INTRODUCTION

•Egyptian is amongst the earliest

civilization which has a remarkable
history preserved.
•For centuries they followed strict rules
over culture and art.
•This culture later influenced the europe
, middle east asia and africa.
•After a point of time egypt itself was
under the influence of hellenism and
then christianity and then islamic
culture.
•Thus , today’s egyptian culture stands a
complex mixture of all these cultures
including the modern western culture.

CHAPTER
EGYPT PROFILE
RELIGIONS : Muslim -94%
christian,other-6%
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely
understood
Capital : Cairo
99% of the population lives within the Nile
valley and delta , which constitutes less than 4%
of the total area.
 ORIGIN

•Egypt has a history from 3000 BC preserved in the form of pictures.

•Paintings that decorated the walls of the tombs in Egypt were intended to keep
alive the history .
•The pictures and models found in Egyptian tombs were connected with the idea
of providing the soul with helpmates in the other world.
•The Egyptian painters had a very different way from ours of representing real life.
• It was the artists' task to preserve everything as clearly and permanently as possible.
•Every artist also had to learn the art of beautiful script.
•He had to cut the images and symbols of the hieroglyphs clearly and accurately in
stone.
• Horus, the sky god, had to be
shown as a falcon or with a
falcon's head

•Anubis, the god of funeral rites,

as a jackal or with a jackal's head
 ARCHITECTURAL CULTURE

FOCAL POINTS –
•Statues of Pharaohs and gods in temples, and sarcophagus in tombs dominated the whole
architectural layout.
•Walls immensely thick and sloping - structural requirement for balancing (vertical
walls of stone are unstable)
•Stone Columns closely spaced - Large spans were not possible
•Stone Lintels - massive with short spans, stone is a material that has a weak tensile
strength
TOMBS AND TEMPLES
•Flat roofs - Domes and vaults were unknown in Egypt
•Small Openings - large doors and windows are not possible in stone construction, this
also secured privacy to the religious structures inaccessible to the public
•Hieroglyphs - recording of historic events in stone obelisks and walls
•Religious symbols - ( scarabs , solar disk) essential component for the decoration of all
architectural elements
 Material for construction

•Due to lack of wood in egypt stone was used mostly.

•Stone was used for tombs and temples.
•Whereas sun baked bricks were used for other construction.
 Architectural colors

•The colours used were limited to primaries of mineral origin: red from haematite, or yellow
ochre, burnt to redness; cobalt and copper for blue; malachite for green; orpiment for bright
yellow, and were all found in Egypt.
•Although the Egyptians used only primary colours they succeeded by the use of white in
obtaining many degrees of these colours. Purple, however, was used in their potteries and dyes.
The only colors which were seen in the structures were brown , green , and yellow.
Modern architecture
•Even today green , brown and white are
used the most.
•The egyptian culture always had an
earthy look which got them close to the
elements in the surrounds.
•Even today the tradition is kept in mind
while designing an egyptian décor,
 CLOTHING

Clothes from natural materials available in nature

Hot and sometimes humid climate-lightweight materials mostly made of linen which is
light, airy, and allows freedom of movement
Men clothing : short skirts around their waists called kilts..wealthy men wore pleated kilts.
Women clothing: straight fitting dresses with straps on their shoulders
•In ancient times white was
considered to be a symbol of purity
and the best color for hot climate.
•Color played its own role in
representing a persons status.
•The kings and queens wore white as
a sign of purity and gold whuch was a
sign of supremacy.
•Whereas the poor man wore brown
or ochre color clothing in jute and a
black bead neck piece.
 ORNAMENTS

•Color and wealth were displayed through accessories, mainly jewelry , which both men
and women wore.
• The simple white pleated clothing was often richly enhanced with wide collars made of
shells, beads, flowers, and precious stones set in gold
•Silver was the substance of the gods' bones and was mainly used for ornamentation.
•The cobra, worn on both the crown and the hood-like head-dress, was a symbol
exclusive to kings in Egypt. And so was the ankh, which was a sacred sign of life.
•The crook and flail represented authority over the land and the people. Amulets, such as
scarab beetles, were worn in life and then buried with the dead for protection.
•Both men and women wore the same type of sandals, made in a coiled technique using
grass and clean palm leaves, papyrus, wood, and goat skin.
•Only the kings wore colored sandals . They were usually green
•Beauty and grooming
•Women lightened their skin with a yellow ochre colour. Men used orange-tinted paint to
darken their face skin.
• Black kohl or green malachite powder was used to underline the eyes. Eyebrows were
enhanced with grey powder.
• Red lip gloss was mixed from fat and ochre. Rouge was also popular.
 ORIGIN OF COLOUR

