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Early Cartouche of the God Aten
Early cartouche of the god Aten, calcite alabaster. New Kingdom of Egypt, 18th Dynasty, 1351-1334 BCE.
At the upper part of this votive plaque of the God Aten, there are two "early" cartouches of Aten. On the right, it reads "The living Re-Horakhty, Rejoicing in the horizon" while that on the left reads "In his name as Shu, who is in the Aten". Below them, a figure of Akhenaten (r. 1353-1336 BCE) is flanked by cartouches.
The one on the right, below Akhenaten's left hand is the nomen cartouche (birth name) of Akhenaten which reads "Beautiful are the Forms of Re, the Unique one of Re". The prenomen (throne name) lies below his right elbow and reads "Effective for the Aten". On the extreme right side, Nefertiti's cartouche can be seen and reads "Beautiful are the Beauties of Aten, the Beautiful one has come".
Neues Museum, Berlin.
Questions & Answers
How long was ancient Egypt art produced?
- Ancient Egyptian art was created from the Predynastic Period (c. 6000 to c. 3150 BCE) through the Ptolemaic Period (323-30 BCE) and even into the era of Roman Egypt (30 BCE-646 CE).
What was the purpose of ancient Egyptian art?
- Ancient Egyptian art was primarily functional - it served a practical purpose - but it was still crafted to be aesthetically pleasing.
What types of art did the ancient Egyptians produce?
- The ancient Egyptians produced all kinds of art from statuary to jewelry to ceramics, paintings, drawings, figurines, everyday household items, clothing, dog collars, and ornamentation for tombs, temples, and monuments.
What is the most famous artwork from ancient Egypt?
- The most famous artwork from ancient Egypt is the Great Sphinx of Giza followed by the bust of Queen Nefertiti and the golden death mask of Tutankhamun.
