The Influence and Semantics of using Animals and Birds Symbols in Greek, Roman and Coptic Art

Abstract

The symbol comes from the joint role of the artist‟s imagination and perceived reality and animals are one of the most conspicuous features of Egyptian art. The ancient Egyptians animals were closely associated with death and animal imagery was also used to convey fundamental ideas about the nature of good and evil. Many animals contributed to both the sacred and secular worlds of the Egyptians. Central ideas are often illustrated in ancient Egyptian art with animal imagery also animals played a dominate role in ancient Egyptian religion and culture also tomb reliefs and paintings, revealed an acute awareness of the appearance and natural behavior of animals. During the New Kingdom the ancient Egyptians became more involved in the symbolism of the animals and the ancient Egyptians connected their qualities to the gods they worshipped and never worshipped the animal itself, also the animal head symbolizes the superhuman endowments of the god. Animal cults such as Thoth, Bastet, Anubis and their ba also the dog played significant role in the funerary customs in ancient Egypt, as well as the two most popular animals stand-ins for the king were the lion and the bull so the ancient Egyptian thought that the king‟s hybrid nature (part man, part animal, part god). The Egyptian artist used to represent all types of animals, birds and insects in his art as a part of representing his daily life, as seen on the walls of the Egyptian temples and tombs as well as in Egyptian art, gods and goddesses were depicted as humans, animals, or as humans with animal heads god. The ancient Egyptians used to imitate nature, applied human figures, animals and