Egyptian pottery in antiquity.
The ways in which Egyptian pottery was elaborated in ancient times were numerous. The vessels were made mainly for practical use and not for ornament although the decoration of some of them is notable especially those of the pre -dynastic period. The amphora, in Egypt as in all the countries of antiquity was the most common and most useful type of vessel, was carried out in all sizes, from the smallest to contain essences of oils or perfume of approximately three inches to the immense tarros of three or four feet high, to store water, wine, oil or grains.
Humanity begins to create ceramic vessels very early over time due to the need to maintain wheat and grain products in them for long seasons without being mudded or spoiled. This required more durable appropriate vessels. The ceramics were used for utilitarian tasks such as cooking, storage and transportation of these precious liquids and solids on which their subsistence depended.
In Egypt this artisanal work produced interesting ceramics with figures in various ways among which are sarcophagi and canopos that were a very important part in ancient Egyptian funeral practices. From the early days these productions had simple geometric designs which had a lot to do with the need to provide greater rigidity and durability to certain parts of the vessel; as flanges and handles.
The Egyptians made two types of ceramics:
– The most common soft production ceramics.
– A thicker ceramic, as more sandy that showed lack of cohesion which made it easily collapsed, very whitish, but always covered with a kind of strong or enamel glaze.
The purpose of ancient ceramics in Egypt, as well as that of its contemporaries was to cover as previously said the needs related to domestic and funeral contexts but were also used to preserve organic substances used in the festivals and rituals of which the ritual of mummifying the bodies use several types of enameled ceramic vessels and without enamel to contain the visas and parts called canopos. Of these, those known as Osiris figures representing mummies stand out for their quality.
Egypt produced different varieties of ceramic without enamel. The most common was known as “red ceramics”, which was followed by the cream color and yellowish tonality. Ceramic vessels were also used to preserve ointments, essences of oils, honey and similar substances used for medicinal and healing purposes. The art of covering ceramics with enamel was invented by the Egyptians on a very early date and applied it to both the stone, as to ceramics. The type of enameled ceramics was also used for ornamental purposes such as embedding work.
The ceramics that correspond to the pre -dynastic Egypt was often of surprisingly good quality. The so -called ceramics of the “Badary” period was made without the use of a potter’s lathe, and it was generally women who made ceramics. These beautiful pieces were polished with a finish that is shine and were probably cooked in open bonfires or species of very primitive ovens, but nevertheless to the rudimentary of the elaboration process produced the most surprising and beautiful ceramics of those made in ancient Egypt.
From the naqada period (4,000-3,000 BC) to the dynastic period, the decoration of these ceramic vessels does not show that the use of rigidly established or repetitive decorative templates or fixed concepts is imposed, the decoration varied and was added to the ceramics freely. Thus, drawings of animals and plants were represented, ships as well as of course human figures.
The potter’s lathe in Egypt was invented there by the ancient kingdom. At first this device was a simple dish, but evolved in a true potter’s wheel, which require better clay preparation and greater control during cooking. These potter wheels were still hand turned. With the potter’s lathe, the most refined furnaces were built, this new technique allows to produce ceramics in more abundance, but not entirely replaces all the other ways of making ceramics. For example, bread molds continued to handle around a nucleus known as “Patrix.”
After the piece was made, either because of a more primitive potter or means, it was allowed to dry. If the surface was going to polish it with stones and then painted or maybe recorded. Finally, it was probably cooking in a non -confined or closed fire during the pre -dynastic era, rather it was an open fire until the ovens were subsequently used.
Egyptian pottery can be divided into two large categories depending on the type of clay that was used.
– Ceramics made with clay of the Nile and known as ‘Nile clay’. This ceramics after being cooked has a reddish brown color, used for common, utilitarian purposes, although sometimes it may have been decorated or painted. Blue ceramics was quite common during the ‘New Kingdom’ (1,550-1.069 AC).
– Ceramics made of ‘clay marl’. This type of ceramic was generally superior to the clay pottery of the Nile that was more common, often used for decorations and other functions. Frequently burnished have been found, leaving a rather bright enamel on its surface although this was not a true glaze process as such.
Methods of Use of Ceramics in Egypt
– Handmade.
– Handmade and finished with a hand turn.
– Made in a hand turn (they still did not know the lathe turned with the foot).
Method of realization of handmade ceramics in Egypt.
1) forming a single piece of clay throws at free hands.
2) made using a palette and the anvil.
3) elaborated in a nucleus or at the top of a hill.
4) made with a mold.
5) Using a coil or slab.
Ceramics today provide a fairly reliable medium to verify the data of archaeological findings. Studies of these data provide valuable information on the period in which these ceramics occurred placing it chronologically more accurately thanks to the results obtained from the tests with fourteen coal and other techniques that use comparative and serial media.
Summary
It can be said that ceramic production in Ancient Egypt was an important industry that produces a variety of products that solve the basic needs presented to this culture of having appropriate containers to contain liquids and solids. For us today these ceramics serve another different purpose but not less important because they offer a wide range of answers to the multiple questions about the history of this ancient civilization, their religious dogmas and their social life.