MOHAMAD DARWISH

HUSSEIN EISSA
TABLE OF CONTENT 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE
CULTURE
2. RELIGIONS AND SOCIAL
LIFE
• INTRODUCTION TO
MYTHOLOGY
• EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY
• POLITICS
3. ARCHITECT
• PYRAMIDS
• COLUMNS
• TEMPLES
3. ARTS
• SCULPTURES
• CARVINGS
• PAINTINGS
Introduction to pharaonic culture
Ancient Egyptian culture flourished between c. 5500 BCE with the rise of
technology (as evidenced in the glass-work of faience) and 30 BCE with the
death of Cleopatra VII, the last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt. It is famous today for
the great monuments which celebrated the triumphs of the rulers and honored
the gods of the land. The culture is often misunderstood as having been
obsessed with death but, had this been so, it is unlikely it would have made the
significant impression it did on other ancient cultures such as Greece and
Rome.
Judging by the numbers of tombs and mummies that the ancient Egyptians left
behind, one can be forgiven for thinking that they were obsessed by death.
However, this is not so. The Egyptians were obsessed by life and its
continuation rather than by a morbid fascination with death. The tombs,
mortuary temples and mummies that they produced were a celebration of life
and a means of continuing it for eternity…For the Egyptians, as for other
cultures, death was part of the journey of life, with death marking a transition
or transformation after which life continued in another form, the spiritual
rather than the corporeal.
Therefore, once you say life and death in the ancient cultures, you think about
art and mythology that's why we are here today
RELIGIONS AND
SOCIAL LIFE
Eye Of Horus
The Eye of Horus, also known as wadjet,
wedjat or udjat,is an ancient Egyptian symbol
of protection, royal power, and good health.
The Eye of Horus is similar to the Eye of Ra,
which belongs to a different god, Ra, but
represents many of the same concepts.

Funerary amulets were often made in the

shape of the Eye of Horus. The Eye of Horus
is "the central element" of seven "gold,
faience, carnelian and lapis lazuli" bracelets
found on the mummy of Shoshenq II. The
Wedjat "was intended to protect the pharaoh
[here] in the afterlife" and to ward off evil.
Ancient Egyptian and Middle-Eastern sailors
would frequently paint the symbol on the bow
of their vessel to ensure safe sea travel
SOCIAL LIFE
THE ROSETTA STONE
ARCHITECTURE
Temples:
Abydos temple
dendara temple
karnak temple
luxor temple
queen hatshepsut temple
habu temple
ramesseum temple
edfu temple
edfu temple
 Abu Sinbol
Situated in the Nubia region of Egypt, overlooking the
emerald waters of Lake Nasser, are the two ancient
pharaonic rock temples of Abu Simbel (or the Temple of
Ramesses, beloved by Amun) and the Temple of Hathor and
Nefertari. The temples are a magnificent examples of
ancient Egyptian art and draw the largest number of tourists
annually, second only to the Pyramids of Giza.
Construction of the Abu Simbel Temples began around 1264
BC, during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II (or Ramesses
the Great), and persisted for 20 years. Ramesses II
commissioned the temples as a lasting monument to himself
and his queen Nefertari, following the alleged triumph at the
Battle of Kadesh. It was finally completed in 1265 BC –
during the 24th year of his prosperous reign.
The Temple of Ramesses extends an unbelievable 20 metres
into the blazing North African skies and was constructed in
honour of Ramesses II, as well as Egypt’s three state deities
of the time: Amun, Ra-Horakhty and Ptah. Historians suggest
the design of the temple expresses a measure of pride and
ego in the long-reigning pharaoh. It is also believed the
purpose of the grand temples was to impress Egypt’s
neighbours to the south and reinforce the status of Egyptian
The Karnak temple complex at Luxor developed over
more than 1,000 years, principally between the Twelfth
and Twentieth Dynasties. It was, at its peak, the largest
and most important religious complex in ancient Egypt.
KARNAK TEMPLE
The most significant structure, and the largest
religious building ever built, is the Temple of Amun-Ra,
considered to be where that god lived on earth with his
wife, Mut, and son, Khonsu, who also have temples at
the site. The Temple of Amun-Ra is particularly famous
for the vast Hypostyle Hall constructed during the
reign of Seti I. After Memphis became the new
dynastic capital, many of Luxor’s temples declined in
importance. In later centuries, Ptolemaic rulers and
Coptic Christians altered parts of the complex for their
own uses. The buildings were in various states of ruin
by the time they were encountered by Napoleon’s
scholars and archaeologists in the early nineteenth
century. Over the last century, a rising water table and
chemical degradation associated with the
intensification of agricultural irrigation practices in the
region have created new conservation problems
Another temple, known as the Temple of Hathor
and Nefertari (or simply the Smaller Temple), is
located 100 meters northeast of the Temple of
Nevertiti temple
Ramesses. While smaller in size, the temple is
adorned with the same grandiose carvings and
depictions of ancient Egypt.
The temple was built as a dedication to Hathor, the
goddess of love and beauty, and Ramesses II’s
favorite wife, Nefertari. Four statues of Ramesses
II and two of Nefertari embellish the arid rock face
of this bewitching temple. Most remarkable about
this temple is the fact that the pharaoh and his
consort are presented in equal size – the only
instance in Egyptian art. This is an indication of
the esteem in which Ramesses II held Nefertari.
PYRAMIDS
The pyramids are the royal tombs of each
of which bears the name of the king who
built it and was buried, and the pyramid
building here is a stage of the development
of architecture in ancient Egypt. Lost by a
small hole turned into an underground
room and then to several rooms topped by
a balcony. He was then baptized by the
minister of Pharaoh and King Zoser in the
third family.
As for the idea of ​the pyramid
specifically, their pyramid form was
related to the idea of ​the origin of
the universe and they also believed
according to some of their writings
and religious texts that the pyramid
and a means to help the soul of the
deceased to reach heaven with the
idol .
 Papyiform
hathor complex lotiform papyiform palmiform Campaniform Campaniform
2 2 1

