Made in Ancient Egypt: The Stories behind the Artifacts

Helen Strudwick and Thomas Clarke

A beautifully illustrated exploration of the artists and makers behind nearly 100 ancient Egyptian artifacts, based on the latest research and accompanying a major exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

In ancient Egypt, the making of various kinds of art was dictated by the different materials used: stone, ceramics, faience and glass, metalwork, jewelry, paint, linen, basketry, wood, papyrus, and cartonnage. In Made in Ancient Egypt each of these media is examined in turn, and the exquisite workmanship and knowledge of individual makers is revealed and celebrated.

Almost one hundred different objects are presented and discussed for their typical or unusual features. The contributors to this volume also reveal their personal appreciation and understanding of the different media that they have studied or, frequently, restored, seeking to get to the heart of the methods of the ancient craftsmen, whose work they have learned to respect and admire. They have been aided by modern technology, which allows a holistic analysis of these objects that are now some four thousand years old.

Besides the introduction there is an essay on the difficulties of talking about individual artists in ancient Egypt, and conversations with contemporary makers working with the same materials today. Beautifully illustrated and full of new research, Made in Ancient Egypt will appeal to enthusiasts and scholars alike.