Egyptian symbols

Symbols

There is a huge variety of symbols used in Ancient Egyptian. They used to cover walls, tombs and columns. All the symbols had a meaning in the ancient Egyptians.

Some symbols:

Akhet:

Akhet carved

• It represents when the sun become visible and invisible.
•  It also represents sunrise and sunset
• The symbol looks very similar to the Djew symbol

The meaning of it was a protector of every day's life.

Amenta

• It was invented to represent the land of the afterlife.
• Once it was the symbol of the horizon of the sun set that it transformed its meaning to the west back of the Nile. 

  

  Ankh

Meaning: Eternal life

It was a symbol that represents the breath you need to be happy in the afterlife in fact the gods used to hold it with people`s lips.

The eye of Horus

Some symbols today use them in tattoos to define what's going trough in their  life:

Inspiration: The Eye of horus

• Symbol definition: Protection wisdom and revelation.
• It is also known as the eyes of Ra, and the Wedjet.
• Here I can see changes into the symbol to be original. 

  

  Influenced from Ankh

• It is simple with black ink

• It is completed with some designs around it.

  

  It is completely inspired from ancient Egyptian and it is full of symbols. 

  References:

Symbols and definitions. 1996.Akhet.Amenta. ankh. [online]. Available on: http://altreligion.about.com/od/sym http://www.egyptartsite.com/symlst.html Accessed on: 21st May, 2014

About.com.2014. Eye of horus. Ancient Egyptian symbols.[online]. Avalableon : bols/p/Eye-Of-Horus-Ancient-Egyptian-Symbol.htm Accessed on: 21stMay,2014

John Watson.1996.The symbolism of ancient Egyptian, an inroduction.[online] Available on: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/symbolism1.htm  Accessed on 21stMay, 2014

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The discovery of tomb Tutankhamun by Howard Carter

The discovery of tomb Tutankhamun by Howard Carter

The Tomb of tutankhamun was found in 1922 by Howard Carter. it`s art and design effected cinema, fashion, Jeweler and architecture. All the items and paintings found were a huge influence to Art Deco design.

The Art Deco style began in 1920s and completed till 1930s. It all started in France and expanded around the world. The style can be recognized easily because of its angular forms like trapezoids and zigzags; It is also full of geometric shapes and sunbursts.  Art Deco was also influenced from modern art, Africa. In Tutankhamen tomb they found the solid gold funerary mask which indicated a sense of contrast with gold and lapis lazuli. There is the presence of cobra which made me understand why a lot of Egyptian artefacts had cobra. The richness that has been found helped art Deco style to be luxurious. 

Tutmask

• There is al lot of gold in it.
• It has symbols representing gods.
• Ra on it represents the god of the sun and the cobra represents upper Egypt.
• Vulture represents Lower Egypt.
• It was made to protect the Pharaoh`s mummy.
• It is full of precious stones and little glass paste.

Statues found in Tatankhumun tomb

• The men are dressed Egyptian style doing hunting
• 
  
  

  

  Head piece

• It was worn by a king on his head even in the afterlife for over 3000 years.
• Today it is located in Golden Gate Park.

How designer changed thing inspired and influenced from Egyptian style:

In Fashion:

Headpiece inspired from  Egyptian

The eye shadow and eye-liner are inspired from Make up of ancient time.

Dress inspired from Egyptian Goddess

Leggings inspired from 'Tutmask'

Interior Design:

Inpsired sofa

Designer: Karim Rashid

Function: sofa

Inspiration: Egyptian Pyramids and retro interior

table with drawers

Designer: Costomo Barbara

Inspiration: Egyptian geometric shapes

Function: Drawer and table.

Inspired Coffee table

• Gold coffee table
• The designer combined the tutmask with the body of an animal
• To show the inspiration he used gold and black colour which are found in tutmask.

Sculptures, paintings,print and street art:

Egyptian cobra modern sculpture 

• Inspired from Toscana Egyptian cobra goddess
• Decoration to be hanged on wall



print

• Humorous print inspired from Anubis and paintings from Ancient Egyptian.

I can see Anubis doing a BBQ with while the king is waiting on the throne to be served.
All of them are facing the dame direction of the feet and hands. 

