The Non-Written History of Egypt

Egypt has many different types of non-written history including: art and dance. Egypt has been known for their astounding history and how it has been interpreted throughout the years using these different elements.

Produced by the civilization of ancient Egypt in 3000 BC to 100 AD, sculptures, paintings, and agriculture have been highly stylized and symbolic throughout Egypt’s history. Egyptian art uses hierarchal proportion, where the sizes of the figures in the painting determine their importance. This was a way to show the viewers the “story” behind the art. If the figures were big, it showed that the figure was of high importance such as a pharaoh or high officials of the tombs. The smaller figures indicated a figure of least importance such as a figure in nature or servants. The most common place to find paintings are in the Egyptian tombs. The purpose of the paintings inside the tomb was to offer a pleasurable after-life. The themes and “stories” that the paintings included were journeys throughout their afterworld and being introduced to the different gods and peoples they were going to come encountered with. One of the most famous works of art that the Egyptians produced was called “The Book of the Dead”. This book, full of drawings and paintings, was buried with the entombed person and was an introduction tool into the afterlife. It was important to the Egyptians that they be buried with this book full of paintings because without it, they believed their afterlife would be full of confusion and sorrow.

Egyptian dance is also another type of non-written history. Dancing played an importance role in all of the social classes of the Egyptians. The Egyptians had many different types of dancing that they partook in. Funeral dancing took place after the mummification process was complete. The dancing rituals often told the story of the life of the entombed person. The dancing was often portrayed as a celebration and was a common feature in the solemn processes of being entombed.

With all of these different types of non-written history in mind, ancient Egyptian art and dance ties in what historians already know from documented stories to the stories that are interpreted from the arts.