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Egyptian Worldview

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Egyptian Worldview A Journey Up the Nile Exploring the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt Meghan Strong, PhD History of Archaeology in Egypt Wallis, Flinders Petrie Excavating at the Ramesseum, 1895 Egyptology - is the study of ancient Egyptian history, language, literature, religion, architecture and art from the 5th millennium BC until the end of its native religious practices in the 4th century AD. A practitioner of the discipline is an Egyptologist. Phases of Egyptology Treasure hunting Biblical archaeology and antiquarianism Tutankhamun Nazis and Nationalism Pyramid builders Revolution and Post-Arab Spring Thutmose IV (ca. 1400 BC) Khaemwaset (ca. 1280 – 1220 BC) Description de l'Égypte Published following Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt from 1799 – 1802 First edition composed of 23 folios published from 1809-1822 Inspired travelers, artists, and opportunists to journey to Egypt Sparked the beginnings of modern Egyptology Frontispiece for Description de l'Égypte Frédéric Cailliaud Vivant Denon David Roberts, Statues of Memnon during the flood Giovanni Belzoni (Egypt: 1812-1819) Partial monumental statue of Ramesses II Sarcophagus lid of Ramesses III (E.1.123); (EA19); British Museum, London Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Alma-Tadema, The Finding of Moses Draftsmanship/ archaeological illustration Photography (Harry Burton) Conservation (Alfred Lucas) Great White Race James Henry Breasted George Andrew Reisner Who were the ancient Egyptians? How did they build their civilization? Egyptian Worldview John Reinhard Weguelin – The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat (1886) Chronology 3100 – 2686 BC Early Dynastic (Dynasty 0 – 2) 2686 – 2181 BC Old Kingdom (Dynasty 3 – 6) 2181 – 2025 BC First Intermediate Period (Dyn. 7 – 10) 2025 – 1700 BC Middle Kingdom (Dyn. 11 – 13) 1700 – 1550 BC Second Intermediate Period (Dyn. 14 – 17) 1550 – 1069 BC New Kingdom (Dyn. 18 – 20) 1069 – 664 BC Third Intermediate Period (Dyn. 21 – 25) 664 – 332 BC Late Period (Dyn. 26 – 31) 332 – 30 BC Ptolemaic Period Keep ma’at and carry on • Balance and order in the universe • Personified as the goddess, Maat Tomb of Nefertari (QV66); Luxor, Egypt Statue of Maat; Third Intermediate Period; Egyptian Museum, Cairo Painted chest of Tutankhamun; Egyptian Museum, Cairo Keeping Ma’at = Paradise Duality Duality in Nature • Day (sunrise/birth) • Night (sunset/death) • Inundation [Akhet] • Drought (death) (destruction/birth) • West • East (sunrise/living) (sunset/afterlife) Red Land and Black Land Kmt - Black Land Dshrt- Red Land Netcheru - Gods Tomb 100 • Hierakonpolis/Nekhen (ca. 3500 – 3100BC) • Predynastic tombs with animals and earliest painted tomb (ca. 3500 – 3200BC) • Narmer Palette and Main Deposit (ca. 3100 – 3000BC) Narmer Palette 2 feet Found in 1898 by Quibell and Green in the Temple of Horus at Hierakonpolis Scorpion macehead; Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Narmer macehead; Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Kingship • Powerful, divine ruler • Head religious figure, kingship affirmed by ritual • Head of state • Protector of Egypt – from foreigners, chaotic forces, etc. • Central to maintenance of ma’at Tomb 16 Complex • African elephant 39 Individuals • Aurochs • 1 little person (age 40) • None younger than 8 or older • Hartebeest than 35 • Hippopotamus • More than 75% under age of • Crocodile 15 and young women • 2 baboons • Nearby another complex • 15 cows found with a leopard, ostrich, crocodile, 6 baboons, 14 • 2 goats humans (including 1 little • 28 dogs person) http://www.hierakonpolis-online.org/ Abydos Temple of Seti I (ca. 1290 – 1279 BC) Osireion Tomb of Senebkay (ca. 1650-1600 BC) Origins of Egyptian State • Militaristic • Agricultural • Specialized craft production Abydos Early Dynastic • Abydos (ca. 3100 – 2650 BC) • Tomb U-j, 1st Dynasty burials including Narmer, Djer, Den, Semerkhet and Qa’a (ca. 2920 – 2770 BC) at Umm el Qa’ab • Valley enclosures of Khasekhemwy, Peribsen, Djer, Djet and Merneith (ca. 2900 – 2650 BC) Tomb of King Djer (ca. 3000 BC) Umm el-Qaab.
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