Book of the Dead

The ancient Egyptian book of the dead, is an old text from around the 9th dynasty, (around 1275)*

The book was a collection, containing various illustrations, that was written on a papyrus scroll. It was usually buried with the deceased, such as mummified rulers. Inside, it gave all the advice and information, that a soul would need, to get to the afterlife safely. The finest copies were written ahead of death.

The netherworld, was imagined as a very hostile world, full of dangers. Without this book being present inside the chamber, it was viewed as unlikely, that the deceased soul, would have been able to safely reach the afterlife.

These spells, and the information contained in the scroll, were very important, in ancient Egyptian culture.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aes/p/book_of_the_dead_of_ani.aspx *

http://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/3665_botd_schools_teachers.pdf **

* Indicates reference link.

Hieroglyphics Research

Hieroglyphics are the complex, and highly detailed alphabetical symbols that comprised of the ancient Egyptian alphabet. The hieroglyph script was developed around 4000 years, before Christ.

Hieroglyphics, by the Egyptians, were often referred to as "The words of god". They were used mainly by the ancient priests, being used for religious, and important documentation. They were often  used in temples, for business, and also for similar high ranking instances and high ranking people. A 'lesser' version was used, for such people as peasants, and others with a lower status in society, this was Demotic, the common script of Egypt.

They are written in rows or columns, and can be read either from right to left, or left to right, and  they helped lay the foundation for the modern alphabet.

The discovery of the rosetta stone, which was carved in 196 B.C. and discovered in A.D. 1799, helped translate the hieroglyphs, to english, as the stone's text was written identically in three different languages, because when it was being written, there were three different languages being used in Egypt at the time. Egyptian (hieroglyph), Demotic and Greek. The Greek text was taken from the stone tablet, and converted into English by Champollion.

The first row of text was hieroglyphic, the second was Demotic, and the third was Greek. Greek was the language of the ancient rulers, at the time. The reason the tablet was written in a tri-language script, was so that the priests, government officials, and rulers could read what the stone contained without translation.

http://www.discoveringegypt.com/Egyptian-Hieroglyphic-Writing.html

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/rosetta.html < Link to an in depth article that I can use for essay research, on the rosetta stone. Image also referenced at the same link.

Chinese Caligraphy

Chinese calligraphy (the art of writing) was, and still is a very important cultural movement, in terms of modern day, and artistic influences. It was respected as a fine art, before painting, and prized above all others.

It was deemed that a person who held the skill, and the ability to draw Chinese symbols and writing, was very talented, and because of it, was allowed into the 'upper circle' of Chinese civilisation.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chcl/hd_chcl.htm < this link goes into extra detail about chances calligraphy.

The image that I included in this blog, also can be located back at the site above, so this is my reference.

Neolithic Cave Paintings Research

Neolithic cave paintings, are ancient cave paintings created during the Neolithic era, beginning around 10,200 BC, and ending between 4,500, and 2000 BC. 

They are one of the earliest forms of artwork, and have survived over a huge leap in time.

Interestingly, there were according to scientific research, more female artists during these times, than make artists. This is proven due to comparing the hand sizes between males, and females.

http://www.oddee.com/item_93915.aspx < link to great examples of prehistoric cave paintings.

Here is another, but more focused on information > http://myhomepage.ferris.edu/~norcrosa/2006WEB/Paleolithic.html