Download animals - Louvre-Lens

EXHIBITION / 5 DEC. 2014 - 9 MARCH 2015
ANIMALS
AND
PHARAOHS
The animal kingdom in Ancient Egypt
Press kit
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CONTENTS
Press release
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Introduction 7
Introduction by Hélène Guichard, curator
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Timeline of Ancient Egypt
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General information on the wildlife of Ancient Egypt
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Tour of the exhibition 13
Bonus 21
The top 10 animal deities
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Did you know?
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General information 25
Useful information
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Press contacts
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Press images
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PRESS RELEASE
Exhibition / 5 December 2014 > 9 March 2015
ANIMALS AND PHARAOHS
The animal kingdom in Ancient Egypt
In Ancient Egypt, man lived in harmony with nature, which they observed with extraordinary attention. They
had an especially unique relationship with animals. For the first time the Louvre-Lens is revealing every
facet of this exceptional bond between the Egyptians and the animal world. With 430 works the exhibition
resurrects wildlife that has now largely disappeared, and recalls its essential role in Pharaonic civilisation.
Animals were ubiquitous in the everyday life of ancient Egyptians. They were hunted, raised and tamed, but also sacrificed
and venerated. They interchanged between being a foodstuff, means of transport, medical remedy, companion and
object of worship. Early on, the Egyptians also used the symbolic images conveyed by each animal in various ways. This
is how the figure of the animal became a means to translate ideas, in a language that could be written or represented.
The animal was a pillar of Egyptian thought, be it religious, funerary or political.
The exhibition offers visitors a dual approach, being both educational and aesthetic.
Firstly, it allows knowledge to be gained through nine thematic sections. These have a logical progression, from the simple
physical perception of the actual creatures evolving in their natural environment, to their transposition to the codified
language of Egyptian thought. Through the different sequences, the central theme of the animal figure allows many
aspects of Egyptian civilisation to be seen, such as livestock, writing, the deities or even funeral rites. It also
covers the entire chronology, from the end of prehistory to Romanisation.
At the same time, the exhibition unveils the richness and variety of the artistic productions based on the infinite
source of inspiration provided by the animal kingdom. From an amulet in the shape of a frog to the monumental baboon
sculpture of the Obelisk of Luxor, through to a snake coffin or ibis mummy; there is a collection of more than 430 objects.
Apart from the zoological specimens from natural history museums, all of the objects come from the Egyptian collection
of the Louvre, one of the primary collections worldwide. Some of the works, on an exceptional basis, come from
the reserves of the Parisian Museum. Some have never been exhibited, or very rarely. Nearly two thirds have
been restored for the occasion in the Louvre-Lens workshop, which is open to visitors.
The exhibition is enhanced with multimedia devices. A touch table allows visitors to manipulate 3D animal mummies
and peer inside them, thanks to its medical scanner images.
On scene at the Louvre-Lens are shows, conferences and festive events to accompany the exhibition: a tribute
concert to Farid El Atrache, traditional tales, a literary banquet, animal costume ball, carte blanche for the “Egypt-lover”
choreographer Olivier Dubois, and a performance by Jeff Mills with images taken in the Louvre, etc.
Curator of the exhibition: Hélène Guichard, Chief Curator of the Department of Egyptian Antiquities at the Louvre
Museum. Assisted by Catherine Bridonneau and Fanny Hamonic.
Design: MAW – Maffre Architectural Workshop.
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Introduction
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introduction
By Hélène Guichard, curator of the exhibition
Egyptologists, amateurs, hobbyists and travellers all know that the animal figure is ubiquitous in the artistic heritage left
behind by ancient Egyptians. These curious deities – human bodies with animal heads or animal bodies with human heads
– extraordinary as they may be, no longer surprise us, yet they are the branding image in the collective imagination of
Egyptian civilisation. Similarly, Egypt is brought remarkably close to us through the scenes from everyday life with cats,
monkeys and gazelles, as well as the agricultural scenes covering the walls of mastabas, the characteristic tombs of
the Old Kingdom. The animal is most certainly a common reference around which men would gather together over the
centuries and through the changing civilisations.
However, the Egyptians’ relationship with the representatives of the animal kingdom has not always been properly
understood and the assessments made by Greek and Roman historians, early Christian thinkers and modern Western
observers, spreading myths and hazardous interpretations, have never been able to do justice to Egyptian civilisation.
Egyptology, with the help of zoologists, took on the subject as early as the 19th century, yet the iconography is so rich
that, even today, there is still a vast area open for research. The aesthetic and evocative nature of Egyptian art –
alongside the pleasures of identification and Egyptological research – is undoubtedly a source of great joy. Our exhibition
invites visitors to share in these delights.
What was the ancient wildlife observed by the Egyptians? Whether admired or feared, how were animals tamed, hunted
or exploited? How did they adopt these fascinating forms to express something beyond simple animal beauty? What were
the motivations that led Egyptians to represent their gods and kings as animals? Why did they sacrifice and mummify a
host of animals, from the most humble to the most spectacular? With all these legitimate questions, the exhibition will
attempt to provide answers, while providing visitors with the keys to understanding and the freedom to contemplate the
graceful gazelle with a powerful bull, or the wildlife scenes enhanced by the skill of Egyptian artists.
