Hi folks! This week we’re using genuine surviving imagery from ancient Egypt to explore their world and how they saw it. Choose a figure and spend some time thinking about what you see in it and what ideas it carries with it from all those thousands of years ago. What stands out to you? What do you want to know more about?

The image I want to focus on is the statues of the pharaohs, what I found interesting in this image is how there is like a wall in between the statues. I feel like the artist that made this wanted to put that to show that the pharaohs were spilt on their views. one for good which is showed with the blue color and one for evil which is shown with the other color. What this shows me about the Egyptians is they were spilt on what they want to do and what they believe in.

I chose to focus on the image of Queen Nefertiti. I find it interesting to see how it mentions a transition to the afterlife and how it is being received by other entities. I don't know much about any of the figures in the image, they all look interesting, but I would like to know more about Horus and his purpose.

Also, how is the transition to the afterlife, if it is different for each individual or the same for everyone?

The image I chose to focus on was Queen Nefertiti. I find it interesting to see how it mentions a transition to the afterlife and how she is being received by other entities. I don't know much about any of the figures in the image, they all look interesting, but I would like to know more about Horus and his purpose.

The images I chose to focus on were Queen Nefertiti being guided into the afterlife and the Egyptian tomb painting of Anubis. These two images tell me that Egyptians placed a strong emphasis on the afterlife and the divine. The presence of deities like Isis, Horus, Maat, and Anubis in these depictions reflects the belief in a spiritual journey after death, with gods acting as guides, protectors, and maintainers of order. Maat, in particular, symbolizes the balance and harmony that was central to both the cosmos and society. The colossal statues of pharaohs at Luxor, on the other hand, demonstrate the importance of the rulers not only in life but also as figures that transcend death, ensuring their power and divine connection were honored for eternity. Overall, these images convey that the ancient Egyptians saw life as closely intertwined with the divine, emphasizing balance, protection, and a well-ordered afterlife.

The detail that jumps out is Anubis, with a jackal head, assisting the deceased. The artist conveys the god’s role in guiding souls to the afterlife, highlighting Egyptian beliefs in protection after death. I’d like to learn more about Anubis’s symbolism in different tomb paintings.

The image of Queen Nefertiti being guided to the afterlife by Isis and Horus and being greeted by Ma'at interests me to see the gods showing the souls of the dead the way to the afterlife, showing them that death is just another step in the journey. I think the artist is trying to tell us that no mortal in ancient Egypt had to go on the path to the afterlife alone because the gods were always there to assist them on their journey to the afterlife. I think the artist chooses to paint the gods Isis and Horus in their images because they are the protectors of the kings, especially since Horus is the protector of the pharaoh, which is why I think he is depicted in the artwork guiding Queen Nefertiti to the afterlife along with Isis. I would want to find out why the goddess Ma'at is welcoming Queen Nefertiti to the afterlife.

I chose the last image to focus on, the painting of the god Anubis, the guide of the underworld and protector of graves. What mostly stands out to me is that the tomb is decorated to resemble the person as if they were a god. The connection to the gods was very present in their lives regarding death. Death was seen as a second life. Ancient Egyptians who could afford it would be buried in gold and jewels, in case they needed them in their next life. This painting resembles how the Egyptians portrayed their gods as almost human but never fully human, more than. This to me makes me think about how pharaohs portrayed themselves as god-like to their kingdoms and subjects. I also believe this was a sort of religious painting. Showcasing how the human life ends and then there is no choice because their reincarnation was in the hands of the gods. The Egyptians believed in gifting sacrifices and material things to appease the gods and make sure they would reincarnate. I believe the painting intended to portray the steps following death.

In the images presented, I can identify numerous patterns and elements in the pictures that are pertinent to Egyptian society and culture. Among these pictures of ancient Egyptian pharaohs and their wives, one thing that intrigues me is how similar the men's and women's clothing is in certain ways, which helps to set them apart from other people. I think the painters wish to convey not just the Egyptian people's textures and designs, which stand for prestige and royalty in Egyptian society, but also their identities. The author, in my opinion, intended for these potent works of art to help us comprehend and visualize what life was like in ancient Egypt, including the existence of the afterlife and how the people committed to and came together as a society to uphold these beliefs and give an effective, systematic sense of power that could govern and benefit society. I'd like to learn more about the real artist or former designer who decided to produce such distinctive clothing items to support the representation of people and their values. What led them to portray such ideals and ideas to support the integrity of society as a whole and as individuals would be fascinating to me. 

