sign in sign up
<<
Home , Ancient art, Caesarion, Narmer

Ancient

Prehistoric Art Egyptian Ancient World n The ancient world was made of multi-cultural, multi-lingual, polytheistic societies. Each has its own uniqueness to it. n Cave dwellings, the earliest human figures, the invention of , the creation of towns, laws, "an eye for an eye,” mummies, pyramids, , – this is the ancient world at a quick glance. n Prehistoric - Early humans were nomadic hunter-gatherers who had to follow their food source. They developed tools to help them survive and make the most of their environment and resources. Around 8000 BC they settle into communities, domesticate animals and grow crops. A sedentary lifestyle also allowed humans to specialize in specific jobs. Ancient World n Ancient Near East - The earliest developed in , and cities throughout the region, like and , became prosperous centers of trade and religion. A social hierarchy developed in Sumer with the king and priests were at the top; slaves were at the bottom. The Sumerians developed writing. The Mesopotamians were also the first builders - Sargon the Great unified the Mesopotamian city-states into his empire and unified the city-states through a legal code. n Egyptian – the was a natural resource and defense for the Egyptians; life developed along the river. Ancient Egyptian history is divided into three eras: the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Each era was ruled by a series of who got their power through dynastic succession (father to son). Women had as many rights as men, something that was nonexistent in other ancient societies. They developed their own form of writing, hieroglyphs, their own sets of gods and goddesses and maintained a positive view of the afterlife. Prehistoric Art n Phases of art: n Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) – 35,000 – 7,000 BC n Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) – 7,000 BC – 4,000 BC n (New Stone Age) – 4,000 BC – 2,000 BC n Works of art include cave paintings, reliefs, of stone, ivory and/or bone. n Dates range from 28,000 BC – 2000 BC and vary according to region. n Precision in dating is impossible in this era and usually a range of several thousand years is assigned to each artifact n Prehistoric Art refers to art of mankind before writing. All understanding of Prehistoric Art is based on comparative analysis. Writing may or may not have existed, but nothing has been found to date. A lack of written record is what makes this era Prehistoric (before history). n Historical analysis requires writing, individuals from their own era recording their own history. Prehistoric is the only era in which we lack written records. Writing will develop in the Ancient Near East – the next lesson on Neolithic Art. Prehistoric Europe Prehistoric Art n Paleolithic Art introduces the capability of humankind. n Representational (not literal) images appear in Asia, Africa & Europe. n Cave dwellers created a fixed environment which identified their time and space. n Cave dwellers possibly invented symbols to ritualize their domain and give birth to the beginnings of understanding the world around them. n They created the “hunt” on cave walls & began the art of representation. n Often referred to as “primitive” or “barbaric.” People were intelligent, reflective and like us, they also had needs beyond food and shelter. n Humans are nomadic and move according to their needs and the seasons. n Tools were made of stone and bone, and textiles are made. n Images are made and put on cave walls. n Over 10,000 years before cave painting, Paleolithic artists were making sculptures out of stones and animal bones they found in the ground. n They were trying to represent the world around them. Mostly small and only a few inches in height, their sculpture was portable because they were nomadic. n Most figurines depict nude women dubbed “Venuses” after the Greco-Roman goddess of love and beauty but there is no association between them. It is a similarity in name only, not function. n The anatomical exaggeration suggests that most statuettes served as fertility images. n Artists were not aiming for naturalism in shape or proportion. n Notice the figures lack facial features. This is because the figurine does not represent one specific goddess but a larger idea – namely her function, which is fertility. Female Figurines

Nude ( of Willendorf), from Willendorf, Austria, ca. 28,000–25,000 BC. , 4 1/4” high.

What is known about this Venus? - thought to represent a fertility figures because of her enlarged breasts and abdomen.

Function? - religious. She held powers associated with fertility and childbirth

Features? - notice she lacks a face. This is because she does not represent one specific goddess, she represents the larger idea of fertility.

Why is it called “Venus”? Is that a contemporary term or one used by its creators? - The individuals who found her dubbed her Venus because she is nude, all most nude females in history allude to Venus. She has NOTHING to do with the Greek goddess. So this makes her name a contemporary one, we don’t know her original name. Venus of Willendorf, ca. 28,000- 23,000 BC Woman holding a bison horn, Limestone. 4 inches. France. ca. 23,000 – 20,000 BC limestone, 18 inches Compare & Contrast these figures. They both represent fertility. Bison Bison

Two bison, from the cave at Le Tuc d’Audoubert, France, ca. 15,000–10,000 BC. , each 2’ long. Twisted Perspective

Bison with turned head, from La Madeleine, France, ca. 12,000 BC. Reindeer horn, 4” long. Prehistoric, 12,000 BC

Twisted Perspective Images were shown with various viewpoints combined. Used by various ancient societies.