Egyptian architectural columns can be more or less divided into two basic classes. The first type are
polygonal columns which, over a period of time, increased its number of sides from four to sixteen.
The second class are stone imitations of plants such as the papyrus, palm and lotus. It is possible that
these imitations are a reflection of earlier times when structures were supported by bundles of plant
material and palm logs, perhaps bound together with ropes, animal hide and mud.
PHARAONIC ARTS
 Egyptian sculpture The ancient Egyptian made sculptures of varying sizes
from a variety of materials. They made huge colossuses of rulers and small
figurines (shabtis) that were placed in tombs that represented workers that
would accompany the deceased to the afterlife. Some tombs had several
hundred shabtis, plus an overseer for every ten workers
res tended by made within strict parameters. Each part of the body had to
be a certain size and proportion with important features such as the
shoulders and face oriented towards the viewer. The best works are often
the ones that show expression and form within the strict parameters.
Sculptors didn't place their names on their works. So we have no idea who
made them. Scholars and many viewers can distinguish between works
made good workshops and those made by bad ones.
Massive sculptures like the Sphinx and the Colossi of Memnon are some of
the best known art works Egypt.
Large sculptures were usually carved from sandstone. Small and
mid-size sculptures were made from a variety of materials
including painted wood, limestone, Egyptian alabaster (not a true
alabaster but a form of calcite), mottled rose granite, black
basalt, roseate quartzite, graywacker (a smooth greenish grey
rock), clay, schist, ceramic, bronze and other materials. Some of
the beautiful small Egyptian sculptures are made of anorthosite
gneiss, which glows mostin the sunlight and emits a deep-blue
color. Limestone and wood statues were painted and had inlaid
eyes made of stone and rock crystal
 Relief carving
Low carving
RELIEF CARVINGS
This sculpture is made of wood or stone, and is
made through the material to be formed from
the materials, which form a prominent form of
the surface of the panel carved on it
LOW CARVINGS
This sculpture is made on a wooden or stone tablet,
by removing the material inside the sculpted shape,
so that the form becomes absent inside the surface of
the board, more than the use of this type of sculpture
are the ancient Egyptians to represent their daily lives
PAINTINGS
Horus Painting
The ancient Egyptians royal
emblems often developed from fairly
humble beginnings, but became a
powerful tool for expressing the
duties and powers of the Pharaoh
both graphically and symbolically.
Early versions may have been crude
and simplistic in form or functional
rather than ceremonial, but as time
progressed they were formed from
precious stones and materials and
imbued with great cultural
significance in this world, and the
afterlife
WELCOME AND THANK YOU