Art Around the World World Art    

Lesson 12: Anubis Attending the Mummy of Sennedjem

by Ancient Egyptian Artists

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the art region or artist.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

The wall painting from the tomb of Ancient Egyptian artisan Sennedjem, 'Anubis Attending the Mummy of Sennedjem,' shows Anubis, Egyptian god of the afterlife and mummification, leaning over the mummy of Sennedjem. Ancient Egyptians believed that Anubis helped to guide the dead and protected cemeteries and burial grounds. Anubis appears either as a canine (e.g. wolf, jackal) or a canine head with a human body. The far-left of the painting is lined with hieroglyphics.

Vocabulary

Tomb: A large vault, typically an underground one, for burying the dead.
Artisan: A worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.
Afterlife: In some religions life after death.
Mummification: The process of making a body of a human being or animal a mummy.
Mummy: Especially in ancient Egypt, a body of a human being or animal that has been ceremonially preserved and wrapped in strips of cloth.
Cemeteries: Burial grounds or graveyards.
Burial Grounds: An area of ground set aside for the burying of human bodies.
Canine: Relating to or resembling a dog or dogs.
Hieroglyphics: Writing consisting of objects representing words, syllables, or sounds, as found in ancient Egyptian and other writing systems.

Concepts

1. The artist or artists who created this work were ancient Egyptians.
2. 'Ancient Egyptian art is the painting, sculpture, architecture and other arts produced by the civilization of ancient Egypt in the lower Nile Valley from about 3000 BC to 30 AD.' (Wikipedia.org)
3. Egypt is a country in North Eastern Africa. Study the shape of Egypt on the map below.

4. Zoom in and find Egypt on the map of Africa below.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Find the following in the artwork:

• Anubis
• Lion Head
• Canine Head
• Human Body
• Bench
• Sennedjem's Mummy
• Egyptian God of the Afterlife
• Pattern
• Hexagons
• Hieroglyphics

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Complete Vocabulary Activities

• While studying the new words, point out any you see in the painting.
• Define each of the vocabulary words in your own words.

Activity 4: Translate Hieroglyphics

Use the table below to translate the following secret hieroglyphic messages into English:

• Message 1:

• Message 2:

• Message 3:

• Translation Table - Hieroglyphics to English:

Activity 5: Become a Mummy

Use toilet paper to wrap yourself like an ancient Egyptian mummy.

Activity 6: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 20 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 4

Answer 1

The characters are Anubis and the mummy of Sennedjem.

1 / 4

Question 2

What does a mummy look like?

2 / 4

Answer 2

A mummy is typically wrapped entirely in strips of cloth.

2 / 4

Question 3

What are hieroglyphics?

3 / 4

Answer 3

Hieroglyphics are writing consisting of objects representing words, syllables, or sounds, as found in ancient Egyptian and other writing systems.

3 / 4

Question 4

Describe the head and body of Anubis?

4 / 4

Answer 4

Anubis has the head of a canine (e.g. dog, jackal) and the body of a human.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters are Anubis and the mummy of Sennedjem.
2. What does a mummy look like? A mummy is typically wrapped entirely in strips of cloth.
3. What are hieroglyphics? Hieroglyphics are writing consisting of objects representing words, syllables, or sounds, as found in ancient Egyptian and other writing systems.
4. Describe the head and body of Anubis? Anubis has the head of a canine (e.g. dog, jackal) and the body of a human.

References

'Art of ancient Egypt.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Sennedjem.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Anubis.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.