Greek, Red figure vase, 440 BC Egyptian, Palette of , 3000 BC Cave Paintings in France

Two main caves (sites): Lascaux and Pech-Merle

Layout, Lascaux Hall of Bulls, in Lascaux

Scenes like this, with various different animals and artistic capabilities, were done by numerous peoples over hundreds or thousands of year. As each new group of individuals settled in the cave, they (Above): detail left representations of their (Below): entire environment for future scene peoples. Cave Painting in

Bison, detail of a painted ceiling in the cave at Altamira, Spain, ca. 12,000–11,000 BC. Bison

Altamira Cave

Deer The picture can't be displayed.

Man in Prehistoric Art

n Man makes one of his earliest appearances in prehistoric painting in Lascaux. n To the left is rhino, beneath its tail is two rows of dots; to the right is a bison with its bowels shown in a coil; middle is a bird-faced (mask?) man with arms outstretched and only 4 fingers. n Far less care and detail is spent on the man than the animals. Why? (hint: think of the purpose of each image) Bird-headed man with rhinoceros and disemboweled bison, painting on the well, Lascaux Neolithic Art n Neolithic people aimed for the concrete, actual control of their environment. n They settled in fixed homes and domesticated plants and animals. n Go from hunters & gathers to farmers to townspeople. n Wandering hunter settled down to organized communities living in villages surrounded by cultivated fields. , England n Late Neolithic: Writing 1st c BC appears! Jericho, a modern-day Palestinian Permanent Structures city, began in the Neolithic era

Great stone tower built into the settlement wall, Jericho, ca. 8000–7000 BC

Giant walls were built around newly settled cities and watch towers were strategically placed. These both are early forms of defensive architecture. This will become the norm from here forward. Towns need to protect their livelihood and wealth – in this case it is material goods, crops, animals, etc. that are now living the towns that have a defensive wall all around them.

Note: in this view you are looking down at a watch tower and remnants of a wall. This happens because as each new wave of people settle here, they level the old town and build the new town on top, leaving the oldest parts of the town buried underground. Human figures are more common in Neolithic Art.

Human skull with restored features, from Jericho, ca. 7200– 6700 BC. Features modeled in plaster, painted, and inlaid with seashells. Life size. Excavation finds in Jericho included a group of human skulls on which Human figure, features have been “reconstructed” in from Ain plaster. They were given a life-like Ghazal, Jordan, appearance, which included seashells ca. 6750–6250 for eyes, painted hair & sometimes a BC. Plaster, moustache! painted and inlaid with bitumen, 3’ 5 3/8” high. Catal Huyk is the oldest and best excavated Neolithic town. It is in modern day .

7500 BC to 5700 B.C Catal Huyuk, Turkey

Restored view of a section of Level VI, Çatal Huyük, Turkey, ca. 6000–5900 BC (John Swogger).

Landscape with volcanic eruption (?), watercolor copy of a wall painting from Level VII, Çatal Huyük, Turkey, ca. 6150 BC.

The inhabitants of this town are showing a map of the town with a volcano erupting in the background – recording history without words. Monumental Architecture Neolithic Art in Western Europe

Hagar Qim is thought to date ca. 3600 to 3200 BC. Unlike most other Maltese temples, it is a single temple rather than a complex of two or three.

Aerial view of the ruins of Hagar Qim, Malta Scotland

House 1, Skara Brae, Scotland, ca. 3100–2500 BC. Skara Brae, Scotland

• A winding network of low and narrow stone passages linked the houses of Skara Brae. – This meant it was possible to travel from one house to another without having to step outside. • They left no written records of their beliefs and religious practices so we are forced to make assumptions based on various objects and clues found at the sites they visited and used on a regular basis. – The similarity to the domestic architecture to the nearby tombs shows that ritual formed a considerable part of everyday life and in death. England

Even today there is no one definite answer as to what the function of Stonehenge was. A temple, a calendar, a cemetery – ideas abound!