The purpose of the archaeologist is to restore and reveal, through careful and patient research, the elements of a
bygone era; the ancient fauna of the Nile offers the wonderful benefit of providing essential insights into many aspects
of Pharaonic civilisation. Its heritage is abundant with sculptures, reliefs, paintings, written sources, mummies, animal
remains, and cuts across multiple disciplines – history, art history, epigraphy, and archaeozoology – offering a wide area
of research with a host of indices. That’s why it seemed appropriate to take stock of the issue and provide an overview
of (sacred and secular) ancient Egypt, through the prism of the animal world.
To this end, more than 430 works and documents were selected. While most are from the collections of the Department
of Egyptian Antiquities at the Louvre, several stuffed specimens are on loan from the Natural History Museum of Lille, a
volume of the Description of Egypt is from the Central Library of the National Museums, and several works and objects
come from the National Museum of Natural History, the Department of Oriental Antiquities at the Louvre or the Musée
du Petit Palais (Paris). For its exhibition in Spain (Caixa Forum in Madrid from April 2015, and Barcelona up until January
2016), the collection will draw on some works and specimens of the museums of Madrid and Barcelona, the Museu de
Montserrat and the Museu Egipci in Barcelona.
While the Louvre displays a permanent collection of many works, more than 150 have been especially taken out of reserves,
some of which have never been publicly exhibited until now. They now have the opportunity to benefit from restoration
operations and a series of material analyses –including xylologic analyses to identify the (domestic or imported) wood
structures used to shape them – and to be exhibited for the first time.
Finally, a CT scan of 14 animal mummies on display has been set up under the supervision of a radiologist with the help of
a veterinary practice providing a scanner. This medical imaging has been interpreted by experts, enabling new scientific
information to be gathered on these mummies (the nature of the embalmed animal, method of killing, techniques used by
embalmers, etc.). Moreover, this imaging been used to put together a multimedia device giving visitors the opportunity
to perform a virtual autopsy of several specimens themselves.
The animal collection, with stuffed specimens and animal mummies, artistic productions, everyday objects and evidence
of religious and funerary beliefs, aims to raise the public’s interest in the charms of the animal world as experienced and
expressed by the ancient Egyptians with great intelligence and sensitivity.
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TIMELINE OF ANCIENT EGYPT
Ca. 3900-3100 BC: Predynastic Period (Nagada)
Population of the Nile Valley, formation of villages,
development of agriculture and livestock.
Ca. 3100-2700 BC: Thinite Period
1st and 2nd dynasties.
Establishment of the Pharaonic State.
Birth of hieroglyphic writing.
2700-2200 BC: Old Kingdom
3rd and 6th dynasties.
Capital: Memphis.
Power of the central government and the authority of
the Pharaoh.
Importance of the cult of the god Ra.
First stone pyramid in Saqqara and construction of the
three great pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure in
Giza.
2200-2033 BC: First Intermediate Period
7th and 11th dynasties.
Weakening of the central power, political and social
unrest.
1069-664 BC: Third Intermediate Period
21st and 25th dynasties.
Domination by dynasties of Libyan origin and by
sovereigns from Sudan.
664-332 BC: Late Period
26th and 30th dynasties.
Beginning of the period characterised by the reign of
Psammetichus, who expelled invaders.
Brilliant artistic production marked by a return to archaism
and a renewal of statuary.
Progressive Persian domination.
Arrival of Alexander the Great in Egypt in 332 BC
332-30 BC: Ptolemaic Period
Egypt is led by the Ptolemaic dynasty, Pharaohs of Greek
origin.
48-30 BC: Reign of Cleopatra VII, the last queen of
Pharaonic Egypt.
Conquest by Augustus.
30 BC - 395 AD: Roman Period
Egypt is a Roman province.
2033-1710 BC: Middle Kingdom
11th and 13th dynasties.
Capital: Lisht
Colonisation of Nubia (southern kingdom). Development
of the region of Fayum (south-west of Cairo).
Reign of Sesostris in particular.
1710-1550 BC: Second Intermediate Period
14th and 17th dynasties.
Capital: Avaris.
Invasion and domination by the Hyksos from Western
Asia.
1550-1069 BC: New Kingdom
18th and 20th dynasties.
Capital: Thebes.
Peak of Pharaonic civilisation.
Importance of the cult of the god Amun.
Construction of the great temples of Karnak, Luxor and
Abu Simbel, establishment of the necropolis of the Valley
of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.
Notable reigns of Hatshepsut, Thutmose, Amenhotep
(or Amenophis), Akhenaten (and his wife Nefertiti),
Tutankhamun and Ramesses.
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GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE WILDLIFE OF ANCIENT EGYPT
The environment of Egypt today is different from how it used to be in ancient times. Over time, climate change and human
intervention have significantly altered the ecosystem. But the texts and especially the images that have survived from
ancient Egypt testify to the existence of an extremely diverse flora and fauna. The works presented in the exhibition of
the Louvre-Lens make up a rich bestiary of around 60 animal species, some of which have ceased to exist in the country.
The landscape of ancient Egypt is largely shaped by the Nile and its unique flooding, which has not occurred since the
construction of the Aswan High Dam inaugurated in 1971.
