Ancient sculptures, paintings, and decorative crafts produced in the dynastic periods of the 3rd1st millennia BC in the Nile Valley of Egypt and Nubia .
Egyptian art served those in power as a forceful propaganda instrument that perpetuated the existing framework of society. Much of what has survived is associated with ancient tombs. The course of art in Egypt paralleled the country's political history and is divided into three periods: Old Kingdom ( 0441; 2700 0441; 2150 BC), Middle Kingdom ( 0441; 2000 0441; 1670 BC), and New Kingdom ( 0441; 1550 0441; 1070 BC). The Old Kingdom's stone tombs and temples were decorated with vigorous and brightly painted reliefs illustrating the daily life of the people. Rules for portraying the human figure were established, specifying proportions, postures, and placement of details, often linked to the subjects' social standing. An artistic decline at the end of the Old Kingdom led to a revival in the more stable political climate of the Middle Kingdom, notable for its expressive portrait sculptures of kings and its excellent relief sculptures and painting. The New Kingdom brought a magnificent flowering of the arts; great granite statues and wall reliefs glorified rulers and gods, painting became an independent art, and the decorative crafts reached new peaks, the treasure of Tutankhamen 's tomb typifying the variety of luxury items created. See also Egyptian architecture .