The Narmar Palette Essay Example For Students

The Narmar Palette Essay The Naqada III phase, also known as Dynasty 0, was a time when the process of state formation became highly notable in Egypt. This process presumably began as early as Naqada I and proceeded into Naqada III where named kings ruled powerful polities, though they were not part of any dynasty. During the Predynastic Period, ancient Egypt underwent a constant process of political unification that culminated in the establishment of a single monarch by the start of the First Dynasty. Among the many rulers of the Predynastic, King Narmer was the most prominent one because Egyptians of the First Dynasty considered him as a founder-figure ? (Wilkinson 23). It is also during the Predynastic Era that Egyptian language was written in the form of hieroglyphs. The Narmer Palette is one of many artifacts dating to Naqada III that is highly rich in hieroglyphic depictions, as well as iconographic representations. Until today, the Narmer Palette is the most important document pertaining to the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt and an icon representing ancient Egypt as a nation. We will write a custom essay on The Narmar Palette specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The Narmer Palette dates to Naqada III, which is roughly around 3,000 B. C. The Palette was unearthed in the main deposit ? in a temple enclosure at Hierakonpolis, the Predynastic capital of Upper Egypt (southern Egypt). Hierakonpolis was also recognized as the center of worship for the god Horus. The Palette is about 64 centimeters in height and it is carved out of dark green-colored schist in raised relief. It has the shape of a shield and is decorated on both the front and back. There are numerous decorations on both sides that consist of animals, people (both dead and alive), weaponry and different types of hieroglyphs. Each side is also divided into three horizontal zones with the use of thick and thin register lines. These register lines help organize its complex nature and according to Davis, the images are to be read ? in a specific way. This indicates that the Palette itself serves as a complex narrative representation ? (20). At first glance, the viewer is able to see all the fine details within the artwork and such precision exudes the amount of skill and time that is needed in making this type of object. When an art form requires a great level of skill and time, it is usually made for ritualistic purposes, not for mundane use. Therefore, it is possible that the Palette had a ceremonial ? or liturgical ? nature (Davis 18). The shape, size, amount of decorations and the fact that it has been well preserved for nearly five millennia suggests that the Palette was set up for display in a residence, temple, or public place, or stored and used on special ritual occasions ? (18). The Narmer Palette consists of different animalistic iconography on both surfaces. The top edges of both the front and back are decorated with two forward bovid heads each. These heads have human faces, with each face showing a different expression of the mouth and eyes than the one preceding it and they also differ in the way they fill their bounded space. (Fairservise Jr. 7). For example, the bovid on the top left of the right side palette is slightly bigger than the one on the right side. The massive size and curves of the horns suggest that these animals could be buffalos (7). They are sometimes recognized as Hathor, which is the divine mother of the Egyptian Pharaoh, or as the cow-goddess Bat ? (Davis 30). It is possible that these bovids are more likely representing Narmer and stressing his power and strength (Fairservise Jr. 7). Between the two bovids on both palette sides is a figure that is referred to as a serekh. A serekh is an iconographic element typical of the Archaic Period that was used to represent the Horus names of leaders/kings. The serekh on the Narmer Palette looks like a niched palace faA §ade (5). Within the serekh are two hieroglyphs, the nar-fish and mer-chisel?, which stand for Narmers name. The top edges of both sides are separated from the rest of the zones on the Palette by thin horizontal register lines (Davis 31). The middle zone on the left obverse shows two serpopards. ? These creatures are mythological because they are a mix between a leopards body and a serpents neck. They are shown with their serpent necks intertwined in a way where they form a concave circular area known as a cosmetic saucer ? (Davis 41). On cosmetic palettes this circular region was where the cosmetics were put for use (Ancient-Egypt). Two men, who are thought to be the kings followers, are shown tightening a loop around the serpopards necks very easily. This tying together of the necks and the taming of these wild creatures has often been translated as the representation for unifying Upper and Lower Egypt under Narmers rule (Ancient-Egypt). However, Wilkinson describes the intertwined serpopards ? as symbolizing the opposing forces in nature that the king had to keep in check (28). .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef , .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .postImageUrl , .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef , .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef:hover , .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef:visited , .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef:active { border:0!important; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef:active , .