Each year, the banks of the river would be submerged under water during the four months of summer. Thanks to the
valuable silt deposited by the flood the banks of the Nile and the Delta region were covered with thickets of papyrus
and reed beds. These marshy areas were inhabited by insects, including grasshoppers and numerous waterfowl: ducks,
cormorants, herons, hoopoes, ibis, wild geese and moorhens. The river itself was home to a vast number of fish – eels,
mullets, perch, catfish, and tilapia – but also crocodiles, frogs, hippos, otters and turtles. The Nile was, therefore, an
important food resource: the Egyptians would fish in its waters and hunt on its shores, which also attracted game and
livestock. Animals were also hunted for the raw materials they provided: leather, skin, horns, bone, ivory, feathers and so
on, to be used in crafts and the pharmacopoeia.
There were vast arid areas on both sides of the Nile: the Libyan desert to the West, the Arabian desert and the Sinai to
the East. These harsh and uncultivated lands were infested with jackals, wild dogs, hyenas, mongooses, scorpions and
snakes. They were also inhabited by ostriches, which were hunted by the Egyptians for their feathers and particularly
used to create the grand ceremonial fans of the Pharaohs.
In the earliest ancient times, large areas of humid savannah, which subsequently disappeared, covered a part of what is
now desert. These were partially wooded areas with Acacia and Sycamore fig, inhabited by a host of wild animals and
game, which later became a rarity: antelope, ibex, hartebeest, gazelles, hyenas, and oryx. In the Predynastic Period, there
were also elephants, giraffes and rhinos, which fled southwards due to the increasing aridity. In the 3rd and 2nd millennia
BC, it was the kingdom of lions and leopards. Yet these also disappeared as their prey increasingly diminished.
Lastly, the sky was also populated with a wide range of both sedentary and migratory bird species: hawks, owls, hawks,
falcons, hoopoes, orioles, sparrows, pigeons and vultures.
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TOUR OF THE EXHIBITION
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Section 1
A BIT OF ZOOLOGY…
You don’t need to be an Egyptologist to appreciate the abundance of animals
in Egyptian art in numerous forms and contexts. Their vast presence, together
with the displays of worship of sacred animals during the most recent periods
of pharaonic Egypt, led philosophers and traditional historians to view Egyptians
as little more than vulgar animal-worshippers. Clement of Alexandria, among
others, demeans and makes a mockery of such practices.
This reputation for zoolatry remained deeply rooted in Western thought up
until modern times, when the scientific Egyptology of the 19th century shed
light on the complexity of the Egyptians’ religious beliefs and more accurately
interpreted their relationship with the animal world. Indeed, the Egyptians did
not worship animals: they meticulously chose animal shapes to be used as a
manifestation of the divine essence which was accessible to humans. Their
representation has a religious, symbolic or political meaning, based on their
careful and tireless observation of nature.
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As worthy successors of the scholars who accompanied Bonaparte’s military
expedition in Egypt (1798-1801) naturalists participated in the rehabilitation of
Egyptian civilisation. Such representations of animals are not accidental: they
are very much thought out and intentional. An insight into this can be gained
through zoology and ethology1 to identify the various species, as well as the
reasons behind for them to become the models and, ultimately, the signs of a
real language.
“The Egyptian temples [...] are beautifully constructed; the courts are surrounded
by columns [...]; the naos2 shine with the glimmer of gold, silver, electrum and
precious stones from India and Ethiopia; the sanctuaries are shaded by curtains
woven with gold; yet if you continue to the back of the temple and look for
the statue of the god to which it is dedicated [...], what do you see? A cat, a
crocodile, an indigenous snake or a similar animal! The God of the Egyptians
appears... It is a wild animal, wallowing on a purple carpet!”
Clement of Alexandria (circa 150-215 AD), The Paedagogus, Book 3, Chapter 2
This section of the exhibition reviews the main species of ancient Egypt
through statues, figurines, reliefs and other archaeological objects, as well as
watercolours, a volume of animal plates and 12 stuffed specimens, including a
monkey, hyena, hedgehog and a vulture. Short extracts of animal documentaries
present some of these animals in their natural context.
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Ethology: the study of animal behaviour.
Naos: a sanctuary of Egyptian temples; naos also means the small chapel of stone or wood holding the statue of the deity
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Section 2
OBSERVED, ADMIRED, FEARED
Watching the display of wildlife, be it in the mountainous or sandy deserts, the
banks and wetlands of the Nile, agricultural plains, gardens and groves, the
Egyptians gave free rein to their keen sense of observation. Nilotic wildlife and
its natural environment offered an endless source of inspiration for designers
and sculptors. Starting with the schematic and refined lines of the pre-dynastic
era (circa 3900-3100 BC), artists strived to render the morphology and
anatomy of their models, as well as their furs, coloured feathers, skins or shiny
scales. Animals arousing admiration, as well as dangerous beasts, evoking an
almost sacred fear were represented in various forms. In this exercise artistic
creation constantly balances between naturalistic temptation and conventional
interpretation which, nonetheless, is based on the desire to describe the model
accurately and provide a clear outline of its most significant features.
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In addition to the works on display, two slideshows present the landscapes and
environmental context of ancient Egypt. The first deals with the three major
Egyptian biotopes: the river, the desert and the agricultural plains. The second
presents scenes of funerary monuments, displaying animals in their natural
environment.
