Some Aspects of Pottery's Significance in the Culture of the Ancient Egyptians

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Sadat City

2 Higher Institute of the Folklore, Academy of Arts

Abstract

Pottery making is one of the oldest and earliest-known arts in the human history in general and the Egyptian civilisation in particular.  The ancient Egyptians left behind vast amounts of pottery artefacts of various types and different forms that were utilised for diverse purposes by all classes of society.  Huge amounts of pottery objects and potsherds represent indeed the largest type of material culture obtained from most sites dated to the time of ancient Egypt.  This is a striking reflection of pottery's significance, deeply rooted in the culture of the ancient Egyptians.  On the contrary of what is stereotypically perceived, pottery was not just a kind of vessel or a mere pot for containing food or water.  Pottery was literally a multidimensional cultural container that contained several aspects of the thoughts, beliefs, relationships, rituals, practices, and lifestyles of the ancient Egyptians.  This was embodied in the involvement of pottery objects in multiple domestic, agricultural, industrial, trade, religious, funerary, social, and cultural functions.  Accordingly, such significance strongly underpins the heritage value of the ancient Egyptian pottery manufacture and the inherited pottery artefacts and refutes the undervaluing perception held on them.

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