The New Kingdom of Egypt, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th Century and the 11th century BC,covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt. The New Kingdom followed the Second Intermediate Period and was succeeded by the Third Intermediate Period. It was Egypt's most prosperous time and marked the peak of its power.
Ahmose I
Ahmose I, meaning Born of the Moon, was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the founder of the Eighteenth dynasty. He was a member of the Theban royal house, the son of pharaoh Tao II Seqenenre and brother of the last pharaoh of the Seventeeth dynasty, King Kamose. When he was seven his father was killed, and he was about ten when his brother died of unknown causes, after reigning only three years. Ahmose I assumed the throne after the death of his brother, becoming known as Neb-Pehty-Re, The Lord of Strength is Re. During his reign, he completed the conquest and expulsion of the Hyksos from the delta region, restored Theban rule over the whole of Egypt and successfully reasserted Egyptian power in its formerly subject territories of Nubia and Canaan. He then reorganized the administration of the country, reopened quarries, mines and trade routes and began massive construction projects of a type that had not been undertaken since the time of the Middle Kingdom. Adhmose's reign laid the foundations for the New Kingdom, under which Egyptian power reached its peak. His reign lasted from about 1550 - 1525 BC.
One of the best-known 18th Dynasty pharaohs is, Amenhotep IV, who changed his name to Akhenaten in honor of the Aten. His queen was Nefertiti. Akhenaten tried to bring about a departure from traditional religion, yet in the end it would not be accepted. After his death, traditional religious practices was gradually restored, and when some dozen years later rulers without clear rights of succession from the Eighteenth Dynasty founded a new dynasty, they discredited Akhenaten and his immediate successors, referring to Akhenaten himself as "the enemy" in archival records. Under his reign, in the 14th Century BC, Egyptian art flourished attaining an unprecedented level of realism.
Akhenaten
Statue of Akhenaten in the early Amarna style
Nefertiti
Nefertiti (ca. 1370 BC – ca. 1330 BC), wife of Akhenaten. Nefertiti and her husband were known for a
religious revolution, in which they started to worship one god only. This was Aten, or the sun disc.
religious revolution, in which they started to worship one god only. This was Aten, or the sun disc.
Egyptian Art
Scene from tomb of Queen Nefertari. The tombs were exquisitely decorated with fine paintings or carved reliefs of religious texts that would help the dead successfully navigate their way to the afterlife. Other tombs contained idealized images of everyday life that represented a person's hopes for paradise in the afterlife.
Reincarnation?
The ancient Egyptians venerated many animals as possessors of god-like
qualities. Crocodiles, naturally dangerous to humans as well as to many large
mammals, would suggest themselves as a form of divinity. Sobek was never a major
focus of the Egyptian collective of gods, yet the mummified remains of
crocodiles and the striking iconography of the deity attest his cult. The
ancient Egyptians had no way of knowing that the crocodile had withstood the
pressures of evolution for millions of years, a striking example of a body plan
and lifestyle requiring no improvement. Few creatures have the staying power of
the crocodile, an animal capable of feats more incredible than the fabricated
beast in Lake Placid.
qualities. Crocodiles, naturally dangerous to humans as well as to many large
mammals, would suggest themselves as a form of divinity. Sobek was never a major
focus of the Egyptian collective of gods, yet the mummified remains of
crocodiles and the striking iconography of the deity attest his cult. The
ancient Egyptians had no way of knowing that the crocodile had withstood the
pressures of evolution for millions of years, a striking example of a body plan
and lifestyle requiring no improvement. Few creatures have the staying power of
the crocodile, an animal capable of feats more incredible than the fabricated
beast in Lake Placid.