But if we look at Stonehenge in historical context, that is as a Neolithic structure, then logic tells us it is a temple. Art and architecture in this era was functional, it served a purpose. To create this monumental structure out of large megaliths (slabs of stone) that are not local to the area, tells Aerial views of Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, England, ca. 2550– us this must have been of great importance to its 1600 BC. Circle is 97' in diameter; trilithons 24' high. society. In the prehistoric world, structures of this size and of rare materials were almost exclusively made as temples, since the gods lived there. Ancient Near East ( and Persia) Ancient Near East (Mesopotamia and Persia) Ancient Near East n Move into historic societies. n Historic societies differ from Prehistoric based on written language, social organization, development in government, science and art, and the development of . n Covers modern day , , Jordan, Lebanon, , Iraq, and part of Turkey. n The major were Mesopotamian: Sumer, , , and Persia. Timeline n Sumerian art 3500-2332 BC n Akkadian art 2332-2150 BC n Neo Sumerian & Babylonian 2150-1600 BC n Assyrian art 900-612 BC n Neo Babylonian & 612-330 BC Sumer n Located in southern Mesopotamia. Often referred to as the “fertile crescent;” thought to be the site of the Biblical Garden of Eden. n Sumerians created a system of writing called (wedge-like writing). It is based on pictographs. n Sumer is also possibly the first civilization to establish a formal religion. n Older magic replaced by religion of gods & goddesses. Cuneiform tablet, ca. 3000 BC Ziggurat – large pyramidal platform created to hold a temple on top. Multiple views of the White Temple and Ziggurat at , 3200 BC Statuettes from the Temple of Abu, Tell Asmar, ca. 2700 - 2600BC Abu – god of vegetation. The figurines represent mortals rather than deities, with their hands folded in prayer. They are votive statuettes – a votive is an object offered in fulfillment of a vow, such as a figurine or a candle. Royal

Philadelphia Inquirer, May 20, 1934 Cemetery Sun, March 16, 1929. at Ur

n From 1922 to 1934, an archaeologist named C. Leonard Woolley excavated the site of the ancient Sumerian city of Ur. n He made many great discoveries about the people who lived there. n Among the 1800 graves he discovered, there were 16 tombs which had very special and valuable objects in them. He called them the 'Royal tombs'.

Found in the Royal Cemetery at Ur – a burial place of the leading families of Ur. Includes kings, queens, aristocrats and/or priests, with individuals laid to rest in royal fashion.

Made of , shell and red limestone. Divided into a “war side” and “peace side” – it is a historical narrative. The Standard of Ur

War side of the Standard of Ur, from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BC. Read from bottom to top, each row is known as a register. Starting in the lowest register, the kings men have gone out to capture individuals; middle register shows the soldiers on the far left leading the captured people who are shown on the right; top register the captured individuals are handed over to the king, who has his trusted soldiers behind him. Notice the king is larger than everyone else – this is hierarchal scale! The Standard of Ur

Peace side of the Standard of Ur, from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BC. Wood inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, 8” x 1’ 7”.

Read from bottom to top, each row is known as a register. The bottom register shows the men sent out to gather grains for a banquet; the middle register shows men gathering animals to be slaughtered for the banquet; the top register shows the king (again in hierarchal scale) enjoying the banquet with his men. Akkadian Art n Located north of Sumer; adapted Sumerian but spoke their own language. n Art focuses on commemorating their rulers vs. the gods. n introduced a new concept of royal power – unswerving loyalty to the king instead of your city- state. This is an absolute Head of an Akkadian ruler, from . , ca. 2200 BC Ancient Near Eastern Commemorates the Politics victory of Naram-Sin and Art over the Lullubi, a group of people from the Iranian mountains to the east. Notice how his soldiers appear to kill the Lullubi without any difficulty, this is propaganda. Naram- Sin stands as the largest figure in the center of the mountain top, the star-like objects in the sky represent the presence of deities who guide Naram-Sin and favor his victory. Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, Akkadian, ca. 2300- 2200 BC Babylonian Art n Babylonia rose to power and dominated Mesopotamia under Hammurabi. n Hammurabi codified the laws of Mesopotamia. n After his death Babylonia fell apart and was torn for centuries by foreign invaders. n Notice the continuing cultural traditions of the region

Stele with law code of Hammurabi, from , ca. 1780 BC Shamash – Horned helmet, Flaming shoulders Hammurabi and Shamash, detail of the stele of Hammaurabi, (fig. 2-17), from Susa, Iran, ca. 1780 BC

Hammurabi Who might Shamash be?

