The "Middle Kingdom" is a period of time during the history of Ancient
Egypt. It lasted from 1975 BC to 1640 BC. The Middle Kingdom was the second
peak period of the Ancient Egyptian civilization (the other two being the Old
Kingdom and the New Kingdom). During this time all of Egypt was united under a
single government and Pharaoh. This happened during the rule of King Mentuhotep
when Egypt eventually got back on track. Mentuhotep II is a king of Ancient Egypt's
11th dynasty who, starting as the ruler of southernmost Egypt in about 2008 BCE,
reunified the country by defeating his rivals and ushered in the period known as the
"Middle Kingdom"
Art during the Middle Kingdom had some references from Old Kingdom,
however there were some experimentation in terms of style that transpired during
this period. Sculptures and paintings that were freely drawn are some of the styles
that emerged during this period. The arts of Ancient Egypt continued to develop
during this time. A type of sculpture called the "block statue" became popular. It
showed a man squatting with his arms folded on top of his knees. Another sculpture
that occurred during the Middle Kingdom was the “head and torso of a
noblewoman”. This is the fact that a private woman could have a sculpture made
for herself it speaks volumes for the equality of gender in ancient Egypt. During the
Middle Kingdom there is also some of the finest examples of sculpture during this
time. “Head of pharaoh Sesostris III”. It was the height of the empire under
Pharaoh Senusret III. His military campaigns gave rise to an era of peace and
economic prosperity that not only reduced the power of regional rulers, but also led
to a revival in craftwork, trade, and urban development in the Egyptian kingdom.
One of the few kings who were deified and honored with a cult during their own
lifetime, he is considered to be perhaps the most powerful Egyptian ruler of the
dynasty. As the pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom restored the country’s prosperity
and stability, they stimulated a resurgence of art, literature, and monumental building
projects, including tombs and burial goods. In Middle Kingdom, there are thieves
that are plundering the tombs so to solve the problem of thieves that plunder the
tombs, the Egyptians made rock-out a living rock. The insides of the tombs were
still filled with chamber and the hallways were lavishly decorated to celebrate the
life of the deceased. Egypt was not immune from foreign invaders and eventually
fell into the hands of the Hyksos. This Asiatic Tribe introduced Bronze Age weapons
and horses to the Egyptians. When these foreign invaders were overthrown, the
Egyptians formed the New Kingdom.
