Early Ceramic Composites in Ancient Egypt
2012
Agnese Kukela, Valdis Segliņš

In Ancient Egypt ceramic composites are known already since ca. 4000 BC and most widely they are made by glazing the pottery and producing glazed faience. The quality of such ware is vey high and denotes the level of development of ancient technologies and craftsmen skills. The aim of this study was to investigate most characteristic traits of the production of ancient ceramic composites, especially focusing on the choice of raw materials and indications on the responsibility of ancient craftsmen about their production. One of the main subjects of this study was glazes faience tiles from the Step Pyramid complex of the king Djoser at Saqqara, where the question regarding production of the duplicates and their restoration is still an open issue. This study highlights essential stages necessary to ensure high quality of the production, from the choice of raw materials to branding. Understanding of these processes could facilitate elaboration of similar innovations nowadays. In the underground passages of the Step Pyramid complex there still are many faience tiles in situ, whereas rest of the once decorated walls have only bits of mortar remains. The data obtained during the study supplements the existing knowledge regarding production of the faience tiles and enables us to carry out the investigation although the faience tiles are no more at their initial places. It is concluded, that the level of development of ceramic material composites in Ancient Egypt denotes the presence of comprehensive technological knowledge already 5 thousand years ago and concerns the level of organization of the production process control and commencement of branding.


Keywords
ceramic products, structure of composites, glazed tiles, brands

Kukela, A., Segliņš, V. Early Ceramic Composites in Ancient Egypt. Materials Sciences and Applied Chemistry. Vol.26, 2012, pp.77-81. ISSN 1407-7329. e-ISSN 2255-8713.

Publication language
Latvian (lv)
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