IMPORTANCE OF COLOUR
integral part of the substance and being of everything in life.
color was a clue to the substance or heart of the matter. colors were clues to the nature of the
beings depicted in the work
Colours were meant to be more expressive rather than natural
The colours used were symbolic and all had different meanings.
most Egyptian artworks involve the depiction of many gods and goddesses

COLOUR IMPLEMENTATION
six colors white, black, red, yellow, blue and green
colors were generated largely from mineral compounds
Items with similar color were believed to have similar properties.
Colors were often paired: silver and gold were considered complementary colors (i.e. they
formed a duality of opposites just like the sun and moon). Red complemented white. green and
black represented different aspects of the process of regeneration
 PAINTING RULES
the sizes of figures were calculated purely
by reference to the person's social status,
rather than by the normal artistic rules
of linear perspective
Head and legs always in profile; eyes and
upper body viewed from the front. 
male statues should be darker than female
ones
when seated, the subject's hands should
be on knees
Gods too were depicted according to their
position in the hierarchy of deities, and
always in the same guise Horus (the sky god)
was always represented with a falcon's head,
Anubis (the god of funeral rites) was always
depicted with a jackal's head.
 Multiple lines or shape repetitions to
suggest "motion" or "many".
. When overlapping objects , colors are
alternated so as to differentiate each
individual
 COLOR SYMBOLISM-black

color of the life-giving silt left by the Nile

inundation
symbolized fertility, new life, and
ANUBIS resurrection as seen through the yearly
OSIRIS agricultural cycle
was a symbol of death and of the night

Osiris, the king of the afterlife was called "the black one
Anubis, the god of embalming was shown as a black jackal or dog, even though real jackals
and dogs are typically brown
it was also a natural symbol of the underworld and so also of resurrection
Black was often used on statues and coffins to invoke the process of regeneration ascribed to
the god Osiris

CREATRION
Black pigments were created from
carbon compounds such as soot, ground
charcoal or burnt animal bones.
 COLOR SYMBOLISM-white

omnipotence and purity

. Due to its lack of colour
white was also the colour of
simple and sacred things
White was also the heraldic
colour of Upper Egypt. The
"Nefer", the crown of Upper
Egypt was white.
The name of the holy city of
Memphis meant "White Walls
CREATION : gypsum and chalk

Silver:
represented the color of the sun at dawn, and the
moon, and stars.
Silver was a rarer metal than gold in Ancient
Egypt and held a greater value.
COLOR SYMBOLISM-green

colour of vegetation and new life.

color of the 'Eye of Horus', or 'Wedjat', which
had healing and protective powers, and so the
color also represented well-being
Osiris God of vegetation and agriculture was
often portrayed with green skin and was also
referred to as "the Great Green“
Green malachite was a symbol of joy and the
land of the blessed dead was described as the
"field of malachite

CREATION : The pigment green could be

produced from a paste manufactured by mixing
oxides of copper and iron with silica and
calcium. It could also be derived from
malachite, a natural copper ore
 COLOR SYMBOLISM-blue
color of the heavens, the dominion of the gods, as
well as the color of water, the yearly inundation,
and the primeval flood
Blue was used for the hair of gods (specifically
lapis lazuli, or the darkest of Egyptian blues)
for the face of the god Amun the god of air and
wind
Ancient Egyptians favored semi-precious
stones such as azurite (Ancient Egyptian
AMUN name'tefer') and lapis lazuli
COLOR SYMBOLISM-yellow
was the color of women's skin
Yellow was also the color of the sun and,
along with gold, could represent perfection
Realgar, which we consider to be an
orange color today, would have been
classed as yellow
Gold (Ancient Egyptian name 'newb')
represented the flesh of the gods and was
used for anything which was considered
eternal or indestructible
Whilst gold leaf could be used on
sculpture, yellow or reddish-yellows were
used in paintings for the skin of gods. 
 COLOR SYMBOLISM-red
CREATION: naturally oxidized iron and red
ochre.
colour of life and of victory
normal skin tone of Egyptian men ,
without any negative connotation
was also the color of chaos and disorder
– the color of the desert, opposite of fertile
black land.
was also a symbol of anger and fire
The hieroglyph for red is the hermit ibis, a
bird which, unlike the other ibis of Egypt,
lives in dry areas and eats insects and small
creatures.
Seth while the god of victory over Apep,
was also the evil murderer of his brother
Osiris. His red coloration could take on the
meaning of evil or victory depending on the
context in which he is portrayed.
fiery nature of the radiant sun and
serpent amulets representing the "Eye of
Re" (the fiery, protective, and possibly
malevolent aspect of the sun
Modern Alternatives for Ancient Egypt Colors
 COLOUR TECHNOLOGY

