Egypt Art

CENTRAL PASSAGEWAY

Great Hypostyle Hall Temple of Amon, Karnak Dynasty XIX, 1318-1237 B.C. The central aisle of the great hypostyle hall at Karnak. It is lined on each side with six enormous columns seventy-eight feet high with lotus-blossom capitals. The passageway continues directly along the east-west axis.

SIDE COLUMNS

Great Hypostyle Hall Temple of Amon, Karnak Dynasty XIX, 1318-1237 B.C. There are side columns with lotus-bud capitals south and north of the central passage. They are shorter than the main columns and set at closer intervals. Light comes in through windows above the taller columns.

Detail, GREAT WINDOW GRILLE

Great Hypostyle Hall Temple of Amon, Karnak Dynasty XIX, 1318-l237 B.C. The windows are covered with stone grilles which severely limit the amount of light, leaving much of the columned hall in darkness.

Detail, OVERHEAD WINDOWS

Great Hypostyle Hall Temple of Amon, Karnak Dynasty XIX, 1318-1237 B.C. Only narrow rays of light can enter through these little openings cut into the seventy-eight foot high ceiling at Karnak. It is typically Egyptian to place windows high on the wall or to make them overhead slits like this in order to keep the buildings in near-darkness.

Detail, STRUCTURAL MEMBERS

Festival Hall of Tuthmosis III Dynasty XVIII, 1504-1450 B.C. The festival hall of Tuthmosis III also has light-slits high up in the wall which control and limit the entering light.

OBELISK OF QUEEN HATSHEPSUT

Temple of Amon, Karnak Dynasty XVIII, 1503-1482 B.C. The rose granite obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut is more than ninety-seven feet high. It is one of two built in front of Pylon V. Normally obelisks stand in pairs at the entrance to a temple. The top part which slopes to a point is called a pyramidion.

PILLARS OF TUTHMOSIS III

Temple of Amon, Karnak Dynasty XVIII, 1504-1450 B.C. These two pillars stand outside the sanctuary of Amon. The papyrus decoration on the left pillar symbolizes Lower Egypt and the lotus on the right symbolizes Upper Egypt.

AVENUE OF SPHINXES

Temple of Amon, Luxor Dynasty XXX, 380-363 B.C. This avenue of sphinxes connects the temple at Karnak with the temple at Luxor. Ahead is the pylon of Ramesses II.

PYLON OF RAMESSES II

Temple of Amon, Luxor Dynasty XIX, c. 1250 B.C. One of the original two obelisks in front of the pylon (the second was taken in the nineteenth century to the Place de la Concorde, Paris). Colossal statues of Ramesses II flank the entrance. The reliefs and hieroglyphics have mostly worn away.

MAIN PYLON RELIEFS

Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III Medinet Habu Dynasty XX, c. 1175 B.C. These brilliant pylon reliefs portray Ramesses III on a chariot drawn by horses as he and his archers hunt bulls at the edge of the river. Notice the contrasting scales between the king and his men and the fish carved at the bottom right.

PYLON II OF THE REMEDIES

From "Description de l'Æ'gypte" Paris, 1809-22 This aquatint from a twentieth dynasty relief shows the tall flagpoles which ordinarily stand in front of the pylon. They are wrapped in colorful cloth. The flagpoles next to the obelisks and statues constitute the third essential symbolic element at the entrance to the sacred precinct.

HYPOSTYLE COLONNADE

Temple of Amon, Luxor Dynasty XVIII, c. 1400-1360 B.C. The central colonnade of the long and narrow hypostyle of the temple at Luxor. It was started by Amenhotep III fifty years before the Karnak hypostyle and completed by Tutankhamon.

HYPOSTYLE COLONNADE

Temple of Amon, Luxor Dynasty XVIII, c. 1400-1360 B.C. There are seven papyrus-bundle columns fifty-two feet high on each side of the passage.

COLONNADE AND COURTYARD

Temple of Amon, Luxor Dynasty XVIII, c. 1400-1360 B.C. The hypostyle leads into a large court which is surrounded by columned halls open on the inner courtyard. In the distance is the pylon of Ramesses II. The columns on the left are bundled papyrus columns

PERISTYLE AND COURTYARD Temple of Amon, Luxor

Dynasty XVIII, c. 1400-1360 B.C. On three sides of the court the columns are in rows of two. On the fourth (the south side) is a vestibule which leads on to the sanctuary. Where the light begins to be cut off again the columns are in rows of four. Originally there was a roof over the columns and an enclosing wall on the outside.

