The statue of Pharaoh Amenemkhet III is one of the main exhibits of the Egyptian hall of the Hermitage. It is perfectly preserved and, perhaps, is its main decoration. But, besides this, the museum has many of the most diverse antiquities of this culture.
general characteristics
Egyptian traditions are among the oldest among world civilizations. The culture of this country is unique in that it has existed for a long time - about four thousand years. While others, for example, Greek, are only two millennia old. In addition, she has preserved unique monuments and artifacts. It is they that make it possible to judge a rich mythology, an original worldview. One of the key concepts in the understanding of the Egyptians was the belief in the immortality of the soul, so that each of the representatives of the nation spent all his life preparing for the transition to the afterlife. This led to the fact that ritual rites, burials played a big role in their culture.
Sacralization of Culture
Another characteristic feature of their socio-political and cultural life was the deification of the rulers, an example of which is the statue of Pharaoh Amenemkhet III. By the way, she was kept in excellent condition. In connection with the belief in the afterlife, the Egyptians left behind themselves many ritual things and objects that are stored in the Hermitage. The steles, drawings with images of victims and traced sacred phrases also survived.
general characteristics
The Egyptian Hall was founded by architect A. Sivkov in 1940 at the buffet site in the Winter Courtyard. This room presents the history and architecture of this civilization since the 4th millennium BC. Of particular interest is the exposition of the Ancient Kingdom, as well as subsequent periods: Ptolemaic and Roman, the time of Byzantine domination.
From the last, coins of the imperial and Alexandrian coinage with images of rulers were preserved. From the halls of the Hermitage, one can judge the wealth of the collections collected here. Of particular interest is the collection of Coptic antiquities that were found and systematized by Boc. He traveled along and across this country at the end of the 19th century. In addition to finds of various antiquities, he also visited the Red and White Monasteries, as well as the necropolis, where he studied the inscriptions.
Exhibits
The Egyptian exhibits of the Hermitage are extremely diverse. This is a large sculpture, and small plastic, and household items, and ritual devices, as well as inscriptions, drawings, images. In addition, mummies are stored here. A special place is occupied by objects of religious and ritual purpose. For example, here you can admire the stele Ipi (XIV century BC). She depicts the royal scribe, the wearer and the main manager of the economy. He is represented before the pagan deity Anubis.
The latter is depicted with the head of a jackal in the belt, a rod in one hand and a special hieroglyph that symbolized life among the ancient Egyptians. It was called ankh. The figure of Anubis is carefully registered and executed in the traditional colors in which the Egyptian deities were painted: blue and green. The sculpture of the scribe, on the contrary, is more sketchy. He is wearing a shirt with wide sleeves and an apron. The stele depicts a sacrificial vessel, there are inscriptions of ritual significance, and also the titles and titles of Ipi are listed.
Sculpture
The most important place in the exposition is occupied by the statue of Pharaoh Amenemkhet III. As mentioned above, it is well preserved and allows us to judge how much importance in the life of the ancient Egyptians was played by the sacralization of their rulers. This pharaoh was a representative of the twelfth dynasty, which ruled during the Middle Kingdom (XIX century BC). Under him, the Egyptian state achieved great power, which, in particular, manifested itself in grandiose construction.
This is primarily about the construction of a huge memorial church in the area of the Fayum oasis, which the ancient Greeks called the “labyrinth”. The statue of Pharaoh Amenemkhet III is made in the post-Amar traditions, characteristic of the reign of the successors of Akhenaten. Her face is well spelled out. The author paid great attention to reproducing portrait similarities, which was a significant step forward in comparison with the art of the Ancient Kingdom.
Muscles are especially carefully prescribed. Amenemhat 3 is depicted in simple clothes: he has an apron and a special scarf on his head - the traditional attire of the pharaohs-rulers. The eyes are especially well drawn, which, thanks to their setting, give the look expressiveness. The torso is made in the traditional style: it is straight, built, which corresponded to the ideas of the ancient Egyptians about the high status of the pharaoh, whose image was to demonstrate the power and greatness of the Egyptian state.