1. Color technology by using animal products

• White color was created through trampled bone or ivory.
• Black color was produced by the grime manufactured by oil lamps well-known these days
as lantern black and a rich furry black.
• One of the first color inventions of Ancient Egypt was the colorant. Getting a dye to stick to
cloth or leather you need to apply a sarcastic like alum and potassium.
• Once the dyeing practice is closed by, the mordant generates a solid squander which also
has the color predetermined on it.
• One of the foremost tarn-tinctures used in Ancient Egypt was created from the dried
bodies of female scale insects known as Coccidae and genus Kermes.
 COLOUR TECHNOLOGY
Pigment invention by using minerals
• A good number of tinctures in Ancient Egypt were obtained from minerals, compressed and
pulverized for usage with appropriate folders like egg-yoke and tree-gum.
• The cost of some of these gemstones is exorbitant.
• A lot of minerals are comparatively static such as iron oxides, red- and yellow-ochre, copper
carbonates malachite and azurite, chalk and charcoal, etc.
• There are three primary factions of man-made colors used in Ancient Egypt include minced
glass, oxidization manufactured goods and heat tinctures. 4. Egyptian Blue, a unique-glass
 COLOUR TECHNOLOGY

• Egyptian blue color, a probable outcome of Ancient Egyptian glass is produced by warm
quartz, barren region sand, calcium, limestone, tiny amounts of alkali plant ash, potash, and
copper-carbonate especially malachite to a heat of about 900°C and then sustaining it at
between 800 to 900°C for many hours.
 COLOUR TECHNOLOGY

5. Emphasizing corrosion in Ancient-Egypt

• Two gorgeous colors were produced through corrosion known verdigris and lead-
white.
• When copper plates are mainly concerned to acid billows, corrosion, shiny surface is
created.
• Corrosion and verdigris could be used for a blue-green tincture.
• The corrosion entire procedure is relatively long-lasting since the strongest tart
obtainable to the Ancient Egyptians was vinegar.
 COLOUR CULTURE IN THE PAST AND PRESENT

PAST 

 Color was an integral part of the substance and being of everything in life. The color of
something was a clue to the substance or heart of the matter.
 When it was said that one could not know the color of the gods, it meant that they
themselves were unknowable, and could never be completely understood.
 In art, colors were clues to the nature of the beings depicted in the work.

Apart from these practical considerations though, it is safe to say that the Egyptian use of color
in their art was largely symbolic.

The Egyptian artist had at his disposal six colors, including black and white. These colors were
generated largely from mineral compounds and thus retain their vibrancy over the millennia.
Each of these colors had their own intrinsic symbolic meaning,. However, the ambivalence of
meaning demonstrated by some should be carefully noted.
 COLOUR CULTURE IN THE PAST AND PRESENT

PRESENT 

 When looking at two-dimensional ancient Epyptian art, it is important not to make

literal interpretations about what is depicted. While pharaonic art is east to
identify, it requires having some background knowledge in order to interpret the
images correctly.

 Viewers must keep in mind why the Egyptians drew and painted the way that they
did and how they kept their style consistent.

 There are also other nuances in Egyptian art to keep in mind, such as scale and
color.
 FUSION WITH THE WORLD

 Besides Mesopotamia, a second civilization grew up in north-eastern Africa, along

the Nile River. Egyptian civilization benefited from trade and technological influence
from Mesopotamia, but it produced a quite different society and culture. Because
its values and its tightly knit political organization encouraged monumental building,
we know more about Egypt than about Mesopotamia, even though the latter was in
most respects more important and richer in subsequent heritage.

 The Nile focus also gave a more optimistic cast to Egyptian culture, for it could be
seen as a source of never- failing bounty to be thankfully received, rather than a
menacing cause of floods. Egyptian civilization may at the outset have received
some inspiration from Sumer, but a distinctive pattern soon developed in both
religion and politics.
 TODAY’S PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE CULTURE

• The culture of modern Egypt is like any other cosmopolitan country.

• Egypt has an interesting mixture of people of different cultural background. Modern Egypt
has created a distinct cultural identity, keeping intact its rich ancient cultural heritage. This
combination of the old and the new makes the culture of Egypt unique and distinct. 
• A visit to any of the big cities of Egypt will show the influences of global culture on Egypt.
Compared to other Middle Eastern countries, Egypt is culturally much advanced. Tourism
being one of the major revenue generators for Egypt, the culture here openly invites foreign
tourists. The customs and mentality tends to be full of warmth towards visitors and
foreigners. 
• Egyptian culture has many contrasts and contradictions between the old and the new. The
two cultures are vastly different from each other. But in its totality, the culture of Egypt has
successfully combined the best of both the worlds.
• Keeping the charm and splendour of its ancient culture unharmed, modern Egypt has
imbibed the contemporary ways of life.
• Egypt Culture is a balanced culture, both in its antiquity as well as its modernity.
THANK YOU