Ti watching a hippopatamus hunt 2450-2350 BCE. (Old Kingdom)

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The relief painting "Ti Watching a Hippopotamus Hunt" was painted in the year 2400 B. C. This was during the time of the Old Kingdom -- Dynasty V, when Egyptians were constructing their mastabas (or tombs) out of limestone. Ti watching a hippopotamus hunt is a painted limestone that enhances the walls of the mastaba of Ti at Saqqara. Ti, his men, and his boats are moving slowly through the marshes. Ti stands alone, taller than his men, reflecting his high rank.  His men are hunting hippopotami in the soaring papyrus by using large spears. The water beneath the boats illustrate a pattern of wavy lines that are packed with hippopotami and fish. At the top of the piece of art are a sky of animals and birds. Ti's immobile character signifies that he is a figure apart from time and that instead he is an impassive observer of life. If we examine this relief painting we notice that many different types of lines were used in the creation of the work. However, it's the vertical lines that are used to show the papyrus in the background, that tend to stand out the most. Vertical lines invoke feelings of stateliness and importance. Many patterns exist in the Ti picture. The water is shown with a number of zig zags, the papyrus stems are displayed as vertical lines and everything is very orderly. The work is very  organized with the large figure of Ti balanced out by the smaller, more intricate figures on the right. The style of relief carvings is the same throughout Egyptian ruins. There is a strong sense of order and form throughout the artwork."Ti Watching a Hippopotamus Hunt" is at first sight is considered to be a simple and primitive work of art. However, further investigation and exploration of the various aspects of this piece of art work, you can see the historical importance of this painting. 

Great Pyramid (Old Kingdom)

The three great pyramids were built in Gizeh from 2551-2472 BCE. They are symbolic of the sun, as the Egyptians worshiped the sun god called Re. The pyramids were erected by the Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. In building these great structures, these pharaohs demonstrated their power, riches and self-importance. Since this would be the the Pharaohs finial resting place, and palace in the after life, a great deal of time and effort went into building such architectural sound structures. Most buildings in this time period were made of limestone and the three great pyramids are no different.  Huge, flawless rocks were cut to a fairly equal size and the transported to the building site. They were then shaped to specific measurements to ensure a perfect fit. The finial step in preparing the stones was to polish the stones using polishing stones to create a look that was befitting a Pharaoh.

The sides of the pyramids were formed to face the central points of the compass (north, south, East, West). Unlike the step pyramid, these three pyramids face the east, towards the rising of the sun which is a testament to the sun god Re.

Khafre ca. 2520-2494 BCE (Old Kingdom) 

The statue of Khafre, or Khaf-Ra meaning appearing like god Ra, was created during fourth Dynasty of Egypt in about 2520­­­­ — 2494 BCE in Gizeh (or Giza). This is a seated statue of Khafre, but this pharaoh’s statues appear all over pharaoh’s valley temple near Great Sphinx, which as many scholars believe was also created in the image of Khafre. Seated Khafre statue was made from a very rare and expensive stone of that region, Diorite. It is about 1 meter 67 centimeters tall and is currently located in Museum of Cairo. This statue portrays the image of perfection and immortality. Khafre sits so rigidly on his stone throne that it makes for an effect of “immortal stillness” which was meant as a symbol for afterlife (Kleiner 37). As seen on the side photograph of the statue on the head of the pharaoh is falcon god Horus who is believed to protect the pharaoh with his wings. Khafre wears a names headdress and a false beard indicating his royalty. Khafre’s statue, like statue of many other pharaohs, indicates perfection and youth of the pharaoh without regard to his true age and physical health. 

Menkaure and Khamerernebty 2490-2472 BCE.

This is a statue of Menkaure and one of his wives perhaps it is the queen Khamerernebty. The statue was constructed around 2490-2472 BCE and is from Gizeh, Egypt, around the time of Dynasty four. It stands approximately 4'6 1/2" high it is currently at the museum of fine art in boston. These kind of statues were made as a substitute home for the ka. The statue shows the king and queen in a emotionless pose and the only emotion shown is her right arm wrapped around his body and her left hand on his right arm while the king stands with his one leg slightly forward and his arms down at his sides with his hands clenched into fist and the statue remains wedded to the stone block from which it was created. There are no other signs of affection but the pose that they are in shows signs of martial status. Even though the two are not facing each other but looking straight out into the distance and their faces are showing no emotion.

                Explore more art from the Old Kingdom Period below! 

The Great Spinx is belived to be created in the image of Khafre