Introduction As the earliest and most comprehensive Roman depiction of a "Nilotic landscape," the Nile Mosaic of Palestrina does not merely function as an expansive view of the Nile River. Second century B.C. artwork found on the floor of a public grotto-nymphaeum in the Temple of Fortuna at Palestrina, a town east of Ancient Rome, encapsulates endless genre-esque scenes of labeled figures, buildings, and the animal kingdom meandering through the Nile into the Mediterranean Sea. This birds-eye portrayal of landscape (and seascape) visibly renders every object as a resource, creating a conception of spatial reality in which geography and language are made violent in the erasure of Egypt and neighboring kingdoms such as Nubia and Aethiopia. The …show more content…
The mosaic's portrayal of exotic lands, indigenous peoples, and fantastical creatures not only reinforces Roman notions of conquest and authority but also perpetuates stereotypes and misconceptions about Egypt, Nubia, and Aethiopia. Historically, Western colonial powers often focus their archaeological and scholarly efforts on Egypt due to its perceived cultural superiority through the material record. This colonial legacy has influenced the prioritization of Egyptian studies in academia and public discourse, overshadowing Nubia and Aethiopia. But it is also crucial to note the exportation and exploitation of Egyptian culture outside of North Africa by the West as also demonstrated in the exotification and the specimen-logic treatment of labeling animals and removing the accurate context of land, resources, and plants in the Nile Mosaic. Egypt is depicted as “civilized” and habitable because of its association with empire, in contrast with that of Nubia in the upper register, physically farther from the viewer. This implicit visual mapping of territory concerning the “Western” viewer can be violent in the misrepresentational attitude suggesting a hierarchy based on proximity to the West. The lands beyond Egypt are depicted as filled with animal life (resources) to be hunted by the “primitive” population and literally mystical juxtaposed with “civilization” captured below. Ultimately, the Nile Mosaic presents an opportunity to reevaluate depictions of “the other” within the ancient Mediterranean, examining through a lens aware of mapping, cataloging, and representation that are crucial to decolonizing previous interpretations that were oversaturated by
Gates, Charles. Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece, and Rome. London: Routledge, 2003. Print.
Never before in history did any monument receive such wide attention from the public and media like the Great Sphinx of Giza. The 73.5m long and 20m high (Dieter Arnold) stone carved statue not only fascinates people from all around the world, but also created countless movie ideas, novels, video games and raises questions to those who are interested. Undoubtedly, Sphinx has become one of the most notable figures of ancient Egyptian culture just beside the pyramids in the eyes of westerners. However, many questions remained in mysteries for almost decades until the excavation of 1925 by Emile Baraize revealed the Sphinx’s exotic design to the world's view. Why did the ancient Egyptians build this massive structure? For what purpose would they want to invest such resources and labors to initiate such complex project? How was it built and how did the Egyptians overcome the enormous difficulties with past technologies? The purpose of this paper would be discussing the possible identity of whom the Sphinx might be and compare and analyze the evidence from a material culture point of view. The paper would be lay out to four different sections. First part would briefly describe the purpose of this study as well as giving a brief modern history of the Sphinx. Second part would be discussing the style/meaning and its association and context with the pyramids of the Giza and how the Sphinx was built. The third part would be discussing kings who possibly commissioned the Sphinx to be built and analyze the style of the Pyramid to the style of those kings. Two kings that could be the owner of the Sphinx are Khafra and Khufu, which would be my main focus here and I would be discussing the pros and cons of the scholars’ different ideas. Last p...
Johnson, Paul The Civilization of Ancient Egypt (New York: Harper Collins Publishers 1978,1998 and 1999)
The statue of King Menkaure and his Queen exhibits with clarity the Egyptian devotion of art to a cannon of proportions. Its strictly frontal view point, the rigid poses of the figures, and a faithful accordance to rules and established customs can be interpreted as manifesting the nature of the Pharaoh’s authority over his subjects while at the same time exemplifying the highly regulated, hierarchical structure of ancient Egyptian society. The measured grid of verticals and counterbalancing horizontals, the stiff artificial postures and the overall idealized anatomical shapes of the bodies combined with naturalism is indicative of Egyptian taste for art and a representation of the character of Egyptian culture.
Do you know the name of the mighty, 4,160-mile-long river that runs through eastern Africa? If you guessed the Nile, then yes, you are correct. But other than setting the record of being the longest natural river in the world, the Nile has been of great importance to the people of Ancient Egypt. In fact, without the Nile River, Ancient Egypt as we know it today would never have existed! Therefore, the Nile River shaped life in Ancient Egypt through economy, religion, and government.
The artworks of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Aegean cultures, and Ancient Greece have similarities that not only reflect objects and images, but also the media, style and representation. These countries were not always wealthy, clever, creative and powerful enough to gain supplies, but they all find a way to create art with what they had. They have all influenced on each other’s cultures and belief through their artistic values and ways, ranging from the materials and tools they use, position and representation of their monuments and their religious intent.
Water, flood seasons, Ancient Egypt. The Nile was a very important in shaping Ancient Egypt. There would be nothing without the Nile. There wouldn't be people, civilizations, or really anything if the Nile wasn't there. People used the Nile for everything from season to transportation to drinking water. The Nile shaped Ancient Egypt in population distribution, Economics, and Spiritual life.
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The Nile played an important role in the life of the ancient Egyptians. It makes life in the deserts of Egypt possible. It provided drinking water, a source of irrigation for crops, and most importantly the fertile soil used to grow crops. Without the Nile River it would have been difficult for Egyptian civilizations to survive. The Nile provided the crucial resources needed by a growing civilization. It caused all the ancient Egyptian communities to develop alongside the river. It also created a way of transportation of goods and people. This caused the development of boats and other water traveling methods.
God Dies by the Nile, Gives the reader and interesting look at a time and place that seems to have no equality between men and women. The Middle east has many very interesting features and aspects about it such as the way their economy is organized, the type of religion that they practice, the various geographical aspects of the land, and the way that society is in general. Because the economy is so poor, many people live in mud huts along rivers, and have very few material possessions. The main source of income comes from working in the fields. What little money they earn from the hard labor goes toward food for the family. Although this is not how everyone in lives. Strong political figures are those who live in luxury. This is the way it is in Kafr El Teen, where the characters of God Dies by the Nile, live.
The Nile, is the longest river in the world, and is located in northeastern Africa. Its principal source is Lake Victoria, in east central Africa. The Nile flows north through Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea, with a total distance of 5584 km. From its remotest headstream in Burundi, the river is 6671 km long. The river basin covers an area of more than 3,349,000 sq km. Not only is the Nile considered a wonder by Herodotus, but by people all over the world, due to its impotance to the growth of a civilization.The first great African civilization developed in the northern Nile Valley in about 5000 BC.