Notice Hammurabi is eye to eye with Shamash, this is a bold step in the history of man. Here a ruler is putting himself on equal ground with a deity. Assyrian Art n Assyrians became the dominating power in the Near Eastern world, defeating all the warring peoples and foreigners. n By 900 BC the Assyrian Empire was firmly established. , Khorsabad and Nineveh were Assyrian centers and capitals. n Their borders range from the Nile (Egypt) to the (Iraq), from the (Iran) to Asia Minor (Turkey). n As a result of unremitting warfare, Assyrians are often depicted as cruel and merciless people whose atrocities in warfare were bitterly decried throughout the ancient world. Ashurnasirpal II Palace, Nimrud Drawing of the citadel of Sargon II, Khorsabad, ca. 720 B.C Notice the defensive walls and towers – just like we saw in Jericho! They have a new look but their function is the same. Lamassu, ca. 720 BC An Assyrian protective deity, often depicted as having a human's head, a body of an ox or a lion, and bird's wings. Royal lion hunt, reign of Ashurnasirpal II, 875–860 BC Nimrud

Hunting was a royal hobby. It also was symbolic show of strength.

Dying Lioness, detail, Palace of , Nineveh, ca 650 BC Once again we have defensive architecture. This gate was the 8th gate to the inner city of Neo-Babylonian Babylon. As such, it is much more opulent than our earlier gates which were purely functional and lacked imagery. The images you see on the gate are 3 gods of Babylon shown repeatedly. They were placed on the gate for protection.

Ishtar Gate, 575 BC Lions were sacred to the goddess Ishtar (fertility, love, sex & war) Dragon of Marduk: a snake's head, a lion's body and eagle's claws. (water, vegetation, judgment & magic)

Bull of Adad (storm-god) Persian Power & Opulence n This is the next gigantic empire of conquest, that by 440 BC extended from Iran to in the south and west to Egypt and into Europe as far as the Balkans. n We know of it best in European history for its inability to conquer the Greeks. We should see it as a tribute collecting military elite, not a centralized, law providing government. n It was the conquest and partial expansion of this region’s elite that created the equal but much more transitory empire of Alexander Cyrus the Great "King of Babylon and King of the Land"

Cyrus, King of Persia (559-530 BC), first Achaemenid Emperor.

Cyrus was known for his generous attitude towards those he defeated as well as great tolerance and respect towards the religious beliefs and cultural traditions of other races.

On the cylinder, Cyrus claims to have achieved the conquest of the Babylonians with the help of Marduk, the god of Babylon. Originally a fortified palace complex, destroyed by Alexander the Great in retaliation for the Persian destruction the Acropolis

Ceremonial centre and a center for government, established by Darius I (grandson of Cyrus), expanded by Xerxes

Persepolis (apadana (audience hall) in the background), Iran, ca. 521–465 BC. Satrapy - in ancient Persia, a province or territory governed by a governor

Processional (detail) on the terrace of the apadana, Persepolis, Iran, ca. 521–465 BC.

The walls of the platform show the main ritual that takes place in the Apadana, the annual delivery of tribute (money) from the empire’s 27 vastly dispersed satrapies. We see a procession of the regents of each region, led by guards, in their national dress with their characteristic national commodities Overview n The rise of civilization occurred when man gave up hunting and gathering for the more controlled, stable existence for farming and herding. n The region of the Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia in particular, created a controlled, urban environment by mastering the plow and hoe and settling in one place. n This allowed for a more established, a more regulated and dependable existence. n In Mesopotamia, organized religion, politics and society were also regulated. Egyptian Art Egyptian Art n Predynastic: 5500 BC –3100 BC (overlaps with Neolithic) n Old Kingdom: 2650 BC – 2134 BC n Middle Kingdom: 2040 BC – 1640 BC n New Kingdom: 1550 B.C – 1070 BC n Ptolemaic: 332 BC – 395 AD n Herodotus characterized the Egyptians as “religious to excess,” their concern with immortality amounted to near obsession and the overall preoccupation in this life was to insure safety and happiness in the next life. (An Account of Egypt, 5th c BC) Important Egyptian Capitals:

Memphis Thebes ()

