destructive power of the sun. His worship was established in Thebes during the Eleventh Dynasty and he was given the epithet “Lord of Thebes”. Thebes was the location of the royal court at that time and so Montu became a powerful state god associated with the pharaoh. Three kings took the throne name “Montuhotep” but the most notable was Montuhotep I who reunited Upper and Lower Egypt after the turmoil of the First Intermediate Period. However, during the Twelth Dynasty his position as state god was taken by Amun and Montu came to be seen more as a war god than an aspect of the sun.
Horus The name Horus is Greek. In Ancient Egypt he was known as “Heru” (sometimes Hor or Har), which is translated as “the distant one” or “the one on high”(from the preposition “hr” meaning “upon” or “above”). He was considered to be a celestial falcon, and so his name could be a specific reference to the flight of the falcon, but could also be seen as a more general solar reference. It is thought that the worship of Horus was brought into Egypt during the predynastic period.He seems to have begun as a god of war and a sky god who was married to Hathor, but soon became considered as the opponent of Set, the son of Ra, and later the son of Osiris.
Monuments of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt is perhaps best known for its incredible monumental architecture typified by the pyramids. In some notable cases such as the Great Pyramid, people have refused to believe that their monuments were even man-made, preferring to ascribe them to a mythical civilisation (such as Atlantis) or an alien life-form. This, of course, does a great disservice to the ancient Egyptians ingenuity and skill, but also fails to recognise the developmental stages of their art and architecture. “Ockham’s Razor” states that the simplest solution is usually the best, and in this case, the simplest answer is that the Egyptians did indeed build these incredible structures. The ancient Egyptians believed that after death the soul travelled through the underworld to the Halls of Ma’at (or Halls of Judgement). There their heart was weighed against the feather of Ma’at and those who met the standard passed on to a blissful existence in the field of reeds. As a result, ancient Egyptian tombs often include a description of the achievements and virtues of the deceased, spells to aid the deceased in their dangerous journey and “magic doors” to allow the spirit to return and gain sustenance from offerings left in the tomb.
Thoth
Thoth was one of the earlier Egyptian gods. He was popular throughout Egypt, but was particularly venerated in Khnum (Hermopolis Magna) where he was worshipped as part of the Ogdoad. As the power of his cult grew, the myth was rewritten to make Thoth the creator god.
Although Osiris and Isis were generally credited with bringing civilisation to mankind, Thoth was also thought to have invented writing, medicine, magic, and the Egyptian´s civil and religious practices. He was even credited with the invention of music, which was more often associated with Hathor. Thoth was the patron of scribes and of the written word. He was scribe of the underworld who recorded the verdict on the deceased in the hall of Ma´at and was given the epithets “He who Balances”, “God of the Equilibrium” and “Master of the Balance”.
Am-heh The ancient Egyptian God Am-heh was a terrifying god of the netherworld whose name translates as “the devourer of millions”. He was depicted as a man with the head of a ferocious hunting dog. Am-Heh lived on a lake of fire, and only Atum was able to repel him. He is sometimes seen as an aspect of Ammit, the personification of divine retribution, as she had his name as an epithet. He has also been linked to the baboon god Babi (or Baba) because of their common interest in human flesh. Am-heh was not worshipped, he was feared.
Chariots in Ancient Egypt
The chariot is perhaps more properly considered as a means of transportation. It was the vehicle of choice of the elite and royalty in ancient Egypt while the common people had to make do with carts towed by oxen or the humble donkey. It was also used by the pharaoh to indulge in a spot of hunting. However, in ancient Egyptian art the image of the pharaoh riding into battle on his chariot was a very popular device for proving to everyone that the pharaoh was the brave military leader of his people. It is generally considered that the Hyksos introduced the chariot to Egypt. The names commonly ascribed to the component parts of the chariot were semitic and common design motifs were Syrian in origin. If the story of the exodus is to be taken at face value (which is admitedly rather doubtful) and the ancient Egyptians rode chariots when pursuing the fleeing israelites, then it would seem that the exodus occurred after the Hyksos incursion. However, the discovery of horse remains dated to the Thirteenth Dynasty (during the second intermediate period) may suggest that horses were introduced into ancient Egypt at least in some limited sense before the Hyksos occupation. A stela depicts Army Commander Khonsuemwaset, son of Dudimose (an obscure Thirteenth Dynasty King) seated with his wife on a chair with a pair of gloves depicted underneath him may indicate that he was a charioteer. However, the text of the autobiography of Ahmose son of Ibana (which describes the war between Ahmose I amd the Hyksos) implies that the ancient Egyptians used marines rather than chariots when attacking Avaris and may not have integrated the chariot into their army until the Hyksos had been expelled.
