Egyptian Predynastic Period
EGYPTIAN PREDYNASTIC PERIOD
Ancient egyptian arts is the Painting,Sculpture,Architecture and other arts produced by the civilization in the lower Nile valley from 4200 B.C to 300 A.D.Most of the surviving arts comes from Tombs and Monuments.Egyptian Arts and Architecture is the ancient architectural monuments,sculptures,paintings and dacorative crafts were produced in the nile valley regions of Egypt and Nubia.River Nile was boon for Egyptian arts and crafts.The desert and the sea protected Egypt from all sides.The desert hills were rich in minerals,rocks and fine stones.Egypt was always rich for art and craft materials during the Predynastic period.The term Predynastic denotes the period of emerging cultures that preceeded the establishment of the first dynasty of Egypt.
Potteries of the predynastic period was amazing.The working of hard stones also began in the later predynastic period.In the architect of the predynastic,unbaked mud brick and stones were the two major principal building materials.These were used generally for the tombs,the eternal dwellings of the dead and for the temples.The peoples of Predynastic period were the successors Paleolithic inhabitants of the north east Africa,who have spread over much of it’s area during wet phases,they have left remains in regions as inhospitable as the great grand sea,over thousand of years people must have migrated from there to the Nile valley.
During the predynastic period of Egypt,the Badarian culture and the Naqadan culture were discovered.The Badarian people lived in upper Egypt,on the Eastern bank of Nile from approximately 5000 B.C. to 4400 B.C.Though they semi nomadic people,they formed small settlements and began to cultivate grains and domestic animals.They bury their dead in the small cemeteries on the outskirts of these settlementsand also cultivate ceremonial burials and for some of their domesticated animals,although they grave themselves were simple,the deceased were buried with fine ceremics,jewellary,cloth and fur.They do not mummify their dead,instead buriying them in a foetal position facing towards the setting sun.
The Naqadan took over from the badarian around 4500 B.C and became the most important prehistoric culture in upper Egypt.This culture has been devided into three parts.The Naqada 1 culture is similar to the Badarian culture.Peoples lived in village and developed the cultivation of the Nile Valley.In Naqada 1 graves of the deceased were buried in the mummarian style.These were forrunners of USHABTI figures found in Egyptian tombs.The dead person are buried with food,weapons,ornaments,dacorated vases and palettes..The Naqada 2 phase have began around 3500 B.C.This culture developed themselves in cultivations and arts.They started living in towns and started creating potteries paintings sculptures and metalworks.They created rectangular graves for the dead.Naqada 3 was a short period from 3200 to 2900 B.C.During this period there was a lot of difference between the upper and the lower Egypt.Seven Kings from lower Egypt are listed in the PALERNO stone.HORUS and NEKHBET come to represent upper Egypt and SET and WADJET represented lower Egypt.
About the Author
Manoj Sharma Artist (Paintings & Sculpture) is an artist working on U.S Arts,English Arts Indian Arts Egyptina Arts Modern Arts and the Fine Arts.He is the member of Saatchi Art Gallery,Australia and residing in INDIA.He has written various articles which were appreciated by British Art Museum and the National Museum of Scotland.
|
|
Life and Death in Ancient Egypt: Tombs Tomb Art History Ancient Egyptian Book $24.95 |