Important Egyptian Sites: Valley of the Kings Predynastic n Egyptians developed written language (possibly before the Sumerians) and institutionalized religion. n Developed a settled, agricultural civilization along the Nile. n Pottery was being made and tombs were constructed of mud and . n (north) was more opulent, populous and urban; People, boats and animals, detail of a (south) was dry, watercolor copy of a wall painting rocky, culturally rustic. from Predynastic tomb at Hierakonpolis, ca. 3500 – 3200 BC Think of this as a photograph. It is a snapshot of daily life along the nile and includes animals, humans and boats as they move along the Nile. Palette of Narmer

Upper Egypt = Falcon (god) Lower Egypt = papyrus plant

Palette of King Narmer (left, back; right, front), from Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic, ca. 3000–2920 BC In three registers:

Top: 2 cow heads symbolic of ; Narmer’s name written in hieroglyphs

Middle: the king, wearing the white crown (of Upper Egypt), accompanied by an official (carrying his sandals) slays an enemy . Beside him we see the human armed falcon, , the king’s protector, over a human-headed papyrus hieroglyph for Lower Egypt.

Below : two more slain enemies. Below are fallen enemies and above are further symbols for the king’s palace and the cow-faced goddess, Hathor. In four registers:

Top: 2 cow heads symbolic of Hathor; Narmer’s name written in hieroglyphs

Top Middle: Narmer, in the red, crown of Lower Egypt reviews beheaded enemies.

Lower Middle: a symmetrical pair of [lions] with their necks intertwined, symbolizing the unification.

Bottom: bull topples a rebellious city. Why is the palette important? The simple answer: n The Palette of Narmer is a major historical document and piece of Egyptian sculpture of the Early Dynastic period, ca. 3150 BC. n It shows, in representational and symbolic form, the conquest of Lower Egypt by an Upper Egyptian ruler called Narmer (aka ). Old Kingdom

n The standard tomb was the mastaba (Arabic for “bench”), built over a subterranean tomb chamber, connected with the outside by a shaft. n Originally built for an individual, it eventually was used for multiple family burials. n Funerary chapel ca. 2650 BC the Step Pyramid of was built.

Dual purpose: protect mummified king and his possessions & symbolize his absolute and godlike power.

Created by Imhotep, first known artist of recorded history Old Kingdom Pyramids n Egyptian tombs provide the principal, if not the exclusive, evidence for historical reconstruction of Egyptian civilization. n On the west bank of the Nile are the three pyramids of , and (4th Dynasty). n By the 4th dynasty, the king’s considered themselves the son of Re (Sun god) and his incarnation on earth. n Pharaohs believed the spirit and power of Re resided in the ben- ben, a pyramid shaped stone, so it isn’t a far stretch to believe that their bodies and spirits would be similarly preserved within pyramidal tombs. **Khafre Khufu Menkaure Diagram, Inside of a pyramid Great Sphinx (with Pyramid of Khafre in the background at left), Gizeh, Egypt, Fourth Dynasty, ca. 2520–2494 BC. , 65’ X 240’. Sphinx = human head (intellect), lion’s body (strength & authority) ; associated with sun god. Is this an appropriate image for a ? Making sculptures

Sculptors at work, detail of the south wall of the main hall of the funerary chapel of Rekhmire, Thebes, Egypt, 18th Dynasty, ca. 1425 BCE.

Images such as this wall painting provides information on how sculptures, and by extension architecture, was made in Egypt. Mummification • Mummification is an embalming technique • Preservation of the body was required so the deceased person could live for eternity. • Equally important were all earthly possessions so that everything that was enjoyed in this life could continue to be enjoyed in the next life. – Food, drink, utensils – Ushabtis (figurines) Mummification Process

• After the death of the pharaoh, his body was taken to a mortuary temple and washed with palm wine and water from the Nile. • An incision was made on the left side of his abdomen to remove his lungs, liver, stomach and intestines. The brain was removed through the nostrils. (The heart, the center of intelligence and feeling, was not removed as it was needed in the afterlife). • The organs were then packed with natron (salt) to prevent decaying. They were then placed into 4 separate canopic jars to preserve and protect the organs. Mummification Process

• The body was covered in natron for 40 days, then washed and anointed with fragrant oils to make it more flexible. Herbs and spices, linen, sawdust and salt were then packed into the body, which helped give it a more life-like appearance. • Wrapping the body with linen could take up to a week. The head and neck were wrapped first, then the fingers and toes were wrapped individually. Third were the arms and legs. Bandages were painted with liquid resin. An outer cloth, with images of the god Osiris, are on the outer most layer. – Amulets were placed between layers of linen to protect the body in its journey though the underworld. • Lastly, the body was placed into a coffin, then a 2nd and finally a 3rd. A procession then took place in which the pharaoh's mummified body was moved to his final resting place, his tomb. Mummies Menkaure & Khamerernebty, Gizeh, ca. 2525-2475 BC

Seated scribe, from a mastaba in Saqqara, ca. 2500-2400 BC

In tombs, sculptures provided the important function of creating an image of the deceased that would house the (soul), should the mummy be destroyed.

