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Ushabti of Senkamaniksken, Kushite Kingdom, Napata (northern Sudan), ca. 643–623 bce. Steatite, 21.7 x 6.9 x 5 cm (8 9/16" x 2 11/16" x 1 15/16"). © Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY. (BMA-553) |
At first glance this small sculpture would lead the viewer to
believe that it was firmly within the realm of ancient
Egyptian art. It actually belongs to a culture that bordered dynastic
Egypt, and twice established dynasties that ruled Egypt. Much like the Roman Empire, ancient Egyptian culture had a
strong influence on surrounding (often conquered) cultures. I find the purity
of the traditional Egyptian funerary style remarkable in this piece that
commemorates a Nubian (Kushite) ruler.
Senkamaniksken ruled over his homeland of Kush only a couple
of decades after the Kushites had ruled Egypt, establishing Dynasty 25 (712–657 bce). The Kushite kingdom extended from south of Aswan
on the Nile into northern Sudan, where the capital Napata was located.
Interestingly, the Kushites of this period were the first to revive pyramid
building since the Middle Kingdom in Egypt
(1986–1759 bce). The remarkable
thing about the Kushites is how thoroughly they adapted Egyptian religious and
artistic conventions. The Kushites ruled Egypt twice, in the Second Intermediate period (ca. 1696–1539 bce) and the 25th dynasty,
which fell to Assyrian invasion. They
retreated to their homeland south of Upper Egypt, and established a kingdom
that flourished for almost 1000 years.
The ushabti (this is one
of nearly 1300 found in Sekamaniksken’s tomb) was yet another device to ensure
that the deceased made a smooth transition into the afterlife, which Egyptians
(and subsequently Kushites) believed would be a mirror of the physical world.
The ushabti were meant to be receptacles for the deceased’s spirit (ka) should
the body be damaged in any way. The Kushites have totally adapted Egyptian
iconography, including the crook and fly whisk (symbols of kingly power), as
well as the uraeus on the forehead (cobra and vulture). The uraeus is a conceit
on the part of Senkamaniksken, because it symbolized rule over Upper and Lower
Egypt.
Studio activity:
Found object ushabti, a hometown sculpture. Using locally available materials
such as clay, wood, rocks, scrap metal and wire, and cardboard, create a figure
that represents a present-day ushabti. After choosing materials, make sketches
for your figure, making sure that it reflects the idea of a sacred object meant
to house a person’s spirit. Try to endow the sculpture with personal physical
traits.
Correlations to Davis
programs: A Personal Journey: 4.2; A Global Pursuit: 1.4; Exploring Visual
Design: 2, 7; The Visual Experience: 15.3; Discovering Art History: 5.3
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