Characteristics
Why is the king (pharaoh) always shown as young and handsome in Egyptian Art?
The king was thought to be a god and so gods aren’t ugly, don’t age, or get fat.
What is the most important piece of Egyptian Art found?
The Palette of Narmer.
What was the first monumental royal tomb?
The Stepped Pyramid of ing Zoser (Djoser).
What was the materials used to build the basic pyramid?
Regular limestone blocks were used to build the basic pyramid
What is sculpture in the round?
A type of sculpture that you can see all views of. You can walk “around” it.
Why is the king larger than anything else on Egyptian Art?
The king is larger because he is the most important person in the artwork.
What is the artifact that was found that helped us decipher hieroglyphics?
The Rosetta Stone.
Who did the Great Pyramid belong to
Khufu
What was the material used for the casing stones?
What was the material used for the casing stones?
What is high relief sculpture?
High relief sculpture that is still attached to the surface it is carved from, but really projects a long way from that surface. It is almost sculpture in the round, but you can’t see the back.
What is the characteristic in Egyptian Art that carries over from Prehistoric Art?
Twisted Perspective
What was on the Rosetta Stone that helped us decipher hieroglyphics?
A cartouche with a king’s name in 3 languages.
How did the Stepped Pyramid start as a building?
It began as a mestaba
What was used for the capstone?
Limestone covered in gold was used for the capstone
What is bas relief sculpture?
Bas relief is a type of sculpture that stand only a little ways off the carved surface. It casts very little shadow.
List all 6 characteristics of Egyptian Art (Remember, a characteristic is a quality that belongs specifically to a certain thing -in this case, qualities that belong to Egyptian Art)
Twisted Perspective
The king is larger than others
The king is young and handsome
The art is divided into sections
The art is neat and orderly
There is lots of symbolism
What was the purpose of the Great Sphinx and who do archaeologists believe it belonged to?
The Great Sphinx was meant to guard the king and to honor him.
They believe it belonged to Khafre
Where were the pharaohs buried after they stopped building pyramids and why did they stop building them?
The Valley of the Kings
Pyramids were too expensive and they kept getting robbed
What are the 4 types of Egyptian sculpture?
Bas Relief
High Relief
Intaglio
4. Sculpture in the round
What is intaglio sculpture?
Intaglio is a type of sculpture that looks “sunken” into the surface it is carved into.
Why is the Palette of King Narmer so important? (4 reasons)
It was the first labeled piece of Egyptian Art found
It documented the union of Upper and Lower Egypt
It was commemorative instead of funerary
It was the basis for how Egyptian Art would look for the next 3000 years.
Name the parts of the Great Pyramid
1. Relieving Blocks
2. King's Chamber
3. False Tomb
4. Air Shaft for the ka
5. Grand Gallery
6. Entrance
7. False Tomb
What is a cartouche?
A cartouche is a symbol that represents authority and power. The rope around the outside stands for the universe. The king’s name inside the rope stands for his power over the universe.
Identify these important things in Egyptian Art. Be sure to use proper capitalization and the ENTIRE title.
1. The Stepped Pyramid of King Zoser (Djoser)
2. The Great Pyramids of Giza (Gizeh)
3. The Great Sphinx
4. The Palette of King Narmer