1. Egypt
Depiction of Amenhotep IV (who later changed his name to Akhenaten) who ruled during BCE.
He was responsible for initiating the movement toward love poems and self reflection.
Depiction of Amenhotep IV (who later changed his name to Akhenaten) who ruled during BCE. He was responsible for initiating the movement toward love poems and self reflection.

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

3. 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.

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

5. 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 & priests assembled Hebrew Scriptures-Old Testament.

6. 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.
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 & priests assembled Hebrew Scriptures-Old Testament.

7. 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)

8. The Ancient Hebrews King David (C. 1000-960 B.C.E.)
United kingdom
Established Jerusalem
King Solomon ( B.C.E.)
Golden Age of Israel
Temple constructed in Jerusalem

9. Song of Songs Also known as “Song of Solomon” Oral tradition
Written down B.C.E.
Wedding idyll
What is the nature of the relationship between the bride and bridegroom?

10. Edward Burne-Jones depiction of bride and bridegroom
Song of Songs
Edward Burne-Jones depiction of bride and bridegroom

11. Edward Burne-Jones Moses, Samuel, David and Solomon
Song of Songs
Edward Burne-Jones Moses, Samuel, David and Solomon

12. The Beloved Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Song of Songs
Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828‑1882) The Beloved ('The Bride') 1865-6 Oil paint on canvas 
The Beloved Dante Gabriel Rossetti