In the painting, the birds in the tree represent the stages of life and they all face toward the east apart from one bird which stands for old age and faces west, symbolizing imminent death. The Egyptians believed that during the night, the sun passed through the realm of the dead before it rose again in the east the following day. West was viewed as the direction of death as that is where the sun sets. East was considered to be the direction of life as the sun rises in the east. The ancient Egyptians had a strong belief in symbolism as can be seen in the papyrus painting, the Golden Tree of Life. The Book of the Dead includes pyramid and coffin texts which were originally painted onto objects, not papyrus. The original Egyptian name directly translates as the “book of coming forth by day” or the “book of emerging forth into the light.” It contains spells to help a dead person travel through the “duat” or realm of the dead, into the afterlife. The Egyptian Book of the Dead is an ancient Egyptian funerary text, and was used from the beginning of the New Kingdom (around 1550 BC) to around 50 BC. The Egyptian Book of the Dead (16th century BC) In ancient Egypt, these bracelets were viewed as a symbol of marriage. If you look carefully, you can detect a gold band around Tutankhamun’s left foot, and his wife has a similar adornment on her leg. A scene from the everyday life of the pharaoh is engraved on the surface of the throne: the youthful Tutankhamun sits in a casual posture, while his wife Ankhesenamun massages scented oils into his shoulders. Its colors have not faded in more than 3,000 years, which shows the skill and expertise of the ancient Egyptian craftsmen.Ĭolored glass and precious stones sparkle against the background of gold, and its seat is adorned with vivid pieces of quartz, reminiscent of a Byzantine mosaic. The magnificent throne shows the reverence the people had for their pharaohs and its splendor and fine craftsmanship makes it a rare and precious find. The Golden Throne was found in 1922 by the British archeologist Howard Carter during the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb, one of the few in the Valley of the Kings not to have been looted. Here are 10 amazing examples of ancient Egyptian craftsmanship: This unique creative style remained practically unaltered for more than 3,000 years and can be seen in the artifacts which remain today. Their craftsmanship mirrored their reverence for the gods and the afterlife, and these ancient pieces of art clearly speak of a rich Egyptian history and culture. The ancient Egyptians regarded their art not only on an earthly level but also as a reflection of the spiritual world. However, there is much more to this art than these awe-inspiring monuments. From the sky-scraping pyramids to the fantastic sphinx that sits as a gatekeeper to the tombs of the pharaohs, ancient Egyptian architecture and sculpture is iconic. One of the greatest examples of this is the craftsmanship and art of ancient Egypt.Įgypt is acknowledged as having one of the most well-established and prosperous civilizations on earth, and its artifacts have stood the test of time. The job of the craftsman is to catch a fleeting moment in time and preserve it in history, and while a piece of art is undoubtedly of its time, it should also transcend it and be able to speak to us across the generations.
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