Art and life in ancient Egypt

Around 1350 BC, the Egyptian grain accountant Nebamun commissioned the walls of his tomb-chapel to be painted with scenes depicting his afterlife, and the world in which he lived. Nebamun worked in the temple of Amun at Karnak during the reign of Amenhotep III (c. 1390-1352 BC). Amenhotep was one of the most important kings of the 18th Dynasty, one of the high points of Egyptian wealth, but his reign preceded a period of dramatic upheaval in Egyptian society. In 1820 eleven pieces were removed from the walls of the tomb-chapel, location now unknown, and were acquired by the British Museum, where they are now iconic masterpieces of the collection. This free course explores the history and meaning of these paintings. First published on Tue, 24 Apr 2018 as Art and life in ancient Egypt. To find out more visit The Open University's Openlearn website. Creative-Commons 2018