Detail, COLUMNS FROM THE COURT

Temple of Amon, Luxor Dynasty XVIII, c. 1400-1360 B.C. These columns are among the finest achievements of Egyptian architecture. Known as papyrus-bundle columns, they represent bound stalks of the sacred papyrus plant which are capped with a cluster of papyrus buds.

COLOSSI OF MEMNON

Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, c. 1360 B.C. Egyptian sculpture is as monumental as its architecture. These two sculptures, each carved out of a single block of stone, are about seventy feet high. They represent Amenhotep III and were placed at the entrance to his mortuary temple. Notice the small figure of his wife on the left-hand statue; his mother has a similar place on the right-hand statue. The juxtaposition of different scales is a common practice in Egyptian art.

ROCK TEMPLE OF RAMESSES II

Formerly at Abu Simbel Dynasty XIX, 1304-1237 B.C. Ramesses II cuts this temple out of the rock mountain at Abu Simbel. Four huge sixty-five foot statues of the king overpower the facade. Little statues of his family are cut between the legs.

HYPOSTYLE HALL

Rock Temple of Ramesses II Formerly at Abu Simbel Dynasty XIX, 1304-1237 B.C. Inside the unique temple are the usual complex of rooms. These are two of eight large Osiris sculptures lined up four by four against the pillars in the hypostyle hall. They are placed to catch the morning sunlight coming through the main entrance. The great hall is fifty-eight feet long by fifty-four feet wide. Deeper into the rock is a pillared hall, a transverse hall, and the sanctuary. To the side of these main rooms are the eight small ones used primarily to store ceremonial articles.

SMALLER ROCK TEMPLE

Formerly at Abu Simbel Dynasty XIX, 1304-1237 B.C. The smaller temple at Abu Simbel is dedicated to Nefertari, Ramesses' wife and the goddess Hathor. Sculptures of the king and queen as Hathor alternate between incised pilasters in the form of buttresses. The carved areas of the facade were originally covered with painted stucco.

Step Pyramid Of King Zoser Saqqara

The Step Pyramid of King Djoser, located in Saqqara, Egypt, is an ancient marvel that stands as a testament to the ingenuity and architectural prowess of the Old Kingdom period. Built over 4,600 years ago, it is not only one of the oldest pyramids in Egypt but also represents a significant leap in the evolution of pyramid construction.

At first glance, the Step Pyramid appears as a towering series of six rectangular terraces or steps, each slightly smaller than the one beneath it, rising to a height of approximately 197 feet (60 meters). This unique step-like structure was a groundbreaking departure from the traditional mastaba tombs of the time and marked the transition from flat-roofed tombs to the iconic pyramids that would follow.

Designed by the renowned architect Imhotep, the Step Pyramid was constructed using limestone and encased in Tura limestone casing, lending it a striking white facade. The pyramid complex also includes a mortuary temple, courtyards, and a serdab (a hidden chamber containing a statue of the pharaoh), making it a comprehensive funerary complex.

This pyramid is more than a magnificent monument; it reflects the ancient Egyptians' spiritual beliefs and their commitment to preserving the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife. Its architecture, hieroglyphic inscriptions, and burial chambers provide a wealth of information about the religious and cultural practices of the time.

The Step Pyramid of King Djoser, Saqqara, serves as a bridge between Egypt's early architectural experiments and the grand pyramids of Giza that would follow. It is a symbol of innovation and ambition, a timeless testament to human creativity, and a mesmerizing window into the mystique of ancient Egypt.

MORTUARY COMPLEX OF KING ZOSER

Saqqara Dynasty III, 2780-2680 B.C. A thirty-five acre mortuary complex contains the pyramid, a small temple, courtyards, a palace, shrines, altars, storehouses, and tombs. The complex is surrounded by an enclosing or perimeter wall. There is one entrance, a simple doorway.

ENCLOSING WALL AND ENTRANCE

Mortuary Complex of King Zoser Saqqara Dynasty III, 2780-2680 B.C. The entrance to the complex. Like the pyramid, the enclosing wall is made of small stones and the surface is broken up and textured.

