Egyptvoyager.com: Ancient Egyptian Art- Quiz

Mysterious Sculptured Relief
(Caroline Rocheleau)

This Quiz consists of 5 Questions about
the above picture.

Try to answer the Question after reading the Clue.

To view the Answers
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Question 1:

Question:

What kind of scene is this?

Clue:

There is a person shooting arrows and many others lying on the ground, bodies pierced by these same arrows.

Answer:

This is a battle scene. The people being attacked are the Canaanites.

Question 2:

Question:

Who is the actor in the scene?

Clue:

He is bigger than everybody else and wears something on his head.

Answer:

Seti the First is the pharaoh depicted here. He is shown bigger than everybody because he is the most important person in the scene (and the most important person in Egypt). He wears the Blue Crown. Even though the relief is broken in the area of the king's head, the shape of the crown is still recognisable.

Question 3:

Question:

During which historical period was this relief made?

Clue:

Horses were introduced to Egypt by the Hyksos. Horses were depicted often during the International Age.

Answer:

This relief dates to the New Kingdom, the first historical period where horses and chariots appear. New Kingdom kings are often referred to as 'Warrior Pharaohs' since they battled many people and controlled a vast territory during the so-called International Age. Seti the First was the second king of the Nineteenth Dynasty. He was Ramses the Great's father.

Question 4:

Question:

What does this scene mean?

Clue:

The larger character is pushing back the smaller people. The side of the picture where the smaller people are depicted is rather chaotic.

Answer:

This scene represents Seti's military campaigns in Syria and Palestine (Canaan), but it also symbolises the power of the king and his embodiment of Maat, cosmic harmony. Notice that the Canaanites are found higgledy-piggledy, in one big heap of bodies - that represents chaos (the opposite of Maat). On the other hand, everything about the king is organised, structured, and follows rules - that is Maat.

Question 5:

Question:

Can you see this if you visit Egypt?

Clue:

Certainly is the best place to be to see such magnificent sculptured relief!

Answer:

Yes, you can see this sculptured relief in Egypt. The scene is found on the north-east wall of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak.

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