Decoding the Divine: Egyptian Temple Decoration

Following on from the two successful courses Causing Their Names to Live, the next Egypt Centre course will be starting in just a few weeks. This course is called Decoding the Divine: Egyptian Temple Decoration.

Egyptian temples stand as testaments to a civilisation obsessed with the divine. Far from mere structures, their walls served as canvases, intricately decorated with hieroglyphs, reliefs, and paintings. This short course delves into the fascinating world of Egyptian temple decoration, equipping you with the skills to decode their symbolic language.

We will embark on a journey through the “grammar of the temples”, exploring the recurring themes, motifs, and compositional techniques employed by the ancient Egyptians. You will learn to identify the deities depicted, decipher the meanings behind ritual scenes, and understand the significance of plant and animal symbolism.

The course will delve into the concept of the “zoned temple”, where different areas were designated for specific purposes. We will explore the symbolism of the imposing pylons, the sacred hypostyle halls, and the inner sanctuaries, each adorned with decorations tailored to their function.

By analysing these elements, you will gain insights into Egyptian mythology, pharaonic ideology, and the daily rituals performed within the temple walls. This course is designed for anyone with an interest in ancient Egypt, unlocking the stories etched in stone and painted on the walls of these magnificent structures.

Take, for example, the image shown above, which appears twelve times on the intercolumner screenwalls at Dendera. This cryptographic scene may look like just a decorated frieze to the untrained eye, but a close examination of each of the elements reveals that it has a specific meaning. It can be read as “the domain endures, containing the mistress of Dendera, like the sky will endure containing Re, all the rekhyt-people making for her praise”. This is just one of many scenes that will be analysed during this course.

In order to be as accessible as possible, this course will be run twice a week: Sunday evenings 6–8pm (UK time); Wednesday mornings 10am–12noon (UK time). Additionally, one of the sessions will be recorded and made available for a limited time to registered participants.

 

Week 1 (Sunday 26 and Wednesday 29 May)

Week 2 (Sunday 02 and Wednesday 05 June)

Week 3 (Sunday 09 and Wednesday 12 June)

Week 4 (Sunday 16 and Wednesday 19 June)

Week 5 (Sunday 23 and Wednesday 26 June)

 

Tickets for the course are now available via our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/decoding-the-divine-egyptian-temple-decoration-tickets-886722479807?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Fees for this course go directly to supporting the redevelopment of Egypt Centre: Museum of Egyptian Antiquities (Swansea University). If you would like to support the Egypt Centre with a donation, you can do so here: https://www.egypt.swan.ac.uk/donate-to-the-egypt-centre/