Egypt Review

	This gilded wooden statue of Tutankhamun depicts the pharaoh wearing the following items: --A headdress: possibly a cloth Nemes Headdress with a uraeus (cobra) on the front. The uraeus is a symbol of nobility and is a common addition to any of the various royal headdresses. --A wide collar that is most likely created through intricate beading. These collars, generally, were not solid pieces of metal as they appear. --A pectoral: a large amulet or pendant necklace that generally carried religious significance. --Armbands, wristbands --A schenti: a wrapped linen skirt. It is possibly pleated. --An apron: this is depicted with a large triangle. They could be heavily decorated with jewels, and were most likely ceremonial rather than functional. --Sandals: possibly made of papyrus or rushes (reed-like plants) and gold.
In the image at the right, we see various gods (Hathor and Anubis) and a pharaoh (Tuthmosis IV) in typical Egyptian dress. The males wear attire similar to the King Tut image above. Hathor (the woman on the left) is wearing a Procardium or Sheath dress. It appears to be created though intricate beading. Tuthmosis IV (the pharaoh whose image is repeated) wears the Nemes Headdress.
This image from the back of one of Tutankhamun's thrones depicts the god Heh. He wears a postiche (a false beard symbolic of the ruling pharaoh). When deities are depicted wearing postiches, they are usually curved as the one shown here. Those worn by the pharaoh were straight. Heh also wears a corselet (a form of armor believed to have been created from overlapping pieces of leather or metal). He wears other garments typical of Egyptian attire that have been mentioned in the examples above.
These women show many of the forms of attire available for women. Some are bare breasted with either one or both breasts exposed. Other women wear the calasiris (a wrapped dress-like garment which usually features a cape-like sleeve over one or both shoulders). The naked figure may be a slave rather than a child. Slaves were often depicted as smaller as a symbol of their lower status.
	This image features the goddess Hathor welcoming the pharaoh Seti I into the afterlife. She wears similar garments as the previous image of her featured here. Seti I wears some interesting variations on typical Egyptian garments. They are unusual due to their sheer quality, though it is believed that fine, sheer linens did exist. This image allows us to see all the layers as they would have been worn due to the sheer qualiy. Starting with the layer closest to the skin th following items are depicted: loincloth schenti (look to the hem, it is just shorter than the calasiris). apron (though not triangular here, it is heavily decorated) calasiris wide collar crown or wig with a fillet/diadem underneath. uraeus at the front of his headdress/wig armbands a hint of sandals kohl lining his eyes.

Back to 331 Index

Back to 130 Index

Back to 210 Index