Section 3
HUNTED, BRED, CONSUMED
Hunting and fishing, as well as capturing and breeding, made both wild and
domestic animals important sources of subsistence. Even the most unlikely of
animal species were featured, and the iconographic sources provide a wealth
of scenes depicting hunts with throw-sticks or bows, catching nets, spear
fishing, fish preparation or force-feeding of geese (and even hyenas!), as well
as cattle slaughtering. Nonetheless, the textual sources and archaeozoological3
data collected on excavation sites show that certain meat preparations were
generally reserved for the most affluent. In any event, consumption goes
beyond earthly life and the animal was an essential part of the food offering, to
the deceased as well as to the gods. Cut up or de-boned, plucked and ready to
cook, it often appears on the offering tables and lists.
Consumption and food offering
Just like the living in this lowly world, the dead and the gods had to drink and
feed themselves on a daily basis. That explains the vast number of offering
tables laden with food, especially animal products, placed before the deities
on the walls of temples, or before the deceased in tombs. Depicting the fresh
food brought by priests or families, since representation was as good as reality,
these images guaranteed eternal supplies in the hands of carriers of meat cuts
and live animals, or in the form of “models” as mock offerings in wood or stone.
This section also has a slideshow of scenes portraying hunting, fishing, farming
and food preparation, on the walls of temples or tombs. Some have been
reproduced with graphics on a monumental scale on the picture rails.
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Archaeozoology: scientific discipline seeking to reconstruct the history of natural and cultural relations between humans and animals through the study of animal remains from archaeological sites
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Section 4
USED, MANAGED, OPERATED
The Egyptians had learned to exploit animals’ physical strength, stamina or
agility, to the point of making them into real economic and military auxiliaries.
Domesticating and training animals allowed them to use cattle, horses and
donkeys – and in some cases monkeys – in agriculture (ploughing, planting,
irrigation, harvesting, etc.) and as a means of transportation. This included civil
transportation of agricultural products and goods, and war-related activities
with the arrival of the horse and chariot in Egypt during in the New Kingdom
(1550-1069 BC). Animals and animal products were also used in crafts as a
raw material (leather, skin, ivory, bone, horns, shells, feathers, etc.) to make
everyday objects, clothing accessories and ceremonial jewellery. Lastly, together
with plant substances, pharmacopoeia also made use of animal ingredients:
droppings, fat and blood.
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Here also, a slideshow presents scenes from monuments, portraying agriculture,
transport and military activities.
Section 5
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ADOPTED, PERSONIFIED, CARICATURED
Demonstrating qualities and attitudes similar to those of humans, animals were
easily trained and became a member of the household. Indeed, household
pets were pampered and treated as part of the family; they often received
their own names and, when they died, their masters went into mourning, as
reported by the historian Herodotus (circa 484-420 BC). The deceased liked to
be represented with their family cat, dog, gazelle or monkey in their tombs, or
even have them embalmed to share their eternity. This daily intimacy with the
animal world led the Egyptians to observe the similarities and two-way mimicry
between animals and humans. Personified to the point of becoming a trend
of anthropomorphism4 and a human caricature, the animal became a source
of parody in satirical scenes of a highly comical nature where animals take the
place of humans. This is the first step towards an appropriation of the figure of
the animal which, depicted by artists, becomes a means of parallel expression.
Chapel of the tomb of Akhethotep (Old Kingdom, 5th dynasty, circa
2400 BC)
The chapel of the tomb of Akhethotep – a dignitary buried in Saqqara – was
purchased for and reconstructed in the Louvre in 1903. In this small rectangular
room, family and funeral priests would come to worship the deceased and
place food offerings before the double false door, marking the transition from
the world of the living to that of the dead. This facsimile bears witness to the
rich iconography of its bas-relief decoration: the splendid meal served to the
deceased, the parade of offering bearers, scenes of farming, hunting, fishing,
breeding and butchery, given as supplies to Akhethotep for the afterlife.
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Anthropomorphism: attributing humans’ appearance, behaviour, feelings, passions, ideas or acts
to an animal or a god
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Section 6
TRANSPOSED, MODIFIED, CODED
Alongside their material and domestic use, animal figures were taken out of their
usual context and transposed in a variety of ways, depending on the meanings
that the Egyptians assigned to them. In everyday life, manufactured objects
take on animal forms which – depending on the case – were either adopt or
are adapted to. The animal arsenal is also used in a symbolic or magical sense
to protect both the living and the dead: the prophylactic5 principle, designed to
prevent adverse events, is illustrated by the wide variety of zoomorphic6 amulets
with many virtues, based on criteria related to observing animal behaviour. The
hieroglyphic writing system is partly based on the codification of these forms
and over 20% of hieroglyphic signs – ideograms or phonetic signs – draw on the
animal repertoire. In all these cases, animals and their representations became
charged with meaning and, from then on, were used to express concepts.
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Components of the individual
For the Egyptians, the individual is made up of several distinct but indivisible
entities for which the carnal body is the receptacle and which must be preserved
at all costs in order to aspire to eternity. The physical representation of some of
these spiritual principles draws upon the animal form. This is the case of the ba,
the dynamic element of personality, which is incorporated to the individual at
birth and leaves after death in the form of a bird with a human head. Similarly,
the akh, an immortal and bright spirit, is embodied by a white heron. The heart,
ib, the seat of thought, will and intention, is often represented in the form of a
scarab.