Royal and noble class images were made of stone (more durable than clay and wood)

For this reason, an interest in portraiture developed early in Egypt. Middle Kingdom n Rock-cut tombs replace the mastaba. Pyramids were built but on a much smaller scale. n Sarcophagi (coffins) became larger and heavier, made of granite. They were intended to stop robbers b/c of their size and weight. n Portraits become realistic. They are personal, tend to show anxiety, reflective of a trouble time in Egypt. Fragmentary portrait of Sesostris III, c. 1875-1825 BC Tomb of Beni-Hasan Ca. 2000-1900 BC New Kingdom n A new is established at Thebes, a great metropolis full of palaces, tombs and temples along both sides of the Nile. n Trade with Asia and Aegean (Greek) Islands n Egypt’s borders extended from the in the East to Nubia (Sudan) in the south. n Considered the most brilliant period in Egypt’s long history. Mortuary Tomb of , ca. 1490-1460 BC, Deir el-Bahari

Many of the reliefs inside depict her divine birth (daughter of Amen), coronation and great deeds.

First great pictorial tribute to the achievements of a woman in the . Hatshepsut with offering jars, from the upper court of her mortuary temple, Deir el-Bahri, Egypt, 18th Dynasty, ca. 1473–1458 BCE. Red granite, 8’ 6” high.

Notice Hatshepsut’s appearance. Does her appearance differ from male pharaoh’s? The answer is no. The royal headdress (nemes), the royal beard, the snake (uraeus) on her forehead and the short skirt are all symbols and attributes of a male pharaoh.

Why might she portray herself as a male? To reinforce her power and ability to rule. Temple of Ramses II ca. 1275-1225 BC

Proud of his many campaigns to restore the empire, he put 4 colossal images of himself in the façade.

The temple is dedicated to the most important gods of the New Kingdom, (the creator god of Memphis), -Re (the great god of Thebes) and Re-Harakhte (sun god of Heliopolis), as well as to the Pharaoh Ramses II himself. n Ruled for 9 years, died ca. 1325 BC at 18 yrs old n Tomb included sculptures, furniture, King Tut jewelry and accessories. Found in 1922. n Royal mummy is the focal piece, as the innermost of 3 coffins, shaped in the form of Osiris, god of death. n He isn’t known in history because he was a great ruler, he died too young to make an impact. He is well-known because his tomb was the first tomb found completely intact. Prior to this the tombs found by archaeologists were raided so ancient texts filled in the blanks were needed. n And he’s famous because of the “curse of King Tut” – not a curse at all but it sure does make for an interesting story! Numerous people who worked on this excavation died just after its finding – hence the curse (!) – but we now know those individuals died from bacteria that escaped the tomb when it was opened. Innermost coffin of Tutankhamen The linked image cannot be displayed. The file may have been moved, renamed, or deleted. Verify that the link points to the correct file and location.

Death mask of Tut, with semi-precious stones

Painted chest, from the tomb of Tut Ptolemaic n Greek rule in Egypt, 305 BC – 30 BC n – Cleopatra VII n Followed by Roman conquest of Egypt n Alexandria became the capital and a center of Greek culture and trade. n To gain recognition, the Ptolemies named themselves as successors to the Pharaohs, took on Egyptian traditions, portrayed themselves in Egyptian style and dress and participated in Egyptian religious life. n Built new temples to the Egyptian gods n Syncretism, both in imagery and gods, occurred. n Greco-Roman style Temple of , ca 237-57 BC Dedicated to the god Horus – god of the sky, war and hunting

Inscriptions on the walls tell us about culture and language during Greco-Roman times. Greco-Roman Syncretism

Religious syncretism as seen in Egypt refers to the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions. For example, Greek and Roman gods were reconciled with Egyptian gods as a Roman soldier - Roman period - first centuries Cleopatra (as ) and AD - Alexandria Temple of Hathor @ , 69 BC – 30AD And now onto Greece! You’ll start with Prehistoric, progress to Ancient, culminating in Classical Greece.