COLONNADED PROCESSIONAL HALL

Mortuary Complex of King Zoser Saqqara Dynasty III, 2780-2680 B.C. The processional way through the large stone hall is lined with engaged columns. The great court lies ahead.

CHAIR OF PRINCESS SITAMUN

From the tomb of Yuis and Thuiu Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1400 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo Similar to the preceding Old Kingdom chair, this New Kingdom chair has significant features of its own. The backrest is slanted and shaped, forming an open triangle with the straight back and the seat. The curved shape of the arms, leg stretchers, woven seat, an the elaborate gold decorations and carving are all distinctive. (This particular chair is a copy of the original.)

STELE OF WEPEMNEFERT

From Giza Dynasty IV, C. 2590 B.C. Museum of Anthropology University of California, Berkeley The stool with animal legs and a papyrus flower terminal is common in the Old Kingdom and earlier. This seat has a cushion.

Detail, BANQUETING SCENE

From the tomb of Nebamun and Ipuky Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1400 B.C. The three stools on the left are made with straight wooden legs and are supported by straight and diagonal braces. The folding stool on the right has animal legs and a seat covered with hide.

PAINTED AND GILDED STOOL

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1352 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo This ornate stool has a deep double cove seat and intertwined grillwork between the legs.

MERERUKA AND HIS WIFE SEATED ON A BED

From the Mastaba of Vizier Mereruka Saqqara Dynasty VI, C. 2325 B.C. An early bed with heavy lion-claw legs, a high board at one end and a foot-board and cushion at the other, and with a thick mattress. Underneath the bed are tables and vases.

BED

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo Covered in a heavy sheet of gold, this bed has a slightly curved frame with woven mesh. The legs are shaped like the fore and hind legs of a lion. The footboard (which is away from us) is carved with papyrus and lotus patterns. It is divided into three panels by binding rods which are also designed based on the papyrus.

GILDED LIONESS COUCH

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo A lioness couch with carved heads and long curving tails.

THRONE OF KING TUTANKHAMON

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1352 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo The golden throne of Tutankhamon. Sheet gold is worked around a wooden base and inlaid with faience, colored glass, lapis lazuli and calcite. The king and queen are sensitively portrayed on the shaped back. The arms are filled with winged cobras.

WOODEN CHAIR WITH GOLD-COVERED DECORATION

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1352 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo The back panel has beautiful open carving. The seat curves up at the edges and down in the center. This is called a double cove. The lion's claws are carved in ivory.

THE QUEEN PLAYING SENMUT

From the tomb of Nefertari Valley of the Queens Western Thebes Dynasty XIX, 1298-1235 B.C. The profile of this chair shows the shape of the lion leg and the straight outer back and curved inner backrest. The top of the back ends with a turn. The queen plays senmut, a game somewhat like chess, on a low table.

CHAIR OF SENNEDJEM

From the tomb of Sennedjem Deir el M?dineh Western Thebes Dynasty XIX, C. 1250 B.C. This chair is painted all over. The craftsmanship is crude.

HEADREST

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo This headrest is made of turquoise blue glass. The engraved gold band covers the joint between the top and bottom pieces. Its height is seven and one-quarter inches.

WOODEN TABLE

From Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1450 British Museum, London A three-legged table. The most common Egyptian table has four legs and is low and lightweight.

GAME TABLE

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo A game table of ebony and ivory. The game played is called senmut. When not in use, the pieces are stored inside the table.

CASKET

Dynasty IV, C. 2590 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Turin This wooden casket held a woman's toiletries. It is decorated with ivory and blue and black enamel. The height is eleven inches.

PAINTED CHEST

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo This simple chest on four short legs is elaborately painted, showing Tutankhamon in victorious battle against the Syrians. It was made to hold the king's sandals.

CHEST ON LEGS

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo An ebony and cedar chest on long slender legs. The form is emphasized by the gilded hieroglyphics.

ALABASTER BOX AND BOAT

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo The purpose of this carved alabaster box and boat is uncertain; perhaps it was used to hold perfume. Its value to us is that it is probably a replica of the funerary barge. It is inlaid with colored glass-paste and semiprecious stones and highlighted with gold leaf. Notice the columns with double capitals which support the awning or canopy over the cabin on the boat. The height is fourteen inches.

