Final Exam Flashcards
Define the term Narmer Palette
A symbolic art object
Combines Egyptian and Mesopotamian images
On one side the king Narmer is depicted wearing the White crown of Upper Egypt and on the other he is wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt
Contains:
- The purified mace-head
- The traditional form of the king smiting people
- The falcon (associated with Horus, the god of kingship)
- the serpent leopards - their intertwining necks represent the unification of upper and lower Egypt
Who is Ankhtifi?
A nomarch of the 3rd and 2nd Upper Egyptian nomes during the earlier part of the Herakleopolitan period
Embodies the new type of local ruler that emerges during the First Intermediate period
In his rock tomb near el-Mo’alla there are pillars that are inscribed with an ideal guide to the great issues of the time - evokes the political atmosphere of Upper Egypt during the First Intermediate Period
He held key positions in the religious and secular wings of the Old kingdom provincial administration
Two key events of his life:
- His intervention in order to reorganize the home of Edfu
- His military expedition against the Theban none where his opponents actually refused to give batter
The narrative of Ankhitifi’s wars tell us that by his time the king was not being mentioned even nominally as an authority who can control the distribution of power between local rulers - shows that the power of kingship failed allowing local rulers to act according to their own aims
Who is King Djoser?
the first king of Dynasty 3
the major monument of Dynasty is Djoser’s Step Pyramid Complex
- includes the main pyramid and ancillary structures
- built during a time of great experimentation - some ancillary buildings seem here are never seen again
- built by Imhotep - the chief physician and architect
- it is the first monumental all stone complex in history and this first pyramid ever built
- built for size not functionality- there is actually not a lot of interior space
- it started out as a giant mastaba not a pyramid
The complex consisted of:
- an enclosure wall
- an entrance gallery
- a south court
- a south tomb
- the Temple T
- a curved wall (first one in history)
- Heb-Seb Court
- chapels of south and north
- houses of south and north
- Mortuary temple and serdab (statue room)
- the pyramid
- the burial chamber
Define the term Mo’alla
Known as Hefat by ancient Egyptians
Served as a Necropolis for the nearby city of Djerty
Built in first intermediate period
Most significant buildings are mastabas of two monarchs Ankhitifi and Sobekhotep - had remarkable decoration
Define the term mastaba
Started being built in Dynasty 2
Rectangular stone structures consisting of:
- two inches on the east side
- the one in the south covered in panelled recess called a false door that was thought to grant the ba and the ka access from the burial chamber to the mastaba’s offering chamber
- serbad which is sealed room with statue of the deceased (ka statue)
Through the course of the old kingdom the south chamber developed in series of rooms - decorated with scenes of daily life and offerings - served as memorial chapel for family to pray for deceased
Define the term Unas Pyramid
King Unas reigned from 2375-2345 BCE (The Old Kingdom - Dynasty 5)
His pyramid is located at the south-west corner of Djoser’s enclosure
Very small
Consists of:
- long causeway originally decorated with remarkable scenes - records events of Unas’s reign
Main innovation:
- first appearance of pyramid texts inscribed on wall of burial chamber
- the pyramid texts represent earliest large religious composition known from ancient Egypt
- Unas identified with god Osiris - Osirian religious doctrine most important pyramid text
- the reason for pyramid texts was to provide deceased with the texts essential for his survival in the afterlife
Who is Huni?
The last pharaoh of Dynasty 3 in the old kingdom
Thought at Sneferu may have created pyramid for Huni at Dahshur
Define the term Sun Temples
Introduced in Dynast 5
They are special temple of Ra
They reinforce the solar association between the king and the sun god Ra
Two main sun temples but there were originally 6:
1) Userkaf’s Sun Temple
2) Niuserre’s Sun Temple
Consisted of:
- 2 parts: the valley temple that leads up to the sun temple that is built on a platform to elevate it
- includes large courtyard, storerooms along sides, an area for preparing sacrifices
- a short (squat) obelisk - probably represented petrified sun beam
- alabaster altar - square but also top-down word for offering
- solar boat to the south - meant to be stationary and symbolic
- temple town at bottom of causeway
- beautifully decorated with reliefs especially the room of seasons in Nuiserre’s Sun Temple
Define the term Shunet es-Zebib
The best preserved funerary enclosure
Belonged to Khasekhemwy of the 2nd Dynasty
Has niches inner walls that still enclosed are of about 124x56m
Located in the same place as the step pyramid of king djoser at Saqqara
Define the term Canetti Cornice
An architectural feature consisting of recurved stone surface at the top of a wall or above doors
Represents frayed reeds at at the edge of Matt’s once used for walls
Found in chapels at Djoser complex evoking Predynastic shrines
Define the term funerary fort
Mud-brick enclosures found near the river
Part of funerary complexes found in Abydos
Most likely offering chapels
Best preserved one is the enclosure of Khasekhemwy
Upon each king’s accession he dismantled his predecessor’s enclosure and built his own
Consisted of:
- niches enclosure wall around tomb
- ritual boats
Define the term boat pits
Burials that consist of pits that contain wooden hulls of boats
Mud bricks are placed in the hills and built up around the outside forcing a structure about 27.4m in length
Dates to the 1st or 2nd Dynasty (unclear which)
Smaller boat burials found associated with early dynastic tombs of high officials at Saqqara and Helena
Purpose most likely was that the boats were used in funerary ceremony or they were symbolic of the journey in the afterlife
Who is Khasekhemwy?
