Key Terms for the Art of Ancient Egypt
- Amarna Period
- ankh (for more information see ankh)
- ben-ben stone
- Book of the Dead (for more information see Book of the Dead)
- bust (for more information see bust)
- canon of proportions (for more information see canon of proportions )
- capital (for more information see capital)
- citadels
- colonnade (for more information see colonnade)
- column (for more information see column)
- co-regent
- divine cult statues
- dynasty
- engaged column (for more information see engaged column)
- faience (for more information see faience)
- genut
- hierarchy of scale (for more information see hierarchy of scale)
- hieroglyphs (for more information see hieroglyphs)
- hypostyle (for more information see hypostyle)
- ka (for more information see ka statue)
- kohl
- ma'at
- mastaba (for more information see mastaba)
- Middle Kingdom
- New Kingdom
- nemes (for more information see nemes)
- nomes
- obelisks (for more information see obelisks)
- Old Kingdom
- papyrus (for more information see papyrus)
- peristyle (for more information see peristyle)
- pharaoh
- pylon (for more information see pylon)
- raised relief (for more information see raised relief)
- register (for more information see registers)
- rock-cut
- stela (for more information see stela)
- step pyramid
- sunken relief (for more information see sunken relief)
- theocracy
- uraeus (for more information see uraeus)
- waret
A period of Ancient Egyptian history during the New Kingdom 1353-1336 BCE.
See more here: https://www.britannica.com/art/Amarna-style
The hieroglyph meaning “life”, frequently used in the decoration of Egyptian tombs as a symbol for eternal life. The ankh has the shape of a cross, but with a loop replacing the top arm.
a sacred stone; an icon of the primeval mound that was considered the place of initial creation
A modern term used to describe selections from ancient Egyptian funerary literature which were placed in the burial chamber or inside the sarcophagus of the deceased. The texts consisted of spells intended to guide the dead person’s journey through the underworld and into the afterlife. The Book of the Dead was usually written in hieroglyphic script on rolls of papyrus and often illustrated with scenes depicting the deceased on his or her journey.
A freestanding sculpture of the head, shoulders and chest of a person.
A system of mathematical ratios based on measurements of parts of the human body, designed to create ideal proportions for the human figure in art.
The topmost part of a column.
A central area in a city that is heavily fortified.
a row of columns that supports a roof, entablature, or other structure.
An architectural element consisting of a shaft, round or polygonal in section, used for structural support or decoration. Columns usually are placed on a base and topped by a capital. Columns that are attached to a wall are called engaged columns or half-columns.
The situation wherein a monarchical position, normally held by one person, is held by two.
Sculptures that were the subject of daily rituals of clothing, anointing, and perfuming with incense and were carried in processions for special festivals so that the people could “see” them (they were almost all entirely shrouded from view, but their “presence” was felt).
See: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-arthistory1/chapter/egyptian-art/#:~:text=Divine%20cult%20statues%20(few%20of,%E2%80%9Cpresence%E2%80%9D%20was%20felt).
A series of rulers or leaders who are all from the same family, or a period when a country is ruled by succeeding family members.
A column, usually half-round in section, that is attached to a wall. Also known as a half-column.
A colorful, glassy material made by grinding quartz or sand with sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and/or copper oxide. The resulting substance is formed into the desired shape, such as a bead, amulet, or sculpture, then fired. During firing, the pieces harden and develop a glassy finish with bright colors (blue-green being the most common). The ancient Egyptians perfected faience-making, perhaps in an attempt to imitate the colors of turquoise and other gemstones.
Egyptian daybooks
The use of differences in size to show relative importance: the larger the figure, the greater his or her importance.
An ancient Egyptian pictographic writing system in which many of the symbols are stylized, recognizable pictures of the things and ideas represented.
a large room in which the roof is supported by rows of columns.
In ancient Egyptian belief, the spirit or life-force of an individual that lives on after death. The hieroglyph for the ka was shoulders and arms, with the arms bent upwards at the elbow, similar to the touchdown signal in American football.
A black powder used as eye makeup.
embodying truth, righteousness, justice, and cosmic law
See: https://smarthistory.org/ancient-egypt-an-introduction/
(Arabic: مصطبة , “stone bench). An ancient Egyptian tomb rectangular in plan with sloping sides and a flat roof. The entire mastaba consists of the underground burial chamber and the rooms above it at ground level, in which offerings were stored.
Period of unification in Ancient Egyptian history, stretching from the end of the Eleventh Dynasty to the Thirteenth Dynasty, roughly between 2030-1640 BCE.
A period of Ancient Egypt. Dates vary: c. 1550-1070 BCE.
For more: https://smarthistory.org/ancient-egyptian-chronology-historical-framework/
The striped linen headcloth worn by pharaohs in ancient Egypt. The nemes covered the head and the back of the neck, and had two large flaps hanging down in front of the shoulders.
Subnational administrative divisions within ancient Egypt.
A tall, four-sided pillar of stone, usually tapering, that terminates in a pyramid. Obelisks were often placed at the entrances of ancient Egyptian temples. They continued to be used as monuments in the Western world in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
A period of Ancient Egypt. Dates vary: c. 2686-2150 BCE. This period is sometimes referred to as the pyramid age.
For more: https://smarthistory.org/ancient-egyptian-chronology-historical-framework/
A paper-like material prepared in ancient Egypt from the stems of a marsh plant.
a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or an interior courtyard.
The ruler of Ancient Egypt.
Kings in Egypt were complex intermediaries that straddled the terrestrial and divine realms. They were, obviously, living humans, but upon accession to the throne, they also embodied the eternal office of kingship itself.
See: https://smarthistory.org/ancient-egypt-an-introduction/
The monumental gateway of an ancient Egyptian temple, consisting of two tapering towers flanking the entrance.
Sculpture in which the images have been carved or modeled on a surface so as to stand out from the background. Because it cannot be viewed from all sides, relief sculpture is distinct from sculpture in the round. Relief sculpture can be described as high relief or low relief, depending on how far it projects from its background.
A horizontal band containing decorative or narrative imagery. The term is normally used when a work of art is organized in multiple horizontal bands.
a work or art or structure that is carved from solid stone in its original location.
An upright stone slab decorated with inscriptions or relief sculpture. Stelae (pl.) were used as commemorative monuments or tomb markers.
an architectural monument that uses receding sized stacked platforms to create a shape similar to a geometric pyramid.
Sunken relief is a technique of relief sculpture in which figures or images are carved in low relief, but set within a sunken area, so that the relief never rises beyond the original flat surface. This technique is largely restricted to ancient Egypt, where it became common in the Amarna period and later.
A system of government in which priests rule in the name of a god.
A form of government in which a deity is officially recognized as the civil ruler, and official policy is governed by officials regarded as divinely guided, or is pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religion or religious group.
A representation of a rearing cobra as an emblem of sovereignty, worn on the headdresses of ancient Egyptian rulers. In Egyptian mythology, the cobra is associated with the goddess Wadjet.
Administrative divisions in Egypt.
