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Primary source documents and detailed entries reveal what ancient Egypt was like, using the objects and artifacts of daily life from the period covering the Predynastic era through the Græco-Roman period (5000 BCE to 300 CE).Historians have found that valuable knowledge about long-ago civilizations can be derived from examining the simple routines of daily life. This fascinating study presents a collection of everyday objects and artifacts from ancient Egypt, shedding light on the social life and culture of ancient Egyptians. The work starts with a popular notion of ancient Egyptian beauty and gradually moves on to address various aspects of life, including home, work, communication, and transition and afterlife.
Organized by topics, the work contains the following sections: beauty, adornment, and clothing; household items, furniture, and games; food and drink; tools and weapons; literacy and writing; death and funerary equipment; and religion, ritual, and magic. Each object holds equal importance and dates from the Predynastic era to the Græco-Roman period of ancient Egypt (5000 BCE to 300 CE). A special section provides guidance on evaluating objects and artifacts by asking questions-Who created it? Who used it? What did it do/what was its purpose? When and where was it made? Why was it made?-to help assess the historical context of the object.
List of contents
PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionHow to Evaluate ArtifactsChronology of Egyptian HistoryBEAUTY, ADORNMENT, AND CLOTHINGComb
Cosmetic Palette
Kohl Container
Men's Kilt
Mirror
Perfume Bottle
Sandals
Women's Dress
DEATH AND FUNERARY EQUIPMENTAmulet
Canopic Jars
Ka Statues
Mummy
Mummy Mask
Reserve Head
Sarcophagus and Coffin
ShabtiTomb Stele
FOOD AND DRINKButchering Scene
Model Servant Making Beer
Model Servants Making Bread
Table of Offerings Scene
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, FURNITURE, AND GAMESBasket
Board Game
Headrest
Pottery Vessels
Stool
Toy Cat
LITERACY AND WRITINGAnkh Box
Ostracon
Papyrus
Rosetta Stone
Seated Scribe Statue
RELIGION, RITUAL, AND MAGICAstronomical Ceiling of Ramses VII
Bronze Votive Offering
Coffin for Cat Mummy
Hippopotamus Figurine
Household Deity Figures
"Opening of the Mouth" Ritual Scene
Priestess Statue
TOOLS AND WEAPONSAxe
Knife
Mace Heads
Model Boats
Plow
Throw Stick
Select BibliographyIndex
About the author
Barbara Mendoza, PhD, is instructor of art history at Solano Community College as well as teacher of an introductory course on humanities and history of design at Southern New Hampshire University-COCE.