The last ruler of the 2nd Dynasty
Constructed the last tomb in the royal cemetery at Abydos - earliest large scale construction in stone
Known as “Khasekhem” earlier in his reign
Define the term Amarna
The modern name for Akhetaten meaning “horizon of the Aten”
The capital city founded by King Akhenaten in Dynasty 18 - wanted to build the capital at a site no one had ever built before
It is a long city along a small area of cultivation
It is a ceremonial city because Akhenaten devoted his life to worshipping god Aten
Contained a royal road - everyday Akhenaten would leave his royal palace in the north and process through the city down the road - similar to the procession of statues except he was being worshipped
Aten’s temple - open air temple - unroofed so that sun penetrated everywhere and king and queen touched by sun anywhere they went - contained a bunch of alters where they piled offerings
Consisted of:
- north palace
- north suburbs
- south suburbs
- royal road
- workman village on outskirts - preplanned settlements - they built city and tombs
- royal tombs on east so that under sun rays every morning - decorated with images of royal family no other gods
Define the term Aten
The sun god that was relatively marginal god
The god Akhenaten raised above all other gods during his reign
Part of the divine triad akhenaten created: Aten, Akhenaten, Nefertiti
Aten’s temple
- at Amarna
- open air temple so sun penetrating everywhere so it beams on king and queen wherever they are
Not devoutly worshipped my majority of Egyptians - would pay homage to Aten but then go home and worship their household gods
Who is Akhenaten?
Reigned during the New Kingdom
His brother was supposed to be king but died so he ended up becoming king
Changed the religion
- selected the god Aten to be main god of Egypt
- began small - Aten worshipped along side other gods - grew to point that the worship of other gods was forbidden, their temples were closed and their statues desecrated
- made himself Devine and said he was the living manifestation of Aten so that people worshipped him as if he were a god
The problem with new religion:
- gave regular people less access to god because no cult images or household gods
- this religion could not exist after Akhenaten died
Invented the capital city of Amarna
Amarna Art introduced
- Depicted as hermaphroditic - this is because he was a god so embodied both the male and female
Define the term Amarna Letters
Takes place during Akhenaten’s reign
Since there were a bunch of empires beside each other they needed to communicate for trade reasons and making deals like marrying family members
Akkadian became the diplomatic language
These letters mostly consisted of gift exchanges - seems like nothing is being discussed but really it maintained their place within the system and it was ultimately about trade
Define the term Amarna Art
Began during reign of Akhenaten
Egyptian art moves into realm of realism
Focuses on nature
Shows aging human body (ex. Sagging Nefertiti) - more careful observation of anatomical structure (bone structure)
The Amarna Princess: egg like head - probably symbolizing fertility
Dream like quality
Later Amarna Art is less exaggerated and prettier
Introduces new subjects that were taboo before
- royal intimacy - Nefertiti sitting on Akhenaten’s lap
- familial setting - Akhenaten mourning death of daughter
Define the term Colossi de Memnon
The name given to a pair of statues in front of the ruined mortuary temple of Amunhotep III in Western Thebes locates at the Theban Necropolis
Define the term Deir el-Mahdina
Village where the artisans who worked on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings lived during the 18 to 20th Dynasties
Ancient name is “Set Ma’at” which means “the place of truth” and workmen called “servants in the place of truth”
Define the term Malkata/Malqata
The site of the palace complex built my Amenhotep III during Dynasty 18
Located on the West Bank of the Nile at Thebes I’m Upper Egypt
Kom El-Hetan Mortuary temple built here
- largest port hart temple
Built of mudbrick so not well preserved
King’s bedroom decorated in symbols - so king sleeping surrounded by ma’at - shows that king of Egypt at height
Who is Kamose?
The last king of the 17th Dynasty during the second intermediate period
Define the term Lahun Pyramid
Located in Lahun which is near the Fayum
Example of late Dynasty 12 temple made of mud brick
Stone skeletal structure inside pyramid visible today because of eroded mud brick
Originally excavated by Petrie- has hard time finding entrance because not north side like usual but at east end - change probably due to association with Osiris
Lahun treasure found - 5 boxes, 2 inlaid with ivory which showed relationship with Nubia - found with Sith-Hathor-Yuunet
Define the term Kahun
A town often associated with the pyramid complex of Lahun
A town made to support the cult of the king
A planned city - shows there must have been government supervision and probably established all at once
Divided into 2 unequal sections, east and west divided by wall - divided by class
1) large houses on east, about 13 homes and about 70 rooms
2) 200 small houses on west with about 3-7 rooms each (family homes
Define the term Per-Ramesse
It means the house of Ramesses
Located in Qantir
Ramesses II moves the capital here and name it this
Many building projects were undertaken by Ramesses II here
Who was Ramesses III?
