Color history can actually be
traced back to Ancient Egypt. Ancient
Egyptians considered color as an essential part of their life. Their paintings,
architecture, books, and jewelry were all inspired by colorful symbolisms. The ancient
Egyptian palette is composed of six colors:
Green is a positive
and powerful color to Egyptians. It represents growth, and life. The Egyptian God
Osiris is often depicted with green skin as reference to his power on
vegetation. The Eye of
Horus amulet is also often made of green stone.
Red is a very powerful color that symbolizes life and victory as well
as anger and fire. It’s the color of Seth, the
god that personalizes evil and the power of darkness. Egyptians created the red
by using naturally oxidized iron and red ocher.
Yellow is used to signify the
qualities of sun and gold. It’s an eternal and indestructible color. Egyptians believed that the skin and bone of the gods
are made from gold. They created yellow by using natural ochres or oxides.
Blue is considered as the divine
color. It symbolizes the sky and water. It takes the meaning of both life and
re-birth. The god Amen/Amon,
who played a part in the creation of the world according to Egyptians, sometimes
has a blue face.
White suggests purity. It
is the color of simple and sacred things, and this is why white sandals were often
worn at holy ceremonies. Egyptians created white from chalk and gypsum.
Black is the symbol of night and death. Anubis,
the god of embalming is portrayed as a black jackal or dog. Egyptians created
black from carbon compounds such as burnt animal bones and soot.
It could be said that culture influenced how we associate meaning to colors. But it doesn't mean that, for example, black symbolizes night and death, it really has some real association to death and evil. There have already been characters in motion pictures which wear colors very ironic to their traits.
ReplyDelete