The image of Anubis assisting the dead stood out to me the most. I find it really interesting how much the ancient Egyptians valued the afterlife and how they believed the gods played a direct role in guiding them through it. The fact that Anubis is literally shown helping the dead just shows the deep respect they had for death and what came after. It’s fascinating how they believed in a whole process, where the gods would help determine their fate. This really highlights how important the afterlife was to their culture and how much they prepared for it.

The image of Nefertiti interested me the most. A detail I noticed are the wings Ma’at has. Since she is welcoming Nefertiti to the afterlife, the wings remind me of having a new beginning. Also the goddess Ma’at welcoming Nefertiti gives the impression of death being a process that isn’t lonely and that the gods wouldn’t abandon their people. Usually when thinking of death, people think of being alone or feeling sad for the person who passed. This artist gives assurance through the painting that the gods will accompany its people in the afterlife so that they shouldn’t fear it. I would like to find out what the hieroglyphics translate into.

The image that caught my attention was the “Egyptian tomb painting of Anubis assisting the dead.” And one detail in particular that caught my attention was Anubis looking into the tomb because he is the god of death in Egypt, so the image makes sense. Also, I think the artist is trying to tell us that Anubis was in charge of taking the spirit or souls of people to a special place after death and that he was in charge of guiding these souls or spirits. What I would like to know more about is: Does Anubis treat everyone equally? For example, does he treat ancient Egyptian civilians and pharaohs equally?

The image that stood out to me was the first one with the couple named “ Nobleman and his wife, Egypt, Old Kingdom”. This stood out to me because The couple is shown sitting together and they have formal postures and they look as though they are very united and I like how the artist made the nobleman look as though he's strong and a protector

I think the artist wanted to show the couple's high status and respect for each other and harmony and seeing them portrayed very calm so that they were peaceful

I would like to know more about what roles women and men had to follow during that time

I am interested in the image of Anubis. The most impressive part of the image is that the shape of Anubis is like between a dog and a person. I guess it emphasizes the nocturnal of the god as the god helps people die peacefully in nighttime. Furthermore, the god perhaps wanted to convey peace and spiritual peace after death. Imma find out relationships between Egyptian gods and animals.

Particularly what image stands out to me, is the one with the Pharaoh and his wife. This one caught my attention because of how colorful it is. Another thing that caught my eye was the outfits that they’re wearing, such as their headgear, and the things on their necks/shoulders. It’s a little strange that their skin is red.

The artist was trying to depict a woman being there for her man. Sending a message that having a woman by your side is powerful and some may say necessary. A woman’s love is like no other. She was comforting him.

Something I want to find out more about is how love life was for the pharaohs and their relationships. Did their relationships last? Were they monogamous? Were they happy ?

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As I was observing all seven images, the one that caught my eye's attention immediately was the second one. What made the second image so appealing and interesting to me was... how well detailed the appearance of the two Pharaohs were. Their stature and figure gave them such a divine look. To me, it literally felt like I was in the witnessing the living embodiment of Ancient Egyptian Gods on Earth. The Pharaohs Nemes headcloths are absolutely stunning on their head. Their striped linen headcloths have so many symbols on them, with each symbol representing something unique towards every Pharaoh. At first, I thought it was some type of special crown, that was exclusive to the Pharaohs during Ancient Egyptian times. However, it turns out it wasn't a crown. It's actually a striped linen headcloth worn by Pharaohs also known as "Nemes," symbolizing their power and divine authority, representing their connection to the Gods and their role as rulers of Ancient Egypt. Wearing the Nemes headcloths indicated the Pharaoh's status as a living God on Earth. To sum up everything that has been stated so far, I believe that the artist was trying to make it crystal clear that the Pharaohs were seen as living Gods on Earth in the eyes of the Egyptians. Therefore, the Pharaohs had the utmost respect amongst anyone. The stories about their lives were written on the walls inside of the pyramids that they were laid to rest, so that everyone would know their role during Ancient Egyptian times. I would definitely like to know more about Pharaohs. I want to know, how many Pharaohs have existed in Egypt's History?? How much power did the Pharaohs have?? What did the Pharaohs do for the Egyptians and their civilization?? Why did some Pharaohs have animal heads?? and finally, what gave the Pharaohs their power??