Section 7
SPIRITUALISED, SACRALISED, TRANSFORMED
Once animals were seen as a means of expressing abstract concepts, their
association with the spiritual and divine world became very clear: what other
repertoire, as familiar to ordinary mortals, could provide such a wealth of
tangible forms to express the complex aspects of the divine principle? Every
animal possessed traits that allowed a better understanding of the nature of
any god; it initially became the divinity’s emblematic animal, representing it and
expressing it, and ultimately served as its vehicle, or even its incarnation. The
spiritualisation of animal forms makes it possible to decode a sophisticated
theological system based on polymorphism7, syncretism8 and ambivalence.
For the deity to have a tangible incarnation theologians and artists were
quick to assign it a purely zoomorphic animal form or mixed and hybrid forms,
thereby creating a metaphysical reasoning which they could easily master and
manipulate.
Mixed forms
Unlike the purely descriptive secular approach, the sacred approach introduces
the concept of intellectualising the animal form. This idea enables and justifies
a great degree of freedom in their portrayal, combining characteristics and
postures which are both anthropomorphic and zoomorphic. This principle
produces the animal-headed humans or human-headed animals, which are so
characteristic of the Egyptian religion. Indeed, the laws of nature sometimes
appear to be violated by artists and theologians, as the Egyptian “chimera”
summarises a deity’s various aspects.
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Hybrid forms
Diverging from the merely zoomorphic effigies, hybrids combine the
morphological appearance or characteristics of several different animals,
sometimes adding human attributes (the standing position, arms, a female
Prophylaxis: a set of magical and ritual practices performed to guard against natural disasters or
adverse events
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Zoomorphism: representing something or someone as an animal
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Polymorphism: the diversity of aspects and multiplicity of forms
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Syncretism: the merging of several doctrines and/or different cultural forms
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breast, etc.). Hybrids can display two deities as a single syncretic entity, such
as Sobek-Re, a solar deity with a crocodile body and falcon head. They may
also combine the significant aspects of several formidable animals to enhance
their ability to protect, such as Taweret, the protective goddess of childhood
and pregnant women, combining the body of a hippopotamus, lion’s paws and
a crocodile tail.
Osirian and solar designs
Egyptian beliefs are primarily based on two large systems relating to two
essential deities: Osiris, god of the dead and the underworld, and Re, god of the
sun, represented in a variety of forms. With divine principles governing life on
Earth, the heavenly life and the afterlife, the gods’ opposite but complementary
natures often come together, especially in the context of funerals, rebirth and
regeneration. The real bestiary that surrounds them – incarnations, protectors
or adversaries – illustrates, in various capacities, the complexity of their crossed
universes, making them more understandable for the gods’ followers.
In this section of the exhibition, an interactive game lets visitors test
their knowledge. They have to match three images for a given animal: a
photograph of the real animal, a depiction of it in an exhibition piece, and the
corresponding deity. If their match is correct, a short animated sequence
will appear on the screen: a young scribe will explain, in an entertaining way,
the link between the animal’s behavioural characteristics and its religious
symbolism.
Section 8
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REVERED, SACRIFICED, MUMMIFIED
Certain unique animals, bulls, rams or crocodiles were considered, in life, to be
the earthly incarnation of the deity to which they were associated. Upon their
death, they were given a mummification and burial worthy of princes, and priests
subsequently went in search of what would be the god’s new incarnation. This
is the case, for example, of the sacred bulls embodying Apis, Buchis or Mnevis,
or of the Elephantine rams, which were living representations of Khnum. At the
same time, beginning in the Late Period of Ancient Egypt (664-332 BC), animal
cults grew abundantly and certain species were raised, killed and mummified in
their thousands in the vicinity of the temples to be used as ex-voto* offerings
to the deities of which they were the emanation. Buried in specific necropolises
ibis, hawks, cats, dogs, fish, crocodiles, snakes, shrews, ichneumon and others
contributed to a practice of personal devotion where they became the means of
expression between a deity and its followers.
Beside the displays of animal mummies, a touchscreen allows you to
virtually manipulate some of them to reveal what they contain. A 3D
animation, made up of images produced by the medical scanner, allows you
to “undress” the mummies from their cartonnage, bandages and biological
tissue, to gradually reveal the skeleton of a cat, ibis or fish.
Ex-voto: a symbolic object placed in a sacred place, in fulfilment of a vow or in gratitude or devotion
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Section 9
POWERFUL, GLORIFIED, RESPECTED
As a climax this section attempts to make visitors experience every bit of the
power conveyed by the animal representations.
The conceptualisation of the animal form is likely to have reached its climax with
the expression of the omnipotence of the Pharaoh and the gods from which he
derived his power. The Pharaoh is deliberately associated with the fierce animal
whose invincible force allows him to affirm his exceptional vigour and ability to
defend Egypt against its enemies. The “powerful bull” with the ferocity of the
falcon, protected as Re by the violent cobra surrounding its forehead, is feared,
respected and able to ensure Maat, the cosmic harmony and the balance of the
world. Over the centuries, one of the pillars of Egyptian civilisation remained this
remarkable way of perceiving the animal as the universal guardian, a protector
of royalty, but also as the incarnation of the king’s divine essence. A subtle
alchemy therefore became established, as one after the other, animals were, by
extension, glorified and used as instruments of glorification.
