Ancient Egyptian Artifacts
Beginning Era

5000BC to about 2134BC

Introduction

The beginning era consists three periods: the pre-dynastic, early dynastic, and the old kingdom. The pre-dynastic starts with farming in the Nile valley and ends at the first dynasty in 2920 BC. The early dynastic period is the two and three quarter centuries covered by the first two dynasties. The old kingdom is composed of dynasties 3 through 6 inclusive, covering about five-hundred years. As the old kingdom dissolved, a period of unrest with no central control of the country ensued which lasted about a hundred-fifty years. During this time the rulers still felt all of Egypt was theirs, it was just running out of control. This period of unrest is often called the first intermediate period although an Egyptian of the time would only have felt that the king was no long in control as perhaps he should be.

Objects from 6,000 years ago that survive are rare. What is rare is valuable. Sometimes a rare item tells us something about the culture and the people who created or used the objects. It is often open to question if these objects are art. Sometimes they are not placed in art museums (if the museum director is snooty) but left to be displayed in museums of cultural history. But often these objects are decidedly beautiful to modern eyes, and in that sense they are now art, even if they were first created as utilitarian objects. Egyptian objects, including their art, can not be understood without the understanding the uses, culture, and beliefs of the ancient Egyptian peoples. We are left to marvel at these artifacts that through accident, and occasionally design, remain of ancient Egypt.

Pre-Dynastic Period

Pottery from the Southern
Upper Nile Region

Pottery from the
Northern Delta Region

More Objects of the Pre-Dynastic period

Early Dynastic Period

In the first dynasty a new capital city, Memphis, was created at apex of the Delta. But the ruling family came from the north and some scholars believe they were buried at Abydos. Others believe that only a cenotaph was created at Abydos and the kings were really buried at Saqqara.