The Art And Architecture Of Ancient Egypt

A survey of Egyptian art and architecture is enhanced by revised text, an updated bibliography, and over four hundred illustrations.

The civilization of Ancient Egypt extended from the fourth millennium BC to the conquest of Alexander. The Egyptians in their tombs recreated life for the dead in a naturalistic way, often against the background of the landscape in which they lived. They also left revealing portraits ranging from the civil servants of the kings to the kings and queens themselves who built the pyramids at Giza and Saqqara; the tombs at Thebes, including the treasure-filled burial-place of Tut-ankh-amon; the temples of Luxor and Karnak and the palaces of Akhenaten at Tell el Amarna and of Amenhotep III at Thebes.

From Berlin to Boston, and St Petersburg to Sydney, ancient Egyptian art fills the galleries of some of the world's greatest museums, while the architecture of Egyptian temples and pyramids has attracted tourists to Egypt for centuries. But what did Egyptian art and architecture mean to the people who first made and used it - and why has it had such an enduring appeal? In this Very Short Introduction, Christina Riggs explores the visual arts produced in Egypt over a span of some 4,000 years. The stories behind these objects and buildings have much to tell us about how people in ancient Egypt lived their lives in relation to each other, the natural environment, and the world of the gods. Demonstrating how ancient Egypt has fascinated Western audiences over the centuries with its impressive pyramids, eerie mummies, and distinctive visual style, Riggs considers the relationship between ancient Egypt and the modern world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Accompanied by more than three hundred drawings and maps, offers six hundred alphabetically arranged entries covering the major structures of ancient Egypt.

A concise introductory guide to ancient Egypt. Each double page focuses on a particular period in history, a particular site, art object or theme, for example, Thutmose III and his reign, female statuary of the Middle Kingdom, 4th Dynasty pyramids. With a chronological span from 4000-30 BC, and with lots of colour photos, maps and an index of names and divinities to guide you, this is a good potted history to the art, architecture and history of Egypt.

Lavishly illustrated in color, this book presents a spectacular collection of archaeological and artistic treasures covering the extent of Egyptian art from the Predynastic Period of the fourth millennium B.C. to the Greco-Roman period of the fourth century A.D. The volume features more than 130 objects ranging from architectural elements of a royal palace and funerary chapel to delicate jewelry and textile fragments, and contains many objects never previously shown in print. In an introductory essay David P. Silverman documents major expeditions to sites in Egypt and Nubia and summarizes the new information gleaned about ancient Egyptian civilization. Donald B. Redford provides a general treatment of ancient Egypt history. The objects themselves are introduced with concise essays by recognized Egyptologists: Edward Brovarski, Rita E. Freed, Arielle P. Kozloff, David O'Connor, Edna R. Russmann, William K. Simpson, and Josef W. Wegner. Contributors-- Edward Brovarski, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Rita Freed, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Arielle Kozloff, Cleveland Museum of Art David O'Connor, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University Donald Redford, University of Toronto Edna. R. Russman, Brooklyn Museum of Art David Silverman, University of Pennsylvania William Kelly Simpson, Yale University Josef W. Wegner, University of Pennsylvania

Provides description and analysis of Egyptian building practices.