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Bonus
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THE TOP 10 ANIMAL DEITIES
Amun
King of the gods, lord of the temples of Karnak and Luxor,
Amun takes on various representations.
Most often, he is portrayed as a man wearing two high
straight feathers. Associated with the sun god, he became
Amon-Ra, the sun that gives life to the country. As AmunMin, he is a reproductive bull, a symbol of fertility. He is
seen in the form of a ram or a snake, and may also be
associated with the goose.
Horus
The son of Isis and Osiris is represented as a falcon
wearing the double crown of Egypt, or as a falcon-headed
man. He succeeded his father on the throne of the world
of the living and is therefore the protector of royalty. His
manifestation on Earth is as the ruler.
Ra
Ra or Re is the sun god, giving life to all men. He is depicted
as a falcon-headed man, wearing the solar disk and the
uraeus, or “eye of Ra”, the protective cobra goddess.
He sometimes takes the form of the scarab Khepri,
symbolising the sun being reborn when emerging from the
horizon at dawn.
Anubis
The guardian of the kingdom of the dead, he is the inventor
of mummification. He can be portrayed as a black canine
(dog or jackal), or by a jackal-headed man.
Apis
Apis is the sacred bull, the manifestation of Ptah, the god
of creation. He was worshipped in Memphis as the subject
a very important cult. Apis is a unique animal among all the
bulls of Egypt; he may be recognised by the various marks
on his coat, including a white triangle on the front. Upon
his death, he was mummified and buried in the Serapeum
of Saqqara (discovered by Auguste Mariette in 1851).
Sekhmet
She is a fierce goddess, represented as a lioness or a
woman with a head of a lioness. She is capable of terrible
wrath; she may spread epidemics and bring death upon the
King’s enemies. She was also associated with medicine;
indeed, when she is appeased, she is a valuable ally to ward
off disease.
Sobek
He is the god of waters, portrayed as a crocodile or a
crocodile-headed man.
Bastet
She may be depicted either as a cat or woman with the
head of a cat. She is the goddess of music, dance, and
childbirth. Bastet sometimes has the appearance of the
woman with the head of a lioness; like Sekhmet, she
becomes a fearsome goddess.
Thoth
The inventor of writing and the god of scribes. He embodies
wisdom and intelligence, and knows magic spells. He can
be represented as the reckoner of times with the lunar disk
resting on his head. He is represented as an ibis with black
and white plumage, as an ibis-headed man or as a baboon.
Hathor
She is venerated in various forms: as a snake, tree or
lioness. Most often, she is a cow or a woman with a pair
of horns encompassing the solar disk. She is the goddess
of joy, feast and wine. She is also the patroness of the
necropolis of Thebes.
Anubis
Ra
thoth
23
DID YOU KNOW?
•T
he death of an Apis bull would be followed by a mourning
period of 70 days, which is the time necessary for its
mummification.
•D
uring sunrise, the baboons cry and gesticulate. The
Egyptians saw this as the monkeys’ tribute to the star
of the day. Baboons therefore have an important place
in solar theology.
• In the tomb’s chapel of worship, the “sign of offerings”
offers the deceased various pieces of meat: one could
find haunches or ribs of beef as well as liver, kidneys... or
even spleen!
•T
he Egyptians had no qualms about attempting to rear
rather unexpected species: there are hyena feeding
scenes on the walls of the Old Kingdom mastabas. Yet,
these attempts do not seem to have achieved great
success and were quickly abandoned.
49
•M
ore than 20% of hieroglyphic signs – whether they are
ideographic or phonetic – are based on animals.
• In the hieroglyphic language, the sign of the tadpole
means 100,000, and by extension, the hundreds of
thousands of years of life wished upon the king.
•T
he monumental bas-relief depicting four baboons,
preserved at the Louvre and exhibited at Lens, comes
from the base of one of the two obelisks of the Luxor
temple (the “brother” of the one in Place de la Concorde
in Paris). Once returned to France, it was intended to
adorn the base of the Concorde obelisk. Yet the position
of these monkeys, standing on their hind legs with raised
arms (revealing their male attributes) was deemed
indecent. The granite sculpture (weighing 5.7 tons) was
then sent to the Louvre where it has remained ever
since!
• In Egyptian imagery, the gazelle usually evokes the wild
animals offered to the deity as a sign of the chaotic world
of the desert’s submission to cosmic order. However, it
was not uncommon to have it as a pet, especially among
ladies and children of the wealthy or princely classes, in
the same way as dogs, cats and monkeys.
• In the Tusculanes, Cicero (106-43 BC) wrote: “Who
doesn’t know the custom of the Egyptians? For these
people, whose minds are full of bizarre superstitions,
there is no torture they would not undergo rather than
injure an ibis, an aspic, a cat, a dog, or a crocodile;
even if they inadvertently commit such a thing, there
is no punishment whatsoever that would not be held
legitimate”.
•A
ccording to Herodotus, when a domestic cat died a
natural death, his masters shaved their eyebrows as a
sign of attachment to the deceased animal. In the case
of a dog, the masters shaved their head and whole body.
