Egyptian sculpture

PROTO-DYNASTIC PERIOD 33

whole modelling of the figure can be seen; both arms are well indicated, and the anatomy of the legs is more carefully indicated than in the later statues. The throne itself, of the plain block type, has a wide raised border on each side. The statue has been painted, the colour of the flesh yellow, the cloak white, and the hair and beard black. The fair colour of the skin should be noted, as later on it is the conventional tint for women; the fashion of the wig and cloak also belongs to women in the later periods. The type of the figure follows that of Kha-sekhem, of the IInd dynasty, and represents the Egyptian idea of the king enthroned. The characteristics of such figures are the upright position, the hands resting on the knees (or, as a variant, one arm is bent and held across the body while the hand grasps some emblem); the feet are planted firmly on the ground. The long cloak is an uncommon feature, except when the king celebrates the Sed-festival. The typical throne is the square block-like seat without back or arms, which is the throne of the living human king; the throne with a back belongs to the king as a god.

RELIEFS

The relief sculpture in stone, of the Proto-dynastic period is known only from small objects and not from wall-sculpture. The largest pieces are the slate palettes which belong either to the Ist dynasty or to the period immediately preceding it. There is at present no means of showing the sequence of these objects by actual dating; the sequence must be determined by the style. For this we have a terminus ante

quem in the great slate palette of Narmer; nothing of the ~“/\ ’

kind being known later, therefore we must work backwards from this. The characteristics of the Narmer palette are

careful outlines, flat surfaces, incised detail. At the other, 5