is the painting, sculpture, architecture pottery, hieroglyphs other arts produced by the civilization in the lower Nile Valley from 5000 BC to 300 AD.

Egyptian art reached a high level in painting and sculpture.

highly stylized and symbolic.

Much of the surviving art comes from tombs and monuments

Their tombs were even more important than palaces.

For the Pharaoh of old kingdom, home after death was an immense structure called a Pyramid.

The old kingdom was the great age of pyramid building in Ancient Egypt.

Pharaoh originates in the term ‘’pr-aa’’ which means ‘’great house’’ and describes the royal palace. 

The great pyramid of Khufu – (Left)

Pyramid of Khafra – (Center)

Mankaura – (Right)

Ancient Egyptian architects used sun-dried and kiln-baked bricks, fine sandstone, limestone and granite.

The stones had to fit precisely together.

Ramps were used to allow workmen to move up as the height of the construction grew.

The ancient art of Egyptian sculpture evolved to represent the ancient Egyptian gods, Pharaohs, and the kings and queens, in physical form.

Ancient Egyptians used steatite and carved small pieces of vases, amulets, images of deities, of animals and several other objects.

Hieroglyphics are the ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures and symbols stand for sounds and words.

All Egyptian reliefs were painted, and less prestigious works in tombs, temples and palaces were just painted on a flat surface.

Symbolism also played an important role in establishing a sense of order.

 Animals were usually also highly symbolic figures in Egyptian art.

Colours were more expressive rather than natural:

1. red skin implied vigorous tanned youth

2. yellow skin was used for women or middle-aged men who worked indoors

3. blue or gold indicated divinity because of its unnatural appearance and association with precious materials

4. black for royal figures expressed the fertility of the Nile from which Egypt was born.

Figure of God Ra with a falcon head and sun disc.

Animal heads were placed on human bodies as a means of showing gods performing various rituals and relating them to human actions.