Birds in Ancient Egyptian Paintings Show Artists May Have Twisted The Truth

Science Alert ^ | December 30, 2022 | David Nield

[SunkenCiv]

Facsimile painting of the west wall from the “Green Room” in the North Palace at Amarna (Public Domain; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: accession no. 30.4.134).

Credit: Antiquity

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Red Badger.

[ClearCase_guy]

It’s fake but accurate.

[SunkenCiv]

Some sidebars:

• Ancient monkey painting suggests Bronze Age Greeks travelled widely [02/04/2020]
• In the footsteps of the Bronze Men [ the Carians in Egypt ] [04/06/2010]
• Did Unemployed Minoan Artists Land Jobs in Ancient Egypt? [01/06/2010]
• Remains of Minoan-style painting discovered during excavations of Canaanite palace [11/10/2009]
• Quarry, Setting and Team Marks: The Carian Connection [10/08/2004]
• Inscription in Carian and Greek [07/17/2004]

[SunkenCiv]

• original paper

[SunkenCiv]

I loved that last part of the excerpt — the authors note that it should not be regarded as a dedicated ornithological treatise. No one ever has done that, probably. :^)

[Albion Wilde]

How beautiful! It’s almost abstract in its composition. Yet very fine details.

Happy New Year to you and yours, SunkenCiv; and thank you for the ongoing class in archaeology that so many freepers enjoy because of your sharing!

[Jamestown1630]

They needed an Audubon.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure and thanks for the kind remarks!

[bunkerhill7]

The Bird is the word.

[algore]

Even today some people try to watch birds, but

[chajin]

They needed an Audubon

They would first need Volkswagens

[Berlin_Freeper]

bird porn

[Jamestown1630]

The Whiskered auklet is quite titillating...

[frank ballenger]

I agree.

Thanks for your efforts. Much appreciated.

Happy New Year.

[Berlin_Freeper]

I see what you did there 👏

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I heartily endorse and agree with Albion’s thanks to SunkenCiv! Your articles are most enjoyable and enlightening, plus they are usually on topics I wouldn’t explore by myself.

This one is astonishing. I had no idea that the Egyptians of that era were such accomplished painters.

[Honest Nigerian]

“… may have twisted the truth.”
Such a gentle and non-judgmental way to speak of dead artists.
Isn’t “the truth” only a notional concept? Or some other illusion.
Surely people alive over 3,000 years ago would have no need for “the truth”./
Yep. That is my Friday night sarcasm out for a stroll.

[Jamestown1630]

People think that the iconic paintings, engravings, etc. of the ancient Egyptians show the extent of their knowledge and ability regarding representational art. But most of what has come down to us is religious, and highly stylized and hieratic — had to be done according to rigid rules.

It doesn’t mean that it’s all they knew how to do.

[DannyTN]

Okay fine, but that girl on Deviantart.... Totally real.