SHRINE OF THE ROYAL COUPLE

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo The golden shrine held golden statues of the king and queen. The panels show the king and queen at different moments of intimacy.

SMALL PERFUME JARS

Provenance unknown Dynasty XVIII British Museum, London Perfume jars made of colored glass less than four inches high.

FLORAL LAMP

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo The graceful design of this lamp is based on the lotus plant and rendered in transparent alabaster. In use each vase held oil and had a wick.

INNERMOST COFFIN OF TUTANKHAMON

From the tomb of Tutankhamon Valley of the Kings Western Thebes Dynasty XVIII, c. 1350 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo Tutankhamon's inner coffin highlights many qualities found throughout Egyptian art. A remarkably simple and sophisticated form is realized in very rich and refined materials. In this combination of form and materials, the Egyptian spirit strives to face the eternal world with dignity and peace.

COLUMN WITH CLOSED LOTUS CAPITAL

From the Middle Kingdom Found in Benihasan Horizontal section is also given (Lepsius, Tagebuch.) Like all lotus columns, this one has neither foliage nor entasis. From the stone base, on which the column is raised, rise 4 main stalks. These, and the 4 intermediate stalks, are held together by means of 5 chaplets. The capital is made up of 4 lotus-buds with longitudinal convex bands. The abacus is small and square.

CLOSED LOTUS CAPITAL

Dating from the Ancient Egyptian Kingdom Found by de Morgan in the tomb of the Ptah-schep-ses near Aboukir Horizontal section of the column is also given Revue arch. 1894. The column consists of 6 principal and 6 intermediate stalks, held together by 5 neck-bands. The capital consists of very sharp-pointed buds. The Intermediate stalks end above in open lotus-flowers. The whole column is painted over in a naturalistic manner.

THOTHMES PILLAR OF GRANITE

Dating from the New Kingdom Found in the sanctuary in Karnak (Lepsius, Tagebuch)

PALM-LEAF CAPITAL OF A COLUMN IN BERSCHE

Dating from the Middle Kingdom (Borchardt)

PAPYRUS COLUMN WITH OPEN FLOWER CAPITAL

From the granite pilasters in front of the Sanctuary in Karnac (Lepsius)

OPEN PAPYRUS FLOWER CAPITAL AT KARNAC

Dating from the Middle Kingdom (Prisse) Pictures and inscriptions are worked in between the painted flower stalks.

EGYPTIAN MURAL FRESCO

(Uhde).

EGYPTIAN FURNITURE

(Canina, arch. ant.).

SOUTHERN TOMB OF ZOSER

Saqqara Dynasty III, c. 2660 B.C. From the earliest dynasties Egyptian interiors are decorated with great care for content, design, and beauty. In the second Southern tomb in King Zoser's complex at Saggara, a relief depicts the king as he runs a ritual course during his Heb-Sed festival or jubilee. Blue faience tiles imitate reed matting around the low-relief panel and throughout the tomb. The delicate hieroglyphics symbolize eternal duration.

Painting detail, BURIAL VAULT OF SENNOFER

Sheikh Abd 1 Gurna, Thebes Dynasty XVIII, c. 1448-1422, B.C. A detail of the vine. The painting is on plaster.

FLOOR PAINTING

From Tell el Amarna Dynasty XVIII, 1379-1362 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo This is a portion of a floor painting with ducks, papyrus, and lotus flowers from the palace at Tell el Amarna. It was intended to be walked on.

Detail, PAINTED CEILING IN THE TOMB OF THE PAINTER MAY

Thebes Dynasty XVIII, c. 1320 B.C. Detail of a painted ceiling in the tomb of the painter May. A funerary text is inscribed on the center yellow band.

CEILING IN THE TOMB OF NEFERHOTEP

Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1345-1320 B.C. A richly decorative painted ceiling.

TOMB OF RAMESSES I

Valley of the Kings, Western Thebes Dynasty XIX, 1320-1318 B.C. Ramesses I is surrounded by gods on the walls of his tomb.

PYRAMID OF UNAS

Saqqara Dynasty V, c. 2350 B.C. The oldest known Egyptian religious text is meticulously cut into the walls of King Unas's tomb. The pyramid which stood above the tombs no longer exists.