Street art inspired from Egyptian era




• 

  Humoruos sculpture

References:

Knoji. 2014.Egyptomania: The influences of Tutankhamun. [online] Available on: http://history.knoji.com/egyptomania-the-influence-of-tutankhamun/ Accessed on: 20th May, 2014

San Francisco citizen. 2010. Treasures. Tatankhamun and the golden Age of the Pharaohs.[online] Available on : http://sfcitizen.com/blog/tag/treasures/ Accessed on: 20 th May, 2014

Tutankhamen virtual reality mask. King tut mask.[online] Available on : http://www.angelfire.com/wa/waeeel/mask.html Accessed on: 20th May, 2014

Media and Egyptian

Media and Egyptian

Media got influenced from Egyptians both from design and art.

There is a hug variety of films that got inspired from Egyptians.

Some of the films are:

The Ghoul

shot from 'The Ghoul'

• Was made in 1933 and directed by T. Hayes Hunter.
• As i can observe from this photo there is a sculpture with typical ancient king with the face of Anubis .
• Anubis was an Egyptian god and the son of Osiris which was another god.
• I can see a man adoring Anubis.
• Anubis used to support mummification financially.
• His face was always black in ancient time.

Famous statue from the ancient time of the jackal found in tomb of Tutankhamun 

Cleopatra:

sot from 'Cleopatra'

• Made in 1934
• Directed by Cecil b Deville

I can observe an inspirational costume with Egyptian typical jewellery and headdresses. There is the use of gold to show richness. In 1934 designers started to elaborate the inspirations of ancient time and transform them to something unique. 

Land of the Pharaohs

Land of the Pharaohs:

• Made in 1955
• The film is mostly made in Egypt
• There is the process of the pyramids in it
• There is the presence of architecture inspired from Egyptians time and also a huge amount of customs.

The mummy:

The mummy is one of the most popular films. This film continues with the film called 'The Scorpio king'. he entire film in inspired from Egyptian. The writer of the film god influenced from gods and some names from ancient times.

Picture from 'The mummy' (2001)

shot from the mummy (2001)

• The paintings behind him are with the same style and position of the ancient times.
• Man is wearing jewellery that they used to be worn in ancient times.

Games influenced from Egyptian style:

Crash bandicoot:

Cartoon Egyptian inspirations in Crash bandicoot

I can observe almost the exact paintings that we see in ancient Egyptian. The women with the red dress are with a traditional headdress and facing one direction of the feet and hands. There is the use of animals and Egyptian symbols.

Crash Bandicoot

• There is the presence of the pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza.
• In crash Bandicoot 3 there is also the tomb time in the 9th level of the game. 

Music videos:

Michael Jackson - Remember the time

Picture of the costumes used

• I can see a variety of jewelry which are elaborated and transformed into modern. 
• I can see a combination of Greek in the costumes. 

 References:

The god of ancient Egypt. 1996. Anubis.[online]. Available of: http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/anubis.htm Accessed on: 20th May.2014

Mike and Janet wood.1995. Uniited Kingdom.Ancient Nile - Ancient Egyptian - Egyptian movies. [online]. Available on: http://www.ancientnile.co.uk/films.php Accessed on: 20th May,2014

Egyptian pottery

Ancient Egyptian Pottery:

Pottery workers in ancient time were made with reddish brown clay. They used to make bricks table, ware, statuettes, funerary offerings items, Jeweler, toys and traditional games. Khnam was a water god for the Egyptians who was a potter who created man with pottery. They used to leave the pottery as simple as possible and mostly without any designs on it.  The red colour of the clay used to rise after firing and it is because of oxidization. They used to mix clay with lime to produce whitish marl which was found in few parts of Egypt.

Techniques:

The techniques were very traditional in fact they used to use their hands to form and pinch the clay.

The tools were made from thing they find. They managed to make a flat tool to be able to press the clay.

Kiln:

One kiln was found in Mahasna.  The kiln was made from bricks placed near each other with fire between the bricks to fire the pottery. Probably there was a roof to keep the temperature hot inside it. The pottery items used to be placed in the kiln on a piece of clay lined with herbage.