Amentet The ancient Egyptian Goddess Amentet was the consort of Aken. Her name means “She of the west”. This was not just a geographical statement, although some scholars consider that she originated from Libya. As the sun set in the west, it was associated with death and the netherworld. The name Amentet referred to both the west bank of the Nile and to the world of the dead, and the dead were sometimes known as “westerners”. As a goddess of the dead, Amentet is thought to have lived in a tree at the edge of the desert overlooking the gates to the underworld. She was often depicted in tombs and coffins, protecting the dead. However, she was also a fertility goddess. She met the souls of the recently deceased and offered them bread and water before ushering them into the realm of the dead.
Isis Isis was one of the oldest gods or goddesses of ancient Egypt but her origins are unclear. She is sometimes thought to have originated in the Sinai but is is also likely that she was first worshipped as a fetish in the Delta area of Lower Egypt around Busiris, the location of the oldest known cult center to Osiris. The cult of Isis, the Egyptian goddess, was very popular throughout Egypt, and beyond and she became a goddess of almost limitless attributes. Isis was her Greek name, but she was known to the ancient Egyptians as Aset (or Ast, Iset, Uset), which is usually translated as “(female) of throne” or “Queen of the throne”.
Ancient Egyptian Military
At the head of the army of course was the King. He was the main decision maker of military campaigns.Under him were his generals. One of the more intelligent decisions the Pharaoh made was to appoint 2 army generals rather than one. This way the power was divided rather than centralized, and the threat of overthrowing the thrown by a general was halved.There were 2 main ancient Egyptian armies - those of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, with one of the 2 generals at the head of each.Also, another intelligent tactic by the Pharaoh was to appoint these generals from his own royal family (such as princes). This kept more power in the family. Then the next division was according to the soldiers’ skills. There were charioteers, spearmen and archers.And then the foot soldiers were divided into infantries of 5,000 men each. These were further divided into platoons and squads of smaller numbers of soldiers.
Apep Apep was the ancient Egyptian spirit of evil, darkness and destruction who threatened to destroy the sun god Ra as he travelled though the underworld (or sky) at night. Originally Set and Mehen (the serpent headed man) were given the job of defending Ra and his solar barge. They would cut a hole in the belly of the snake to allow Ra to escape his clutches. If they failed, the world would be plunged into darkness. However, in later periods Apep was sometimes equated with Set who was after all a god of chaos. In this case a variety of major and minor gods and goddesses protected Ra from this all consuming evil. The dead themselves could also fight Apep to help maintain
Set (Seth) Set (Seth, Setekh, Sut, Sutekh, Sety) was one of the most ancient of the Egyptian gods and the focus of worship since the Predynastic Period. As part of the Ennead of Heliopolis he was the son of Nut and Geb and the brother of Osiris, Horus the elder, Isis and Nephthys. He was a storm god associated with strange and frightening events such as eclipses, thunderstorms and earthquakes. He also represented the desert and, by extension, the foreign lands beyond the desert. His glyph appears in the Egyptian words for “turmoil”, “confusion”, “illness”, “storm” and “rage”. He was considered to be very strong but dangerous, and strange. However, he was not always considered to be an evil being. Set was a friend of the dead, helping them to ascend to heaven on his ladder, and he protected the life giving oases of the desert, and was at times a powerful ally to the pharaoh and even the sun god Ra.
Animals in Ancient Egypt
In modern times, the role of animals is mostly as companionship, food, and occasionally entertainment. Animals in ancient Egypt were not seen as simple as we may see them now. Their belief system often deified various animals, or at the very least connected them to the gods and goddesses that they worshipped. Falcons and hawks were representative of the god Horus, and are often believed to be the guardians of the pharaoh. The ibis was a common bird in Egypt and was considered a sacred bird of Thoth. Many ibises were mummified and buried in many tombs and catacombs across Egypt. Vultures were also figures of protection often seen on the ceilings of temples and were associated with the deities Nekhbet and Mut. Horses were not a common fixture in Egyptian life until the New Kingdom,despite the belief that they were introduced to Egyptians with the invasion of the Hyksos. Donkeys however were much more common and were used in processions, hunting and even pulled chariots during war. Horses were rare and much more expensive and were therefore a status symbol and where often used as gifts from a pharaoh to another ruler. The rilapia and abdju fish were believed to swim alongside the sun god Ra’s barge as it sailed through the underworld. They were on the lookout for Apep, the water snake, who was Ra’s enemy. Cattle were special to the Egyptians: cows were often raised and slaughtered in the name of sacrificial offerings. Other ancient Egyptian animals such as pigs, goats, and sheep were used for food and clothing.