Interior, MASTABA OF MERERUKA

Saqqara Dynasty V, c. 2500 B.C. The mastaba is a tomb for court functionaries. Ordinarily a burial chamber is cut into rock below ground level. Built above the chamber is a simple rectangular flat-topped brick structure with sloping sides. By the fifth dynasty the tomb chamber develops into a network of corridors and rooms. In the chapel of the Mastaba of Mereruka, a statue of the nobleman stands in a false door. He also is represented in the painted wall reliefs.

Interior detail, MASTABA OF TI

Saqqara Dynasty V, c. 2500 B.C. Scenes from daily life are portrayed throughout the tombs. Here a herdsman leads his cattle through a canal. The calf being carried in the front looks anxiously at its mother.

HATHOR CHAPEL

From Temple of Hatshepsut Deir el Bahari Dynasty XVIII, c. 1480 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo A variety of painted borders in orange, gold, and blue surround and enhance the large pictorial areas. The chapel roof is covered with a flat barrel vault, an unusual feature in Egyptian architecture, which is painted to look like a night teeming with stars.

BURIAL VAULT OF SENNOFER

Sheikh Abd el Gurna, Thebes Dynasty XVIII, c. 1448-1422 B.C. The normal effects of the unfinished and unsquared walls of this tomb are minimized by the painting. Notice the beautiful patterns juxtaposed on the ceiling.

TOMB PILLAR

Tomb of Sety I Valley of the Kings, Western Thebes Dynasty XIX, 1318-1304 B.C. A pillar in the hall of six pillars in the tomb of Sety I. It is painted on all sides. This side shows the king facing Osiris in the shape of a mummy.

ANTECHAMBER AND ENTRANCE

TO A SIDE CHAMBER Tomb of Nefetari Valley of the Queens, Western Thebes Dynasty XIX, 1304-1237 B.C. The decoration is elaborate, elegant, and mysterious. Prior to painting, the walls in the rock tomb are prepared with a thick coat of plaster and slightly modeled in relief.

LIMESTONE STATUE OF KING ZOSER

Zoser Mortuary Complex Saqqara Dynasty IV, C. 2667-2648 B.C. Egyptian sculpture is closely tied to its architectural surroundings. This is the first known portrait statue. It was buried in the ground at the foot of the kings step pyramid. Two holes were cut into the wall at eye level, linking the king with the outside world. Zoser is portrayed in the ritual garments of the Heb-Sed festival.

STATUE OF KING CHEPHREN

Dynasty IV, Egyptian Museum, Cairo One of the statues of King Chephren which stood in the hall of his valley temple at Giza. The pose is formal and the features are abstracted. He is protected by the falcon Horus. Originally the rich diorite stone was painted. Egyptian sculpture was not meant to be seen in the round. It stood up against a wall almost as if it were part of the wall.

STATUE OF KING MYCERINUS AND HIS QUEEN

From the Valley Temple of Mycerinus Giza Dynasty IV, 2680-2565 B.C. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Regal and human, the hard-stone sculpture of Mycerinus and his wife is the first known work of a couple. It stood in the valley temple of the king's pyramid at Giza.

STATUE OF KING NEB-HETEP-RA MENTUHOTEP

Dynasty XI, 2060-2010 B.C. Egyptian Museum Cairo A massive painted sandstone statue from a funerary niche in the king's mortuary temple at Dier el Bahari.

BLOCK STATUE OF SENMUT AND NEFERU-RA

Dynasty XVIII, C. 1500 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo The architect Senmut and Neferu-ra, daughter of Queen Hatshepsut, cut in granite.

GEESE OF MEIDUM

From the Mastaba of Itel, Meidum Early Dynasty IV, C. 2700 B.C. Cairo Museum Painted in sharp flat colors, these geese stand out against a neutral ground. In formal symmetry they face another group of three geese. They are a small part of a panel which is five feet long and only nine inches high. This is the oldest Egyptian painting to survive.

WILD LIFE IN THE PAPYRUS MARSHES

From the Mastaba of Mereruka Saqqara Dynasty VI, C. 2300 B.C. Another small scene from nature on the walls of a mastaba. Originally this strong relief was brightly painted.

DANCING GIRLS

From the tomb of Antefoker Thebes Dynasty XII, C. 1950 B.C. In this Middle Kingdom painting the figures are rigid and symmetrical. Everything is simplified, including the dress.

