Task 2: Egyptian -Art

Egyptian Symbols

All Egyptian symbols are familiar with Egyptian beliefs of spirituality, death, roles of gods, goddesses, kings and pharaohs.  

These are some Egyptian symbols sketches that I did myself that I was seeing very often along my research.

Here I sketched some of the accessories that they used to wear:

 These are roughly sketches that bases on paints that they used to do on walls/ papers etc.

Symbolism also show a sense of order. The Pharaoh is the most powerful person that leads the political and discipline to the Egyptian people. He was the 'Lord of the two Lands' (upper and lower Egypt) and 'High Priest of every Temple', and so this symbolizes his power to maintain order.

This is the Ankh (cross with a handle loop)

This is a symbol that represents the 'eternal life'- the Gods used to carry one each to show their power to give and take any life.

The Eye of Horus/ Ra

This is a symbol of protection, royal power and good health. It was also popular to wear as jewellery, the power was also linked with the strong heat of the sun.

Mehyt -(The papyrus plant)


This plant was found on the bank of the Nile, in the symbol represents the flourishing life and also is the official symbol of the lower (Northern) Egypt.

Shut- The Ostrich Feather

This represents the Goddess of Truth and Justice. The Ostrich feather represents truth.


Animals were also highly important in their symbolic figures.


These are the sacred animals that each and one of them represents their role. For example 'Anubis' the man with the jackal head, is the god of embalming -(preserves the dead body using natron and oils) and the dead.

'Anubis'

  Another example is of 'Bastes' she was the woman with the head of a cat, she was a protective goddess (Ancient Egyptians made many statues of cats to honour Bastes).
The Egyptian statue cat (to honour Bastes):

The scarab -(the one that is on the cats chest) is a symbol that represents the sun and it's path across the sky, it was also significant as an amulet (an important characteristic that gives power to protect its owner from danger or harm).


Then another example is of 'Thoth' the man with the head of an ibis, Thoth was the god of writing and knowledge (they believe that he created the hieroglyphic writing).



'Thoth' -the writer


Another god which I can't miss is 'Horus' -he is the man with the head of a hawk, therefore he was the god of the sky (the living Horus). Horus fought with Seth (who's the one that murdered his brother Osiris) along the battle for Horus to take the throne of Egypt, he lost one eye which that leaded to a symbol of protection for the ancient Egyptian -(he became the ruler of the world of living).

The Eye of Horus

Every symbol of what the writer wrote is a symbol of a god or a goddess that has a role to be responsible of  or a symbol of belief and protection. The colours they used for their symbols are earthy and natural together with the use of the unnatural form caused by a lack of perspective. For what they used to wear were rich colours especially the gold that represents a certain class and highly importance value.


Reference:
s.n., n.d. 'Pharaoh- Lord of the Two Lands'. [Online] Available at: <http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/pharaoh/home.html> [Accessed 13 May 2014]

D.H.Wrecker, n.d. 'Egyptian Symbols'. [Video Online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG93IOnWhyg> [Accessed 13 May 2014]

J.P.Zaworski, 2012. 'The Ankh'. [blog] 27 June, Available at: <http://jameszaworski.blogspot.com/2012/06/why-do-you-wear-ankh-by-james-paul.html> [Accessed 13 May 2014]

s.n, n.d. 'Ancient Egyptian Gods and Symbols'. [Online] Available at: <http://www.artsconnected.org/collection/102739/ancient-egyptian-gods-and-symbols?print=true#%281%29> [Accessed 13 May 2014]

Bolton Museum, 2013. 'Hathor'. [Online] Available at: <http://www.timetrips.co.uk/hathor_papyrus.htm> [Accessed 13 May 2014]