Egypt

Depiction of Amenhotep IV (who later changed his name to Akhenaten) who ruled during 1290-1078 BCE.

He was responsible for initiating the movement toward love poems and self reflection.

Built along the Nile River. Upper and lower unified in 3100 BCE.

Egyptian Writing • Hieroglyphics (sacred carvings)• Attributed to a god (Thoth)• Rosetta Stone (1799) • Early writing: tax records, epithets

and dynastic texts.• 2400 BCE began to create largest

body of text in Near East/Mediterranean region.

Egyptian Love Poems • Revolution• Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten)• Vernacular (New Egyptian)• Personal feelings revealed • Sacred and Secular• Female authors

The Ancient Hebrews

The Ancient Hebrews • Searching for god’s

blessings and transforming from nomadic tribe to settled kingdom in Palestine.

• Egypt and Mesopotamia fought over Palestine.

• Eventually exiled, Israel’s poets and priests assembled Hebrew Scriptures - Old Testament.

The Ancient Hebrews • Enslaved by Egyptians C. 1500-1300

BCE• Moses, Ten Commandments and Mt.

Sinai 1250 BCE • Traveled to Canaan (Palestine) • Struggles between Canaanite &

Israelite community (500 years)

The Ancient Hebrews• King David (C. 1000-960 B.C.E.) – United kingdom– Established Jerusalem

• King Solomon (960-922 B.C.E.)– Golden Age of Israel – Temple constructed in Jerusalem

Song of Songs • Also known as “Song of Solomon”• Oral tradition• Written down 350-250 B.C.E.• Wedding idyll • What is the nature of the relationship

between the bride and bridegroom?

Song of Songs

Edward Burne-Jones depiction of bride and bridegroom

Edward Burne-Jones Moses, Samuel, David and Solomon

Song of Songs

The Beloved Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Song of Songs