Ancient Egypt. Exhibition Stage 3: Contextual Analysis
Symbolism plays an essential role in perception and correct understanding of the ancient Egypt and its multiple faces. The Great Pyramids of Giza, as an example, represent layers and layers of symbolic significance that show much more than religious and socio-cultural concepts. Acting as the very essence of creation, they speak of origins of life and, in most cases, their meaning is what the scientists and archaeologists have agreed upon. One of the most important aspects of an exhibition that must always be taken into consideration is a strict differentiation between what represents an attribute and is shown on a display, and the symbols that represent certain ideas, perceptions of life and death, beliefs, behaviors, and the attitudes. In a certain sense, symbolism can be approached as a "primary form of thinking of the ancient Egyptians as both artists and architects, people of all crafts have always utilized symbols in the design and construction stages of various objects" (Robins, Gay). The aim of an exhibition, however, is to show that symbolism is not only a way to implement visual and decorative traditions, but to show and explain a particular view on life and on ancient reality by showing how symbols interact with the objects, relevant activities, authority, responsibilities, and beliefs. Another aspect that should be brought to attention is that symbolism and the ideas it represents are often intertwined and are not always what they are believed to be due to frequent adaptation to reality and a framework that seemed acceptable (Strouhal, Eugen). When uniting the past and the present, there is always a space to show how symbolism of the ancient times can be applied to the present era by revealing all contradictions of life, ways of thinking, and the art used as a form of artistic and symbolic expression. Due to an often contradictory nature of symbolism in ancient Egypt, it is important to point out that each symbol may share several meanings and even opposing concepts. Nevertheless, a complex structure of solar-oriented life in ancient Egypt, specific attitude to death and regeneration can turn expressions that seem contradictory and opposing from the first glance into those that act as complementary elements (Wilkinson, Richard). This factor should be taken into consideration for an exhibition that deals with symbolism of the ancient Egypt as an opportunity to show duality of things and reveal many faces of the cultural, mystical, religious, and structural aspects of a chosen topic. Such approach also leads to analysis of additional use of symbolism in Egyptian culture. Since architecture, decorations, and the various forms of art were not the only sources of symbolism, it is also important to mention various religious practices related to magical, often mystical, religious rituals and practices. Relying on symbolism, cultural, authoritarian, and religious significance, Egyptian rituals always gave additional meaning to beliefs related to daily interactions, life, death, power, regeneration, and the vital decisions (Redford, Donald). In order to make an exhibition …
