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Ancient
Egyptians - Meaning of Blue |
The Ancient Egyptian Symbolism and
Meaning of Blue
Ancient Egyptian Color Symbolism - Different
Shades of Blue
Blue
Colors
of
Ancient
Egypt Egyptian Blue
Egyptian Blue 2 Azurite Lapis Lazuli Indigo
Facts about the Symbolism and
Meaning of Blue in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt - Symbolism and Meaning of Blue Fact Sheet Fact 1 on Meaning of Blue:
The Egyptian name for this color was
'khesbedj' and 'irtiu'. Fact 2 on Meaning of Blue:
The color represented the Sky, Water, the Heavens, Primeval Flood, Creation and
Rebirth. The color is also associated with birth and rebirth because the annual
flood of the River Nile brought fertility to the land. Fact 3 on Meaning of Blue:
The dark color of lapis lazuli
symbolised fertility and good luck, as did feldspar which was a lighter color. Fact 4 on Meaning of Blue:
Indigo or blue came from either the indigo plant or from woad. The paint used
for the color was made from copper silica, calcium, powdered azurite and lapis Fact 5 on Meaning of Blue:
The chemical compounds used to
create dyes and pigments to produce the color included calcium copper silicate,
azurite, ground lapis lazuli, combinations of sand, malachite, and natron and
indigo. Fact 6 on Meaning of Blue: The precious and semi-precious Blue colored
Magical Stonesused by the ancient Egyptians included lapis lazuli, blue glass, faience, and
turquoise. Fact 7 on Meaning of Blue: Synthetic material, or frits, were used to produce pigments and dyes. Frit was
crushed to make pigments or shaped to create objects. Fact 8 on Meaning of Blue:
Ancient Egypt was rich in copper and
lead ores, gold and semiprecious stones. The ancient Egyptians produced copper,
bronze and glass. The glass, called faience, was painted to produce cheap
jewelry, talismans and amulets. Fact 9 on Meaning of Blue:
The glass known
as faience was easier to work with than the harder gemstones. The Egyptians
became so adept at crafting glass bead versions of precious and semi-precious
stones that it was difficult to distinguish authentic gemstones from faience. Fact 10 on Meaning of Blue:
The ancient
Egyptians used the glass faience not only to make jewelry and amulets but also
to make fabulous vessels, furniture, ritual equipment, funerary equipment,
tiles, ankhs, scepters and figurines. Symbolism: Faience was thought to glisten
with a light that was symbolic of life, rebirth, vegetation and immortality.
continued...
Ancient Egypt - Symbolism and Meaning of Blue Fact Sheet
Ancient Egypt - Symbolism and Meaning of Blue Fact Sheet Fact 11 on Meaning of Blue:
According to ancient Egyptian mythology the hair of the gods was made of
precious Lapis Lazuli (khesbedj).
Fact 12 on Meaning of Blue:
Some of the Pharaohs imitated the gods and were depicted in art with blue faces
or hair.
Fact 13 on Meaning of Blue:
Amun was the Egyptian god of the air, sun and
the sky. Originally, Amun was depicted with
red-brown skin. However, following the Amarna
period and the religious revolution involving
the god Aten, his cult revived and he was
painted with blue skin, symbolizing his
association with air and primeval creation. Fact 14 on Meaning of Blue:
Hapi was the Egyptian god of fertility and the Egyptian Nile god who was
believed to bring the silt to the banks of the River Nile. One of his titles was
"Lord of the River Bringing Vegetation". The blue-colored skin of Hapi was
symbolic of the River Nile and its associated crops and fertility. Fact 15 on Meaning of Blue:
Other gods associated with the River Nile were Khnum the guardian of the River
Nile, Satet, the goddess of the annual inundation and Anuket, the goddess of the
cataracts. Together these three gods were referred to as the Elephantine Triad. Fact 16 on Meaning of Blue:
The color blue
represented royalty and stones of this color which included lapis lazuli and
turquoise were the most prized of all gemstones. Fact 17 on Meaning of Blue:
Blue was often paired with gold in
Egyptian royal regalia and jewelry. Fact 18 on Meaning of Blue:
The Royal Vulture Crown consisted of a
falcon feather headdress with its
wings spread round her head in the
act of protection Fact 19 on Meaning of Blue:
The Nemes was the name of the blue
and gold striped head cloth
worn by the pharaohs as a ceremonial headdress. Fact 20 on Meaning of Blue:
The Flail held by the king or Pharaoh
symbolized the role as provider of
food for the people.
The crook symbolized the role as the
'shepherd' of the people Fact 21 on Meaning of Blue:
The Khepresh was the blue crown that was worn by
Pharaohs in battle
Fact 22 on Meaning of Blue:
Lapis lazuli had to be imported from
Afghanistan. The dark colored Lapis
lazuli stone was often used to create the eyes on the statues of the ancient
Egyptian gods and the death masks of pharaohs.
Fact 23 on Meaning of Blue:
The magic Lapis lazuli stone
represented rebirth and regeneration. The name derives from Lapis the Latin word
for 'stone' and Lazuli from the name of a place where the gemstone was
originally mined. It was believed to inspire courage.
Fact 24 on Meaning of Blue:
The blue-green
Feldspar stone was a symbol of fertility and was believed to bring good luck to the wearer. It was also the favored stone for the papyrus scepter amulet which was placed around the neck of
the deceased on the day of the funeral. Fact 25 on Meaning of Blue:
The design of amulets created using magic
stones were believed to harness different magical powers and the protection of various
gods and goddesses.
Ancient Egypt - Symbolism and Meaning of Blue Fact Sheet Facts about
the Meaning of Blue to the Ancient Egyptians
Egypt and the
Symbolism & Meaning of Blue The Symbolism and Meaning of Blue to the Ancient Egyptians |