| The Egyptians created pottery beginning from | | | | potter's wheel. The wheel was at first turned by |
| primordial times. Even before the construction of | | | | hand, and later the kick wheel variety developed |
| pyramids, they were engaged in the making of | | | | during the Ptolemaic epoch. At this time, there |
| pottery. The study of pottery sheds tremendous | | | | was an increase in the quantity of pottery |
| light on the pre dynastic era of ancient Egypt. | | | | produced. However the introduction of the |
| Ancient Egyptians used pottery in the same | | | | potter's wheel did not wipe out absolutely all the |
| manner we use plastic containers today. The | | | | traditional forms of making pottery. For example, |
| studies of pottery material, expertise, and types | | | | bread moulds were still often handmade |
| have been a great supply of information for | | | | Egyptian pottery can be classified into two broad |
| archaeologists to date sites in the absence of | | | | divisions depending upon the type of clay used in |
| other sources of data. Early Egyptologists like | | | | the manufacturing. It is an international |
| Flinders Petrie used pot shards to discover | | | | classification system known as The Vienna |
| chronological dates for pre dynastic eras. Pottery | | | | System. |
| is also used to assist the study of trade and | | | | 1. Pottery manufactured from Nile clay. It is also |
| regional development in old Egypt. | | | | known as Nile silt ware. When it is fired it gets |
| Egypt in the pre dynastic period produced pottery | | | | covered up with a red-brown color. Sometimes |
| of very high quality. During the Badarian period the | | | | the pottery was decorated or painted in blue. It |
| potter's wheel was not used and typically ladies | | | | was mostly used for common everyday |
| prepared it. The upper segment was adorned in a | | | | purposes. It was not used for decoration although |
| radiant black color and the lower segment in deep | | | | during the New Kingdom, blue painted pottery |
| red. The pottery was made by firing in open bone | | | | appeared. |
| fires or archaic furnaces. From 40000 to 3000 BC. | | | | 2. Pottery made from marl clay. It was made |
| i.e. until the Dynastic era from the Naqada era, | | | | from material found in the region of Quena in |
| pottery was decorated with depictions of animals, | | | | Upper Egypt. This pottery was superior to the Nile |
| humans, boats and various other patterns and | | | | silt ware. It was sometimes polished leaving a |
| symbols. It was during this period, that perhaps | | | | lustrous surface. It was used for decorative |
| some of the greatest pottery was developed. | | | | purposes as well as for other functions. However, |
| The potter's wheel was not invented in Egypt until | | | | the actual glazed pottery appeared only during |
| the Old Kingdom. It was only during this era that | | | | roman times. |
| the potter's wheel made its first appearance and | | | | One can further make a classification of Egyptian |
| started to be used for commercial purposes. The | | | | pottery with the examination of additives in the |
| wheel was very simple, like a turn table in the | | | | basic fabric of the pottery, as well as an analysis |
| beginning, but latter it advanced into a true | | | | of the natural impurities present in the clay. |