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Part 1
Resource 1 – Lecture Video
Resource 2 – Outside content – osiris (attached)
Resource 3 – Outside content 2 – Ma’at: Kingship and Stability in Early Dynastic Egypt (I have pulled the relevant quotes, which I would like you to use directly in your questoin 1~4)
“The Mesopotamians pessimistically viewed their universe as unpredictable, their gods as unstable, their afterlife as indistinct and undesirable. Egyptian religion, by contrast, inspired confidence in the eternal order and stability of the world, in the divinely guided rhythmic cycle of life and death, and in the belief that each individual Egyptian might share in eternal bliss.”
“The Egyptian state derived authority and stability from the concept of ma’at. Usually translated as truth, justice, order or righteousness, ma’at is more accurately characterized as a cosmic or divine force for harmony and stability, dating back to the beginnings of time. Good rule and sound administration were forever imbued with ma’at. The eternal rightness of ma’at bespoke an ordered stability that in turn confirmed and consolidated the continuing rule of the pharaoh. Suffused with the benefits of ma’at, the divine office of pharaoh served a basic unifying element for the ancient Egyptian state.”
From The History and Culture of Ancient Western Asia and Egypt by A. Bernard Knapp (1988).
1. In the outside reading, Professor Knapp argues that the concept of ma’at is central to the stability of Egyptian culture (note: I have pasted in the important quotes but I would still like for you to cite Professor Knapp. As in “Professor Knapp argues that…”). What is ma’at? How does it relate to the role of the Egyptian king?
2. Read the brief retelling of the story of Osiris. Professor Knapp argues that this story serves as an important model for all of Egyptian culture. How does the Egyptian idea of Kingship relate to the story of Osiris, Isis, and Horus?
3. The Ka statue of king Khafre was located in Khafre’s Valley Temple on the Giza plateau. What was the purpose of this statue in this funerary context and how does it relate to Khafre’s pyramid? How is ma’at represented VISUALLY in the sculpture (USE SPECIFIC DETAILS)? What other symbols appear on the statue? Do you see any references to the story of Osiris narrative?
4. very briefly compare the image of Khafre to the image of the Seated Scribe (see lecture). Using specific details, describe how these images reinforce the model of Egyptian Kingship.
5. Please copy and paste the following answer from your question 1~4.
The Ka statue of king Khafre was located in Khafre’s Valley Temple on the Giza plateau…How is ma’at represented VISUALLY in the sculpture (USE SPECIFIC DETAILS)? What other symbols appear on the statue? Do you see any references to the story of Osiris narrative?
Part 2
Resource 1 Video – So far our study of Egyptian culture has stressed the cultural continuity of Egyptian tradition. There is one exception to this trend: the reign of the renegade pharaoh Akhenaten, who transformed Egyptian religion and art. The reign of Akhenaten is also called “The Amarna Period,” and the style of art produced is called the “Amarna style.” The attached video explores the Amarna style and the implications of Akhenaten’s cultural transformations.
Resource 2 reading – Akhenaten From Brendan Nagle’s “The Ancient World” (Attached)
Resource 3 Video 2 – After the brief but revolutionary Amarna period, the late New Kingdom witnesses a return to traditional artistic standards.
Resource 4 Video 3 – Book of the Dead
1. The Amarna Period undoubtedly represents the most dramatic shift in ancient Egyptian visual art. Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) not only introduced a new religion, but a new style of art to accompany it. Using the outside video (VIDEO #1) as your source: what is happening in the image below? How does it represent Akhenaten’s new religion? YOU MUST USE SPECIFIC VISUAL DETAILS!
Akhenaten and his Family
ca. 1350 BCE
2. According to Professor Nagle (see your outside reading “Akhenaten”) how does Akhenaten represent a disruption of traditional ideas of the relationship between the king and the divine (PLEASE USE A DIRECT QUOTE IN YOUR ANSWER)? What is the “contradictory development” in Akhenaten’s images? How do Akhenaten’s portraits differ from that of previous rulers (see below)? How are they visually different? YOU MUST USE SPECIFIC VISUAL DETAILS!
Khafre
Valley Temple of Khafre
Old Kingdom Period
ca. 2520-2494 BCE
5.5 ft. high
Diorite-gabbro gneiss
Colossal Figure
of Akhenaten
Temple of Karnak
New Kingdom Period
ca. 1350 BCE
13 ft. high
sandstone
3. According to Professor Nagle (see your outside reading “Akhenaten”) how does Akhenaten represent a disruption of traditional ideas of the relationship between the king and the divine (PLEASE CITE THE OUTSIDE READING)? Please make sure you demonstrate your understanding of Akhenaten’s new religious practices.
4. Next turn your attention to the later New Kingdom. In Hunefer’s Book of the Dead (VIDEO #2/READING #2) we see a return to traditional form in many ways. How do we see traditional religion reasserting itself in this object? How about traditional visual style? We began our section on Ancient Egypt by discussion the Osiris narrative, what relationship do you see between the Book of the Dead and the Osiris narrative (this is a big hint!)? Finally, how does the concept of ma’at (literally!) reappear in Hunefer’s Book of the Dead?
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