Egypt's Making: Origins of Ancient Egypt, 5000-2000 B.C.

by Michael Rice (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  1990

  $3.25

  Looks behind the artefacts of the all too often stuffy museum representations of Egypt, to an Egypt littered with toys, jewels and cosmetics, a country busy with the everyday transactions of ordinary life, and the people involved in them. This book should be of interest to wide general readership, as well as academics in the fields of archaeology, Egyptology and ancient history.

• Used

  Paperback
  1991

  $4.32

  Egypt's Making examines the first 3000 years of Egyptian history, from c.5000 BC - c. 2000 BC, down to the collapse of the old Kingdom. Evoking the magic and wonder of most ancient Egypt, Michael Rice explains the essentially African character of the historic Egyptian society, institutions and art. He augments his text with many superb illustrations of the art and architecture of this fascinating and relatively little-known period of Egypt's history. The book considers the emergence of Egypt's most ancient political institutions such as the kingship, and the complex problem of the influences which streamed into the Nile Valley from Western Asia (Sumer in Southern Iraq and Elam in South-Western Iran) in the late fourth millenium BC. The author reviews the evidence for the existence of connections between Egypt and the Arabian Gulf, including Eastern Arabia and the island of Bahrain in remote antiquity and at times during the Old Kingdom. The book suggests that in particular the art of the early periods throws light directly on the psychology of the people of the time. Early Egypt gives the opportunity to examine one of the very few examples (perhaps the only one) of an important civilization in its pristine state, largely free from external influences, until eventually overwhelmed by them. It also relates some of the precepts of Jungian psychology to the development of the historic Egyptian personality, particularly Jung's ideas relating to individuation which can give an insight into the nature of the emerging Egyptian state and in particular to the role of the King. The author reviews the extent of Jung's interest in ancient Egypt and the development of Egyptian civilization drawing on Jung's own writings and correspondence. The book considers the importance of role-playing and of the great theatrical presentations which punctuated the official life of the state, which represent the beginnings of drama and the theatre. An appendix considers the nature of the mysterious Animal of Set' whose identity has for long intrigued Egyptologists and which the author believes may still be recognized today among the breeds of living dogs. Michael Rice has visited Egypt many times over the past 30 years and is professionally concerned with the archaeology of the Arabian peninsula and the Gulf, with the development of museums in the area and with the conservation and presentation of major archaeological sites and historic buildings. His concern with design is reflected in his analysis of many ancient Egyptian designs, in pottery, stoneware, architecture and in the symbolism associated with the King, such as the serekh , in which the King's name was formally presented.