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Egyptian early-era
Egyptian high-era
Egyptian final-era

 

 

 

Ancient Egyptian Art
Middle Era
2181BC to 1782BC

 

Introduction

The middle era lasted about four-hundred years and is broken traditionally into two periods: The first intermediate period and the middle kingdom. The first intermediate period is the century and a half covering the 7th through 10th dynasties. The middle kingdom is composed of dynasties 11 and 12, covering about two-hundred and fifty years.

First Intermediate Period

 

 At the end of the 6th Dynasty Pepy II was king of all Egypt. He was probably the oldest of all the pharaohs. He lived to be 96 years old and was buried in his pyramid at Saqqara.

His successors were weak. Finally in the 8th Dynasty control of the southern Egypt was slowly lost. The 9th and 10th Dynasties ruled only delta and middle Egypt. Upper Egypt was split into three warring camps one centered at Thinis, another at Hierakonpolis and the last centered at Thebes.

In the 9th Dynasty the Thebian rulers managed to get control of most of upper Egypt and began to attack the borders of the Memphite Kingdom.

 

Little remains of this period, and examples of art are not common.

Egypt First Intermediate Period:

Tomb Relief -- Farming Scene

Egypt: 1st Intermediate Period: [tomb relief] Sacred Offerings

Tomb Relief Making
Offerings to a God

 

 

Middle Kingdom

 

Egypt during the middle kingdom was first ruled from Thebes but it was later moved north by Amenemhet I about 32 kilometers south of the old capitol Memphis to a new city called Itj-tawy on the Nile near the Faiyum.

Egypt Middle Kingdom: Kemsit

Kemsit
Dynasty 11

Egypt Middle Kingdom: Jewelry of Mereret

Jewelry of Mereret
Dynasty 12

 

More History and Artifacts from the Middle Kingdom

Continue with Egypt during the High Era
Overview of Egyptian Artifacts

 

Egyptian early-era
Egyptian high-era
Egyptian final-era

 

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2003-02-26