Dynasty III-VI

During this period, Egypt’s government became more complex. Local rulers became governors of different nomes, or districts, of Egypt, and they all answered to the Pharaoh. Society was roughly feudal; the pharaoh would allow the settlement of his land in exchange for the labor needed to work it–and, of course, for a cut of the fruit of such labor.

This system was exemplified in the construction of large monuments like the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the Pyramids of Giza, projects which called upon skilled artisans, laborers, bakers, and more to focus their efforts on construction in a form of mandatory service.

In order to support this growing government, the hieroglyph script became more complex and standardized. Generally speaking, the everyday Egyptian was not using, nor did they know how to use hieroglyphs; the practice was reserved for government officials and priests.

The artistic canon of ancient Egypt was also developed during this period. Essentially, this was a set of rules that artists followed, either by convention or actual command, which made art distinctly Egyptian. This includes the classic image of the Egyptian with their body facing forward, with the arms, legs, and head in profile–the pose parodied in things like the Bangles song, “Walk Like and Egyptian”.