Art of Egypt

Self-Guided Group Activity

Many of these questions are designed to prompt close looking and critical thinking. Read each artwork’s label to find answers to fact-based questions.

Artwork not on view? Don’t worry: There are plenty of others to visit!

Featured Works

False Door

• What are hieroglyphs? How were they used?
• What would you like to know about this artwork?
• This tomb was made for a priest named Iryenakhet (pronounced ‘year-ee-en-AH-ket’). His name is written on the door seven times. Find them all!
• What other hieroglyphs do you recognize?

Broad Collar

• Personal items were often left inside tombs, with the belief that the dead would want them in the afterlife.
• What types of items might have been left in a tomb?
• Would you like to wear this collar? Why or why not?
• What animals do you see on the collar?
• What animal would you want to represent you?

Headrest

• Before reading the labels, look at all three headrests.
• Which one do you think is from Egypt? What do you see that makes you say that?
• How is it the same as the headrests from Ethiopia and Somalia? How is it different?
• What do you sleep on at night?
• This was the Egyptian version of a pillow. It helped to keep sleepers cool at night and their hair-dos looking nice. Do you think this would be comfortable? Why or why not?

Goddess Isis

• Look closely at Isis. What does she appear to be holding?
• Compare Isis to Amenhotep in the case. In what ways are they alike and different?
• How did the artist show that Isis is in motion?

Amenhotep

• Look closely at the sculpture. What material do you think it’s made of? What do you see that makes you say that?
• Find a serpent, false beard, a wig, and a crown.
• Who would you honor in a portrait sculpture? Why?

Cartonnage of Lady Tashat

• Go on a scavenger hunt within Lady Tashat’s mummy case. Be sure to check it out from all angles.
• Find four or more eyes. Where did you find them?
• How many birds do you see?
• Where else do you see wings?
• Where do you see hieroglyphs?
• Name four colors you see. Consider this: these colors all came from natural materials.
• Which gods do you recognize? Here are a few clues: Osiris, god of the underworld, has green skin and a large crown. Anubis has the head of a jackal. Horus, the sun god, looks like a falcon.