What draws my attention in this portrait is the exceptional symmetry and elegance of Nefertiti's face. The beautifully sculpted features, such as the elongated neck and the elaborate headdress, give her a timeless and regal presence. I think that the artist was attempting to present an idealized version of beauty and power, reaffirming Nefertiti's status as a great queen of ancient Egypt. I'd like to know why this bust exists – was it a prototype for other artworks or in commemoration of her legacy? I'd also like to know the effect of her role as Great Royal Wife on political and religious reforms during Akhenaten's reign.

One detail that draws my attention in this image is the large size of the colossal statues. Seeing their enormous statues gives us a glimpse of great authority and power, giving us a glimpse of the importance of the representation of the pharaohs. In addition, I believe that with this image he tries to communicate the divine status of the rulers, making them look like god-like figures to inspire admiration.

I would enjoy learning more about how the statues were made, considering the poor technology available at the time of the Old Kingdom. I am curious to find out about life for the pharaohs, what they did, what work they did, and how their reigns shaped Egyptian history.

When looking through the images, one that immediately caught my eye was the painting of Anubis assisting the dead. I think today Anubis is one of the more iconic and recognizable Egyptian gods with the head resembling a canine. In the painting Anubis is reaching over and touching what appears to be a coffin. One ting I noticed is that the coffin isn't at ground level but instead is elevated in the air very unlike how we treat the dead today. There's a curtain or cloth that's draped which might not be important but looks as if it's trying to give some privacy to whatever's going on, it looks as if the author is showing how the gods were respectful when assisting the dead or at least whoever passed and is lying in the coffin.

This made me think about how Egyptians long ago treated their dead differently to how we treat ours. I have many questions about their connection with the dead and afterlife. One thing to take notice of is the positioning the artist chose to represent Anubis. Gods are normally seen as higher beings, those who are responsible for what happens in nature and the ones humans look to for protection and guidance. In this iteration however, while Anubis is standing above the dead it's not shown in a distant way, almost as if Anubis was close to the person or the act of death itself. Maybe the assisting was Anubis bringing them to the afterlife. One thing's clear though is that the afterlife is a very prevalent topic when discussing Egyptian culture and their gods so I would like to know more about that.

The picture that stood out to me the most was the depiction of Queen Nefertiti being guided by Horus and Isis into the underworld and being welcomed by Ma'at. It stood out too me because Horus was the only one I could easily tell was a god. After looking it over and reading the description I figured out where Ma'at was because she had more special clothing and was bigger than the others. However It took me a longtime to tell the difference between Nefertiti and Isis. Ancient Egyptian gods are depicted as non human often with the head of an animal to connect to the power of nature. In this painting the only person who was clearly portrayed in that way was Horus, the only reason I could correctly discern Ma'at was because of the feathers. Was this the ancient Egyptians way of putting emphasis on how much more powerful the male gods were? Or is meant to represent the difference between the female gods? Because they are meant to represent the more vulnerable, nurturing, and natural part of humanity.

I believe the artist was trying to communicate the importance the journey to the after life is. The gods that are most associated with life and death are depicted here and they aren't menacing or terrifying instead they are welcoming, and protecting. I also believe that the artist is showing how special Nefertiti was, she is drawn in the same way as the goddesses so maybe the artist believed she was a goddess in her own right. The art also explains why burying someone with all the correct objects, clothing, and the book of the dead is crucial because they won't be welcomed into the afterlife like Nefertiti. The artist also depicted how Pharos get better treatment during their journey into the afterlife because of their status.

I would like to find out more about how the ancient Egyptians viewed the woman goddesses and how that relates/differs from the roles of women in Ancient Egypts society. It's not a secret that women in Ancient Egypt were seen as lesser than the men but it seems the women goddesses are viewed just as powerful as the male gods. Is it that they view human woman and godlike women differently? They are treated with more respect and I wonder how if there are any the aspects of the female goddesses were spread to the mortal women. Were they expected to be in control of the private/future like in Sumer and Ancient Greece? or were they seen as just pleasure/stability for the men?