Egyptian and classical civilizations: Greek, Hellenistic, and Italian Renaissance periods

Egyptian Civilizations, Classical Greek or Hellenistic, Italian Renaissance

Egyptian Period: The Statuette of Amun at Karnak

The period of history in which the Egyptians reigned was an ancient and foreign society, much different than our own today. It was a dominant society that lasted over five thousand years. The society itself was very religious oriented. The culture's art was mostly tied to religious practices, with art glorifying the numerous gods within the ancient Egyptian religious belief. Part of that religious honor was devoted to the pharaohs, the kings who were treated like gods when they were in power. Thus, art from this period tends to reflect either praise for the god or the pharaoh, sometimes both in the same piece. The tombs of pharaohs were adorned with beautiful art and jewelry. The pharaoh himself was usually adorned with headdresses and other jewelry that is now considered art pieces themselves. Yet still, other art emphasized the beauty of the everyday, with normal people featured doing everyday activities. Most of the period's paintings were two-dimensional, but they also created fully detailed statues, both big and small. Ancient Egypt is home of some of the earliest known cemeteries and monuments (Inter City Oz 2010). Additionally, some of the earliest academic scholars hail from Egypt (Inter City Oz). The only remaining seventh wonder of the ancient world, the great pyramids, whose beauty is magnificent in its ancient context before the surface stones were stripped to build modern day Cairo (American Institute of Pyramidology 2010). Ancient Egypt, in all of its glory, is truly an awe inspiring sight to see.

What currently stands in front of me is the beautiful Statuette of Amun. Amun, also know as Amun-Re was the sun and creation god. He was considered the most powerful god in the Egyptian dynasty of deities. The statue itself shines with a brilliant flare in the sunlight. It is made of pure gold. Even cast in such a rare medium, it stands 17.5 inches tall. It is a religious relic, which was commissioned by priests to be included within the ancient temple of Karnak, near modern day Luxor, where I now stand. The fact that it is gold makes it incredibly rare, a beautiful find that has modern day archeologists stunned at its amazing detail in such a small figure. To see it in its heyday is a truly magnificent sight.

The statue itself has signature elements which give hints on the nature of its creator and the time period in which it was fashioned. There is a soft mold to the golden torso, with a very narrow waistline. This style is typical of the Third Intermediate period (Metropolatin Museum of Art 2010). Great artistic achievements and advances came during this era, when you could feel the decrease in centralized power all over Egypt.

All of the statuettes' characteristics portray the figure as being a god. He is standing in an ancient traditional pose, with his left leg first and extended beyond the right. His beard is braided, a feature which was also associated with the characteristics of a god. As Amun, he also wears a flat-topped crown, which was his signature. The figure is carrying and ankh in one hand and a scimitar in the other which is laid across his chest.

The gold represents the sun in ancient Egyptian culture, and so it is the only fitting

Hellenistic period

The Hellenistic period began in 323 BC, after the death of one of ancient Greece's great heroes, Alexander the Great. Alexander had conquered vast expanses of the ancient world, which opened up great cultural influences on the people of Greece (National Museum of Athens 2010). During this era, the people speak a multitude of different languages, and there are cultural influences from around the ancient world parading through the streets, which might I add, have all been recently paved. The city itself looks strikingly similar to more modern day cities. The culture is ripe with artistic expression and acceptance. This is a period where all achievements of man are celebrated, from science and mathematics to new art forms. Hellenist art is famous for its life-like statues of the gods and goddesses. Ancient Greece is reminiscent of Egypt, in that its culture is also heavily intertwined with the religion, a pantheon of gods and goddesses who rule over different aspects of everyday life.