| The central problem addressed is whether the decoration in 23 rock-cut tombs of the Post-Amarna Period (ca. 1335-1270 BCE) at the site of ancient Thebes (modern Luxor) displays a common style and subject matter. The examination of the material against a detailed list of criteria indicates that the images vary immensely, even between tombs of a similar date. The art clearly has the "transitional" character that other scholars have noted sporadically, but to use only this description for the images is somewhat simplistic and unduly dismissive when one considers Egypt's religious and political situation at the time. This tradition-bound civilization had experienced upheaval in its ruling court and central administration, as well as significant changes in religious beliefs. This dissertation details these changes as they appear in the funerary art of the era, demonstrating how they signify the citizens' response to the confusion of the previous Amarna Period; King Akhenaten had rejected the ancient gods and many of the standard conventions of Egyptian art, and imposed a new system of artistic expression, along with his radically different religious beliefs.;In investigating the artistic changes I have addressed the choices made by artist and patron, and the transmission of style between workshops, individuals, monument types, and even regions. The nature of the relationships between artists, patrons, and workshops is still under-studied in Egyptology, as are regional comparisons of art from this period. This thesis contributes to these various endeavors, and also serves as a current report into the research conducted on each tomb, some of which remain undocumented or whose publications are incomplete. |