50
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25
GENERAL INFORMATION
26
USEFUL INFORMATION
Dates of the exhibition
5 December 2014 – 9 March 2015
Opening hours
Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
Closed on Tuesdays, 25 December and 1st January.
Late-night opening until 10 pm on Fridays 5 December, 6 February and 6 March.
Admission to the exhibition
Full rate: €9.
Free of charge for under 26s, school groups, recipients of social welfare, job
seekers, civil or war disabled, members of ICOM or ICOMOS, holders of LouvreLens cards.
Free multimedia guide in English for the collections and the exhibition.
Combined tickets
•w
ith « The Château de Versailles in 100 masterpieces » exhibition at the Fine
Arts Museum of Arras: €10.
•w
ith « Senusret III, legendary pharaoh » exhibition at the Fine Arts Museum
of Lille: €14.
Address
Louvre-Lens Museum
99 Rue Paul Bert
62300 Lens (France)
Information
T : +33 (0)3 21 18 62 62
www.louvrelens.fr
Exhibition organised by the Louvre-Lens Museum and « la Caixa » Foundation,
with the special participation of the Louvre Museum.
Lens
After Lens, the exhibition will be presented at the CaixaForum in Madrid from
31 March to 23 August 2015 and then at the CaixaForum in Barcelona from 22
September 2015 to 10 January 2016.
The exhibition at Lens benefits from the exceptional support of the Total
Foundation.
27
PRESS CONTACTS
National and international press
Claudine Colin Communication
Diane Junqua
T: +33 (0)1 42 72 60 01 / +33 (0)6 45 03 16 89 / [email protected]
Regional and Belgian press
Louvre-Lens Museum
Bruno Cappelle
T: +33 (0)3 21 18 62 13 / [email protected]
Communications
Louvre-Lens Museum
Raphaël Wolff
T: +33 (0)3 21 18 62 11 / raphael.wolff @louvrelens.fr
PRESS IMAGES
All photographs illustrating this press kit are free of copyright for the
press.
Obligatory credits are specified on page 32
TERMS OF USE:
• These images are exclusively intended for the promotion of the exhibition
presented at the Louvre-Lens Museum from 5 December 2014 to 9 March
2015.
• The article shall specify, as a minimum, the museum name, the exhibition title
and dates.
• In addition to the photo credit, all images used must bear the notice Service
presse/Musée du Louvre-Lens.
• Credits must appear close to the reproduction.
• Please be kind to send a copy of your article at [email protected].
SPECIAL CONDITIONS ON “RMN” IMAGES:
•E
ach media item can reproduce up to 4 free images. Exceeding that, please
contact [email protected].
•N
o reproduction shall exceed ¼ page format. Exceeding that, please contact
[email protected].
To download these images, please contact Bruno Cappelle (regional
and Belgian press) or Diane Junqua (national and international press).
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Captions and credits
1. S
tela of Padibastet worshipping the statue of the
bull Apis (detail)
Polychromatic limestone
Late Period (664-332 BC), Saqqara
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Georges
Poncet
9. Sculptor’s model: head of roaring lion
Limestone
Late Period, 27th Dynasty (399-300 BC) or
30th Dynasty (379-341 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
2. S
tatuette of a seated lioness goddess
Tamarisk wood, sycamore fig wood (reverse)
Late Period (664-332 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
10. Statuette of woman bearing offerings
Stuccoed and painted sycamore fig wood
Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty (1963-1786 BC), Asyut,
Tomb of Upuautemhat
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Raphaël Chipault
3. Box in the form of a bound gazelle with hinged lid
Wood
New Kingdom, late 18th - early 19th Dynasty
(c. 1350-1300 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Hervé
Lewandowski
4. Arched stela of Renpetmaa
Painted wood
Third Intermediate Period, 22nd Dynasty
(c. 945-715 BC)?
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Benjamin Soligny / Raphaël Chipault
5. Imitation of the canopic vases of Padiuf, priest of
Amon
Stuccoed and painted wood
Third Intermediate Period (1069-664 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
6. S
pecimen of stuffed wild vulture
Organic matter
Lille, musée d’histoire naturelle
© Musée du Louvre-Lens (musée d’histoire naturelle
de Lille) / Jean-Cristophe Hecquet
11. Two-horse chariot held by a rider on foot
Watercolour on paper
Early 20th century
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
12. Plaque decorated with an animal fable: a bull
dancing before a donkey playing a harp
Steatite
End of the New Kingdom or Third Intermediate Period,
before the 25th Dynasty (c. 1200-800 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
13. P
iece of furniture in the form of a lion’s head
Tamarisk wood, gold, glass
Late Period (664-332 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Benjamin Soligny / Raphaël Chipault
14. Amulet: lioness-headed goddess
Gold
Third Intermediate Period, 22nd Dynasty
(c. 945-713 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
7. Figurine of female guenon monkey with her young
Steatite
New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC) at the latest
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
15. S
mall mummy in the form of a ram, containing
the remains of a lamb
Linen, organic matter
Late Period (664-332 BC) or Ptolemaic Period
(332-30 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
8. Specimen of a naturalised hyena
Organic matter
Lille, musée d’histoire naturelle
© Musée du Louvre-Lens (musée d’histoire naturelle
de Lille) / Jean-Cristophe Hecquet
16. Falcon protecting pharaoh Nectanebo II
Limestone
30th Dynasty, reign of Nectanebo II (385-341 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
33
17. Comb with ibex on one knee
Wood
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty (1550-1425 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
25. “Model” of a duck ready to be cooked
Egyptian alabaster
Middle Kingdom (2033-1710 BC), Dara
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
18. Statuette of a canid: Anubis “jackal”
Sycamore fig wood
Third Intermediate Period (1069-664 BC)?