The entire crockery item was made with clay in the Early Dynastic period and they also invented techniques to be easier for them to produce crockery.  In the 18th and 16th century BCE the Egyptians invented the famous mould which is still popular now a day.  The potter wheel was produced in 27th and 22th century also known as the old kingdom. The potter's wheel is there to form jugs and decorative vases. The first pottery wheel needed to be rotated by hand and. The turntables were produced before the kick wheels so the potters used to make pottery with turntables.  Today we still use pinching and coiling technique to make a master piece with clay. Today the equipment and machinery is improved and even the clay is improved to gain flexibility. The decorations were made by cuts and painted. They used to mix clay and water to smoothen the surfaces and colour items. Glazing began in the 4rd millennium BCE and that time glazing was mostly blue and green.

Red wares crockery was made by forming with hands then dried outside in sunny area. Rarely did they use to be covered with red ochre and polished with stone.

Nile ware jug 

Pottery made without potter`s wheel 

• This pottery piece were finished by polishing with stone piece.
•  The black is created with over firing. 

Nile clay

It is also made in ancient times. I can see engraved pattern on it and embossment with clay itself. There is also traced of paint on it which is the same pattern of the engraving part. I think that the painting is created due to non coloured pattern Or engraved after firing.

Types of clay they used in Ancient times:

Nile clay:

• It can be fired in lower temperature due to the highly amount of silica in it.
• The temperature has to be approximately 700 to 800 degrees.
• The colour after firing varies to red, brown and sometimes black

Marl:

• Marl needs 800 to 100 degrees to be fired.
• When breaking a piece of marl it looks denser than the Nile clay.
• The colours of marl become beige, light yellow or pink after firing and its actual texture is harder than the Nile.
• Do not have any organic material.

Pottery from ancient Egyptian with Nile clay

Pot Made from nile

Pattern: the pattern is the second Naqada boat in Naqada two periods approximately 3500- 3200 BCE before the pyramids were produced.

• It was made without pottery wheel

Pattern: I can see a huge boat with allot of flat blades to move the boat.  The designs under the boat are probably there to represent the flamingos. The overall pattern was chosen to show the importance of the Nile River in Naqada style. 

Marl Pottery:

Vase made in ancient Egypt 

Pattern: I can see another boat with huge amount of oars and people on it. I can see different types of birds and i can identify flamingos. I can observe people dancing, shapes and animals. 

Jar which is situated in Mc lung Museum

• Studies show that this was made to be used as a rattle for children.
• Made from Nile clay

kiln used in Ancient times

How the artist got inspired from Egyptian pottery:

Modern vase inspired from Ancient Egyptian pottery

• There is the use of animals and birds like the old times.

Made in 1990

References:

Elaine A Evans. 2003.  A curious sealed pottery jar. Introduction. [online]. Availabel on: http://web.utk.edu/~museum/research/renotes/rn-25txt.htm Accessed on: 19th May, 2014

Lucy d. 2013. Ancient Egyptian pottery. [online] Available on: http://ancientegypt.global2.vic.edu.au/ Accessed on: 19th May, 2014

National Geographic. 1996.Naqada pot. [online] Available on: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/media/naqada-pot/?ar_a=1 Accessed on:19th May,2014

Pottery. 2002. Materials and Techniques. form and decoration. [online]. Available on: http://reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/pottery/index.html Accessed on: 19th May, 2014

J Hil. 2010.Ancient Egyptian online.Khum. [online] Available on: http://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/khnum.html Accessed on: 19th May, 2014

Jimmy Dun. 1996. Egypt: The pottery of ancient Egypt. [online]. Available on: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pottery.htm accessed on: 19th May, 2014

Egyptian fashion

Egyptian fashion

The Ancient Egypt people were more likely to use light clothing due to hot summer. They used to use fabric from plants such as linen and cotton because they are versatile and good to be worn for warm weather.  Sometimes they used to wear wool for some areas. Silk is used mostly to symbolize richness and in buried rooms. Important people such as priests and pharaohs used to wear animal skins. Kings and Queen were often wear decorative clothing.

How the clothing was done?

The woman had the main ability to do this kind of work at their houses. Only few workshops existed and were owned by rich people.

