Through the Eras

Visual ArtsIn the later Eighteenth Dynasty officials added scenes from their lives. Here, General Horemheb depicts soldiers he commanded.BROOKLYN MUSEUM OF ART, 32.103, CHARLES EDWIN WILBOUR FUND. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION.LATE EIGHTEENTH-DYNASTY RELIEF. Tomb reliefin the late Eighteenth Dynasty included unusual subjectmatter sometimes related to the tomb owner’s profession.The exquisitely carved soldiers from the tomb ofHoremheb illustrate men he commanded while he wasa general in the army. The varied faces and body typesof this row of men indicates a certain freedom in therepresentation of common people. A harbor scene froman unknown tomb of the late Eighteenth Dynasty showsa harbor scene with a bound prisoner descending thegang plank of a boat. Such scenes that depict the variedactivities in a town perhaps were an outgrowth of theAmarna period’s willingness to explore new subject matter.This tendency ended with the Ramesside Periodwhich followed.END OF AMARNA. The Amarna Period ended nearlyas suddenly as it began. The details remain murky, however.After Akhenaten’s death, he was followed brieflyby King Smenkare and then King Tutankhaten. Tutankhatenchanged his name to Tutankhamun and restoredthe traditional gods of Egypt. He also restoredthe traditional capital at Thebes and abandoned Amarna.Yet Tutankhamun is much better known as the ownerof the only royal tomb of this period to be discoverednearly intact. Thousands of works of art found in histomb reflect both the influence of the Amarna Periodand movement back toward more traditional Egyptianart. Tutankhamun’s painted chest, for example, preservesa war scene with the king attacking Egypt’s enemies witha bow and arrow while he rides in his chariot. BattleArts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.) 305