The Artistic And Architectural Evidence For The Nubian Assimilation Of Egyptian Forms And Ideas

The majority of ancient Egyptian structures studied by architectural historians and planners alike, were erected to honor a pharaoh or as a grand tomb for their journey through to the afterlife. Whether the structure was in the form of a temple, tomb or statue, the ritual and spiritual influence is unquestionable. The location, scale, and materials used to construct these monuments are all defining factors of how the space is used and functions.

Architecture: During the Old Kingdom, the existing peaceful period provided an opportunity for the construction of the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx of Giza. The Pyramids were originally created as a step design but were later converted to smooth sides by the 4th dynasty. By the 5th dynasty, the pyramids grew smaller, but the carvings inside the temples were of greater quality. This period was characterized by advanced architecture and was referred to as the Age of the Pyramids. Archeologists indicate that the pyramids discovered in the Middle Kingdom were not as well constructed as those of the Old Kingdom. This explains why only a few of them are still in existence. During the New Kingdom, there were two types of temples constructed: cult temples referred to as the Mansion of the gods and mortuary temples referred to as Mansions of Millions of Years. During this period, pyramids were not built, and the Pharaohs were buried in rock tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

Art of the Egyptians and Africans express ………………………..In art, style is a characteristic, or a number of characteristics that we can identify as constant, recurring, or coherent.(Art Terminology 1) Artists express their emotions through their art-making, their finished product will reflect that emotion. They might also create a piece of art that makes the viewer create an emotional response. Emotion is any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear, etc.(Dictionary 1)

2. The development of civilization in Nubia was spurred by the need for irrigated agriculture and by its trading relationship with Egypt. Nubian culture and Egyptian culture developed through a process of mutual influence and borrowing.

The reliefs of Ankh-neb-ef are limestone panels with paint that originated from the Old Kingdom of Egypt in 2150 BC during the reign of Pharaoh Pepy II. The delicate carving of the panels in the sunken relief presents a magnificent image. They portray Ankh-neb-ef, an ancient Egyptian priest whose name translates to “may his lord live.” In the reliefs, Ankh-neb-ef holds a Kherep-sceptor and a walking stick, which were symbols of authority in ancient Egypt. Egyptian civilization was extremely religious and most ancient Egyptian artworks involved the portrayal of gods, goddesses, and Pharaoh, as well. Moreover, the Egyptian reverence for order and conservative ideals led to the institution of intricate rules that governed how artists represented both humans and gods (Saylor.org 4). For instance, the apparel worn by Ankh-neb-ef in the painting is not a simple fashion statement. The priest is wearing a prestigious sarong and ornamentation, bracelets, and a wide collar. The jewelry kept their owner safe in a dangerous passage to the afterlife. This formula for representing the human figure in a painting remained popular over several centuries (Robins 24).

BOSTON, MA (June 23, 2014)—A world-class collection of jewels from ancient Nubia at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), will go on view this summer in Gold and the Gods: Jewels of Ancient Nubia. The MFA’s collection of Nubian adornments is the most comprehensive outside Khartoum—the result of an early 20th-century expedition by the Museum with Harvard University. The exhibition opens on July 19, and includes works by Nubian goldsmiths and jewelers, who were among the most innovative in the ancient world. Featuring some 100 excavated ornaments dating from 1700 BC to AD 300, which will be on view in the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation Gallery, the exhibition explores the royal tombs of kings and queens, which were filled with elaborate jewelry such as necklaces, amulets, stacked bracelets and earrings. The MFA is unique in its ability to mount an exhibition of Nubian jewelry and adornment drawn exclusively from its own collection. In addition to gold––Nubia’s most important commodity––jewelry in the exhibition incorporates precious materials such as lapis lazuli (imported from Afghanistan), blue chalcedony (imported from Turkey), amethystine quartz and carnelian, as well as enamel and glass––both of which were rare and valuable new technologies at the time. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated MFA Publication on Nubian jewelry.

The city of Napata gained its fame from the religious significance of Gebel Barkal. The Egyptians promoted the belief the primary form of their god dwelt inside the pure mountain Gebel Barkal. Egypt’s sun-god Amun was represented as either a man with a ram head or as a crowned ram with a solar disk. It seems as though the Egyptians identified their pre-existing god from the land of Nubia as a local form of their own supreme god Amun who was considered to be the important source of the royal power of Egypt and Kush. The city of Meroe located on the east bank of the Nile, was the second urban center of the binary kingdoms of Kush. This city became the permanent royal residence of the Kushite Kings of Napata in the fifth century BC. Nubian pottery from the earliest periods represented the basic plastic material employed in Nubia and Egypt. Primitive drawings and engravings on Nubian pottery had a form identified of some geometric and symbolic patterns. These forms have been used on the surface of decorated pottery such as circles, squares, or triangles which represented the initial signs of most ancient civilizations. During the Neolithic period, people of this time covered their tools and pottery products with different forms, not particularly of art, but rather for recording their idea of life. Although these forms represent hidden symbols with no clear meaning, its purpose or goal was to help unleash the human mind while imagining its

indicates what the Nubian culture was known for. The Nubian Kingdom was shaped by the Egyptian

You did a very good job about the details on the Kingdom of Nubia. I totally agree with some of your points about Nubian's culture and lifestyle. I would like to add some information that I think you left out. The Nubians were very unique people, they were very different in many aspects when compared to the other cultures in World History. They were located in the southern, and their lifestyle were influenced by the Egyptians. They later set up a new Kingdom called "Kush", and developped a great trading network focusing more on gold. They did not have an official religion at that time, but they did have temples with Egyptian God. Though they did reach their highest level of political power as the Nubians established the 25th dynasty

Cats in Ancient Egyptian Art: A Visual Analysis of Bastet and the Menat of Taharqo: the King Being Nursed by the Lion-Headed Goddess Bastet

I will see what the artworks mean to me, and I will make my own interpretations as to why their art is this way. Moreover, I expect look at many of their varying art forms and see how the use of animals differs between them. This is because I believe different kinds of art are able to impact people in different ways, and have an implication that is unlike the other. I plan to analyze the assorted characteristics and traits of the various art forms the ancient Egyptians practiced to see similarities and differences, and consider in what way this influences the meaning of the works.

At Göbekli Tepe, monumental structures, built of stone and T-shaped pillars was found arranged in circles. The pillars are decorated, either with engravings or bas-reliefs, with either various animals or geometric designs (Cremin, 2007). In the oldest

We are still finding evidence of paintings and artifacts as of today. Some of the paintings of ancient Egypt have stood the test of time due to Egypt’s dry climate. Most of the paintings were done on walls and in caves and in funeral tombs to depict the life of the deceased and offer a pleasant passage. A famous painting that was done by the Egyptians is called Judgment before Osiris. This painting was done on papyrus and depicted a scale and judgment. If the heart of the deceased was lighter than the feather of truth then their soul could enter afterlife.

Nubian pyramids demonstrate the Nubians use of geometry as it would have been necessary to build such pyramids.

Ancient Egyptian architecture had a number of well known generic building types (pyramids, mortuary temples and so on). Select one building and discuss is background and architectural characteristics, relating it where necessary to other examples.