Ancient Egypt was one of the earliest and most influential civilizations in world history, spanning over 3000 years from 3100 BCE to 30 BCE. The ancient Egyptians developed a highly sophisticated culture that influenced everything from architecture and art to language and religion. One notable aspect of ancient Egyptian culture was their use of color.
Color played an important role in ancient Egyptian society and was imbued with symbolic meaning. The ancient Egyptians used mineral-based pigments to create dyes and paints in a wide spectrum of colors. However, certain colors seem to have been more popular and commonly used than others.
The most popular colors in ancient Egypt were blue, black, red, green, and gold. Each color had specific connotations and was associated with particular deities, rituals, and status symbols. Examining the prevalent colors used in ancient Egypt provides insight into their culture, beliefs, and values.
Blue
The color blue (known as irtiu or khesbedj in ancient Egyptian) was highly symbolic and prized in ancient Egypt. It was associated with the sky, the River Nile, and fertility. Blue was also linked with rebirth and the afterlife.
Some key points about the color blue in ancient Egypt:
– Blue was connected to the gods Amon and Khonsu. Amon was associated with air and wind, while Khonsu was the god of the moon.
– One common blue pigment used was calcium copper silicate, known as Egyptian blue. This vivid blue glass-based pigment was frequently used in tomb paintings.
– Blue was the color used to depict water in Egyptian art, such as in the scenes of boats sailing on the Nile. The Nile itself was personified as the blue-hued god Hapy.
– Blue wildflowers like the cornflower and lotus flower grew along the Nile. Blue was associated with these flowers as symbols of life and rejuvenation.
– In imagery from funerary contexts, blue symbolized the heavens, mortality, and hope for rebirth in the afterlife.
Black
The color black (known as kem in ancient Egyptian) was associated with death, the underworld, and the fertile black land on the banks of the Nile. It had connections to Osiris, the god of the underworld, as well as with rebirth and resurrection.
Key notes on the color black in ancient Egypt:
– One common black pigment was carbon-based lamp black, made by burning organic materials. Ivory black produced from charred ivory or bones was also used.
– Osiris, god of the afterlife and judge of the dead, was depicted with black skin symbolizing fertility and rejuvenation.
– Black represented the black land of Kemet, the fertile soil along the Nile River banks where ancient Egyptians farmed. Black was seen as a life-giving color.
– Mourners of the deceased wore black during funerals and burial rites. Black conveyed the gloom of death and the mourning process.
– Black stone was used for statuary and monuments, meant to last for eternity like the afterlife. Common black stones were diorite, gabbro, and obsidian.
Red
The color red (desher in ancient Egyptian) symbolized fire, blood, and power. It had ambivalent associations with both violence/chaos and protection. Red was tied to the solar gods as well as the fiery eye of Re and Ra.
Key information about the color red in ancient Egyptian culture:
– Red ochre was a common red pigment created from iron oxide-rich clay deposits. It symbolized blood and fire.
– Red was seen as both disruptive and dangerous but also protective. The “Red Crown” of Lower Egypt represented the vital force of the land.
– Red was linked to several goddesses – Serket, Nephthys, and Bastet. Red scorpions were symbols of Serket who protected against venom.
– The Eye of Ra or Eye of Re, representing the destructive power of the sun, was depicted as a fierce goddess with the head of a lioness.
– Red was also the color of the desert, stormy chaos, and evil. But it protected against these forces when used ritually.
Green
The color green (wadj in ancient Egyptian) represented new life, growth, fertility, and regeneration. It was associated with vegetation along the Nile and burial rituals. Green suggested renewal.
Key notes about green symbolism in ancient Egypt:
– Malachite, a green copper-based mineral, was used as a green pigment. Faience glazes could also create green colors.
– The god Osiris was sometimes depicted with green skin, linking him to vegetation and growth.
– Green represented freshness and life among the arid desert sands. The oasis was a vibrant green paradise.
– Green was the color of regeneration and rebirth. Burial clothes were sometimes green, implying new growth in the afterlife.
– Green could also signal illness or envy. But it largely retained positive connotations of bounty.
Gold
Gold (noub in ancient Egyptian) symbolized wealth, status, and eternity. Because it never tarnished, gold suggested permanence and immortality. Gold was closely linked with the sun gods Ra and Re.
Key symbolic notes about the color gold in ancient Egyptian culture:
– Gold was associated with gods like Ra and Osiris. As an eternal, indestructible metal, gold was divine.
– Gold represented wealth and high social status. Royal crowns, death masks, and tomb furnishings were made of or decorated with gold.
– Golden sun disks, beads, and jewelry were buried with mummies to grant eternal life. Gold conveyed everlasting glory.
– The skin and bones of gods were sometimes rendered in gold. Gold suggested enlightenment, radiance, and power.
– Gold flesh was even applied to some mummy skeletons to affirm resurrection and transformation in the afterlife.
Conclusion
Color was deeply meaningful in ancient Egyptian culture and featured prominently in their art, artifacts, and architecture. By studying the symbolic significance of colors like blue, black, red, green, and gold, we gain insight into ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife, the gods, death rituals, status, fertility, and regeneration. Color revealed cosmic order and the triumph of life over death in the Egyptian worldview. Different shades were imbued with protective, renewing, and eternal associations. The popularity of certain pigments and dyes contributes to our understanding of this mystical and influential ancient civilization.
