The All of the excavations on the temples and tombs point to the ancient Egyptian craftsmen, particularly those dating back to the glory days when the Egyptian economy was booming and the Egyptians had the opportunity to show off their skills and create masterpieces, demonstrating that Egyptians are natural artists.
The ancient Egyptian craftsmen were well aware of their extraordinary abilities and skills. They were responsible for the construction of some of the most captivating works of art, which for endless generations highlighted the ancient Egyptian civilization’s brilliance and attractiveness. Because of their extraordinary abilities, these artists were thought to be socially superior to common laborers.
Ancient Egyptian Craftsmen’s Social Value
The great mass of the populace could not afford the bulk of the objects created by the ancient Egyptian craftsmen. Their customers were primarily aristocracy or affluent middle-class people who could afford their services and high-quality goods. The prosperity of the ancient Egyptian craftsmen was also influenced by commerce and trade.
When it came to the quality of some items, social status made all the difference: the affluent had finely carved furniture, while the middle class had to make do with coarsely painted chairs and chests, and the people with low income had to rely on these materials in excess.
Materials Used by Ancient Egyptian Craftsmen
Since prehistoric times, ancient Egyptian craftsmen used stones, clay, wood, fibers, ivory, animal skins, bones, and feathers as their principal materials in Egypt. Later in ancient Egypt’s history, they incorporated metal into the crafting process. They discovered gold in its metallic state, used silver as an adjunct to gold, and utilized ore when they smelted it. They also used copper, tin, and iron.
The Craftsmen of Ancient Egypt (facts)
Pharaohs, the centralized government, or temple priests hired most Egyptian craftsmen or artisans. Because of this, they structured them using a hierarchical system. Ancient Egyptian craftsmen acquired their trade and art from their past masters. These masters upheld the principles of Ma’at, emphasizing balance. They also maintained the stylistic continuation of their heritage, producing exquisite art items for both the living and the dead. It’s possible that these masters learned from their parents, neighbors, or close relatives.
As the builders of Dier el-Medina demonstrated, they worked in a well-organized workshop and special communities. During their time, people recognized their achievements and skills, yet they remained nameless. Highly skilled ancient Egyptian craftsmen included carpenters, stonemasons, sculptors, builders, weavers, blacksmiths, spinners, dressmakers, glass-blowers, potters, foundry workers, and scribes.
Because hardly everyone could have established himself up as an independent artisan, most craftsmen worked as hired laborers for temples or royal organizations.
Crafting Tools
Carpenters used saws, axes, chisels, bow drills, wooden mallets, and adzes to construct a broad range of items, from roofing beams to wooden sculptures and furniture. They brought the wood from Lebanon. Sculptors used stone hammers and copper chisels to shape and polish the stone according to their designs. They constructed many magnificent and everlasting gigantic or life-size sculptures and stone containers.
Brickmakers and potters utilized the mud of the Nile River banks to create anything ancient Egyptian society required. They created bricks by combining Nile mud with sand, slapping it into wooden molds, and drying it in the sun.
Ancient Egyptian craftsmen potters used the potter’s wheel to create a variety of utilitarian containers. They then coated these in reddish slop or ornamented them with a comb or stylus before burning them in kilns. Bead makers were quite inventive when creating jewelry. They smashed stones together. Then, they rolled them between other stones to shape and make them abrasive. After that, they used a bow drill to cut a hole in the beads. Finally, they rolled the beads in a receptacle.
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