The Arts of Making in Ancient Egypt Voices, Images, and Objects of Material Producers 2000-1550 BC

This book provides an innovative analysis of the conditions of ancient Egyptian craftsmanship in the light of the archaeology of production, linguistic analysis, visual representation and ethnographic research. During the past decades, the "imaginative" figure of ancient Egyptian material producers has moved from "workers" to "artisans" and, most recently, to "artists." In a search for a fuller understanding of the pragmatics of material production in past societies, and moving away from a series of modern preconceptions, this volume aims to analyze the mechanisms of material production in Egypt during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1550 BC); to approach the profile of ancient Egyptian craftsmen through their own words, images, and artifacts; and to trace possible modes of circulation of ideas among craftsmen in material production.