PAINTED WALL

From the tomb of an unknown person Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1500 B.C. Scenes from daily life are painted one on top of another and can be read like a comic book, although in Egyptian scenes, it is generally one "reads" it from the bottom up.

QUEEN AHMOSE

Bas-relief from the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut Deir el Bahari Dynasty XVIII, C. 1500 B.C. Painters and sculptors work hand in hand. During the eighteenth dynasty this collaboration achieves some of the great masterpieces of Egyptian art. The paint has faded on this small portion of a bas-relief of Queen Ahmose, mother of Hatshepsut. But the portrait that survives is delicate, moving and powerful.

BANQUETING SCENE WITH FOUR LADIES

From the tomb of Neferronpet Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1450-1425 B.C. Four formal figures move in a musical rhythm. This is achieved through color as well as line.

HIEROGLYPHICS

From the tomb of Thanuny Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1422-1411 B.C. In this small hieroglyphic section of a wall the two main portions are balanced through subtle variations. Notice how some brush strokes have been applied quickly, almost casually.

FOWLING IN THE MARSHES

From the tomb of Nebamun Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1417-1379 B.C. The hunt is frequently represented on tomb walls. This exquisite example presents the hunt in a magical way. While retaining the typical formalities, it overflows with energy.

Detail, HUNTING AND FISHING

From the tomb of Menna Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1422-1411 B.C. Depth in space is two-dimensional. Objects in the distance are kept the same size as those nearby and placed on top of them.

FEMALE MOURNERS

From the tomb of Ramose Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1411-1374 B.C. The mourners are controlled. Their gestures are calculated and impassive. These restrained qualities are typical of Egyptian art at this time.

THE PREFECT OF MEMPHIS, AMENHOTEP AND HIS WIFE

From the tomb of Ramose Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1411-1375 B.C. In the same tomb is this classical limestone relief.

THE DAUGHTERS OF AKHENATEN

From Tell el Amarna Dynasty XVIII, C. 1375-1358 B.C. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford The Amarna style developed briefly under the rule of King Akhenaten. One example of the style is this painting of orange-brown casual figures against a brightly decorated orange ground. While the heads seem unnatural in shape there is speculation that this is a realistic portrait of the two sisters who suffered from a genetic deformation of the skull.

ISIS, SETY I AS OSIRIS, AND THE PRIEST XUN-MUTEF

From a chapel dedicated to Osiris Temple of Sety I Abydos Dynasty XIX, C. 1304-1290 B.C. Some of the warm subtle color tones remain on this painted tomb relief of King Sety I.

LADIES IN THE SHADE OF THE SYCAMORE

From the tomb of Userhet Thebes Dynasty XIX, C. 1298-1235 B.C. Typical of the nineteenth dynasty, this painting is elegant, precise, rich and elaborate.

FUNERAL PROCESSION

From the tomb of Ramose Thebes Dynasty XVIII, C. 1411-1375 B.C. In the funeral procession the furniture-bearers carry most of the key pieces of Egyptian furniture: stools, a chair, boxes, a bed, and headrest. What one requires in the present world is necessary in the afterlife.

CHAIR OF HETEPHERES

From the tomb of Queen Hetepheres Giza Dynasty IV, C. 2600 B.C. Egyptian Museum, Cairo This low chair of Queen Hetepheres has a wide seat that slopes toward the back. In the side panels of the high arms are three carved papyrus flowers bound together. The front and back legs are shaped like the legs of a lion. They are supported by beaded drums. The oldest existing chair, it was carefully reconstructed with parts of the original.

Detail, ENGAGED COLUMN WITH PAPYRUS CAPITAL

Mortuary Complex of King Zoser Saqqara Dynasty III, 2780-2680 B.C. This beautiful form is introduced in Zoser's complex and lasts in variations throughout Egyptian architecture.

THE GREAT SPHINX

Giza Dynasty IV, c. 2540 B.C. The sphinx has the body of a lion and the head of a man. It reclines next to the causeway between the pyramid or mortuary temple and the valley temple of Chephren. Its meaning remains a mystery.