The Afterlife
The religion of ancient Egypt had a morbid preoccupation with death – or maybe
it was just a healthy recognition that it is inevitably coming. Many of their
gods eventually ended up patronizing the dead in some way. Andjety, Ptah, Min,
Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, Maat, and Thoth, as well as Anubis, regularly appear in
the cult of the dead. And, of course, pyramids represented the stairway to
heaven long before Page and Plant. Death and its psychological angst have been
crucial to the development of religion from the beginning. The Egyptians honed
it to a fine art.
it was just a healthy recognition that it is inevitably coming. Many of their
gods eventually ended up patronizing the dead in some way. Andjety, Ptah, Min,
Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, Maat, and Thoth, as well as Anubis, regularly appear in
the cult of the dead. And, of course, pyramids represented the stairway to
heaven long before Page and Plant. Death and its psychological angst have been
crucial to the development of religion from the beginning. The Egyptians honed
it to a fine art.
Egyptian gods
Egypt was famous for its number of Gods, Kings and
life. The Egyptian people strongly believed in worshipping deities’. They have
as many as two thousand gods. Gods like Amun are basically worshipped right
through the year. Most Gods were characteristics of man and animal.
life. The Egyptian people strongly believed in worshipping deities’. They have
as many as two thousand gods. Gods like Amun are basically worshipped right
through the year. Most Gods were characteristics of man and animal.
The Roman Isis
The Egyptian Aset - The Roman Isis
There might not be another female deity who has acquired so many
different names and epiteths and who has appeared in so many varied aspects as
Aset. Her worship endured from at least the 5th Dynasty into Roman and Christian
times, a span of more than 2500 years.
There might not be another female deity who has acquired so many
different names and epiteths and who has appeared in so many varied aspects as
Aset. Her worship endured from at least the 5th Dynasty into Roman and Christian
times, a span of more than 2500 years.
Stone Sculpture
Most of the statues produced in ancient Egypt were made of stone, wood or metal. Stone statues were produced usually from a single rectangular block. Stone between the arms and the body, as well as between the
legs in standing figures or the legs and the seat in seated ones, was commonly not cut away, adding to the strength of the physical sculpture. This method also added to the image of strength and power of the being depicted, and frequently
the statue was "engaged" to the front of a pillar or column which added to this effect.
legs in standing figures or the legs and the seat in seated ones, was commonly not cut away, adding to the strength of the physical sculpture. This method also added to the image of strength and power of the being depicted, and frequently
the statue was "engaged" to the front of a pillar or column which added to this effect.
Tomb Art
Even when the figures on the walls of Egyptian tombs and temples are acting out myths, rituals and historical events, they are nevertheless carved or painted with the stiffness and formality of hieroglyphs. The ancient Egyptians sought order in their world, and it was also fundamental to their art. Only when the concept of chaos was intended, were figures placed haphazardly on the drawing surface. Otherwise, they were set within a system of registers, the lower border of which acted as the ground line for the figures within the register.
THE END OF THE LINE
Ramesses XI (also written Ramses and Rameses) reigned from 1107 BC to 1078 BC or 1077 BC and was the tenth and final king of
the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt. He ruled Egypt for at least 29 years although some Egyptologists think he could have ruled for as long
as 30 years. Ramesses XI was once thought to be the son of Ramesses X by Queen Tyti who was a King's Mother, King's Wife and King's
Daughter in her titles. Ramesses XI married Tentamun, the daughter of Nebseny, with whom he fathered Henuttawy--the future wife of the high priest Pinedjem I. Ramesses XI also had another daughter named Tentamun who became king Smendes' future wife in the next dynasty.
the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt. He ruled Egypt for at least 29 years although some Egyptologists think he could have ruled for as long
as 30 years. Ramesses XI was once thought to be the son of Ramesses X by Queen Tyti who was a King's Mother, King's Wife and King's
Daughter in her titles. Ramesses XI married Tentamun, the daughter of Nebseny, with whom he fathered Henuttawy--the future wife of the high priest Pinedjem I. Ramesses XI also had another daughter named Tentamun who became king Smendes' future wife in the next dynasty.
Ramesses XI: Mummified
Sometime during this troubled period, Ramesses XI died in obscurity. While he had a tomb prepared for himself in the Valley of the Kings (KV4), it was left unfinished and only partly decorated since Ramesses XI instead arranged to have himself buried away from Thebes, possibly near Memphis.
Ramses XI Tomb Art
Tomb of Ramses XI - Valley of the Kings