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5886808c7bed91d6ca0eabeee415b0ef:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The monist EssayThe last section of the Palette shows what looks like a bull possibly breaking into a fortified city. The bull here is represented more physically in comparison to the bovid at the top edges of the Palette. The fact that its head is pointing down shows that it is a powerful charging bull (Fairservise Jr. 17). The animal is shown trampling on a naked, longhaired person, perhaps an enemy who is trying to escape. Fairservise points out that the way the mans arms and legs are positioned exposes a sense of weakness and maybe even death (17). It is evident that Narmer is not depicted in this zone in human form, however he is embodied as a dominant fighting bull pursuing and conquering his enemy (Davis 33). The broken fragments to the right of the longhaired person represent the destroyed citadel or maybe even some sort of particular shrine for which the bull, or Narmer, is held accountable (Fairservise Jr. 17). Another animal one can notice on the right side of the Narmer Palette is the falcon or hawk. It is clear that the bird is lifting a head, which most probably is the head of one of Narmers enemies. Fairservise interprets this icon in greater detail by saying that the falcons represented on palettes found in Hierakonpolis represent the relationship between the cult god Horus and the king (10). The symbol of this falcon on the Narmer Palette therefore depicts the concept of Narmer being the living form of the god Horus. The falcon stands atop six papyrus plants, which indicates that it might be in a marshy land referencing the type of land in the Nile Delta (Ancient-Egypt). However, there have been different interpretations suggesting that the papyrus plant represents the number 1000 and that the falcon-king subdued 6000 enemies ? (Ancient-Egypt). The hawk is also represented having a human arm. This reinforces the idea that a hawk has the ability to seize, combined with the rulers identical ability to do so ? (Fairservise Jr. 10). Therefore, the human arm on the hawk combined with the rope attached to the humans nostrils represents the act of seizing not only a person but also a particular region. A viewer of the Narmer Palette cant help but notice the large motif that occupies the middle zone on the Palettes right side. Here, the human form of Narmer is represented at a much greater scale relative to the surrounding images because the idea of demonstrating dominance by comparative size is often a characteristic of royal superiority in Dynastic Egypt ? (Fairservise Jr. 9). One of the many notable articles of clothing is Narmers headdress. He is wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt, which was worn by all other rulers of that region. He is holding a mace in one hand and preparing to strike the enemy that hes holding with his other hand. This is a depiction of Narmer as determinative ? because he is planning to smite his opponent who is labeled Harpoon ? (Fairservise Jr. 9). Beneath Narmers feet in the very last zone of the right side of the Palette, there are two naked figures that are looking over their shoulders and fleeing from the ruler. Fairservise says that these two figures appear to be swimming ? and the swimming ? posture is indicative of people running away from Narmer (11). The king is also wearing an artificial beard similar to the ones that other figures in the Palette are wearing, and according to Fairservise, artificially bearded individuals are considered chiefs, ? with Narmer being superior to them (9). When studying his facial features, it is obvious that Narmers eyes are very wide; his ears are circular and protruding forward, and his face structure overall is short and square relative to his body size. Narmer wears a plain shoulder piece that is attached to a skirt using a thick clasp suggesting that the skirt is made of a heavy type of fabric (possible leather) (9). The belt on the skirt has four bull-headed pendants and this is symbolically significant because it is an archetype for later sacred Pharaohnic clothing (Fairservise Jr. 10). Accompanying Narmer is a man who is carrying the kings sandals on his left wrist. Wilkinson says, It is likely that the highest offices of state were reserved for members of the royal family in the Early Dynastic Period ? (30). This statement accounts for the official who is preceding Narmer because it was possible that this bald man was recognized as the kings oldest son (30). .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 , .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .postImageUrl , .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 , .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692:hover , .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692:visited , .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692:active { border:0!important; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692:active , .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692 .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud9bfedae6209bc92e2c3c971f00ac692:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Egyptian Art: Sakhmet EssayOther interpretations suggest that the man behind Narmer is a seal bearer as indicated by the rosette symbol (a royal emblem) and the club (Ancient Egypt Online). Narmer is represented in human form on the Palettes left obverse side in the second zone as well, however his image size is comparatively small than the human form on the right side. In contrast to the obverse side, here he wears the Red Crown of Lower Egypt. He holds a whip in his right hand and a mace in his left (Fairservise Jr. 13). Narmer wears similar clothing as he did on the recto side of the Palette. The belt is similar to the previously described one but Faiservise says that the skirt is decorated a little differently and that there is no symbolic significance; the purpose of the different decorations is meant to contrast the two robes of Narmer  ­ †one as an expression of power, the other, of affluence ? (10). This interpretation can be suggestive of