Everyone recognizes the amazing skill of the Egyptians with regard to architectural design and building. However, those were only two of their multitude of talents.
Like many things that we enjoy today, in modern life, many of the arts and crafts that we take for granted originated in ancient Egypt. Carpentry, ceramics, glasswork, metalwork, and jewelry making were just some of the crafts that were perfected there.
Although their tools were relatively simple in nature, Egyptian craftsmen managed to produce some of the most beautiful pieces of artwork ever developed. And the craftsmen who were capable of producing those artistic works of art held highly respected positions within the Egyptian hierarchy.
From basket weavers to jewelry makers, the finest artisans were highly sought after by the aristocracy and even the pharaoh himself. Lesser skilled artisans often worked in businesses that employed a form of mass production similar in nature to our assembly lines of today. They were typically overseen by someone with a slightly higher skill level, sort of mimicking what we would call a foreman.
Over time, workers would develop skills that might allow them to specialize in a specific aspect of the craft like glazing pottery or beading necklaces. As the worker’s skills progressed so did his or her pay and benefits.
Although the Egyptians were rarely at the forefront of any type of technology, that never seemed to prevent them from accomplishing anything they set their minds to. Even though their earliest carpentry tools were crude and wood was scarce, the Egyptians developed good carpentry skills.
As other craftsmen invented with new tools like saws, punches, drills, and the like, their carpentry skills increased exponentially. Fine woods like ebony and cedar were used to craft intricate furniture designs for the wealthiest clients.
As other crafts progressed like carving, painting, weaving, etc., those skills were merged with furniture design to develop some of the most intricate pieces the world would see for many years.
Egyptian stone masons typically worked with many different types of material such as limestone, granite, alabaster, and others. They were capable of developing everything from a simple stone cup to an alabaster obelisk several stories in height.
Although early vases and jars were carved out of various forms of stone, eventually these were replaced with more delicate clay pottery born on a potter’s wheel. In the beginning, such works were relatively plain in nature. However, as craftsmen became more skilled in intricate pottery development, it only made sense that it should bear equally delicate and beautiful designs.
Originally, painters of such works, were men and women who were particularly skilled in the area of cosmetic application. Because they were use to fine, delicate work that was perfected from beginning to end, they were able to create the same kind of intricate detailing on vases, bowls, jars, and other fine pottery.
Glazes were developed to help protect their artwork. More décor was added in the form of beading, jewels, or gold leafing to make one-of-a-kind pieces that were suited for a king or queen. Jewel inlay, using precious jewels like turquoise and lapis, added even more intricate detail.
Gold was plentiful not only in and around Egyptian territories but was also often a part of the spoils of lands conquered by the Egyptian dynasty. Because it was relatively plentiful, it was used for everything from jewelry to coffins.
The advent of copper smelting allowed for the development of some of Egypt’s finest tools, including everything from tweezers to cooking utensils. Bronze and silver were also used plentifully for virtually anything that the artisan mind could imagine.
Jewelry making was both a profitable and highly revered business in ancient Egypt because virtually everyone wore some type of jewelry. But with the Egyptian people, jewelry wasn’t just a matter of decoration, it was seen as a necessity because charms and amulets were used to ward off evil, bring good luck, and help heal certain physical conditions.
Jewelers worked in everything from silver and gold to copper and bronze with crystals, gems, and natural stones. Some of their most popular choices included turquoise, lapis, jasper, amethyst, garnet and carnelian.
The textile industry began slowly in Egypt. Because the climate was so hot, people wore as little clothing as possible. In the beginning, the majority of their clothing items were made from linen. It was both lightweight and airy and it draped easily on the body.
Dyes were developed from crushing plants and stones into fine powders that could be mixed with water and oils to add color to fabrics. Over time, craftsmen became quite skilled in mixing dyes to form a multitude of colors, often even mixing several of them into the same cloth in intricate patterns.
Once the loom was invented, the textile industry really took off. Artisans and craftsmen began to create more intricate patterns and designs which were woven directly into the cloth itself.
From blowing glass to painting everything from jewelry to murals on pyramid walls, the Egyptians basically did it all and, in many cases, long before anyone else. While it is odd to think that we many owe so much to a civilization hundreds of years gone, the truth is that we do and I, for one, think we are all the better for it.