VALLEY TEMPLE OF CHEPHREN

Giza Dynasty IV, 2680-2565 B.C. In the valley temple the priests purify the body of the dead king on its way from the earth to eternity. The temple is a square building of massive limestone blocks which are faced with polished red granite. Light filters through small openings at the top of the wall. A flat roof is made of granite, the floors of alabaster. Against the walls stand statues of King Chephren (see A56).

SHRINE OF KING SESOSTRIS

Karnak Dynasty XII, c. 1940 B.C. This shrine or repository chapel is a resting place for the sacred barge which contains the figure of the god Amon as it moves along the processional journey in celebration of the king's jubilee. There are ramps at both ends of the shrine.

Detail, SHRINE OF KING SESOSTRIS I

Karnak Dynasty XII, c. 1940 B.C. The limestone pillars are decorated with relief and hieroglyphics.

Sen-Mut

TEMPLE OF HATSHEPSUT Deir el Bahari, Thebes Dynasty XVII, c. 1480 B.C. The Unique temple of Queen Hatshep is built upward in three stage against the towering mountain cliffs. It is dedicated to the God Amon with parts also dedicated to the goddess Hathor and the god Anubis. In spite of the temple's setting and its very different open feeling, it follows the ancient sequence. There is a valley temple, a causeway, a mortuary temple and, cut deep into the mountain rock, a funerary chapel. The Architect was Sen-mut, who was also chancellor to the queen.

BENT PYRAMID OF SNEFERU

Dahshur Dynasty IV, 2680-2565 B.C. The bent pyramid is transitional.

Detail, BENT PYRAMID OF SNEFERU

Dahshur Dynasty IV, 2680-2565 B.C. The casing gives a polished solid surface to the pyramid

PLAN OF TYPICAL FUNERARY COMPLEX

This diagram, while not of any specific funerary complex, shows the basic parts found at most of the sites. The body of the king was brought to the valley temple for the beginning of the burial process. In the valley temple it was "mummyfied" and prepared for burial over a period of two to three months. Next it was moved in a wooden coffin on a ceremonial barge, which was moved up the causeway to the mortuary temple. There after prayers and rituals it was placed on a more ceremonial barge which was moved by priests up a temporary ramp to the entrance of the pyramid. There it was carried to the tomb within the pyramid where it was placed into the sarchophagus, which was sealed with a heavy granite cover. After placing food and other objects for the use of the kings spirit within the tomb chamber, it was then closed and the pyramid sealed.

PYRAMIDS AT GIZA

Dynasty IV, 2680-2565 B.C. The three great pyramids at Giza. The largest, the pyramid of King Cheops, is in the rear. To build it required over two million large limestone blocks. The pyramid of King Chephren is in the center and the pyramid of King Mycerinus is in front. The three small pyramids are of Mycerinus's queens. These monumental pyramids are precisely oriented to the four cardinal points. Cheops' pyramid is a square, 756 feet on each side. Its height is over 481 feet and the slope of the sides is 552'.

COLONNADE

Temple of Hatshepsut Deir el Bahari, Thebes Dynasty XVIII, c. 1480 B.C. This colonnade is on the south side of the second terrace. Like all the colonnades throughout the temple complex, it is decorated with reliefs.

Detail, SCULPTURED PILLAR

Deir el Bahari, Thebes Dynasty XVIII, c. 1480 B.C. The goddess Hathor, protectress of the city of the dead, is carved on this pillar from the Hathor shrine on the south side of the first terrace. She is portrayed as a beautiful woman with the ears of a cow.

SACRED LAKE AND MIDDLE PORTION OF THE TEMPLE

Temple of Amon, Karnak Beyond the sacred lake, a significant part of the temple complex, is the hypostyle hall and to the left Pylon I. Pylon VII is on the far left, part of the processional avenue between the temple of Amon and the temple of Mut. On the far right are the obelisks of Tuthmosis I and Queen Hatshepsut.

AVENUE OF SPHINXES

Karnak Dynasty XIX, c. 1275 B.C. Ram-headed sphinxes line the processional way from the river to the entrance of the temple of Amon-Ra. The route is laid out on a direct east-west axis.

PYLON I

Temple of Amon, Karnak Ptolomaic Dynasty The pylon functions both as barricade and entrance to the sacred precincts. Beyond Pylon I, which was started during the Ptolomaic Period (304-30 B.C.) but never completed, is a series of pylons along the sacred way leading to the sanctuary.

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