Middle Kingdom of Egypt

A masterpiece of Middle Kingdom royal sculpture named King Senwosret III is on view in Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor at the Brooklyn Museum. King Senworset III was a great pharaoh and is considered to be perhaps the most powerful Egyptian ruler. He ruled from approximately 1836-1818 B.C.E during a time of great power and prosperity and was the fifth monarch of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. Senusret was this king's birth name, which means, "Man of Goddess…

The Egyptian Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Deir Bahri, Egypt is one of the most well-known temples that represent a small portion of Egyptian culture during the Middle Kingdom; the temple had shrines to Amen, Hathor and Anubis. The Egyptian temples were made with stone, to last forever and ceilings were mostly supported by flared columns. The Egyptians used numerous…

In Ancient Egypt there have been many iconic pieces of art. Whether it'd be intentional or not. All over Egypt there are spectacular wonders of the world and phenomenal pieces of art. Architecture, Jewelry or Hieroglyphics, but one that stands out in the world of ceramics is the Canopic Jars. The Canopic Jars were used by the ancient Egyptians during the mummification process. The Jars during the mummification process were used to store and preserve the viscera of their owner for the afterlife.…

Kasia Szpakowska’s book takes a look at what the life of a middle-class inhabitant of the settlement of Hetep-Senusret, better known as Lahun, would be like in the Late Middle Kingdom. Although this book is a nonfiction informative text, Szpakowska uses a fictional family constructed out of what were once real people as a model to recreate the daily life of an Egyptian living in ancient times. Szpakowska focuses on the character of a young girl named Hedjerit, who serves as a virtual example of…

During his voyage to Tahiti, Captain James Cook encountered heavily tattooed men and women. The word ‘tatu’ meaning to mark something and the tattoos the captain and his crew got cemented our use of the word. The term derived from the specific method of inscription where sharp needle-like instruments were tapped onto the skin to penetrate the dye under the surface skin layers. However Tahiti is not the only evidence of ancient tattooing tradition. The history of tattooing can be dated back at…

placed as the capital. Other cities like Thebes were thought to be important for political affairs. Cities also emerged in Nubia; a major one includes Kerma. Kerma was the center of overland and river routes for trade as well as the capital of the kingdom of Kush. With the emergence of these cities came great wealth, they needed to establish social classes for organization. Slaves in these cities were in charge of agriculture as well as hard labor. Both of these cities built patriarchal…

of gifts creates a bond of social and oftentimes economic obligation between people. If we hold Mauss’ ideas to hold true for the archaic societies he was speaking of, then we must acknowledge that the same must be true for the people living in the Middle East and Mediterranean in the 2nd and 1st Millennium BCE. Gift-giving has helped create and perpetuate social and economic relationship between people throughout the ages and the same is true for those who lived during the 2nd and 1st…

Jacob, Abraham’s grandson that Yahweh renames as Israel. The people of Israel reside in Canaan until famine strikes the land forcing them to abandon in search of a better living. Later, they settle in Egypt where things don’t get too much better when they are eventually enslaved. During their time in Egypt another important figure of Judaism appears, Moses,…

that enjoyed by, for example, Egypt or China. There were several different societies in Mesoamerica that rose and fell over time. Though isolated, it is clear that Mesoamerican civilization achieved some very impressive mathematical, architectural, engineering and calendrical advances. the complex of indigenous cultures that developed in parts of Mexico and Central America prior to Spanish exploration and conquest in the 16th century. In the organization of its kingdoms and empires, the…

Social Hierarchy Ancient Egypt had a distinct social pyramid that went as follows: gods, pharaohs, government officials, soldiers, scribes, merchants, artisans, farmers, and slaves. The pharaoh was considered a god. His or her responsibility was to protect the country and keep the gods happy. The next level was the royal family, priests, nobles, and government officials. The most important person in this class was vizier. He or she was the second in command and oversaw all political actions,…