Artisans and Nobles tombs
Deir el-Medina the artist village
Deir el-Medina the artist village made up by free willing and respected citizens the creators of the afterlife paradise for Pharaohs and nobles, having the right to build and decorate their tombs equal or better that many nobles, they had to be a class apart with great incentives.
For an ancient Egyptian his tomb had much more importance that his residence or palace, the tomb was his eternal dwelling place a place of worship for his decedents; when they mentioned their tomb they referred as their eternal Home, their abode for eternity.
The quality of a tomb was an indicator of wealth power and nobility; so depending on their social status gave them an alternative for the qualification of the artist to contract or assign to do the corresponding ornamentation.
You can force an artist to make an art object but he has to be motivated to create a beautiful one with this factor to their advantage, probably made the most distinguish Egyptian to lower his head in front the artist responsible to show his living status and enjoyment of eternal life.
Probably there were quite a few of these cities but the most important known today were a city in Giza during the “Old Egyptian Empire”, Kahun during the “Middle Empire” and Deir el Medina, that in best standing than of all, for his later prosperity or flourish during the “New Empire”; this cities also were responsible for all the art and crafts and lived together in the same place with their families as a community, actually this city was not only a cemetery it was their home city as well; for them death was the continuation of life on earth but with heavenly advantages and depended directly to the vizier in charge of the nation.
Deir el-Medina is a modern Arabic name its ancient name was the “Place of Truth”; this city is located in a place of privilege between the tomb of the pharaohs and their wife’s, in the west bank of the Nile in front of now a days Luxor, in ancient times Thebes the capital of Egypt during the “New Empire” period.
The artisans of Deir el-Medina besides being the artist that gave the enchantment to the tomb of the Queens, Kings and nobles also were the ones in charge of the beauty and expender of the temples of Thebes.
Their principal deity was a local goddess with cobra head identified with the silence also the Thoth the god of knowledge his counterpart or wife the goddess Mat the goddess of truth, probably from where they got their name and Kum, Khoum or Khnum the ram headed god of water, potters and artisans.
The city was founded by Amenhotep I son of Ahmes I around 1526 BC where he and his mother also were highly worshiped and abandoned at he arrival of the third intermediated period that fallowed the end of the “new Egyptian Empire” after the twenties dynasty around 1078 BC.
For an ancient Egyptian his tomb had much more importance that his residence or palace, the tomb was his eternal dwelling place a place of worship for his decedents; when they mentioned their tomb they referred as their eternal Home, their abode for eternity.
The quality of a tomb was an indicator of wealth power and nobility; so depending on their social status gave them an alternative for the qualification of the artist to contract or assign to do the corresponding ornamentation.
You can force an artist to make an art object but he has to be motivated to create a beautiful one with this factor to their advantage, probably made the most distinguish Egyptian to lower his head in front the artist responsible to show his living status and enjoyment of eternal life.
Probably there were quite a few of these cities but the most important known today were a city in Giza during the “Old Egyptian Empire”, Kahun during the “Middle Empire” and Deir el Medina, that in best standing than of all, for his later prosperity or flourish during the “New Empire”; this cities also were responsible for all the art and crafts and lived together in the same place with their families as a community, actually this city was not only a cemetery it was their home city as well; for them death was the continuation of life on earth but with heavenly advantages and depended directly to the vizier in charge of the nation.
Deir el-Medina is a modern Arabic name its ancient name was the “Place of Truth”; this city is located in a place of privilege between the tomb of the pharaohs and their wife’s, in the west bank of the Nile in front of now a days Luxor, in ancient times Thebes the capital of Egypt during the “New Empire” period.
The artisans of Deir el-Medina besides being the artist that gave the enchantment to the tomb of the Queens, Kings and nobles also were the ones in charge of the beauty and expender of the temples of Thebes.
Their principal deity was a local goddess with cobra head identified with the silence also the Thoth the god of knowledge his counterpart or wife the goddess Mat the goddess of truth, probably from where they got their name and Kum, Khoum or Khnum the ram headed god of water, potters and artisans.
The city was founded by Amenhotep I son of Ahmes I around 1526 BC where he and his mother also were highly worshiped and abandoned at he arrival of the third intermediated period that fallowed the end of the “new Egyptian Empire” after the twenties dynasty around 1078 BC.
Click here to show more and larger size animated Artisans and Nobles Tombs pictures.
Click here for Egypt land of Eternity Home Page Flash Version by Julian Pardo.
Click here for Egypt land of Eternity Home Page Flash Version by Julian Pardo.