The second and greatest king of Dynasty 20 and the end of the Late Bronze Age
Ruled during a time of international upheaval
He reorganized the internal structure of the Egyptian army
Built his mortuary temple
- called the Medinet Habu Mortuary temple
- contains traditional images of Pharaoh smiting enemies showing destruction of chaos
- contains sea people scenes - how we know they were different ethnicities because of their different hair - came by boat - had women and children so probably fleeing homeland
During his reign the Sea People appeared
- they came from across the Eastern Mediterranean
- consisted of a variety of ethnic groups
- they disrupted the trade system which set off a chain of reactions that eventually destroyed the Bronze Age
- they were repelled by Ramesses III
Had to deal with corrupted government
Workers not getting paid enough - has first recorded strike due to the inflation of food prices
Assasination attempt by 3rd wife
- she wanted her son to be king and not the one in line so convinced an official to kill Ramesses III
- even though he was not killed he was injured and did not last much longer
Who was Seqenenre Tao II?
King in the 17th Dynasty during the 2nd intermediate period and ruled over the last of the Local kingdoms of the Theban region of Egypt
His body proves that there was a war between the Egyptians and the Hyksos because his body shows that he died of his wounds
Who is Horemhab?
A general active under King Tut who has familial relations to Nefertiti
He succeeded King Tut when he died
Has no children so appointed his army buddy Ramses who was the last king of Dynasty 18
Define the term Gabel el-Arak knife handle
A ceremonial knife dates back to Naqada II
Shows Mesopotamian influences
Made of ivory and flint
Found at the site of Gebel el-Arak but thought to be from Abydos
Depicts:
- boat with shrines or cabins
- a man with a mace
- the master of beast motif
Define the term Book of the Dead
The modern name for series of New Kingdom religious texts intended to protect the soul of the deceased as it travels through the underworld toward rebirth
Inscriptions found in Dynasty 18 tombs - Thurmond III in particular - he has inscriptions meant to represent papyrus book on the wall to ensure a safe resurrection - Dynasty 19-22 still have inscriptions but more naturalistic
Define the word Pyramid Texts
Religious texts intended to protect the spirit of the king in the afterlife incised on the walls of the pyramid burial chambers
Evident through Dynasties 5-12
In the Middle Kingdom pyramid texts usurped by commoners and evolved into Coffin Texts
Who was Khufu?
King in the 6th Dynasty reigned for 23 years
His name means “the god Khnum protects me”
Khnum = local god of Elaphantine
His Pyramid, The Great Pyramid at Giza is the largest in Egypt
Burial chamber in the core of the pyramid on ground level (unusual)
The valley, pyramid temples, and causeway originally decorated in low raised relief scenes that conveyed ideas of Egyptian kingship and anticipated events the king would experience in afterlife
2 boats found - intended to be used by king in his journey across the sky in the company of the gods
3 pyramids containing burial of his queens lined up to the east of his pyramid
His valley temple located under densely populated village
Hemiunu = Khufu’s vizier - responsible for completion of project - buried in huge mastaba in cemetery west of the pyramid
Who is Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II
Early Dynasty 11 King
Once he gained power he consolidated it and began to trade with Nubia again
Built mortuary complex at Deir El-Bahri
Enlarged, expanded, transformed soff tomb
Originally had a central element on podium - deteriorated now - we have no idea what it was so we call it the central element
The front had a garden planted with trees
The relief from shrine
- refined hieroglyphic inscriptions
- low relief
- high quality artistry
- revival of court culture
Burial chamber was lined with granite
- called the gate of the horse because I horse tripped which lead them to finding statue - it was only wearing the red crown so there is either another I found statue of him wearing the white one or it symbolizes the domination of Lower Egypt
Who is Mereruka?
Lived during Dynasty 5 into Dynasty 6
Represented the culmination of the Old Kingdom Noble Tombs
His mastaba
- had tons of interior space with 32 rooms, wife and son had suites dedicated to them where they were buried
- contains the famous bed scene - where he is on bed with princess enjoying husband and wife scene - intimate but nothing explicit
- main pillar hall chapel - statue of him walking out of tomb - reinforces attainment of afterlife
Define the term reserve head
Type of Memphite 4th Dynasty funerary sculpture
Consists of limestone human head, usually with excised or unsculpted ears and enigmatic lines carved around the neck and down the back of the cranium
Define the term Heb sed
The ritual in which the king demonstrated his vitality and ability to rule by running a prescribed course
The ritual was initially celebrated in the 13th year of the king’s rule and at more frequent intervals thereafter
Also called jubilee
Define the term Hierakonopolis
The religious and political capital of Upper Egypt during Naqada II
At the Hierakonpolis Painted Tomb
- started seeing traditional Egyptian art practices
- Start seeing smiting motifs
- see boat ground lines
- start seeing animal motifs (Mesopotamian)
