Middle+Kingdom

Middle Kingdom (1975-1640 BCE) After the fall of the Old Kingdom in 2150 BCE, Egypt went through 150 years of political struggle as the provinces established independent rule and fought one another. Then three successive kings with the name Menuhotep gained power in Thebes, and effectively reunited Egypt, beginning the Middle Kingdom. A powerful central government was established, and under it the arts flourished, as well as military conquests. Although the new era was prosperous, the arts and literature reflected an awareness of the turbulent past. By the Thirteenth dynasty, power had again become decentralized and weak kings as well as immigrants weakened the power of the king.

**Sculpture: Royal Portraits** Head of Senusret II- Twelfth Dynasty (1938-1755 BCE) The Head of Senusret II is carved out of yellow quartzite. While it may appear very similar to carved heads of kings in the old kingdom, a few subtle features make it stand out. The eyes are slightly closed, the cheeks are sunken, the lips are turned down at the corners, and the brow is creased. The head appears solemn, pessimistic, and emotionally drained, a great contrast from the Old Kingdom sculptures that stared fearlessly into the future. This artwork reflects the stress of the military expeditions and political struggles that Senusret dealt with in his reign as king.

**Town Planning** Quite unlike their tombs, Egyptians made their cities out of simple mud bricks rather than materials suited to last a long time. In the present day, all that is left are the foundations of the buildings. However, even these give us insight on the social classes of the day. Plan of the Northern Section of Kahun, Twelfth Dynasty, 1880-1874 BCE- The town of Kahun is laid out in a style very telling of its social classes. In the western quarter, houses are quite small, and are organized very regularly, with horizontal rows of buildings and a main street that goes through the entire quarter. This section belonged to the workers, and the houses usually had five rooms. This quarter was entirely separated from the western quarter by a wall. The western quarter was for the king, priests and court officials. It has a street running horizontally down the middle, connecting all of the establishments. The buildings in this quarter are a lot larger than the ones in the eastern quarter, reflecting how much more important the priests and king were to the Egyptians compared to the working class.

**Tomb Architecture and Funerary Objects** All of the artworks listed below are items or buildings associated with burial or found in tombs during the Middle Kingdom era.

Rock cut tombs in Beni Hasan, Twelfth Dynasty, 1938-1755 BCE-

These tombs were created in the eleventh and twelfth dynasties for high ranking officials and members of the royal family. The basic design had an entrance portico, a main hall, a shrine, and a burial chamber under the offering chapel. All of this was cut out of solid rock. Each one was typically painted and filled with items that the deceased would need in the afterlife, such as clothes, food, furniture, jewelry with magical function, miniatures of servants and soldiers, and figures of deities. These objects ensured that he or she could survive comfortably in the afterlife.

The Senusret Pectoral, Twelfth dynasty, 1938-1755 BCE, Tomb of Princess Sithathoryunet- This artwork is a piece of jewelry meant to be worn on the chest. It is an example of a piece of jewelry with magical function that was found in the tomb of king Senusret II’s daughter, Sithathoryunet. It is made of gold and semiprecious stones. Upon examination, several symbols are apparent; Horus falcons, Ra cobras, ankhs, a kneeling man supporting a double arch, and Senusret II’s cartouche. Put together they read “May the sun god grant eternal life to Senusret II.”

The Faience Hippo, Twelfth Dynasty, 1938-1755 BCE, Tomb of Senbi- This hippo figurine is depicted with all of its usual features, such as a large body, small eyes and ears, and protruding jaw. It is also glazed blue like its typical river habitat, and painted with lotus flowers so that it appears to be standing in a clump of aquatic plants. Hippos, when associated with women, were symbols of fertility and childbirth like the goddess Taweret, whose head was that of a hippo. When associated with a man, however, a hippo was associated with evil because of its tendency to destroy crops.

Stele of Amenemhat I, Twelfth Dynasty- This stele was a funeral offering in the tomb of Amenemhat I. It shows him (right) embracing and holding hands with his son (center) as his wife (left) also embraces their son. They sit near a table full of food, and a young woman named Hapi (far right) watches it. This stele identifies them for the afterlife and preserves their prayers to the god of the dead, Osiris.

Model of a House and Garden, Tomb of Meketre, Eleventh Dynasty-

This representation of the home of Meketre was found in his tomb. Since it was made of cheap materials, it survived as it was of no value to grave robbers. The representation was most likely thought to preserve the house and its use in the afterlife.

Pictures- [] [] [] [] [] [] [] Information- Stokstad, Marilyn, Marion Spears. Grayson, and Stephen Addiss. "Ancient Egyptian Art." Art History. 3rd ed. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1995. Print.