the fact that Narmer has already conquered the region of Lower Egypt, hence why he is wearing the Red Crown; therefore, he does not need to show that he has power because that is already evident. Rather he is more interested in showing the wealth that his victory brings to him. Behind him is the bald man again holding Narmers shoes with the same rosette symbol depicted on top of him. In front of Narmer is what appears to be a woman holding two papyrus plants that are bending downwards. Her long hair and bare-shouldered dress indicate that she indeed is a woman. The fact that she holds an active stance in front of Narmer suggests that she is of royalty, perhaps Narmers queen (Fairservise Jr. 14). The four standing different figures in front of the king and woman are thought to be the various types of supporters of Narmer. There is a sparrow and a door see on the upper right corner and these two symbols together are thought to mean, found ? (Ancient-Egypt). The single boat seen next to the sparrow could represent one of the warships used during battle (15). Below the boat are ten dead bodies with each of the decapitated heads in-between the legs of the body that they belonged to. The bodies are also tied up around the elbows. The decapitated heads show that these men were wearing the artificial beards that were mentioned earlier. This indicates that these ten people were possibly former chiefs of Lower Egypt who were all defeated by Narmer (16). The lining-up of these ten executed bodies suggests that this might have been a way that Narmers administration performed a headcount of all the people that were killed during battle (Lecture 1/23/14). This entire scene perhaps depicts the founding of a new province in Lower Egypt, whose name is represented by the falcon and harpoon atop the single boat (Ancient Egypt). The Palettes use of such sophisticated iconic representation suggests that Predynastic Egypt had already developed its hieroglyphic system, as well as its stone-carving mechanisms in an outstanding way prior to King Narmers rule. As Fairservise says, the palette is a testament to the level of sophistication of both the Archaic iconography and hieroglyphic writing in general ? (20). It reveals the high artistic and symbolic level achieved throughout the Archaic Period. Today, the Palette rests in the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Egypt, Cairo. Though the art piece is taken out of its context, the Narmer Palette still offers its viewer a full illustrative textualization of a story pertaining to one of the most influential and well-known victories of not only the Predynastic Era but also the Archaic Period. Bibliography Whitney Davis. Narrativity and the Narmer Palette.   Narrative and Event in Ancient Art. Ed. Peter J. Holliday. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993. 14-54. Print. W. A. Fairservis Jr. A Revised View of the NaÊ ¿rmr Palette.   Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt Vol. 28. (1991): pp. 1-20. JSTOR. Web. 28 Jan 2014. Toby A. H. Wilkinson. What a King Is This: Narmer and the Concept of the Ruler.  The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology Vol. 86. (2000): pp. 23-32. JSTOR. Web. 28 Jan 2014. The Narmer Palette. The Ancient Egypt Site. 8 June, 2013. Web. 27 Jan 2014. http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html Ancient Egypt: Early Dynastic Period-Narmer Palette. Ancient Egypt Online. 2010. Web. 27 Jan 2014. http://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/Narmerpalette.html

The First Job Professor Ramos Blog

The First Job I got my first job at a sportswear store in the Cabazon Outlet Mall. I was very nervous and excited on my first day. I wore my uniform, which was any appropriate shirt with the store’s logo, and black pants. I was trained on my first day. I had to walk around the store and ask the costumers if they needed help finding anything. I also had to keep the women’s section clean and presentable. I was also in charge of the fitting rooms. I walked up to a lady with brunette hair and a mole on her cheek. I asked her, â€Å"are you finding everything okay?† She was looking at the rain coats and asked me, â€Å"what is Omni-Wick?† I felt my heart stop as I stared at her completely confused. â€Å"Excuse me,† she said. She looked at me as if she was trying to â€Å"revive† me with her eyes. â€Å"Oh, the Omni-Wick.† For some weird reason my head instantly thought Under Armor. â€Å"it works like armor. It protects you from the rain and keeps you fully dry.† â€Å"oh, that’s great! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.† she said as she smiled and walked away. It just sounded like it made sense I mean, it was a rain coat. I told my supervisor, Carlos, he was very nice and supportive. He looked at me and smiled. â€Å"Omni- Wick means it is drying.† he said has he chuckled. I was completely embarrassed and red like a tomato. ‘It’s okay, I was confused also on my first day. † He pulled out a little booklet from the drawer behind the registers. It had all the Omni- Technology listed with pictures. He gave it to me and told me to look over it. I looked over it and carried it around my pocket. I studied it every time I could. I was very insecure to approach customers after I gave my first customer incorrect information. I spent most of my day at the fitting rooms. I let customers in the fitting rooms and keep track of what they brought in. I had to put away all the â€Å"go backs† in the right places and keep an eye on the fitting rooms. My co-workers were great at helping the customers. I wanted to be like them, experts in customer service and Omni- Technology. I asked Luis, my co-worker, about the Omni-Wick shirts. â€Å"Omni-Wick shirts evaporate your sweat quicker than a regular shirt. They also dry faster after washing. Perfect for when your outdoors.