For this reason they perfectioned the process of embalming, that transformed the corpses into mummies that were placed in sarcophagus, protected from the exterior elements, such as heat, air and humidity, that might decompose the body. The sarcophagus was decorated according to the social status of the deceased.
In the tomb were stored various objects that they believed he might need in the next life. Animals were also embalmed to serve as companions during the journey to the next world. There was also a papyrus were there were written all the good qualities and deeds of the person, so he could be fairly judged by Osiris, the god of the nether world, in the court of the dead.
During their early history Egyptian religion traveled from polytheism to a sort of monotheism with philosophical shades. The main gods of the polytheist religion were Osiris, Amon-Ra, Horus, and Isis. Divinities were often represented in animal figures to symbolize the diversity of their attributes.
As for their vision over human beings, they believed that each man had a 'double', invisible and immaterial, that lived after the body was deceased. but, to assure the survival of the soul, the body needed to be preserved and the soul given a 'house' to inhabit in: the tomb.
For the Egyptians the tomb was more important than their houses, which they believed to be a merely transitory shelter, while the grave was the permanent residence they would inhabit in for eternity.
The shape stairway of the pyramid was perhaps a staircase towards heaven, which the soul of the person had to climb to reach the gods or the universe, where they presumably lived, and join Ra, the Sun god. Later pyramids took the straight wall shape, perhaps to help the ascension be faster and easier for the spirit.
Not only had the isolation from the air, sun and humidity helped preserve the mummies. The shape of the pyramid itself has the capacity of preserving concentrating the energy in the centre...
If anything, the style of Akhenaton would tend to emphasize positive features, and perhaps even idealize the figure. The change in style may be attributed to Akhenaton's introduction of monotheism into Egypt. Ahten, the one God into which all other Egyptian deities were formed, was usually portrayed as a sun figure. In keeping with Ahten's supremacy and the tendency of Egyptian monarchs to affiliate them with the prevailing deity,
On viewing extensive amounts of Egyptian art, the similarities between the subjects and styles is somewhat astounding to a Western eye, which is more trained to notice the different signs of individual artists. It easily becomes clear that though the Egyptians saw aesthetic value in art and material things, most of the artwork they left behind -- especially in tombs and funerary chapels -- serve a much higher purpose
Moreover, this particular work displays some of the key characteristics of Isis. In addition to her magical powers, Isis represented for Egyptian culture the model of perfection for womanhood. This model, of course, includes the role of the woman as a mother, which is why it is vital that she is breast-feeding her newborn in this sculpture. It is also key to understand the fact that Horus was one of
The "Stela" was made around 1350 BCE, during the amarna period, and depicts Akhenaten, who initiated monotheism in Egypt, and his consort Nerfiti, in a limestone relief carving. The "Stela" represents the pharaoh and his family in a naturalistic manner that breaks from the traditional Egyptian stylization. The royal couple hold their three babies underneath the sun in a garden setting. The lines of the carving are more fluid, and
Ancient Egypt featured a wide variety of different pharaohs's. It is often a less well-known fact that these on occasion included a female pharaoh, such as Nefertari or Hatshepsut. The 18th Dynasty is no exception to this rule. It is interesting to see the extent of the importance of religion in lives of the kings and the people of the time. Often this is indicated by the art created to
Artists express feelings, thoughts, and images within their art. Sometimes they show more than that and paint their spirit on canvas. Spirituality was an important aspect of identity for many throughout the centuries and millennia. In modern times, artists like Georges Braque and Wassily Kandinsky wished to showcase the essence of the intangible by illustrating it through unique patterns and shapes. During the Renaissance period, and during the Baroque
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