They used to make the production of linen traditionally by making fibers into treads and woven them with looms. The tailoring was done with simple rectangular pieces of fabric and holds them together around the body with supporting belt.  They still used to hem the fabric to prevent fabric to fray with whipped hems stitches.  Allot of stitches were already known in ancient Egypt.

Tools:

Everything was different and made from things they found. Stone pieces were transformed to blades and by time they made them from copper and bronze. Needles were made from wood, bone and also metal.

Clothing style: 

In the old kingdom both women and men used to wear white clothing and it was just a rectangle fabric wrapped around them. In the middle kingdom men started to wear complex belts and sleeveless shirt with a belt on.  Men also used to wrap rectangular fabric with the legs and waist to make a skirt.  In new kingdom men used to dress pleated clothing. 

The rich people used to wear allot of decorative items both in jewelry and on clothes.  The rich used to wear headpieces especially for special occasions.

Women used to dress a straight dress made from rectangular fabric with two shoulder straps.  In the new kingdom the fashion changed to pleated or folded dresses. 

The rich women used to wear the finest linen at that time and over decorate their clothes, wear jewellery and headpieces for occasions.

The children used to wear no clothes until reaching the age of 6 and from there they begin to wear the same clothes of a man and woman.

They used to wear sandals made from papyrus or palm when they are in need because of pain in their feet or for a special occasion.

The rich people used to make their sandals from leather. 

Significant:

Jewellery was a way to show wealth and to be more attractive into the eyes of God.

The used to wear any type of jewellery .

The middle class people used to make jewellery from ceramics and the rich ones from gold and treasured stones.

During Ancient Egypt time men and women used to make make-up especially black eye liner and eye shadows with the shades of blue and green. They also used to dye their lips and nails. 

different forms of sandals found in Ancient Egypt

Jewellery of the wealth people

Painting showing how women used to dress

Picture showing how the make used to be done

Shoes located in Victoria and Albert museum

These shoes were produced in ancient times and it is made with leather and attached with embroidery and there is also a print on it. 

Another ancient Egyptian sandal

Made in 1550-1186BC

My thoughts: 

I can see knots to be attached. There are also textiles techniques. It looks really uncomfortable mostly because of the knot under the sandal. 

Egyptian influences in today's life:

Shoes inspired from Egyptian culture

Sandals inspired from Egypt

Collar jewellery inspired from ancient Egypt style.

Inspired belt and skirt from Egyptian style

My thoughts:

the way the skirt is wrapped are clearly inspired from Egyptian clothing and the belt is also something invented in ancient times but here it is for the purpose of design not to hold the fabric together. the designer made it look more modern with the gold touch which we found that gold does exist at that time too.  I like the shadows coming from the folds. The material used is summery just like they used to wear. 

Jewellery,make up, shirt and skirt influenced from Egyptian ancient style

My thoughts:

I can see almost a replica of makeup used in ancient times.  The jewelry is full of beads which are representing the precious stones of long time ago. The skirt is pleated just like they used to do and as I can see here the designer used linen. The shirt is made is made is a modern was by adding different colours in it. Even the hair style is influenced from that time. 

Simple dress inspired from Egyptian clothing

It is clearly inspired from the poor women dresses of ancient time. Here the designer decided to change the white colour to red from glamorous look and combined the gold belt with it

Inspired dress by Elie Tahari

This dress was in the collection presented in 2012. 

References:

Youtube.2014. Ancient Egyptian clothing. Available on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrtwhYkv9a8 accessed on: 18th May,2014

Historyonthenet.2000.The Egyptian clothing. Available on: http://www.historyonthenet.com/Egyptians/clothing.htm Accessed on: 18th May,2014

Reshafim. Garments. clothing material. droduction. article of dress.fashion.Laundering.Mending.Headresses. Footwear. Available on: http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/clothing.htm Accessed on: 18th May,2014

Pinterest.Egyptian inspiration.Available on: http://www.pinterest.com/mariah021/egyptian-inspiration/ Accessed on: 18th may,2014

Dalje.com.2014. Available on: http://dalje.com/en/foto.php?id=22&rbr=9980&idrf=464236 Accessed on: 18th May,2014