† I was impressed. He knew exactly what it was. â€Å"can you teach me about the technologies. At least the most common ones.† I said helping him fold the men’s graphic t-shirts. â€Å"sure, we can go over them on our break.† he said while displaying the shirts on the table. â€Å"thank you. I really appreciate it.† I was determined to learn the technologies. I wanted to successes at my job. My manager, Hollie, came up to me and asked me how I was doing. I didn’t tell her about my encounter with my first customer. â€Å"I’m doing great! Luis is going to teach me about the technologies on our break.† â€Å"That’s great! It is good to ask help from your co-workers that makes us great team. Let me know if you have any questions.† â€Å"I will, thanks Hollie.† she walked away to a customer that caught her attention by the registers. As I worked at the fitting rooms, I noticed there was an elderly man having trouble looking at the pants size of a pair of shorts. I went up to him and asked him if he needed any help with anything. He told me he was having trouble looking for his size. I helped him find his size of the pair of shorts he wanted. He was very pleased with my customer service and complimented me to my supervisor Carlos. I felt proud of myself. I made an old man’s day by helping him find his size. It was a great feeling and I wanted to feel that every day when I came into work. I was determined to learn more and help our customers. When it was time for my break I sat in the break room with Luis to study the Technologies. â€Å"the most common Technologies are; Omni- Wick, Omni- Heat, Omni- Freeze, and Omni- Shade. Omni- Wick evaporates sweat to keep you dry and it dries fast after you wash it. Omni- Heat is on all of the jackets in the store. Omni-heat has tiny foil-like spots that retain and regulate your body temperature.† he then showed me the inside of his jacket that had Omni- Heat. I was very impressed with the material. It was literary like wrapping yourself in aluminum foil. â€Å"Omni- Freeze helps you stay cool when you sweat.† he took an Omni- Freeze shirt and sprayed it with water. â€Å"go ahead, feel it.† as I touched the shirt it felt as if he just took it out of the fridge. It was very cool. â€Å"Omni-Shade is the last most common one. It is on all the shirts. It is like sun screen. It protects you from uv rays by absorbing and reflecting. These are the most common Technol ogies. If you know these Technologies like the back of your hand, you’ll be okay. They are on all the apparel. Except when people do online returns. Those sometimes have different Technologies.† A week later, I was closing the store with Hollie and a young woman came up to me and asked me for help. â€Å"what can I help you with?† I asked her. â€Å"I need something to were on top of my bathing suit when I go surfing.† she told me. she was going to Puerto Rico for a wedding. I helped her pick out a thin long sleeve shirt that had Omni-Shade. â€Å"this long sleeve has the Omni-Shade Technology which protects you from uv rays. It works just like sunscreen.† â€Å"wow, that’s so cool, just like sunscreen!† she thanked me and brought the long sleeve. She was our last customer that day. Hollie locked the door and we went to the office to count the money. She told me we had a secret shopper that week and our customer service was being tested. I was surprised and asked myself if it was any of the customers I helped that week. On Monday when I came into work everyone kept telling me â€Å"good job† and â€Å"how did I know,† I was completely confused. Carlos came up to me and told me I scored a hundred percent for our secret shop. i was proud of myself. i thanked Luis for helping me learn the Omni- Technologies. It was one of my greatest accomplishments since I started working.

The Paradox of American Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Paradox of American Government - Essay Example he fragmentation of power within the federal framework has meant that certain influential groups have come forward to manipulate this in their own favor. Consequently, the government seems lethargic and often unresponsive in dealing with majority demands as it bows to other pressures. The move to occupy Wall Street clearly signifies how this political attitude is now affecting citizen and voter participation in the overall political process. After the financial failure of large financial institutions, the federal government underwent bailout and rescue packages to protect these institutions. Now that these businesses are recovering, the people at the helm of affairs in these institutions are using unethical practices to reward themselves. This very issue had already caused a failure of the economic system. Calls to ensure greater transparency and accountability at Wall Street went unheeded by the federal government. Consequently disillusioned citizens and voters came together in order to coerce the government into acceding to their demands through a show of strength at Wall Street (Apps, 2011). Disappointment with the political process has two major affects for the average citizen, one that the average citizen fails to be interested in the voting process anymore (Dalton, 2006) and two that the average citizen tries to take power into his/her own hands to defend his interests. The fact that citizens are less and less interested in the political process has been related for a few decades now (Powell, 1986). Overall citizen participation in the voting process has been on the decline progressively as citizens especially from marginalized groups fail to see any point in voting when their demands will not be met with. Already the American democratic process is under threat from large gaps in voter turnout through various factors such as income, length of residence, ethnicity, educational achievement and age (AGTP, 2010). Also there are threats emerging to voter turnout