Learn about the daily life of artisans in ancient Egypt.
Ptah Statue / Third Intermediate Period
It was under the watchful eye of Ptah of Memphis, the god of craft and architecture, that ancient Egyptians developed the unique rendition of the world they lived in.
However, it is vital to understand that their view of art, and those who created it, was likely very dissimilar to the modern concept of the word.
Instead of artists, the creative culture had skilled and respected artisans. The most significant categories of specialties for crafters were drawing, painting, sculpture and metalworking.
Perfume bottle in the shape of a hes-vase with the figure of a princess / 18th Dynasty
Ancient Egyptian craftspeople created both art and a wide variety of mundane, everyday tools. Every item created had a specific purpose and was produced by anonymous artisans who worked alone or with a team.
Most crafts such as pottery and metalworking were utilized for everyday items. Luxury goods and artwork illustrations served temple rituals, and were not meant for public display.
Artisans rarely signed their names to the work, though they were clearly aware that they possessed a unique skill and talent for the task.
A pharaoh, possible Seti I, offering a figure of the goddess Maat / New Kingdom
Art in all of its forms has offered not only a practical insight into the way ancient Egyptians lived, but in how they viewed the world and their place in it.
The balance of order and chaos was crucial in both the physical and the metaphysical universes. As a result, their art appears to follow a strict set of stylistic conventions that supported this worldview.
From households and palaces to temples and tombs, pottery, papyrus and textile items were essential to the everyday life of ancient Egyptians.
Artist's Sketch of Pharaoh Spearing a Lion / New Kingdom
In ancient Egyptian culture drawing was used as ilustration, such as seen in the Book of the Dead.
It was also the first step in the creation of a relief, painting, or statue.
Two-dimensional representations were concerned with order and form, and were intended to honor gods and promote the transition of the soul to the afterlife.
Stylistically, Egyptians were concerned with the depiction of the human form's inner self.
As such, artistic representations were not concerned with realism, but rather with idealized youth, and perfectly harmonious visuals.
Block from a Relief Depicting a Battle / New Kingdom
An exception to this were scenes depicting hunting and battle, where the environment and enemies moved in lively, even chaotic ways.
Animals and foes were depicted piled up as if describing chaos, with Egyptians standing in solemn, disciplined poses, bringing order to the scene.
Relief from the Palace of Apries in Memphis / 18th Dynasty
Reliefs could be either in high relief, or low relief. Either method required a surface suited to the desired technique.
Preparation of the surfaces differed depending on the quality of the rock.
A quarried block only needed a simple smoothing. Rough-cut rock monuments such as those found in tombs, required more work. Often the surface was coated in plaster before being sculpted.
Reliefs from the Tomb of Nespekashuty / 18th Dynasty
For reliefs, preliminary sketches were drawn in red, then framed with a red grid to position the elements of the scenes.
Corrected sketches were in black and once approved, the scene was ready to be carved.
This method likely explains the name given to relief-makers: the one who draws the outlines.
The history of Egyptian, via monuments / New Kingdom
Statues were believed to be vessels for the souls of the deceased, or deities. That is why a sculptor was called “the one who makes it live”. This divine duty earned them the utmost respect.
As with a relief, creation of a sculpture began with a drawing.
Most statues were made of quarried blocks of stone, primarily limestone, though sometimes harder stones such as quartzite were also used.
Fragmentary Model of a Weavers Shop / Middle Kingdom
In ancient Egypt, the profession of crafter was organized and relied on a specific hierarchy. Most artisans depended on an institution to provide them with raw materials.
There were three working levels for craftsmanship: domestic, large estates and within palace and temple workshops.
Some royal workshops, at their largest, covered an area of about 2.8 square kilometers in size.
Neferabu and his colleague, the artist Maani-nakbtouf / 19th Dynasty
At the domestic Level, most Egyptians were craftspeople to a greater or lesser extent. The ability to repair tools was a daily necessity. Crafted everyday items could also be bartered for at the local market.
Artisans with skills but lacking in resources worked at large estates, where the elite provided them with space to work and raw materials.
The most skilled artisans were employed in royal or temple projects, and benefited from a special status. They were provided with good work spaces, and considered to be highly skilled.
Papyrus Sallier 2; Teaching of King Amenemhat for his son Sesotris / 19th Dynasty
An ancient text known as the Satires of Trades has a number of descriptive summaries that offer teasing glimpses into how artisans were perceived.
A coppersmith was said to stink and have fingers that resembled crocodile droppings, while potters were said to be like those who lived in bogs.
This view was likely exaggerated in order to highlight the most enviable position of all: that of the scribe.
Stela of worker Inherkhaou [Foreman at Deir el-Medina] / 12th Century BCE
Located near the Valley of the Kings, Deir El-Medina was a settlement created by order of the king to honor the most skilled artisans. lts name translates as "the monastery of the city.”
Allocated a house on the initiative of the king, these craftsfolk were regarded with respect, and referred to as the royal artisans.
Those who lived there worked on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and its surrounding temples.
Deir el Medina. Antiquity village, "The monastery of the town", coptic / 18th Dynasty
Archaeologists believe the site was home to skilled and respected artisans for over 400 years.
It is considered one of the most important discoveries relating to Egyptian daily lite.
While much of the focus of Egyptian archaeology was on its kings and queens, it wasn't until the excavation of Deir El-Medina that Egyptologists were given a valuable window into the community life of ancient Egyptian artisans.
