The fascinating art of the Egyptian culture stretches from 3000 BC to today, as remnants left for us. This specific culture is so interesting because of the many remains left for us to examine and study. So many exquisite pieces of Egyptian art have made it to this day and age because of the durable substances that they were made of; a lot of their art was made of clay or stone and the climate in which they were kept (hot desert air of Egypt) was perfect for preserving them. Most art pieces were discovered from tombs, often of Egyptian nobility. However, in most cases we have no idea who the artists of these pieces of work are because they didn’t sign their names or mark any pieces of work that they created. Also, it was typically groups or teams that worked at a site and created sculptures or objects. The Egyptians created magnificent pieces of artwork that portrayed their beliefs and way of life. Symbolic art was an important part of Egyptian architecture, such as buildings, palaces, and temples. Common symbols and images formed the foundation and influenced all other types of Egyptian art, as it was believed that they gave protection from evil in present life and afterlife. The tombs that held the mummified deceased Egyptians contained a substantial amount of these symbols and images. A lot of their art is centered on their gods, goddesses, and preparation into the afterlife; in fact, most of Egyptian art that has survived into our time is oriented towards the afterlife and life after death. One could argue that their art was magical because of the Egyptian belief that art had the power to associate with the gods and to appeal to them on behalf of people alive or dead. Their art often came in the form of sculptures, paintings, tomb painting, and carvings. Egyptian tomb art was known to be the point of contact between the dead and the living. Egyptians believed that some of the images, painting, or carvings that they created in tombs would come to life and accompany the mummified deceased into the afterlife. Tombs typically contained images of the mummified deceased carrying on an everyday task or completing a deed or an achievement, images of the deceased offering a sacrifice to a god (most likely Isis or Osiris), other images of snakes, gods, weapons, or scorpions to protect the tomb and keep evil spirits away. According to Deborah White, an editor at the Australian Museum, “Egyptian tombs were like secret art galleries that were never meant to be viewed. Instead, these amazing examples of artistic craftsmanship spoke only to an elite group of visitors – the gods.”