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
26. S
tatue of a man wearing a panther skin
Greenish stone
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III
(1391-1353 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
19. Statue of a supine ibis
White acacia wood, copper alloy
Late Period (664-332 BC) or Ptolemaic Period
(332-30 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Benjamin Soligny / Raphaël Chipault
27. “Model” of labouring scene
Polychromatic wood
Middle Kingdom (2033-1710 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Raphaël Chipault
20. Hippopotamus statuette
Egyptian faience
Middle Kingdom, mid 13th dynasty (1750-1650 BC),
Western Thebes
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
28. O
stracon: guenon monkey picking fruit
Painted limestone
New Kingdom, Ramesside Period (c. 1295-1069 BC),
Deir el-Medina
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
21. Wall painting from the tomb of Neferhotep
Painting on silt
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty (1550-1295 BC), Western
Thebes (TT A5)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
29. Figurine of female guenon monkey with her
young
Enamelled steatite
Third Intermediate Period, probably 22nd-25th Dynasty
(c. 950-700 BC)
© RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre) / Benjamin
Soligny / Raphaël Chipault
22. Frog figurine
Egyptian faience
New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
30. Kohl holder depicting a small guenon monkey
Wood
New Kingdom (c. 1550-1069 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
23. Net hunting scene
Limestone, bas-relief
Late Period, Saite Period (664-525 BC), Heliopolis
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
31. C
opy of the Turin Erotic Papyrus
Vellum paper, graphite, gouache
Modern Age (circa 1825-1850)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
24. Relief: slaughter scene
Limestone
Old Kingdom (2700-2200 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
32. Stool with feet in the form of lions
Wood
New Kingdom (664-332 BC)?
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
34
33. Sculptor’s model: wild vulture
Limestone
Late Period (664-332 BC) or Ptolemaic Period
(332-30 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
41. Unwrapped mummy of an ibis
Organic matter, gold
Late Period (664-332 BC) or Greco-Roman Period
(4th century BC - 4th century AD)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Benjamin Soligny / Raphaël Chipault
34. Amulet: the Ba in the form of a bird
Gold
Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC)?
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
42. Bull palette
Greywacke
Pre-dynastic Period, Nagada II (3500-3200 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
35. Head of cow of Hathor
Painted limestone
New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty (1295-1186 BC),
Deir el-Medina
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
43. D
oorpost in the name of Ramesses II
Polychromatic limestone
19th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses II (1279-1213 BC),
Abydos
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-GP / Christian Larrieu
36. Seated statue of Amon with a ram’s head
Quartzite
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, probably reign of Amenhotep III (1391-1353 BC), Theban Region or Nubia?
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
37. S
tatue of the goddess Sekhmet
Diorite
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III
(1391-1353 BC), Karnak
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
38. Statuette of the bull Apis
Copper alloy
Late Period (664-332 BC), Saqqara
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
39. Mask of the mummy of a ram
Gilded, polychromatic card, gilded wood
Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC) or Roman Period
(end of 1st century BC - 4th century AD)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
40. Mummy of a cat
Organic matter, linen, card
Late Period (664-332 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
44. Sphinx of Nectanebo I
Sandstone, traces of polychromy
Late Period, 30th Dynasty (378-341 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
45. B
aboons from the base of the Eastern Obelisk of
Luxor
Pink granite
New Kingdom, 19th dynasty, reign of Ramesses II
(1279-1213 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
46. Montu, lord of Medamud, with the head of a bull
Limestone
Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
47. Jeff Mills
© Shauna Regan
48. Coffin of a cat
Polychromatic wood
Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
49. Fragment of inlay: falcon hieroglyph
Egyptian faience
Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
35
50. Relief with Syrian bearer of offerings
Copper alloy
Third Intermediate Period (c. 1069-664 BC), probably
Memphis
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Benjamin Soligny / Raphaël Chipault
51. Vignette from Chapter 110 of the Book of the
Dead of the Lady Taperousir
Papyrus
Late Period, Saite Period (664-525 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Georges Poncet
52. Statue of a goose
Wood, copper alloy
53
Late Period (664-332 BC) or Ptolemaic Period
(332-30 BC)
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Benjamin Soligny / Raphaël Chipault
53. R
ing with horses
Gold and carnelian
New Kingdom, 19th dynasty (13th century BC)?
© Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /
Christian Decamps
54. Statue of Horus in the form of a falcon
End of Late Period or Greco-Roman Period (4th century BC – 4th century AD)?, Rome
Granitoid (waxed in the modern era), yellow stone?
© Musée du Louvre, dist. RMN-GP / Georges Poncet
Co-organisateurs de l’exposition
Mécène principal
Partenaires médias
Statue of Horus in the form of a falcon © Musée du Louvre, dist. RMN-GP / Georges Poncet - agencemixte.com
Partenaires institutionnels